ry57pont

Getting ready to do the body drop and was wondering if anyone has used an army of manpower to lift and set the body to the frame. I was thinking of having 3 on each side using the wood support I have attached to the door hinge and striker rod attachment point. Any thoughts?

Powershift

Using actual MANPOWER to do this job has been done many times before. If the body is painted, I have seen the owner furnish white gloves to his helpers.

You also need a front and rear "spotter" to make sure everything goes down smoothly.

Then furnish a hearty lunch and a couple of cases of ice cold beverage.

Larry

EDIT:

I remember needing help with a project and with no guys around, and wound up using the SouthEast Louisiana Women's Ironworkers. They were more than up to the task.

DansYellow66

If you use manpower you need to have a couple guys on the rear who really understand how little clearance there is in lowering the rear quarters around the frame's #4 body mounts. That's a really tight area.

A-Snake

Any particular reason you want to mount the body before paint? Over spray is a pain to remove.

ry57pont

Yes because I want to do final blocking in its exact resting position.

Bill32

Yep, really tight.

RestoMike

I've used people power to pick up a body, never lower. A lot can go wrong using 'manpower' to lower the body back to the frame. As others have stated many tight tolerances with potential for damage. I've dropped many a body, just not using manpower.

Dan J

I have been using (2) mechanical lifts for removal & replacement of the body. It takes less humans and reduces errors. I used (2) on the lifts & one to watch front & back.

TJefferson2020

This.

The key to lowering the body without damaging it is to be able to do so in a controlled manner. Too many things can go wrong with six guys (one loses his grip causing domino effect, somebody doesn't understand the instructions, arms get tired, etc.)

The body doesn't really "drop" into place. It can take 30-60 minutes to ensure everything lines up and clears. A lifting device lets you hold the body in position while you fix whatever is wrong/not fitting/in the way.

mickatbp

That will be my colour , how fantastically beautiful. What is your interior colour?

DUB

PERSONALLY/PROFESSIONALLY 'speaking'.

Depending on the specific circumstance....painting the firewall to match and or floorboards, etc. I also paint the body when it is on the frame..and I take precautions to protect the frame from dusts..which is not that big of a deal to me. ALSO...I prefer making sure all my gaps are spot on..and NO surprise's due to IF the body work was done on a dollie..and 'something' is off when I go to bolt it down and shim it AFTER it has been painted.....and this is ONLY because I get called to 'try' to help someone who has done this and now it is too late due to being painted. I know the body can be painted off teh frame...but I chose not to do so.

As for MANUALLY using people to do this.....I will say that you may want at least 10 if not 12 people. The reason is not so much the weight...but the position people will have to try to hold the body when lowering it. I have done it that way and TRUST ME.....even the biggest bad @ss football players I knew who helped...where in pain by the time it was done due to how they had to hold OUT from there core and hold it...even though the weight was EASILY something that they could have bench pressed. IT IS not the same when holding it outwards for a minute or two. SO...the more you have as 'back-up' helpers...the BETTER. TRUST ME!!!

DUB

slalomfiend

just lowered mine with 4 guys on each side, check my thread - slalomfiend

jimh_1962

If it was me, I would find a shop with a lift. Yes, it will take two trips but safer in the long run. Plus, easy enough with access of a lift. All it takes is talking to a shop close by.

JohnZ

Our (Michigan) Chapter has done this many times - we use four guys per side for the lifting, and one or two at each end for checking clearances and positioning drift pins in the body mounts for alignment.

DUB

As nice as the car in the above post from 'JohnZ' looks...having as many people as you can get to come and join the 'party' would be to anyone's benefit. Like I wrote....minimum of 10 people..and this seems to be a good number of people to get...but if you can get more....that aids in reducing any possible 'hiccups' and cause for damage to the body when it is going down and people straining to hold there section as needed.

DUB

Roger O'Dell

It does need to be on chassis for final prep. If your chassis is done, I use a thin plastic to wrap and keep dust and overspray off , PPG # PM16350 . Cut holes in plastic around mount bolt areas. Real easy to tear off ,except for some real tight areas, just take your time. Paint and body shops use this stuff for masking areas off, Masking tape and newspaper are long gone.

DUB

with you 100%. I also like to use the 'institutional grade' of 'Saran Wrap' also. It is wider than the home use stuff.

That is how I do it if I am working on a car that is going to be put in garage and looked at and taken to shows in an enclosed trailer.

I also use the 'spray mask' product that washes off with water.

On the Corvettes that are driven in ALL types of weather and not going to be judged...I 'say'...what is the point. It will be the cleanest it has been in a long time when it leaves my shop.

I KNOW that some people do as what has been shown as how GM did it. The body being painted off the frame...and if they are good with that...then so am I. ALL I hope for is that they do not post a photo of a MAJOR CLUSTER that occurred to the body when setting it down and THEN ask for help.

DUB