Frame Off Storage Frame
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Frame Off Storage Frame
I have seen some excellent examples of frame off work on cars in the technical area of the forum and I will am considering taking one of my cars to a frame off level in the next 12 months. The question I have is does anyone have a good reference drawing or source of dimensions or recommendations to build the frame used to hold the body when you take it off the car frame? I have seen them in use, just wondered if there is a good source drawing, materials list or other reference material for building one of these for my car? Thanks for your consideration.
I'm all ears.
David
77Sleeper
I'm all ears.
David
77Sleeper
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,363
Likes: 303
From: Lansdale 19446 PA
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '10-'11, '15, '19
Body Dolly
Dave - I have a couple PDFs of body dollies that should help. PM your email address & I will send them to you.
John
John
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 5
From: South of London, Engerland
There are plan drawings that I've seen several times before on these forums of a dolly, and a friend of mine locally built one like this when he started his body-off project. It looks a bit like this:
IMHO though it's too flimsy to be safe. The body is heavy and when I'm working under it I want to know that the dolly isn't going to collapse.
The dolly I built looks like this:
It uses coach bolts and thick wooden beams to hold it together and it's diagonally braced. Even so it still flexes a bit. The body is heavy!
There are more ideas here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1312391
Whichever dolly you build, you need to be able to get under the body when it's off the chassis so you can refurbish it. Some of those dollies in the thread there are too low to make this possible.
Hope this helps give you some more ideas.
IMHO though it's too flimsy to be safe. The body is heavy and when I'm working under it I want to know that the dolly isn't going to collapse.
The dolly I built looks like this:
It uses coach bolts and thick wooden beams to hold it together and it's diagonally braced. Even so it still flexes a bit. The body is heavy!
There are more ideas here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1312391
Whichever dolly you build, you need to be able to get under the body when it's off the chassis so you can refurbish it. Some of those dollies in the thread there are too low to make this possible.
Hope this helps give you some more ideas.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
There are plan drawings that I've seen several times before on these forums of a dolly, and a friend of mine locally built one like this when he started his body-off project. It looks a bit like this:
IMHO though it's too flimsy to be safe. The body is heavy and when I'm working under it I want to know that the dolly isn't going to collapse.
The dolly I built looks like this:
It uses coach bolts and thick wooden beams to hold it together and it's diagonally braced. Even so it still flexes a bit. The body is heavy!
There are more ideas here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1312391
Whichever dolly you build, you need to be able to get under the body when it's off the chassis so you can refurbish it. Some of those dollies in the thread there are too low to make this possible.
Hope this helps give you some more ideas.
IMHO though it's too flimsy to be safe. The body is heavy and when I'm working under it I want to know that the dolly isn't going to collapse.
The dolly I built looks like this:
It uses coach bolts and thick wooden beams to hold it together and it's diagonally braced. Even so it still flexes a bit. The body is heavy!
There are more ideas here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1312391
Whichever dolly you build, you need to be able to get under the body when it's off the chassis so you can refurbish it. Some of those dollies in the thread there are too low to make this possible.
Hope this helps give you some more ideas.
Now what if I could build a frame and put it on a lift? That would sure help to get up under it as well. Lots to consider. Thanks again.
David
77Sleeper
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
Ben, didn't you show a picture in the "Show Me Your Garage" thread I started back in August? I have to look back there as I think I had a question at the time and never managed to ask. I'll go back but wasn't that you?
Thanks again for all the help.
David
77Sleeper
Thanks again for all the help.
David
77Sleeper
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 5
From: South of London, Engerland
There's nothing special about my garage and compared with the amazing structures we see from some of the US-based forum members it's tiny and cold.
European cars are relatively small and our garages are the same. The Corvette fits in the garage with just two feet of spare space at one end.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
I doubt it
There's nothing special about my garage and compared with the amazing structures we see from some of the US-based forum members it's tiny and cold.
European cars are relatively small and our garages are the same. The Corvette fits in the garage with just two feet of spare space at one end.
