Gantry Plans

[Gerald C.]

I'm considering doing a body off on my 1967 roadster. Has anyone built a gantry to pull the body? If so, can you send me the plans?

My other alternative is to rent one, but I'd rather have it handy to remove the motor, etc. after the body is off.

Thanks,

Jerry

[Paul J.]

Re: Gantry Plans

Jerry, search the archives for "body lift". Most of the threads talk about using a two post lift, but there are some links to U Tube which show it being done with engine lifts, etc. I recall seeing A braces, teepee braces, and some other home built devices to lift bodies and engines, but I can't find any pictures at the moment.

I don't like any excitement when I do this type of work, so I use purpose built, stress rated, steel devices to do this.

Paul

[Edward J.]

Re: Gantry Plans

Jerry, do you have a lift?

[Domenic T.]

Re: Gantry Plans

Jerry,
I bought one from Eastwood about 3 years ago that I use side to side instead of front to back. It was about $1400.00 and was supposed to rotate the car 360. I saw NO way that it would rotate a vette body safely but it will lift the car off the body and go higher so you can sit under the car and work on it.
I did have another use for it as I rotate wings 360 to paint them and other large parts.
I lifted the car by the bird cage and did all the underside work along with the paint prep, now I am lowering it on a 4 wheel dollie with larger wheels so I can remove the doors before painting and roll it easier.
I found it a lot easier and cheaper than building one. The steel supply here was way to expensive, and the chop saw blades, hard ware, wheels, rod, gas, and time involved made my decision easy.

DOM

[Gerald C.]

Re: Gantry Plans

Ed,

I do not have a lift.

Jerry

[Mike G.]

Re: Gantry Plans




With an "A" frame, an engine leveler, and a chain hoist --body lift/drop becomes a 2-man operation with excellent control. I can send you the height and width if you'd like.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Gantry Plans

Jerry, search the archives for "body lift". Most of the threads talk about using a two post lift, but there are some links to U Tube which show it being done with engine lifts, etc...

Agree with Paul...check the archives. I've done two body lift/drop using a heavy duty engine hoist (2 tons?) and a lift harness available from vendors (some good; others not so good).

For the first lift, I solicited help; but for the second lift, I was confident enough to make the lift alone. There was some "excitement" on the second lift, but additional help wouldn't have made any difference; there would have only been more observers to the fiasco.

An important warning: If you use a vendor supplied harness with "hooks" that grip the bottom edge of the bird cage or body frame, make SURE that you use 1" C-clamps on both sides of each clamp to prevent the clamps from sliding. This becomes even more important if you don't get the center of the harness exacly on the body center of gravity (hard to estimate; slight error has a BIG effect).