Has anyone used a rotisserie with a convertible? What is the best way to frame up the body before taking off of the frame?

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67 Malibu Convertible
Bonner Springs, KS
A.C.E.S # 4806
N.C.O.A # 5322
67 Malibu Convertible (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/ragtop67malibu283.jpg)

I made a pair of supporting jigs that I bolted between the upper door hinge mounts and the door striker mounts. They worked pretty well. I made them out of some two inch square tube with half inch thick flat plates welded at each end that had the coresponding bolt holes drilled in them. I drilled them a bit oversized to allow for misalignment. Measure carefully because one side may be slightly longer than the other, as was in my case. I also ground the mating surfaces smooth. I only used them while I was lifting the body and removed them once the body was sufficently supported while sanding/painting. After the paint was completely dry, I re-installed them with a thin layer of plastic between the mounting surfaces to protect the finish while I re-mounted the body. You could probably just leave them attached if you prefer and touch-up the door jambs after the body is back on. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

Check this out. http://webpages.charter.net/65chevelle/
It should answer any questions you have.

Steve

WOW! great site, thanks

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67 Malibu Convertible
Bonner Springs, KS
A.C.E.S # 4806
N.C.O.A # 5322
67 Malibu Convertible (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/ragtop67malibu283.jpg)

I think That's a bit overkill. I didn't have to drill any holes in my trunk floor. I just used lifting eyes that I screwed into the outer front/rear seatbelt anchor points. You can buy them at most industrial supply stores like graingers. I had to adjust the chain lengths front/rear so that it would lift straight up. this allowed me to pick from the center with only an overhead chain hoist. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/rolleyes.gif The addition of a lateral brace attached between the door braces might not be a bad idea but I had no problems with it wanting to flex from side to side.

Lifting bolts very smart, did you have the car dangling for long, or did it go quickly to a rotisserie or stand?

It was only in the air long enough to roll the chassis out and set-up the dolley under it and then vice-a-versa. I purposely left the chassis in a rolling state to do this and worked on it while the the body was on the dolley. I made the dolley out of some shortened sawhorse assemblies framed around the bottom with 2x4's and 1" plywood bottom panels that went across each end from side to side to mount the wheels on and two 2x4 stringers running from end to end halfway between the center. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

Ragtop,
I'm glad I braced mine the way I did. Spinning it like a chiken on a spit has to put some additional torque on everything as compared to lifting it up and setting it on a dolly. Everything held together and there was no twisting of the body.


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http://webpages.charter.net/65chevelle/

Ragtop, It's really not necessary to waste time with braces, brackets,or other silly contraptions. You can even do your restoration without a rotisserie if you want. Here's how. First remove body from the frame. It doesn't matter if it flexes a bit at this point because you will be doing your final alignment later when the body is back on the frame. Next, completely restore the frame. Then, spray the complete frame and underbody with 3M spraymask. In the meantime, you can roll the body on it's side,or even on it's back, to restore and paint the floor. Then bolt the body back on the frame . Now you can do all your alignment and bodywork and be assured that everything will fit perfectly when you are finished. From time to time you will have do touch-up on the spraymask and, you still must paper mask dilligently when priming and painting. The spraymask is a guarantee that whatever gets through the masking will not get on the frame and underbody. When you are completely done with your restoration, you can remove the spraymask with water. You may have to spend some time soaking it and wiping, but this a lot easier than making un-necessary braces,etc. We have experience at doing award winning show cars this way, so don't let anyone tell you that it can't be done this way. E-mail for more info or pictures.

Gordon VM
Restotation Motorsports

Ragtop you can use a rotisserie on a convert just be very careful not to flex the body. Sxtysix and that website both have two good ways of bracing the body. Convert bodies are easier to remove then hardtops because you can lift them by the braces if you build them right. Please brace the car well cause you dont want to know what happens when you dont, and when it does it aint pretty

Dont use the the rotisserie for body work. Dont remove panels like a trunk floor or quarter while on the rotis. Dont even use it while block sanding your car. Even though you have it well braced nothing supports the car like the frame, so only do body work while the car is on the frame. The only thing I use a rotis for is cleaning the underside and finish welding, painting of the underside.

Also leave the frame resto til last, get the car ready for final paint before you redo that frame...Eric

Thanks for all the info. What is the best way to replace the floor pans and braces? It is my understanding that you have to take the body off of the frame to replace the braces.

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67 Malibu Convertible
Bonner Springs, KS
A.C.E.S # 4806
N.C.O.A # 5322
67 Malibu Convertible (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/ragtop67malibu283.jpg)