removing body (unibody)....help!

dragginwagon · Post by **dragginwagon** » May 23, 2011, 7:59 am

im almost to the point of test fitting the body on my new frame and need to come up with to way to removing the body from the old frame. i have plenty of friends to help but once the beer comes out i dunno if i wanna count on them to pick it up and hold it lol...

my thought was to removed the clip, glass, and interior... then use 2 engine pullers to pick it up. i was thinkin about using the hood hinge bolts in the firewall and couple or more bed mount holes. as anyone done this or have any other suggests or input?

any help would be awesome!!!

sixty6 · Post by **sixty6** » May 23, 2011, 8:19 am

That sounds like a decent idea. Not sure I would use the hood hinge bolts. Maybe make a bracket to work with the front cab mounts.

I agree I wouldnt count on the friends.

dragginwagon · Post by **dragginwagon** » May 23, 2011, 8:47 am

the front cab mounts are shot... i need the body off to fix em anyways, its pretty bad

i would use different bolts if you were worried about that or is it the location? you think its weak there?

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » May 23, 2011, 9:10 am

However you do it take lot's of pictures to share as I'm going to be there in the near future and would love to see how you accomplish it. This looks like one of those technical items that should end up in the How To section. Assuming all goes well!!

Thanks

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » May 23, 2011, 9:28 am

the hinge bolts are a good place to lift the front from, plenty strong enough and its where the rotisseries hold up the front end.

dragginwagon · Post by **dragginwagon** » May 23, 2011, 9:37 am

thats what i was thinkin, seemed like id seen a uni on ebay done that way. i was gunna make a plate to go over each side and weld a ring to the plate for the chain to hook to.

im hoping it will be stable enuff to work on the cab mounts while its in the air ( prolly have some jack stands and wood cross bars under it for safety)

dragginwagon · Post by **dragginwagon** » May 23, 2011, 9:38 am

whats ya'lls thoughts on the doors? on or off... does it matter?

mercman64 · Post by **mercman64** » May 23, 2011, 11:09 am

I took my uni off its frame, no doors, bolted a brace between the top door hinge and the bolts for the striker plate....used this channel in the stake pockets w/a chain fall and a little balancing help...and lift off.....

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » May 23, 2011, 11:32 am

I lifted my '62 unibody off the frame exactly the way you are proposing. You can check out some pics on my build thread ('62unibody build (back) up).

I made a couple brackets to bolt to the hood hinge mounts on the firewall and used eye-bolts. I used a chain and my engine hoist to put the center of gravity up high (slightly above the roof level) for some stability.

I used floor jacks in the back. Slow and steady. did it all by my lonesome!

sixty6 · Post by **sixty6** » May 23, 2011, 12:28 pm

I stand corrected. Good luck.