There's nothing special about my garage and compared with the amazing structures we see from some of the US-based forum members it's tiny and cold.
European cars are relatively small and our garages are the same. The Corvette fits in the garage with just two feet of spare space at one end.
David
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 297
Likes: 1
From: El Dorado Hills California
Dolly plans
Here is a link to a site with the original Noland Adams design. I think Noland has lost a lot of royalties since the internet.
http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_.../BodyDolly.pdf
I made a couple of modifications;
I needed to work on the #2 body mount and the support was in the way. Fabbed up a "floating" support that I could move to #1 when needed.
Another problem I encountered was the interior grade plywood corner gussets. I rolled the body outside to wash it off. De-lam of the ply. Use something else if you plan on letting it get wet. Also use heavy casters. Don't get cheap.
Here is the chassis dolly. Simple. Positions the frame in good balance.
I don't have any dimensions but if someone is interested I'll draw some up. Notice the afterthought to cut for the area where the frame drops to accommodate the driveshaft. Also used a woodscrew to attach the chassis to the dolly. 3rd picture, in the corner gusset.
So cool to roll the projects around the shop!
Blain
http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_.../BodyDolly.pdf
I made a couple of modifications;
I needed to work on the #2 body mount and the support was in the way. Fabbed up a "floating" support that I could move to #1 when needed.
Another problem I encountered was the interior grade plywood corner gussets. I rolled the body outside to wash it off. De-lam of the ply. Use something else if you plan on letting it get wet. Also use heavy casters. Don't get cheap.
Here is the chassis dolly. Simple. Positions the frame in good balance.
I don't have any dimensions but if someone is interested I'll draw some up. Notice the afterthought to cut for the area where the frame drops to accommodate the driveshaft. Also used a woodscrew to attach the chassis to the dolly. 3rd picture, in the corner gusset.
So cool to roll the projects around the shop!
Blain
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 5
From: South of London, Engerland
I like your chassis dolly Blain. That would be cool and make chassis work less back-breaking. There were several times during my chassis resto when I needed to jack suspension arms into place though, and having the chassis lifted like that would make this part difficult.
One thing I spotted though - the trailing arm bolt is coming through from the wrong side. You probably know this already but I thought I'd mention it before it gets too late
One thing I spotted though - the trailing arm bolt is coming through from the wrong side. You probably know this already but I thought I'd mention it before it gets too late
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 297
Likes: 1
From: El Dorado Hills California
Thanks for pointing out the T arm bolt. Most of the time I refer to the Assembly manual or a search of the forum. I haven't given it a second thought though. But I have had the arms on and off about 20 times and this was the easy direction.
Having the body and the chassis on dollys is so cool. I can work on one and if I get bored just roll it off to the side and roll the other in place. I had never done a complete frame off before this. I can't imagine working in some of the 1 car garages/neighbors sheds/tarps between trees conditions that I see in this forum.
Blain
Having the body and the chassis on dollys is so cool. I can work on one and if I get bored just roll it off to the side and roll the other in place. I had never done a complete frame off before this. I can't imagine working in some of the 1 car garages/neighbors sheds/tarps between trees conditions that I see in this forum.
Blain
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 733
Likes: 1
From: Coquitlam British Columbia
David one tip I will pass on that I did not see mentioned so far is that if you are going to use a cherry picker engine type hoist to separate and lift the body make sure that what ever body dolly you build you leave enough room for the pickers legs to get under it. .
ikwhite
. ikwhite
I have seen some excellent examples of frame off work on cars in the technical area of the forum and I will am considering taking one of my cars to a frame off level in the next 12 months. The question I have is does anyone have a good reference drawing or source of dimensions or recommendations to build the frame used to hold the body when you take it off the car frame? I have seen them in use, just wondered if there is a good source drawing, materials list or other reference material for building one of these for my car? Thanks for your consideration.
I'm all ears.
David
77Sleeper
I'm all ears.
David
77Sleeper
