Separating the body from the frame

[Lucas63]

Hello,

I, like some of us here, have a project car that needs a start date. It's been sitting in my garage for several years and if I don't start soon it will never get done. It's a 1963 TR4 and it's a ugly rust bucket, but has some usable parts, atleaast enough to get started with. My first problem is space. I need to be able to take the body off the frame, place it on a table that is high and wide enough to roll the frame underneath with the engine installed. My plan is to get a rolling chassis completed then move on to the body work.

So, what has anyone built in the way of a body table? I could really use some ideas if anyone is willing.

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Reinforce your rafters and suspend it from the ceiling....
Oh, and wear a hard hat.

 

[Lucas63]

Yes safety is important :wink:

 

[jackag91]

pretty much what I did.


There are some howto's on making a rotisserie somewhere.


Just make sure you brace the body because it will flex

 

[Lucas63]

Hanging it won't work for me, low ceiling. A rotisserie would be great but it doesn't allow me to roll the frame under it.

Has anyone built something on the idea of a table with wheels?

 

[BryanC]

When I did this, I first built steel braces to go across the doors and connected them across the passenger compartment. This made the body very stiff and allowed me to use a chain hoist attached to the rafters to lift the body. I used the usual sawhorse 'kits' from the hardware store for the body support. I put some long 2x4s between the legs to make the sawhorse wide enough for the chassis to fit between. The body sits on the sawhorses (one at the front of the rockers and one at the rear). I still have it connected to the chain hoist just in case. The chassis easily rolls in and out.

Bryan

 

[BobSands]

Hey Lucas,...there's a TR3 Restoration Page at https://jmorgan.com/ that shows a fixture built from cinder blocks and 4x4's.
Of course,...no affiliation, not my brother-in-law, don't know if it works,...etc.
Good luck Bob

 

[TR6oldtimer]

This is scary...I thought they only did that with Dodge Chargers

 

[71tr]

Similar to oldtimer I built a wooden rack with wheels to hold the body tub with enough room underneath to roll the frame. I used an engine lift to remove the body tub and offer it up to the rack.

tr6 body tub rack

 

[Banjo]

I took my TR3 body off with an engine crane. First I supported the door openings, then used straps to hook it up to the crane. an empty TR tub can be lifted by 2 strong, or 3 normal people. the frame weighs more than the tub. I'd go with the sawhorse idea. just build 'em wide enough for the frame to roll under. I set my body on two of those $15.99 tin folding sawhorses and they held it just fine. So I know some sturdy wood ones would be more than safe.
Or if you wanted to try the rotissery way, you can make a rotissery from a pair of cheap engine stands, and then set the frame on a set of car skates so it could be wheeled in from the side.
Enjoy the project, and welcome to the BCF

 

[Tom74TR6]

Has anyone built something on the idea of a table with wheels?

You mean like this?

The frame is on rollers too until the wheels are back on.

 

[angelfj1]

Ouch!!! Hope there's no little ones about!

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

Angelfj.
I assume you are looking at the cinder box thing that Ray posted. That is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[PeterK]

Wood works too. I built one similar to this one. It worked great.

 

[TheSearcherMan]

Here is some good advice Lucas. Don't start. Sell the one you have and go and buy one already done. Unless you are looking to kill time and have the "Brosky Money Tree", buy one already done. Then, you won't lose your wife, and have to pay for a team of Psychiatrists. Is that how you spell it? Think about it. You will have probably 30 grand in that car if you do it right, not including what you paid for it, maybe more. Just think about it. You can buy a nice one for half that. You'll see.

 

[hondo402000]

its sad that we put twice what they are worth in to them, well let me back up we sell them for 1/2 of what we spend on them

 

[Lucas63]

Has anyone built something on the idea of a table with wheels?

You mean like this?

The frame is on rollers too until the wheels are back on.

That's the kind of table I'm thinking about. Unfortuntely a welder is not in the budget right now so I'm going the erector set route. I've got a call into a used pallet rack company and told them what I want. If the price is too high then the welder may be in the budget sooner. :smirk:

 

[71tr]

Lucas 63,

Take another look at the rig I built. Using nothing but 2x6 and 1x4 lumber plus some large castor wheels I have a setup that saves space and is fully mobile. Total cost of materials was probably less than $50. If you want further details such as measurements let me know.

TR6 tub 1

TR6 tub 2

 

[CraigLandrum]

I built a rolling body tub support out of some scrap 4x4 pieces and some 2x4s that were laying around. I cut four 4x4 lengths at roughly table height, then measured the width and length of the area I wanted to support on the TR3 body - roughly a bit narrower than sills in front and long enough to extend front to the back of the floor pan. I cut and framed the top and just above the wheels with the 2x4s and assembled everything with deck screws so it would hold up. Bought some cheap rubber wheels at the hardware store and was good to go. While I was there I bought four pulleys, eyebolts and 100 feet of rope. Fixed the pulleys to the rafters in the basement/garage and used a couple of helpers to hoist the tub off the frame, wheel the cart underneath and position it. Wheels around easily on hard concrete, and it at the right height for a lot of work. Before hoisting, you will definitely need to do the door opening bracing mentioned by others, and there are several posts and pics on that subject elsewhere. With care, my son and I can just manage to turn the tub on its side on the frame (tied down for support afterwards) for blasting and painting, etc.