Removing body by yourself.. so much fun

Think like the egyptians....

 

egyptians had slaves do all thier work.

 

Man! At least it's only an A! I've done this twice with a '62 Chevy truck and a '63 GMC! But no matter, an extra set of hands is always a godsend. I don't know about you, but when I pull bodies off alone, I always cuss the people that COULD be there to help.

 

when in rome....

good way to tackle a project by yourself. wouldnt it be easier to buy some beer and have a few buddies over? it would **** to tweak that body or drop it.

 

Problem is everyone was already 5 deep into a six pack

 

I've done the same thing many times. Since I work nights most people are working when I have garage time, but I do have some help from time to time.

 

As long as you dont start walking like one.

 

dont wanna rub it in but access to a two post lift and a homemade body cart makes it nothing but a one man job. 50 bucks at the Depot on some 2x4s and 4x4s plus some casters and a half an afternoon got the body cart made. Rolling the car to the shop next door and using the lift for 45 minutes got the car seperated from the frame. Gotta agree that finding some helpers would be the next best options however I have been in your position where everyone is everywhere except helping you out... kinda like moving day. BTW good job

 

yeah....i think i know those guys too. they always seem to have really good advice on how to do everything though.

 

oh the one that said, "you shoulda done it like that"? Think he stops by from time to time, havent seen his car though

 

Yes, it does **** to drop one. I dropped the '36 body lifiting it off the frame, from my cherry picker. Something slipped, and once gravity took over, there was nothing to do but stand back. It's very rigid, thanks to the 2x2 rockers and internal bracing, didn't hurt anything, but is sure was ugly to watch!

 

Standard procedure in my shop. Always a few friends around...but rarely when ya need them..........unless you wait till 4 or 5 pm.....lol

Many times it's easier for me to do it myself than try and explain what I want them to do..............but I have been doing this for over 40 years now. 2 very stout sawhorses, a couple of 4x4s and my cherry picker...and a body cart. Pick up one end and put it on the sawhorses, pick up the other end with the cherry picker and roll the frame out...or reverse it and put the body on.........just put the body of a 66 Skylark back on the frame for a Magazine project car this way.


M.

 

I'm just glad you didn't fill the garage up with sand... shimmy the body over and start digging the frame out!! Boy would your wife had been pissed, when you tracked sand in the house!!!

 

Took the body off my 48 Plymouth Coupe using a pair of camper jacks that my dad had to put the overhead camper on his pickup. They were heavy pipe on a tripod base with a hand winch, had about a 2 foot long piece of angle that fit under the side of the camper. Put the angle under the rockers, lifted the body a few inches a couple of times to find the balance point then lifted it enough to clear the rear kickup and rolled the frame out.

 

Sure beats this.... one person, a floor jack, and one cinder block at a time...many years ago. Still amazed it "held''.

 

I did my '46 Lincoln body lift all alone with jack stands and 6x6 wood (I know) crossbeams. What I didn't anticipate was the amount the ch***is 'rose' when the weight of the body was off. The frame kick over the rear axle goes way up and in my case would not clear enough to rollout the ch***is. I had to remove the rear wheels and drag the ch***is out with a floor jack under the differential. This applies to heavy 40's + cars I would imagine.

 

mind over matter! i like the way you handle your stuff chopperman!

 

Since I'm always working with big bodies - 4 door, wagon, etc, I've found another way:

Jack the whole car up anout 18". Using sawhorses, timbers, blocks, skyhooks, etc, solidly support they body.

Than simply drop the ch***is out from under it. Make sure your body supports don't get in the way of rolling the frame out.

You now have your body supported at a nice working height and your ch***is can be worked on.

To reinstall the body, repeat in reverse.

 

If you need help and your lightweight buddies only bring a 6 pack,let me know.
I'm up in Rocklin most days now.

 

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=113397I built one like this to do the heavy work

 

I'v been lucky i guess having a lift in my dads shop. its was a lot of help when i had to pull the cab off my '49 chevy.

 

Since I rather do everything myself anyway, I bought a 2 post lift.
Couldn't live without it now.
I did a '36 sedan before the hoist and it damn near took all day by myself.

 

Getting it back on by yourself is the fun part!

 

I di the my first 40 the same as hkestes, camper jacks. Took forever, but I did it by myself.

 

get a extra large trash bag oh better double it dont want any parts to come through while you drag it and then.....uh sorry wrong body.

 

man thats a model A MY GRANDMA COULD DO THAT.

TRY TAKING A 54 CHEVY BODY OFF BY YOURSELF.........

 

Chopperman,

I do everything by myself; I just finished putting the front clip and hood on my '52 - ooof! Anyway, I don't know what kind of construction/ceiling you have, butwhen I did my Model A, I was able to put a 4x4 across the stringers in the attic, cut a couple holes in the sheetrock, bolt short pieces of chain around the 4x4 and drop though the ceiling. I spaced them such that I could put a couple straps through the windows or trunk or ??, and hoist it up. I used a couple small chain-hoists.

 

i've seen a picture with an adapter that slides down into the tubing on an engine lift. it goes out at an angle and is almost parralell [spelling] with the roof. it looked like it would work real well.

 

do it all the time to my 51. I always work alone and can have the body on or off in 1.5 hrs with a hoist, cinder blocks and 4x4s

the key is to remove the bolts holding the front suspension off and roll it out of the way. Then you can walk the frame out with the front rails in the air to get the kick-up in the back of the car down. Now you dont have to get the body so damn high.

 

That's a good idea... I'm sure it saves alot of yelling!