im going to seperate the body from the ch***is on my project (50 ford),,,,,,,ive already removed the body mounts,,and removed the steering box/column,,,i would like to jack the body up from the frame, put it on 4x4's and jackstands, and roll the ch***is from underneath,,,,,,,,,,,the problem i am having is figuring where to jack the body......i figured i need to lift it a good 30 inches, so the tires clear when i roll the ch***is out,,,,i definitely have to jack it from below, because as most of you know, i have no roof on the car (so lifting with an engine hoist is out)....any of you guys have some ideas for me?,,,,i know someone will have the solution,,,,,,my goal is to get this done tomorrow,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
spread the load out as much as possible, use a 4x4 or somentingto spread acrost a couple of body x mambers.. i usually used a cherry picker on the front 2 mounts or through the Doors with bolts and chain in the factory mounts and a jack on the opposite end.
Pulled a 39 Ford 4-door body by myself. It was a big help to pull the rear wheels and get a jack under the diff. Not so many clearance problems that way and the body doesn't have to get lifted overly high. Used an engine hoist, but your jacking method should work ok if you think about as you go and don't rush things.
Took the body off a 47 Ford coupe with two come-a-longs. Took the body mounts loose ran the come-a-longs through the body and lifted it up then pull the frame out and sat the body down on some stands... being convertable yours is going to be a differnt story. If you had a post lift just put the lift points on the body and lift it up. Might have to just get a bunch of guys over and lift it up and have some type of stands ready to sit the body down on and an other couple guys to pull the frame out Might try building some stand as tall as the highest point on the frame, then jack the entire frame and body up and put the stands under the body then lower the frame back down... Would have to do it to the front then more to the rear...
When I lifted my 36 coupe body off the frame, after it was completely separated, I remember putting a floor jack underneath next to the side of the transmission with a 2x4 placed vertically up between the trans and the tunnel with another 2x4 on top to protect the floor and lifting the body up with jack, then slipping the 4x4 in across the frame. The rear should be easy because there are more accessable jacking points. Good Luck.
You also might just mount some bare wheels with no tires on them so you don't have to jack it as high, or get some of those dollies the tires set on and set the drums down on them. When I did my bus the front sheetmetal was off and I just used a floor jack under the rear end.
How's the floor? With no roof,and considering how much slicing and dicing you've done on it,I'd be tempted to reinforce it a bit before I lifted it off the frame...Then call in a few favors
i plan to reinforce it,,,,,its pretty braced up now,,but i will add more,,,,,,,,,, thanks for all the help guys,,you've given me some great info as usual,,
We've got some camper jacks, the kind used to lift pickup box campers so you can drive the truck out from under them. We bolt a piece of angle, channel or 4X4 across the firewall and jack on either side. Something across inside the trunk and a cherry picker on the back. Done it several times works great.
yeah,,,i saw that AFTER i already posted mine,,,,,,,,,oh well,,,,,not the first time i've done that,,hahah
Don't try this at home, kids. (unless you are an experienced low rent redneck hack like me) Here I am harvesting the Lincoln ch***is that I used under my Desoto, with bumper jacks. After the frame shot out from under it like a bobsled(and almost killing us), I bumper jacked the body back down onto the trailer for delivery to the crusher. .....also the work of bumper jacks--