I finally managed to get all the body mount bolts lose. I want to raise the body and get the frame out, but I'm not really sure how to raise, and support the body, especially with the tools I have. I have two floor jacks and several jack stands, Everything I see from members, involves engine hoists and a rotiserie? Is there anyway to safely lift the body, then support it with the equiptment I have?

Check out my previous posts on this subject here: http://www.chevelles.com/forum/Forum3/HTML/005205.html
This was my plan until I got a deal on a chain hoist at an industrial liquidator, and a garage with a roof strong enough to support it.
A low-buck alternative to a roof mounted chain hoist might be a pair of engine hoists.
You could probably rent a couple for a modest fee somewhere close by. You would need PLENTY of room in your garage or yard to try this. Position one of them on each side just behind the door opening with the lift hook towards the interior, facing each other. Using the lifting eyes in the seatbelt anchor holes, that I suggested before, chain-up each side from front to back with the engine hoists. You will need the help of another person to man the other hoist so it will lift straight. Of course you should still build some sort of door opening braces to prevent the body from folding like a fortune cookie!, like the ones suggested in the earlier post. You may be able to get away with leaving the doors attached, but I have no expeience doing it like that so I don't think that I will recommend that. You should leave the chassis in a "rolling" state so as to roll it out from underneath once you have the body high enough. In order to roll the chassis past the legs of the engine hoists you would need to put a floor jack under the differential, remove the rear wheels, roll the chassis forward far enough to clear the legs, and then remount the wheels. Once the chassis is out, set the body down on some suitable supports. I used some shortend sawhorses for mine.



[This message has been edited by sxtysix (edited 03-24-2002).]

I have to say, everytime someone has posted about this everyone makes a big deal about supporting the body, lifting from proper points, etc., etc.. When we did it on my brothers '65 Gran Sport, we just didn't make that big of a deal out of it. First the entire body was striped. All top parts, windshield, doors, seats, decklid, etc. were removed. We unbolted the body, got about six helpers and pulled the body off. We just set it on a large wood dolly we made. After it was on the dolly we put wood blocks under it so it was supported similar to the frame supported it. That was it, no braces in the doors, nothing. I did all the body work prior to removing and put it in primer. We even changed frames while we were at it. The car ended up being a totally correct show car that is still being shown by the current owner.

If the rockers and floor are solid, you don't have anything to worry about. Just use common sense. It is a sixties GM car, not a Honda with the roof cut off. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

I agree with MARTINSR ,that SIX GUYS can lift a STRIPPED conv A body off it's frame with out destroying the car.
It's the issue that most guys are working alone and have one floor jack and if there lucky a floor jack and a cherry picker. This is where the inexperenced get into trouble. With no cowl to door and rear seat area braceing.
With out the extra muscle and manned with limited tools, could leed to disaster.
This is not to say one guy and a jack, with a number of jackstands and blocking CAN'T do it himself. He Can BTDT, but it must be done in small steps.

Check out this months Chevy High Performance magazine. They have an article with excellent photos on that. The editor had the magazine staff come over for a barbeque, after they helped him take the body off his 66 Chevelle hardtop. They claimed that it only took them 3 hours. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/eek.gif

I used an engine hoist and a chain hoist but
this will work, concrete blocks are used by some instead of jack stands.

After removing all of the floorpan and truckpan bolts place a 4x4 board across the body between the frame rails and under the firewall. Using the floorjack, lift the body up as high as the jack will go. Place another 4x4 (make sure it is about 2 ft wider than the car on both sides) on top of the jacks stands. Put the stands on their higher points with the 4x4 on top. Slowly lower the body down on the on the 4x4 and the jack stands. Repeat at the back. When your jack runs out of height you have to start blocking that up. (Think safety)

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