I would like to do a body-off restoration. I have a lift in my garage, so I have the ability to raise the body with that. I can even leave the body hanging from the lift while I do all the work on the frame and suspension.

My question is how to get the body off. I envision using straps under the body and attached to the lift, but I'm not sure. Where on the body can I lift it safely? Does anyone have any good suggestions about how to accomplish this project?

So, am I totally insane to try this?

 

Nick, I didn't have an engine crane and wouldn't have felt comfortable raising the body off that way if I did, but that is just me. I used jacks and wood shims to raise the body up from underneith. If you are careful where you place boards and jacks, you can do the job easily. I raised mine high enough this way to set it on 4, 35 gallon steel drums with supporting 2x8's across its width. The 2x8's were necessairy so the steel drums could go on the outside of the body and make room to roll the chasis out from underneith. Also, the body needed to be high enough for the carb to clear the 2x8's. Once the chasis was out, I stacked cinder blocks up under the rear deck as high as they would go and finished with wood shims to make it tight. Then, I did the same thing to support the nose. It was like that for a few years while I rebuilt everything. During this time I needed to relocate the body position for glass work and painting the underside. This method worked fine for me using what materials I had available.
This is the only picture I can find, but will give you the idea. Think the job through, proceed with caution and you shoud be OK.

 

I think I've done what your thinking about. I'm doing a body-off on a '72. I have a 4 post lift and used it to do the body lift and drop. Actually, I did it just the opposite - I dropped the chassis out from under the body and lifting the chassis into the body for the 'drop'.

So :
1. I Built a body dolly.
2. I Build a support frame to suspend the body over the 4-post.
3. When the 'body drop' day arrived, I raised the car with the 4-post lift into the support frame, attached the body straps from the support to the body, and lowered the chassis to the ground, pushed the chassis out, push the body dolly under the body and raised the dolly into the body with the lift, then lowered the whole thing.
4. 'Body Drop' was just the opposite process.

 

Not insane for taking the body off ... but ask most of us how long
it has been off. I'm going on 3 years now.

You may find rust that you later wish you never saw.

Once you replace a few parts - the list of things to replace doubles or triples.

The lift straps (I used nylon ratcheting tie-down straps - 2")
hook to the steel body rocker channels - behind the rocker moldings.
There are small indents where the hooks grab - one in front of
the rear wheel and one behind the front wheel.

It is best to remove as much weight as possible.
Try to support the nose with another strap (but don't lift hard on it).

I had much body rot in the birdcage - so I had to use the straps
to cradle the body on the front fenders and under the rear.
Check my web site in sig for some nasty rust.

These are the rocker channels from my 75. This is what I was "supposed" to lift the body by. Yeah - right !!

 

used the lift straps from one of the venders. I placed a come-a-long over the center of the car to attach the strap to. Using a hoist will work even better because you can do a straight lift with four separate straps. I also put a lift strap on the nose area and lifted everything together. Then I built up some braces to set it down on so I could climb under it to work. Like NHvette said: be prepared to find things you never thought about fixing and keep on smiling.

 

Here's one more opinion. I'm 3+ years into it. If you go to my site I have pics of lifting the body. Use an engine hoist with no problems. Good luck.

http://rkeithjohnson.home.mindspring.com/

 

I used a engine hoist to lift mine, made a longer arm for the height (you need it using the vendor straps or tie knots in the straps). I had a mech engineer tell me how much weight I could lift with my setup (1000 lbs) and I was on the edge (didn't take anything out). I will be making a different hoist to put the body back on so I can drop it straight down. Like others have said don't be suprised to find more work when you get the body off. I'm only 9 months into mine and all I've done is take parts off ..............hope to get the frame back in a couple weeks.

Steve

 

Very helpful. Thanks.

 

I bought the car new. It has been garaged for the great majority of its life and has not seen much harsh weather. So, while I am sure there is going to be some corrosion, I am optimistic that it will be minimal. Here's hoping.