Here I go ,  trying to lift the body off the frame in my standard garage by putting 2- 2x6's accross the  2x4's in the ceiling to distribute the weight.   Then with  a one ton chain fall, will try and lift the body off and keep it suspended while I work on the frame!
Has anyone did this in a standard garage? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ron  
Also,  if anyone knows the approximate weight of just the body with the doors & hood off the car.  
dolamiti38662.3885300926

Kind of a tough question, I don't know, you could get a ballpark though, I thought about it and this is what I have come up with, Weigh yourself on a bathroom scale then weigh yourself again holding the hood, the difference is what the hood weighs,measure the LxW and that gives you sq.ft.,divide sq.into weight and that gives you weight per sq.ft., now start measuring LxW of body panels to get sq ft. and do the math, maybe add 150+lbs for the W.S., birdcage, dash, wiring and whatever, its a ballpark. to make it easier, lets take the front fender side panel, measure long point to long point including wheel opening, get sq.ft., x's 2, that will allow for both inner and outter panel sq.footage,x's 2 will give you sq.ft. for both front fenders inner and outer, the same for the rear fenders, measure the body from the firewall to the spoiler LxWx2 that will give you sq.ft. for the top and underbody skin including the firewall, the firewall area is transposed to the cockpit area because its not doubled there, simple.anips38662.4803009259

I am not sure on the body weight but I would like to make a couple of comments. 2x4s do not do a very good job at carrying loads. If your dealing with a truss roof in the garage you risk collapsing the roof. Spend a few extra bucks and buy some 4x4 posts to support your 2x6s. I have not removed a body but I have read where its a good idea to brace the door opening prior to lifting to minimize body deflection. Hate to see the glass crack. Also make sure you build a structure to support the body if you are going to work under it. Never work under a suspended load. We would like to keep you around on the forum for a long time. That way we can watch your progress. Good luck with your project and post pictures once in a while of the progress.

Sun is exactly correct! I built a rack for my body in a weekend. Ben also had some plans posted at one time for the one he built. It also makes it easier to detail the underside of the body if it's on a dolly.

As far as the weight, it's a guess based on how easily mine was to handle once I got it off the frame, I'm thinking around 500 lbs. I pulled mine with a cherry picker engine hoist with very little trouble.

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Great advice.   After looking over the situation, I 've decided to wait and either support the beams or just drop the frame.
Thanks again.  Will keep ya posted.
Ron

Good advice on NOT using just the garage rafters to support the weight.  If they are typical roof trusses they are designed to carry a load from above not a hanging weight.  You could probably still do that IF you added the support columns directly under where the 2X6s cross the rafters.  That way the bulk of the load would be supported by the columns.  As mentioned a 4X4 should be enough or those adjustable pole jacks would work also.

Also good advice of not working under a suspended anything.  Build a dolly, lift the body off, roll the chassis out of the way, roll the dolly under and lower the body on to it.  Granted that approach takes up extra floor space but is WAY safer for all who would be around the project.

I'll be doing this someday so lessons learned will help me (and others) in the future.  Good luck! 

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Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!