I have seen various methods of removing the body to do the frame off resto. Some are kinda scary. I have been pondering a method using modified cab-over-camper jacks and some angle iron. Any pics of removal or body dollies once it has been removed?
We use several guys and just lift them off to sturdy sawhorses then bolt up the rotisserie. You idea sounds good however.
I used a service lift, My rockers were already screwed. I would use something that would bolt to the out body mount holes. Jack it with floor jacks to raise it enough to bolt up the brackets then use the camper jacks. I will say that it is a BAD idea to use an engine lift. We used it to pull the trashed S!) cab off of the frame. A bit unsteady. It's one of those deal where you realize it's a bad idea, but yet are close enough adn stubborn enough to not care.
low springs did it by himself (54 chevy) on 2 different cars. i think he used camper jacks(?) on either side and made a couple large saw horse (body supports) type things.
Did mine by myself with 2 floor jacks, a couple pieces of 4x4 and some blocks made out of 2x6 cuttings.
i used a 2 jacks in the front and 2 in the back in each corner. i did both of these by myself. DO NOT TRY IT BY YOURSELF. I HAD NO CHOICE. YOU REALLY NEED SOMEONE TO HELP. IT WOBBLES A BIT.
Low springs, half the fun is doing it by yourself. It sure gets the heart going when you've got the body up in the air on some wiggly jacks!
Root, since the kid is working on the car now, I still have that dash piece! Cant believe we both spaced it off at the drags.
Jacks and 4x4... With the body unbolted, out a board under the front inner body braces in the engine compartment and jack it up to slide a 4x4x8 under it. Support the 4x4 with 1 ton or larger jack stands (the big ones - like an outrigger). then go to the rear and to the same. THen walk it up a few inches at a time front to back. It will take some time but with blocks and a good jack, you will get it up there. I took the wheels of the rear, and put a moving dolly under the rear end (so the rear is as low as possible) and used a floor jack under the front crossmember and pulled the frame out (I removed the front wheels to get the whole frame as low as possible...) once the frame is out you can figure out how to secure the body.. I put mine on a wooden frame jig (made of 2x6 on heavy duty casters)
I wasn't gonna do it cause I was gonna make a driver out of it. Now, since my bouy is gonna be building it. He's gonna learn all about the crappy stuff. Scraping the bottomside of the body, sandblasting the frame, etc. I thought I could build this one on the frame.....not gonna happen, it just bugs me.
when I did my 49, me and my brother tied two 2 inch straps through the window openings up to the rafters in the shop and pulled it up to the roof and then tied it off while we rolled the frame out. But it had no doors, trunk lid, or floor so it was alittle lighter then yours probably.
My dad I did the same basic thing on my 51.You can put a skateboard under the frame to wheel it out from under the lifted body.
I think I will build a cradle to set it on. I have one I built for the A sedan. I may be bale to modify it so I can roll it around afterwards. It has to be mobile.
Old School just 1 floor jack and some wooden 6x6 blocks and cinder blocks and 4 10ft long 4x4 post, I took a piece of 2x3 box steel about 3 ft long put it under the center of the body ( under rear seat area) and a floor jack, raised up and slide 2 wooden 4x4 across the frame rails 10 ft long, then did the same to the front of the body, then went back to the rear and raised it up using the 4x4 and put cinder blocks 2 on botten then turn the next 2 then turn the next 2 so you have a laced colume 3 blocks high 2 blocks wide on each side ( be sure and clear the tires thats why i used a 10ft 4x4s)then you can pull the rolling chassie out from under the body. then just reverse the process to lower it back down 1 block at a time. I never went side to side always front to back. Not the best pic, but the only one I had, it set like this under cover for about 3 months. It takes about an hour and a half to raise and lower it . keep the body as low as possible and i removed the rear tires to pull it out and to put it back under.I put 2 , 2 ft long 2x6 boards under the U bolts like skids so it would slide and pulled it with my tractor. I hope this helps you out, it crude but effective and luckly I had no damage.
do the heavy body work while it is on the frame, this will help keep it aligned and straight. you can finish on the rotis,
pulled mine off with an engine hoist and 2 chains bolted in a x to four inside body mounting holes worked really well. Picked it up in the center of the x and rolled the chassis out from underneath of it. I've got a really heavy duty hoist though was used for pulling big truck motors.
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