When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Since everything is unbolted or unhooked ( I think) iam contemplating lifting the body completely off the chassis..
I was wondering how much the body weighs since I was thinking of using my floor trusses (2x4) to put the straps over
Has anyone used the floor trusses before? I was going to distribute the weight over 4 or 5.. I
I really don't won't a sunken spare bedroom
How much does WHAT weigh? You have a Blah blah blah year car? With the complete interior and steering column and seats with the battery still in the compartment C3?
If your concerned about weight. Strip the body completely! Right down to the jack in the storage compartment, the carpet, everything. Then. Maybe a clue as to what C3 you have.
And, I'm thinking fully stripped, over 4 studs. You should be OK. But how strong is your building?
Sorry for not being more specific...the car is stripped. No seats ,headlamps,,bumpers,,tops.or battery
, The dash is still in.place and so is the column and ac box with the heater core . Fan is still there.. It still has the front and rear glass, doors...
I estimate the body is around 1500 lbs but I haven't a clue
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Just reread your description...spare bedroom with 2x4 floor trusses, not 2x6 or 2x8? Can you post a pic....already a full bedroom with flooring on just 2x4s...that doesnt sound right at all. Got dimensions of the floor and any bearing walls sitting on it?
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
If you are talking a 2x4 constructed truss that looks like an old railroad bridge then they can hold a lot of weight on top, but you dont want to just pull on the bottom beam. You would want to either sandwich it in plywood and go through the plywood pulling on the whole structure which is even stronger than it was before or add horizontal 2x4s screwing into every support beam so you are pullling down on everything. Not as strong as the plywood sandwich but good enough for your needs.
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Dec 15, 2024 at 11:38 AM.
Mine look like the 1st picture..there isn't a lot of weight in that bedroom just a bed and a small bookcase and small desk..I wouldn't think 450 lbs.there are 2 walk I. Closets but only one sits over that area and there is no telling what the wife has in there..
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Put some 3/8 or 1/2 inch plywood on there on both sides top to bottom extending a couple of feet past your anchor points with construction cement and plenty of construction screws to hold it together while the glue dries. now they will act like a solid beam where the plywood is. if you want max strength, plywood and glue wall to wall on each side of each truss. Spread your load and you will be fine. The plywood will put the downward force on all the beams acting like a downward force on the floor above. Once joined that way you can pull from the bottom 2x4 or higher up. I would prefer a hole midway up the plywood with a piece of 1 to 2 inch hollow webbing tied with a double figure 8 follow through and use one of those for each anchor. They are supper strong. You can go through with a piece of chain. Have plates with eyes on the bottom made that wrap the bottom and grab the sides....many different solutions. Eye bolts screws are your weakest choice
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Dec 15, 2024 at 01:19 PM.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
When I said eye bolts I mean the screw in ones. If you go with and actual eye bolt, use a really big fender washer on top to spread the load out wider than the hole and nut. Also drill a hole through the plywood small enough to get the nut in there and and a wrench to hold it. make sure you arent near any of the the vertical 2x4s. a really thick eye bolt and shackle would be a good choice. If you put eye bolts in before the plywood, use a locking nut to keep them from loosening up. Which is probably the best idea
Those are engineered trusses specific to support the weight of the load they are supporting.
I personally would never use them to lift the body and take a chance of pulling down your second floor.
Even if you beefed them up as Rescue Roger’s suggested above.
I could see divorce papers being filed.
For less than the cost to beef them up, you could purchase an overhead crane from Harbor Freight.
Several members have built hoists from 2x4’s and 2x6 studs that have worked great for less cost.
I’ve even see members who have lifted the bare bodies using one or two engine hoists with success.
I am leaning towards building a 4 x4 frame to lift the the body..I can use the top beam directly under under one of the floor trusses ..That should help out immensely
What you should understand is that those trusses are designed to support a load evenly applied from the top and from the sides.
They are not designed to support a load applied from underneath.
If you added plywood to both sides you would need to run a chain over the top of the top member of the truss not through one or even several of the bottom members.
Even if you cut holes in your bedroom floor and ran the chain through, you would be adding the load to a small section and the truss isn’t designed to take that type of load because it won’t be evenly distributed over the entire truss.
But, it’s your house.
Please take video!
I would estimate a completely bare fiberglass only body may come in as low as 450 lbs. ~ 800 lbs tops.
The front nose section may be as light as 150 lbs. based on shipping weights.
A new 69 Camaro body tub cowl back weighs 900# (in steel) based on shipping weights.
A completely bare frame is only 240#. I weighed two of them.
I have decided to build a gantry out of 4 x4s..I think a 2 8 ft 4x4 one behind the windshield and one behind the door. That should be strong enough to hold the body up
My 69 stripped body weighed about 750 pounds. I used an engine hoist to lift it and had a dolly ready to rest it on after lift off. Worked fine. Remember to run a lift strap to the still bolted in radiator support.
I have decided to build a gantry out of 4 x4s..I think a 2 8 ft 4x4 one behind the windshield and one behind the door. That should be strong enough to hold the body up
Yep. I lifted mine that way. 2 chain hoists. Rest all 2x4 with a 2x2x8 header beam. Very short 8'6" ceiling so I put the lift beam thru the windshield frame & the back window.
Lift frame doubles as a storage shelf for the body, which is 3-1/2" off the ground, as close to the ceiling as I could get it, almost touching. Storage space underneath. Allen's / Howard's rolling dolly in the air holding the body.
Engine & frame reassembly is almost done now. The body will be returning to ground level soon.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
The question originally is can it be done....yes it can....
remember water beds... king size bladder held 2000lbs of water, never mind those giant oak frames... now throw two large folks on there having a wild date night with a bit of alcohol thrown in with all that weight sloshing around.....you think a 750 lb static load with 4 anchors spread over reinforced trusses would even notice....Engineered wood is actually stronger and more resilient than steel in some instances but it actuality would be harder work to get the plywood up there,glued in and all the other stuff than to make a little gantry crane. Can it be done, yes.....is pulling down and pulling down different, not on a boxed in frame.
as for a gantry, I would check the prices of the wood, bolts, wheels, etc to build a complete gantry, plus the time to design, cut and assemble it and weigh it against the cost of buying a $750 harbor freight gantry. You might want to buy one and resell it when you are done....no one is going to buy a wooden gantry...you will easily get $450 back, more if you put really cool stickers on it
Harbor Freight sells a 1 ton wheeled gantry crane for $1000-. I paid maybe $800 with a coupon. It was absolutely brilliant for pulling an engine/trans combo, and a diesel tank from a truck bed. I've used it a bunch to get engines on and off engine stands, too.
If you envision doing stuff like this again, and you have the space, it's worth considering. I'll never own one of those hydraulic engine lift arm things.
Body off ..
