Mr D.

I'm getting ready to lift the body off my 65 in Jan and was wondering what works best for you guys. I have lifted 2 C-3's using a Cherry Picker but always felt there must be a beter way.

I have a 2 car garage, no Lift, 8' ceiling and a cherry picker. Any pictures would be great.

Who posted the body lift using construction scoffloing (sp)? Also, I remember a couple of years ago someone talking about using camper jacks???

Thanks

67-427ci

Just pulled my 67 body off today using a Loadall Front End Loader.

There are more pictures at this link 67 Coupe Body Lift
Roy

kobi67

I dropped my 67 body using camper jacks and it worked great. I used an above ground two-post lift to take the body off and that was a real pain. Years ago in college, I worked at a small Corvette shop and we pulled all the bodies with camper jacks. Finding a set may be a problem. Kurt

Tom Austin

Dennis,

A front end loader seems like overkill! I just went through a body-off resto of my 66 roadster in my two car garage (8 foot ceilings). Took the body off in April (outside in the driveway) with the help of 12 guys from work. Stored the body on the wooden dolly I built from plans on the Forum. The body went back on the restored chassis ten days ago. Did it in the garage with an engine hoist (set on the 3,000 pound setting) with a Body Lift Sling Kit from Corvette World. This kit - billed as "the best on the market" - can be used in a normal garage. It worked GREAT - had my body back on in 20 minutes!!! If you're interested, the sling is for sale - like new - $50.

Good luck,

Tom

Mr D.

Tom, I will buy the sling. PM Sent

JohnZ

Here's a camper jack setup - body dolly has just been rolled out, waiting for the chassis to be rolled in. Wrote a complete photo-illustrated article on this method in the March '05 issue of Corvette Enthusiast magazine.

...Roger...

This is a body jig that I have used for 20 years.In the first pic of the 65 is when the 4 steel arms that pick up under the birdcage were their original length.In the second pic the arms are shortened to lift inside an 8' 4" ceiling and the cherry picker is under the frame instead of on top.Notice the straps on the ends,these can be tweaked so as not to crack the body.This works so well I can slide the body sideways over the frame by myself.

Crazyhorse

I just came across this,

That's a neat idea

66jack

I noticed that all the pics showed what looked like all accessories...glass, trim and the likes were still installed on the cars
I removed ALL of them except the doors them selves...basically gutted the car....
I took 2 adults and 2 of my kids to lift the body and place it on some jack stands until the frame was rolled away and then put on a dolly because of the lack of room to do so, probably weighed 300# +/-50# ...it went back on the same way and is now in the process of getting the body work done. ..the frame was done and the body will removed before paint.

jack

64roadster

I used my engine cherry picker and it worked quite easily.

John McGraw

Cherry picker has always workewd for me. I don't even own one of the body slings, I own a set of ratchet straps from Home Depot and they work just fine. Pick the car up with the hooks in the rocker channels, and you can't go wrong. Pulled one off just a couple of weeks ago.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-...G-P0001600.jpg


Regards, John McGraw

SPLITRAY

The pictures are from a 10' ceiling, but with shorter straps it could be done. I did have to wrap these straps around a 4x4 and a 2x4 to get the correct length.

John 65

I threw a few chains around a pair of 2x10's in my garage attic and attached a chain hoist and used body lift straps. I also supported the span with a vertical 4x4 on each end. Wasnt taking any chances. Wish I had known about the forum when I did this around 10 or 11 years ago. Would have made things a lot eaisier. I can laugh now, but at the time I figured I would just let the car sit on 2 pairs of horses and work underneath it. Learned a lot since then. Good luck with yours.

afiterman

John, I'm trying to get the back issue of Corvette Enthusiast magazine for your article. Any chance you might post the pictures from that article or maybe email me the photos? I'm getting ready to pull the body off of a 1972 C3. I like your approach, and I really want to make sure I'm doing it right, this car is my baby. Thanks.

Al
afiterman@yahoo.com

Mark Nevill

G'day from Australia.

This is how I lift the body of my 61 on and off the chassis and rotissery. I got the idea from another forum member, Charles Bernhardt.

A steel brace (thick wall pipe or rhs), with a welded lift point at the front (or just wrap strap around a couple of times and secure), are attached between the door striker and top hinge mounts on both sides.

The other pick up points are a small piece of 3mm flat steel bolted to the conv top brackets on each side with a hole drilled for the hook.

This gives four lift points.

Attach two ratchet straps, adjust the length so the body is balanced, ensure they are locked and lift with an engine hoist.

ml1955

I have found that having a 17 year old daughter that can con 6 boys from the football team with pizza and soda works well...

JohnZ

The photo in post #6 above pretty much covers it - each camper jack has a length of 2x2 or 3x3 angle iron bolted to the lifter pad, lined with carpeting, and a guy at each end to balance the body and keep it level while the guys on each side cranking the jacks synchronize their turns with each other to keep it level side-to-side.