Mr D.

I have come to the conclusion that I can no longer crawl around under cars on my hands and knees, my body just doesn't work that way anymore or I just don't want to work that way anymore.

If I had a 2-Post lift this would not be a problem but I don't so it's time to improvise. I need to build a Wood Gantry Crane that I can lift the body (about 500 lbs) to a height that would allow me to set in a chair and roll under the body for cleaning and work, thinking I need 5' from floor to body. I would also used this to put the body back on the frame once I'm ready for that.

Once I lift the body up 5' I would build shoring at the door sill channel on each side to allow me free access under the car front to rear.

Anyone done this before or have any better ideas for working on the underside of the body. My garage is about full so I dont have room for a body rotisseries and want to keep the cost down on this.

What I'm dealing with is undercoating that runs from the firewall to the rear of the car. Lot of scraping and cleaning needs to be done.

Below is a picture of a wood / metal Gantry Crane, I would use wood to build mine if I choose that route.

Dennis

Beggers

I have built a steel crane very simular to the picture but frankly I think it would be more cost effective to run down to HF and but a cherry picker, once you have the body off the car then you can set it on a wooden dolly or frame to easily work on it. I jacked up my dolly and set it high for easy access. Much easier than building a new gantry crane:

6T5RUSH

Mr. D,

Be careful here. I hear the sound of "whileImAtIts" coming. I know you said this was just to clean the body. Hmmmm, let's see if I can clean up the top of the chassis and suspension. Oh, that bolt looks too rusty, I'll just remove it and wire wheel it. Dang! snapped coming off. I hear Paragon, LICS, waiting in the wings to bring things up to snuff.

:

Jim
In God We Trust!

Bluestripe67

Project Creep! Dennis

mikem350

Unless you get a BIG cherry picker..
The small ones don't lift very high

Mr D.

I'm re-thinking this whole wood crane thing and going back to doing a lift from each side using camper jacks or something along those lines.

May just have to suck it up and get on my knees and back to clean the underside.

Mr D.

I think a nice creeper purchase and knee pads is in my near future.

Bushpilot

Bushpilot

I built a steel frame to hold my 60. It bolts to the body in 4 spots, 2 behind seats and two by feet. The frame has two 1.5 inch square tubes as the base and they stick out 18inches on each side. Then I bend some round 1.5 inch tubing and can be slid over either side. I can then flip the body on either side, I just move the round tubing. I can do it all by myself. When lifting it up it balances at a certain point and I can walk the body over to gain more room in the garage. I also have three wheels that slip onto the fame to roll it outside to work on it. since the pics were taken I bolted another angle iron from the frame to the pipe to hold it solid. Kevin

6T5RUSH

Very creative and functional!

Like to see your approach on the roll around frame.

Jim
In God We Trust!

Dejavet

I had the same thick tar coating the entire underside of my 65 coupe project. I built a wooden frame body dolly that raised the car about 30 inches off the floor. It has 4 large casters so I can move it anywhere I want. Then I used a beach chair to lay under the car. The beach chair has an adjustable back so I could raise or lower my back angle to give me a comfortable angle for working. This has worked well for me. I used a heat gun and metal paint scraper with the corners rounded off. I now have a very clean, original looking under body. I would post a picture, but I have not figured out how to do that yet.

Dejavet

Mr D.

Dejavet , I have been thinking about that same setup. I'm looking for a good creeper with a adjustable back rest.

Scott Marzahl

Find yourself a pair of old bumper jacks, they come in real handy. They will lift and support your car while you clean the bottom

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Mr D.

Scott, funny you should mention bumper jacks. I have been looking high and low for a set as this would solve all my lifting problems.

So far no luck on finding any around here local.

Bill32

Dennis, Just my opinion. The ceiling in my shop is much lower than yours. I lifted my body as high as I could with my engine hoist (big one). Working under it, including bead blasting the door channels, was really uncomfortable at the height I had it at.

I lowered it down some to where I could lay on my creeper (with an adjustable headrest) and easily reach the bottom of the car. It was way better that way, IMO.

I wanted to build a frame to roll the body on it's side but didn't have the room.

Matt Gruber

why not just touch up the sound deadening coating and maintain the quiet ride?

Mr D.

Matt, guess I never thought of this mess as a "sound deadening coating", to me it was more along the lines as a corrosion preventive measure that was popular in the 70's. It's a tar like asphalt based material that holds may years worth of oil, dirt and grime and just looks like crap.

This car was sprayed from the spare tire tub to the firewall as well as the wheel wells.

**Bill**

That is one serious Cherry Picker.

Bill32

Oh yea, It has a 2 speed separate pump which lifts the boom very fast until it hits a load. Detachable rear trolley, legs that swivel out 20 degrees and the whole boom can be unlocked and swiveled side to side. Originally for diesel engines.

Bushpilot

Here are some pics of the wheels.

Dejavet

Here is a picture of my high dolly. The beach lounge chair I used sits about 6 inches off the ground so that you have plenty of room to work under the car.