Engine hoist body lift?

[Richard W.]

Has anyone use a standard, heavy duty engine hoist to lift a C3 body off?
I was thinking of substituting the standard telescoping inner boom for a longer one that extended all the way in the fixed outer boom section for more strength. I think one could get the lift height needed but the engine and tank could be removed first.
Does this sound practical?

[Dick W.]

Re: Engine hoist body lift?

Been there, done that. Problem with hoist is the amount of extension that you have to use to lift body. I had to plant my fat rump on the hoist to balance it, even with the legs fully extended. It is not a good idea to use anything that is loaded beyond rated capacity. A better idea is a hoist properly supported from the ceiling.

[Stephen L.]

Re: Engine hoist body lift?

The engine and tank stay with the frame when lifting a body.

I would not recommend using a modified engine lift because the boom length has a given maximum weight as does the entire lift in its original configuration.

Modifying any lift is a VERY dangerous practice. If it fails your body is going to be damaged or possibly even junk!!! And even worse, someone might get hurt!! Is it worth it??????

You'll also need to be able to raise the hook a couple of feet, minimum, to clear the frame.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Engine hoist body lift?

Yes, it's been done. Engine out, tank out, body gutted. Rented the lift; no modifications necessary. See the archives.

[Richard W.]

Re: Engine hoist body lift?

Thanks for the comments.
That beer party might be a better idea!

[mike cobine]

Better ideas

As someone mentioned, the hoist from the ceiling or an overhead beam is much better. The crane-type lift is often precarious with an 800 lb engine, and with a body that is even heavier, it is a risk I wouldn't advise.

If you don't have the ceiling or the beam hoist, then you could do as I did once. With the body loose, I used two floor jacks under the front of the floor and the rear of the floor to slowly lift the body a few inches. Then I blocked it with 2x4s across the frame. Add some blacks to the jacks and lift again.

Eventually, I got the body up enough to run 4x4 cross beams to sawhorses on each side and move the chassis out. It is much slower, but it won't fall on you or the floor like a crane hoist can.

[Chuck R.]

Re: Engine hoist body lift?

The engine and tank will stay with the chassis anyway Rick.

I stripped everything off my 68 coupe body that could be removed to reduce the dead weight to include the head light buckets carpet, underlayment, dash, etc. I kept the doors and tops in place for added body support.

I then purchased a longer length of tube steel to replace the shorty that originally came with my hoist so I could get the boom reach I need over the roof centerline. The leg extentions seemed adequate so I didn't do anything different there other than making sure that I didn't over extend them. Mine was a 3-1/2 ton hoist

I then staged four barrels and 4" X 4" posts long enough to reach each barrel and misc. blocking staged at all four corners to lower the body back down onto once I achieved the clearance I needed.

One BIG word of caution though is if you purchase the lifting strap with grab hooks from the Vette vendors, make absolutley sure that you put a small c-clamp on either side of each hook.

I took Chuck Sangerhausen's caution on this to heart and it was a good thing I did.

When I lifted my body, it initially resisted so I continued to slowly apply lift pressure. Those straps stretch quite a bit and create a bow string effect.

Before I could say "sh_t", the body popped upward a good foot and a half and immediately nosed down. If I hadn't had those c-clamps in place, I know for sure that the hooks would have slid out of position big time!
Once free, I leveled the body and quickly lowered it onto the 4X4s and blocking.

The lift work very well and with the extended boom, gave me the reach I needed.

I share the other folks caution in taking a slow and methodical approach to this as it can get scary in a hurry if your not prepared.

Chuck

[Richard W.]

Re: Engine hoist body lift?

Chuck, That is just about what I was thinking of doing. These other guys have just about talked me out of it. In any case, I can see that you have to be really careful about it.
Thanks, Rick

[Chuck R.]

Re: That's an understatement Rick

I just want to impress on you that this process was no cake walk.

I was a one man band when I pulled my body off and I was a nervous wreck from the first pump on the jack handle to the time I got that sucker down onto my body dolly!

If I had the "large" I would have just loved to have had a gantry hoist setup ....but I digress.

Watch it like a hawk from start to finish and think through the "what if's" before you act Ok?

Good luck,

Chuck

[Stephen W.]

Re: That's an understatement Rick

Chuck,,, when your ready to put it back on the frame just let me know. I work for Saranac Pale Ale ( after its back on)... make your own dolly?

[Chuck R.]

Re: Saranac?

I think I might be able to do a little better than that Steve I was thinkin more like hair of the ole "Red Dawg" myself

Hmm, how long do you think it will take us Steve.

Maybe something like this,
Pre-body lift discussions and mental re-inactments =5
Actual body lift = 15
Chassis roll in and position = 10
Body drop and alignment = 5
Repositioning, shim adjustments and tighten down = 30
Finished product mutual admiration society back slapping = 2
Grimey mit clean up = 5
Decompression and replentishment of major bodily fluid lossess = 120+++++

Of course during the pre-lift sequence Steve we'll have to close our eyes and envision each movement like gymnists before they take to the mat.

Can you just imagine what would be going through my neighbor's minds if they saw these two jaboneys waving their arms, bending, twisting and squatting in the middle of the driveway with nothing around them?

I'd probably have to break out the good stuff to buy off those nice young men in their clean white coats

I'll be more than happy to invite you over and abused the h_ll outta Ya for a couple of hours Steve! I appreciate the offer.

I actually made my dolly out of a cut down section of scaffolding.

It worked out great, I cut the legs down until I had about three feet in height and torched out new holes in the lower portions for 1/2" bolts that I tacked in place to act as new lower pins for the vertical X braces to make back up to. I then added additional horizontal X bracing to take out the possibility of the unit pulling a paralelogram while being rolled around.

Additionally, all cross bracing was bolted through at their intersections.

I then set it on an old set of hospital gurny castor wheels (10") that I obtained at my... ahh...ahem... "experienced components" center and the rest as they say is history.

The most difficult part was notching lumber for the car to rest on.

Total investment (not counting sweat equity)was about $20.00, I can handle that!

The REALLY nice thing about my aboration is that it can be busted down and thrown out doors until the next time.......which won't be likely.

Maybe if I'm really REALLY lucky, the body will drop this fall Steve.

Chuckster