Body Off Attempt

[dlfrisch]

I have most of the vehicle operating items off and removed. I’m working on disassembling the fenders and running boards. It’s a project, but I will be able to handle this job. The car is up on floor stands. I’m a little nervous about trying and / or attempting to unbolt and try to lift off the body. I’m seriously thinking of taking the body-off job to my body/paint shop. It sure isn’t like the “old days” for me. I’m getting to old for some of the bigger jobs.
Any helpful hints or suggestions to remove and reinstall the body of my ‘28 Sport Coupe ?

[Oldbluoval]

With some minimal, proper equipment and set up you should be able to take the body off and separate it from the chassis
Some of the manipulation of the body gets a little more tricky
However, if you don’t need to rotate or turn the body over most can be done from underneath on saw horses, etc. just keep safety first.
Having a helper buddy is also advised as working alone can have perils

[Sunnybrook Farm]

I used a couple old barrels and saw horses on one car, just lifted a little at a time with blocks under it until I could slide a strong board under the body and have the ends rest on the barrels or what ever. They were outside of the wheels so once up higher than the tires, I was able to roll the chassis out of the way and then further brace the body. It isn't all that heavy if you do a corner at a time and have some one helping block it or use a stand of some sort. Of course a fork lift will work as well.

[whirnot]

I have forks for my tractor so it was easy. If I didn't I think I would just get about 4 buddies and lift it. Four to lift, and one to block it. But if you are taking the body to a body shop you might as well get it all ready, clamp it on and take it to them. Putting it back on is more critical. A slip or scratch at this point is not that big a deal.

[rotorwrench]

If you have enough buddies to pick it up & put it on saw horses with some 4X4s to rest on then that can work. If a person has an overhead hoist or a large cherry picker hoist, an H-frame rig can be fabricated to lift it without help from others but it will take some ingenuity to set it up. The sport coupe is only a bit heavier than the roadster when it doesn't have the top on yet. If you take all the doors & gas tank off, it's even lighter.

Some folks build a roll around frame from either lumber or pipe to set the body on for mobility. It just depends on whether you want to go to such trouble or not. The size of you work area has a lot to do with that.

Hopefully, your sheet metal is all still in pretty good shape. Mine had a rusty & broken sub rail on one side that required replacement plus the usual rust at the bottom of the quarters just behind the doors. If it's real rusty then the body should be completely disassembled to repair the cancer. The body can be built back up on the frame after priming all the parts. A person needs welding and riveting equipment & skills for all that.

[dlfrisch]

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Thanks to all.... it’s a very interesting hobby. Nice to be able to communicate, with people that have helpful knowledge with the Model A mechanics.

[GPierce]

My wife and I did this and then rolled the chassis out from under it.
We raised one corner at a time, slid a block under and kept doing it until we got it high enough to roll the chassis out. We only removed the steering column.

[super flat]

I put a stud sticking up on the main beam of my engine hoist. Then I put a long hardwood 4x4 on the top that can swivel. Go through the top door jams and lift away! Easy Peasy

[Dean Lemoine]

I did the same thing GPierce (#7) did. Then I lowered the body onto 4 furniture dollies. That allowed me to it around the shop as needed.

[Bob Bidonde]

In my 70s, I removed the body of my 190A by myself using jacks, 5 saw horses, 2 jack stands and two 2x4 studs. The saw horses I use are steel with adjustable leg heights.
>The rear wheels were removed and the frame supported with jack stands;';
>With the body loose on its frame, and 3 saw horses set low, I slid the body onto the saw horses;
> Using a jack and a 4th saw horse set higher, I slid the higher jack under the rear of the body;
> Using a 4th & 5th horse set higher, I jacked the front and slid the high horses under the 2x4s;
>This technique was repeated until the body was at a suitable work height. In the photo, you can see that the height of the body is enough so the car's rolling frame could be stored underneath it.

[Roger V]

One man method: I made a saw horse a little taller than the rear body bottom rail. With a floor jack and 2X lumber cut to fit from the jack to a body cross member, I jacked the rear of the body up and slid the saw horse under. Took a trailer safety chain and put each hook in the front body mount holes (again slightly jacking the front body cross member first). Placed the hook of a come-along in the center of that chain. Double wrapped another chain around a garage cross tie. Placed the opposite come-along hook on that chain. Placed a 2X from the floor at an angle to near the chain on the tie on both sides. Ratchet the come along up to the point the rear cross member of the "chassis frame" clears the body cross members. Roll the chassis out. Lower the front of the body to another saw horse or in my case a wood rolling cart (made for this). For the doubters, the garage tie and angled supports from the floor are more than strong enough as you're lifting roughly half the body weight. Have done many that way including the A in my avatar.

[1929]

I did it myself, wasn't hard.

[Brentwood Bob]

I would avoid concrete blocks. Napa sells good, lifetime stands.
A concrete block can kill you.

[rotorwrench]

The hollow tube concrete blocks are at peak load bearing strength when the through holes are arranged vertically so that can be of some concern but the model A bodies are really pretty light weight. I always err on the side of caution myself. Some concrete blocks can crack and break when not bearing a load properly. The light weight Thermalite blocks are the ones I get worried about more than the heavy concrete ones. Use your own good common sense on that.

[desotoguy]

If you remove the wheels and use four of the steel wheel dollies available from HF you can lessen the height that the body needs to be raised. Also with the dollies, if there is room to the side, the body can be rolled to the side if you provide a good stable support at the rear and an engine lift to one side at the front.

[77Birdman]

Originally Posted by Brentwood Bob

I would avoid concrete blocks. Napa sells good, lifetime stands.
A concrete block can kill you.

This, I had to glance away a bit
Much better ways for cribbing. I will qualify myself first by saying I have never lifted a model a body, but I have done many structural repairs to buildings and their foundations that weighed a bit more.
It certainly is easy enough to accomplish the task on hand with the right materials (cribbing) and time. If you have a shop that would be willing to separate the two for you at a reasonable cost, that may be worth your while. i.e., you pay them $200 for an hours work (lift use and a bit of manpower) in my parts I can get a one way ride on a rollback for $75, maybe tell them what your doing and get a discount, so for $300 or so you have the body apart, picked up and delivered back to your shop. All in one day. Or, you could fool around with things for a week and maybe wrench your back not to mention the worry to the nerves.