Almost have the body off my `53 Chevy Sedan high enough to roll the frame out. I have two 4x4s (actually one is 2 2x4s nailed together) underneath the body, on the pinch welds, being held up by jack stands on cinder blocks. One is just rear of the firewall, and one runs underneath the hump for the rear end. Problem is, the front is going up more than the rear. If I jack up one side of the rear, the body rolls slightly and rests on the lip of the rear wheel well, on the quarter panel. Is there a good place in the rear to jack both sides up evenly? Or, a good place to attach a chain to use with an engine hoist? I was thinking maybe the deck lid hinges, but I don't know if that will cause damage. Any tips would be greatly appreciated, as always. Here's some pictures to hopefully make things a little clearer. Sorry for the low quality, but I only have a cell phone to take them with.
try the body mount bolt holes in the trunk, use some 1/2" I bolts thru the holes and large flat washers on the bottom. I did this with my 57 retractable. worked great. use a chain between the I bolts to the engine hoist. it will pick it up straight if you get the chain even. good luck
I'd be VERY hesitant to use the rear wheel wells as a load bearing spot. If you've got the solid trunk floor you might try what goat suggested. You might get better results putting a beam through the rear window openings ... and I don't know how solid your car is, but knowing my 50 Chevy, I'd take all that glass out before I put too much flex on the body. IMHO.
Hey, Watch out for the cinderblock and jackstand compo....... Cinderblock, by nature, isn't all that strong of a material. Jackstands, when lifting a vehicle, can get really off balance resulting in the body falling. Yep, ya guessed correctly, I learned this one the hard way! Your best bet is a set of tall heavy duty jackstands (build 'um your- self) or heavy timbers. For lifting the rear of the body, I'd lift from the rear frame once the bumper is removed. Make up brackets that will bolt into the frame, where the rear bumper brackets normally bolt. If you lift from the deck lid hinge area, you'll in all likelyhood cause some damage to the opening and catwalk panel, as well. Swankey Devils C.C.
I've already got the body off the frame, i just need it to get about 6" higher. Now I'm super worried! How much flex is there in the body with it off the frame? I asked around a few places before I unbolted the body, and almost everyone said jack stands and cinder blocks. The garage I'm renting to do this is about a 1/2 hour commute from my house. It's in Everett, which is kind of a sketchy place. I don't know many people in the area, and the ones I have met I wouldn't let near this car if it was still rusting in somebody's barn. Also, the 4x4 in the rear is resting on what appears to be a coupla seams underneath the trunk. Is this too weak to support the body? Maybe I need to take a trip up there tonight to make sure everything's hunky-dory.
Hey Sabo, Can ya jus' remove the wheels and tyres and roll it out from under on the drums, carefully?! That will give ya more than six inches of clearance. Swankey Devils C.C.
I was thinking about that, but then when I get done with the underside and chassis, I will face the same prob, no?
Harbor Freight, Northern Tools, places like that sell dollies thst are desighned for the tires to set on, but they could support the drums just as well. Would make rolling the chassis out easy. That precarious situation you have the body in is shaky, don't make it any worse!
you need to make/borrow/steal some TALLER heavy duty jackstands...something that will do up to 3 feet or so. then borrow a couple of the old style air powered bumper jacks. this one lifts from 8" to about 38 inches.use one on each side of the body under the rockers...make sure you have the center of gravity right. a couple friends to help is great too sometimes it takes the right tools to get the job done safely
Hey Sabo, I'd go with the wheels off, and lift the rear of the body, through the trunk floor body mount holes with a chain sling. Do this, as you remove the wheels/tyres stick these under the vehicle, stacked two high, for now. "if "the body falls, it will fall on the tyres and not you, or the shop floor. Come up with some better jackstands/blocks prior to any more work on that body. Once the body is more stable, tack weld in some diagonal bracing to hold the body in alignment. DON'T OPEN THOSE DOORS UNTIL YOU ADD THE BRACING! Yeah, something you should have done prior to the removal of the frame, but live and learn! I added that because I don't know what's left of your floors, rockers and cowl. The body may very well not flex of move much, given it's a sedan, but why chance it now? It's always a good idea when ya have a body on stands to have someone around, just in case something goes south. The use of cargo straps, through the rafters, to keep the body from falling, or not falling to far, ain't a bad idea either.
Here's a link to some pics when I lifted the body off my Poncho http://ukkustoms.com/Gallery/53Poncho
The Jalopy Journal
