has anyone taken the coupe doors off and lifting the body from the inside-running straps from one side to the other and then using a 4x4 wood with a center lift point lifting the body off the frame with a engine lift? Do not have a 4 post lift and need to lift the body so as many of us do think a better or worse idea of doing things.


TIA
Mark

 

I used 2 engine hoists, keeping the straps straight vertical. I tossed around using 1, but you'd need a couple guys keeping it from spinning. Use ratchet straps that you trust, not the cheapest HF straps that could skip or fail on you. Hook them to the holes on the birdcage, works like a charm.
A 2nd engine hoist can be handy around the shop, or just buy a used one and resell it when you're done.

 

i just recently lifted the body off the frame using 2 floor jacks. thought about using a shop crane at first but did not because i was working alone and believe i would have needed help to lift the body with a crane. i did not remove the body i just lifted off the frame to change my fuel line and front to rear brake line.

 

I purchased the lifting strap that most companies sell... I built a spreader bar from 2 X 4's so there was less stress on my doors ( convertible).. Then I take a ratchet strap to the rear and one to the front so I get some lift in the front and rear for less stress on each end..... You do not need to tighten the front and rear ratchet strap very tight at all..I lift with my 2 ton Harbor freight engine picker... The corvette lifting strap is money well spent in my opinion.... The lower hooks that hook onto the birdcage sills work alot better than a hook from a ratchet strap.... Again in "my opinion"....
The spreader bar looks a bit cheesy, but I figured the ring in the strap carries most of the load.... It also lets me " wrap " a loop around it to shorten the length of the Lifting strap which seems to be a complaint by most from what I have read....

 

Many years ago on this forum I thought I read about someone adding 14” length to their engine hoist which gave it the extension needed to lift the body? Maybe they added it to the legs to support the lift? It has been years ago but I remember reading the discussion, I still need to lift my body off and replace the frame.

Edit: I went back and searched, the notes I found were for lifting the engine out from the front. The 14" is the amount of additional length to add to the boom on a traditional engine hoist so the engine can come straight out the front rather than pulling engine from the side.
Some added length to the legs as well as the boom to keep the hoist from tipping. I would think that would allow easier lifting of a body with a hoist without the body hitting the hoist. Many pictures show how close the body is to hitting as the hoist is lifted high enough to remove the body.

Quotes from 2011:

Originally Posted by Mike Geary
Couldn't agree with you more! I went for a 53" working reach which put the hook about an inch forward of the casters. That's with the arm level. Any up or down travel swings the hook back for additional margin.

So with the original boom set in the "1 ton" hole and a 48" length of 2x2 doubled inside, only 14" of the 2x2 was left protruding.

Worked great with no helpers. I think I've got more safety margin than before since the 2x2 is considerably thicker than the Chinese boom extension.

From former member MikeM:
I did the same thing you did for the same reason(s). Worked out fine. I think I picked up 6-10 inches. Whatever it took, I don't remember.

I'd think the real strain on the boom would be at the lifting point of the cylinder?

 

Best fix I read about was taking the lifting strap to a canvas shop and having the straps shortened and restitched with a professional machine.....