I’m getting ready to remove the body from the frame of my 73 Coupe and have a few questions.
The body is completely stripped and is a bare shell, see pictures below.
This will be a one man operation.

I’m thinking, instead of lifting the body from above, I could slide two 8’ 4x4’s completely across the underside of the body, at the body lift points, one at the front of the doors and the other just behind the doors.
Then jack the body up off the frame using my two 3 ton floor jacks a few inches at a time alternating from the front to the rear.
Once the body is high enough, I could roll the frame out from under the body, then lower the body onto the dolly.

I’m considering doing it this way so once the body and paint work is completed, I can reverse the process and not cause any new paint damage caused by lifting straps.

1. Has anyone ever removed their body this way?
2. If so, where can I safely jack the body up from underneath far enough to slide the 4x4’s between the frame rails and the body lift points.
3. How much does a bare coupe body weigh?
4. Am I over thinking this?
5. Should I ditch this idea, buy some chain a couple of chain hoists and use the 4x8 beam across my garage?

 

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...thread-24.html

Check out post #466. Also, notice how he supported the nose.

 

I just took my body off my 75. It looked just like yours did. I used the corvette body lift straps and yes support the nose. Mine came right off. Just take all the time you need to raise it off the frame.

 

Ive done it in shop settings. 5 of were able to walk it off and set the vette body down

 

Greg
I have retrofitted a set camper jacks, that I used to take my body off. The jacks are at George’s shop, your welcome too them go by and check them out.
Bob

 

Hey Bob,
I’ve seen those camper jacks at George’s shop.
I’ll stop by, take another look at them, and give them a try.
Thanks!

 

Have used camper jacks for years. Be sure to support the nose!



3rd time she’s been off the frame - this will be the last!

 

Very nice!
Thanks for the picture.

 

Here's my rig. Lifted the body off, rolled the chassis out and a body jig back under, and dropped the body down. I would guess most of the lifting force was at the door posts, which are pretty sturdy.

I was able to paint the car on the jig and then reverse the process. Actually did this a couple of times because my muffler shop wouldn't touch the exhaust (LS motor, etc.) until he had both together temporarily.

 

Taken from Arg0413’s thread.

 

Thats nice.
I wish I had a lift!

 

You could probably do something like this with straps to the 4x4's at the rocker area. That way you wouldn't have to slide 4x4's under the car. This did take some wood cutting to get it all to fit properly. I wasn't sure if this wanted to rotate some, it didn't, so I didn't need the 'L' shaped piece.

 

I lifted my 68 my myself and found using my 3 ton cherry picker with a lift strap worked great.. i could control the amount of lift and was able to roll the chassis out and roll a home made dolly back under. Than I lowered the body. You could use a 2 ton cherry picker if needed. I just happen to own a 3 ton. I put nice soft towels between the straps and the body at the contact points. No marks at all on the new paint.
Good luck and enjoy the moment.
Peter

 

Hey Peter, Thanks.

 

Hey Greg
Here is the contraption I built out of 2x6s, & 4x4s. I like wood, it is very user friendly.
I used regular ratchet straps and spaced them out from the body with the 4x4s, so the straps were vertical and there could be no paint damage.
I used two chain hoists for the lifting itself.
I would estimate the bare body weighs about 450#. I will figure out a way to weigh it later. FYI a 69 Steel Camaro body weighs 900#.

 

Hi Leigh,
I really like what you built to lift the body.
It looks simple and I also like building with wood.
I really believe this is my best option.
Can you post a picture of the upper half so I can copy your construction design?
Its hard to tell in the picture, but is the long piece you’re using to support the nose, just a 2”x4”?
Thanks, Greg

Edit: Leigh, I found some pictures in your thread that should work, unless you have better ones you want to share!

 

Ok my main constraint was I had a 9 ft ceiling height.
I knew from pulling the BBC with a cherry picker that was barely enough.
Plus I wanted to store the body in the air, safely supported of course, to give me storage underneath for heavy parts.
While I worked on the frame in the other garage bay.
The uprights are just a pair of 2x6 nailed together at right angles to get rid of the flexing.
The main top center beam is a doubled (screwed together) 2x8. I used a beam calculator program online and it is strong enough to easily hold the 1000lb engine/trans if I ever decide to use it that way.
I estimated the body weight at 450lbs.
I added some more diagonals up top to stop the wobble. It's pretty stable now.
The T-Top practically goes to the 9' ceiling.
That is the reason I have the 4x4s going thru the window areas.
2 chain hoists/pulls allow very easy one man control. And the double hoists means it doesn't wobble much.
It would pivot slightly right to left on the chains.
We used 4 people during the body lift, but they really just held onto a corner with one hand to stabilize it and watched to make sure nothing hit.
I currently have the body resting on its wood wheeled cradle, and that is bolted to the "lift"
It is high enough now I can easily scoot underneath it on a mechanics stool.

Before the lift


Top details


4 of us during the lift, but no one working hard!


Back down on the wheeled dolly.


The body has been stored in the air like this for a couple years, while I store heavy stuff like BBCs under it. And rebuild all the mechanicals.

 

Hey Leigh,
The additional pictures were great.
Here is my dilemma.
I have 9’ ceilings in my garage like you, however I have a support beam across my garage which will limit the height of the gantry to a maximum of 8’3”.
If I build a gantry, using your design, will the 8’3” total height, give me enough clearance to lift the body high enough to roll the chassis out from underneath?

Would you have been able to do this as a one man operation?

 

With my limited height constraints, I may need to lift the body, rather than pull the body.
I found this method in another member’s thread, using floor jacks and 4x4’s.

 

With your height limit I do not know if my method would work.
My frame went all the way to 9'. And the car was still about 1' from the ceiling, but that was due to the chain-pulls.
Now I rolled mine out, with the gas tank and wheels on.
Without the gas tank it is much lower, so you may have enough room.
And with wheels off but on casters it is even lower.
So you could make it work.

But yes with the "2-point" center lifting method it tilted to one side, and required at least one set of extra hands to steady it.
I would have been too nervous to try it by myself.
You could probably rig up another steadying line, and do it alone.
Just move it say one inch at a time. That's as fast as I did anyway.

The "from the floor" method could also work.
You are jacking it up often, and from one side and then the other.
But I see no reason you could not do that alone.
2 floor jacks would make it easier/faster.
Tall jack stands would be a plus.
But you are going to need 4x4 cribbing no matter what.
How would you get the 4x4 cribbing all the way across lifting from 1 side at a time?
Maybe lift from front center and back center. 4" at a time. Add a new 4x4.
He has his high enough right now. Except the tires won't roll under the 4x4.
If you take off the front tires and put it on a lowered jack pad it could roll right out. But only butt first, not the other way around.
You would even have less wood to buy & store!

Mine I needed all that structure to store my body up in the air, out of the way, like on a shelf.! LOL
My car nose, by the headlights, is literally as high as my nose.