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you need to be prepared for the nose to "drop" a little when you lift the body. All of the weight of the glass, rad spt, headlight mechanisms, and rad/ac condensor is hanging out on the front of the car and the only thing holding it up is the bumper brackets/rad spt. The nose will drop and the front fenders will buckle out and possibly crack on top of the wheel well opening.
The nose on mine dropped when I removed the rad spt for repairs to the bracket. I have a 69 body that was moved on a 4x4 frame, fenders are cracked from the weight of the nose.
Got no idea whats best way to prepare front, most bodies that are lifted are done so with the front glass removed......
Good point! I raised body with front section still attached, but I supported the front weight by tying it back to lift hoist straps that I used to lift the body.
The whole procedure of lifting the body requires common sense to make sure everything is properly supported as well as all necessary connections disconnected. A slow lift is the key to not doing damage.
Special considerations (door posts) needed if doing a convertible.
Good to know. What's the best way to keep this from happening since I have no plans to remove front fenders?
Not sure...real sorry about that...I have a piece of 2x2 resting on the header bar and the front crossmember to hold the nose of my 72 up while the rad spt is out. I failed to compensate on the 69 shell that I have, the nose is resting on the 4x4's that are supporting the rest of the body, I would say the nose dropped about a foot and the fenders show the strain.
Maybe some of the experts can weigh in. I will scratch my noggin a little longer, see if anything shakes loose..
mobjack68
Does anyone else have any advice on pulling body, especially keeping nose from dropping? Where do I get door posts? Are they used to keep body from buckling? Thanks
make a ladder frame that extends from the rear wheel wells forward past the nose. use the seat belt mounting bolts for attachment lift points also. keep the straps that drop frome the ladder frame as vertical as possible. use straps in the wheel wells and nose area of car where ever you think you can. then run straps or chain from the ladder frame to your winch or engine hoist. you can use 2x4s or weld angle iron, but if you use wood, be sure to use metal reinforcements. remember, if the straps going from the ladder frame to the hoist point are angled acutely( that is , more horizontal that vertical) they are being stressed several times the weight of the car-go strong on these!
jeff
These links will show you a body off, with an enormous amount of information.
There is no need to re-inforce between door posts on a coupe, however highly recommended for a convertible.
Sorry just re-read- You do have a convertible! Right? OK, you will have to re-inforce by bolting in or welding a bar at the door openings otherwise, when you lift the body it may collapse. Someone must have pictures of bracing!!
The rad core support is probably a good thing to leave in, but anything else you can remove from the front end especually the lights is a good thing.
I had EVERYTHING out of mine when I lifted the body and I didn't get very much flex at all but I have a coupe.
Here is a pic.
I did get the body down on jack stands as soon as possible after the lift, but I didn't bother to support the nose and I didnt have any problems there.