Body Install ?? Lifting The Body

[bamcoc5]

Well I received my body yesterday and want to install it over the weekend on the chasis. Where I am working leaves me with no extra hands.

How did you lift and position the body? I figure on putting the body on and off at least 4 times for fitting and installing parts off the chasis.The body I am installing is from A&C while the chasis is from MIDSTATES. I have to do some minor fabricating in the trunk to make the body fit to the frame.

Here is my idea tell me what you think. I was going to use 2 towing strap one through each wheelwell. I was then going to use a 1.5" Dia. x 10' piece of black pipe with an eyelet in the middle. I was going to loop the straps over the black pipe end pipe clamp the straps (stop straps from shifting) and use an engine picker to raise and lower the body (I understand I will have to find the balancing point for the body on the black pipe for lifting). I have wheel dollies under my chasis so I can move the chasis under the lifted body. Am I making this harder than I have to?

I am open to all suggestions.

Bruce

[sharpe 1]

You need to build a frame that will lift from inside the passanger compartment. The one midstates uses is made of metal but you can use 2"x2" or 2x4". It fits under the cowel in the front and under the lip of the body in the back.Then you can find the ballance point. If you try to pick it up thru the finder wells you run the risk of cracking the body in the door area. Good luck.
sharpe 1

[AMiller]

I built a cockpit lift. Then built a pulley system to enable lifting on my own. After all was done I scrapped it for an easier method.

4 200lb. rated lag eye bolts screwed into the ceiling joist above where I wanted the body to hang. One above the center of each wheel well. 4 motorcycle pull tiedown straps. One hanging from each eye bolt. Wrap a thick rag and fold a piece of cardboard arount the wheel well lips then slide the other end of the tiewdowns over the cardboard and take up the slack. Now by lifting and taking up the slack at each point you can safely lift the body or set the body by yourself.

I know you think this is bad for the body but A&C reccomends you lift the body at these points with 4 people whenever you can anyway. If you look at how you position your hands to do this it is very close to the motorcycle strap set up. I have done it twice to my body now with no problems. There is never anyone around to help me with the lifting at the times I can work on mine so I had no choice. I think there is a picture in my gallery of the body hanging in the background of my shop. It has been there for a month now waiting on the roll bar.

Just make sure your eve bolts are in something that can take the load.

Best of luck,

Aaron

[bamcoc5]

Aaron Thanks for the idea. I checked out your pictures and it looks like the way to go with the straps.
Bruce.