How do I lift off a body off a frame?

Ok newbie question here - how do I lift a body off a frame? I have a four door 34 ford sitting in my garage with plenty of parts to redo the frame but problem is I have no idea on how to get to the frame to work on it. It seems like a daunting task .... do i get a bunch of friend to lift it or a huge hoist or what? Its an all steel frame and body so weight may be an issue. I just dont want to have to go out and buy a tool only to use it once or twice.

Anything else i need to be aware of before I venture down this road? Bracing? Getting the body to fit back on the frame? Anything else to avoid future problems?

 

3 buddies and a case of beer for afterwards is the best way to go. Otherwise, you can rig up a hoist from the ceiling, or use an engine hoist, or a gantry. Use your imagination, but be safe.

 

dynamite

 

A forklift is handy but you could do the same with a couple of friends:

 

If you have friends 3 buddies and yourself will get the body off just fine. That is the easiest.

As far as bracing what shape are the floor boards in? of the floor boards are solid you should be OK if that are not cross brace it with half inch electrical conduit. I may brace it anyway if it were me.

 

I made a rack out of 2x6's for my engine crane... lifted the cab with no problem at all, and was a one man job.....I had put the cab on and off several times before mounting, so it came in handy.....http://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/541573_3782110155498_1623706607_n.jpg

Now that I'm breaking the truck down for paint, I'm using it again, this time to remove and install the box without scratching.....Engine crane and trailer tie downs to the 4 corners of the box....

 

I've used several methods over the years. On 50's cars I've used multiple scissor/bottle jacks to lift the body up, then rolling out the frame, Removing/replacing jacks as you go. On smaller, lower, lighter cars I've either used a ceiling mounted hoist (be sure to tie into multiple joists, or you'll pull the roof down ), or park under your hoist (you have one, don't you), tie the body to the underside of the hoist, and pull it up with the hoist ( really works slick ). Good luck !!

 

4"x 4" post long enough to clear the tires and a jack,,jack up one end at a time and slid the post under the body and use some concrete blocks to support the post,then lower the jack and everything should clear.

Then do the opposite end repeating the same process.

I then remove the wheels both front and back and with the jack under the rear pumpkin drag the frame out.

This is how I did it by myself,,,no one was around to help. HRP

 

Yeah I did it HRP's way many times as well.
Takes a long time but at night or when nobodies around what can you do!
I do like the chainhoist from the beam method though.
TP

 

I essentially did the same on may latest find... only thing I had to remove was the steering column so I could drag the ch***is out....
Oh I had already removed the rear fenders, so it pulled out from under just fine.

 

I've done it 5 or 6 times as HRP has said. Take it in small increments - it's a 1 man job done with patience...

 

Chairs are real handy

 

A few friends is the easiest.

 

Probably shouldn't do it this way :






I'm lucky I didn't do any serious damage to the body.

 

I use my gantry on one end and cherry picker on the other but have used the wood beam on blocks method several times and it is a pretty safe way to do it.

The problem with having a batch of buddies lift it is that sometimes it's hard to get everyone together and there is always the chance that someone will trip, loose his grip or have his back go out which seems to happen with us old farts pretty often.

This is lifting body and frame on my Model A Vic to get it off the trailer but I'll lift the body off the same way pretty soon. I lifted the front with the gantry and chain hoist and the rear with the cherry picker but it got pretty tippy hanging from both ends and I had to use my Work stands and a plank to stabilize the back end as I was working alone as I usually am.

 

Milk crates? Thats some scary **** right there. I hope you didn't get under that setup.

 

Just need to get a wider yoke is all.

 

I did it the same way only with a 2x4 lever. My teenage son placed the wooden blocks under the body moving around the car until the 4x4s cleared. No lift no chain fall just a long lever. Rolled the frame out and the replacement frame under. Then reversed the process. One 60 year old fart and a teenager.



May i be the first one to wish all of you a merry Christmas. I'm not politically correct. So what!

My old Christmas photo

 

Did anyone recommend NOT lifting it by the fenders, if that is even an issue?

 

Friends and beer.
Create a memory
Take pictures

 

I have done it like HRP has described but since I am in Alabama and didn't have any help, I had done it more of a redneck way. I started out getting it up on concrete blocks. To get it higher,since I was outside I used 4x4s on top of four 55 gallon steel drums. Keep jacking until its high enough to squirrel the frame out from under it. I did a 64 Impala body this way and they ain't light.
I did my 56 with a come-a-long attached to the rafters at the rear end and an engine hoist connected to the firewall.Raised it one end at a time, little by little until I could slide the frame out.
With a lighter car, a bunch of guys is a lot easier and faster.See, if you had bought a truck, you could lift the cab all by yourself.

 

This is a Model A coupe body, but have done Model A sedan and roadsters the same way. Just have to find the balance point of the two crossing straps. I've done it single handed, but it does help to have an ***ist for steering the lift when moving away from the frame. Taking off the doors makes it more manageable. Your 4 door without the doors would be a similar weight.

 

Lift the front, slide a 4x4 under it, and repeat on the rear

 

3 buddy's and beer you will be able to lift it !as for the tools there a good investment buy quality

 

that is a very cool ideal you came up with ! how did you attach to the top of the crane?

 

camper jacks and a strap

 

Yep what he said, Gotta have beer...

 

Looks familiar.

 

Yup, milk crates -- back of a coupe is pretty light.
But nope, I didn't (and wouldn't) get under.

But a 4X4 as HRP said would have been better than the 2 x 6 I used

 

Father-in-law had a good idea when he pulled the body off his '37 4 door. He lag bolted a plate with eye to the inside of the garage door header, then with the garage door open he used a come-a-long on the eye to lift the front and a cherry picker on the rear. He rolled the ch***is out and then rolled a cart under the body.