Body swap with tractor (1 Viewer)

[royaltine]

Getting ready to do a body swap, all I have to lift with is a tractor. What is the best way to rig a body without damaging it? TiA

 

[Kernal]

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+lift+a+car+body+off+the+frame+without+a+lift

 

[clx16]

in a garage. any trees near you? Got any long timbers to create a gantry crane? Do you have the engine still in the frame. if you have the engine out Remove the front or rear axle. take L shaped brackets that can be placed to where all the body mounts are pointing down. Then connect 2x4s going down to the ground and a frame you have made with caster wheels. essentially Build a cart that can roll out from under the body. you will have to move hold the frame up and move stands etc as you work the body cart out from under the frame. Get some good casters that you can reuse later for something else when you take your body cart apart later on.

You can use a trailer jack plus wheel to mount to whatever cross member you have on the end you remove the axle. get the kind that fold up so you can move the body/cart under it.

 

[flagstaff]

I lifted a 68 thunderbird body off the frame with a single floor jack.
Lifted the car up about 6 inches.
Built two tables with plywood sides under the body, to rest the body on.
Lowered the frame down.
Built a 2x12 ‘frame’ under the body.
Used the frame to lift the body off the tables. Dismantled the tables.
Removed frame from under the body.

At the time, cost about $150 in wood. (4) 2x 12, (2) 2x8, (2) 4x6, 3 sheets of plywood, and a few studs. Guessing it’s more now but it held the body for about a decade before rejoining everything.

 

[flagstaff]

 

[twalker9480]

Props on the click bait title, it definitely got me.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Use your tractor to tow it to a shop with a lift.

 

[BILT4ME]

WAG: build a lifting frame (square box frame) that you can bolt together to go under the body and cross members that are above the highest point of the vehicle then a center support ie: have cables/straps rigged outside the width of the body that go to the upper center support at four corners, lift with your tractor.

Never done it myself, just a brain exercise.
FWIW

Or, watch some you tubby videos. One person did it with 4x4's (wood beams)

Roll down all the windows or remove all the doors.

Slide a 2 x 12 through each set of open windows

Use straps (or chains but the chains may bend the drip rail on the edge) on both ends of the 2x12's. So 4 straps or chains total.

Come in from the side and roll the bucket forward on the tractor so you can use that for fine tuning the lift. The tip of the bucket should be about center of the truck. Wrap the chains over the front of the bucket over to and hook on the top back of the bucket. Hook the chains fairly tight but make sure not too tight to crease the roof. Probably about 2 feet of clearance between the bottom of the bucket and the top of the truck.

You'll need to confirm the front to back balance before you commit fully.

Make sure the tractor has enough ass to lift it. You're going to need to lift about 2500 lb +/- depending on how much stuff you've removed. Both hydraulic and weight.

 

[royaltine]

Roll down all the windows or remove all the doors.

Slide a 2 x 12 through each set of open windows

Use straps (or chains but the chains may bend the drip rail on the edge) on both ends of the 2x12's. So 4 straps or chains total.

Come in from the side and roll the bucket forward on the tractor so you can use that for fine tuning the lift. The tip of the bucket should be about center of the truck. Wrap the chains over the front of the bucket over to and hook on the top back of the bucket. Hook the chains fairly tight but make sure not too tight to crease the roof. Probably about 2 feet of clearance between the bottom of the bucket and the top of the truck.

You'll need to confirm the front to back balance before you commit fully.

Make sure the tractor has enough ass to lift it. You're going to need to lift about 2500 lb +/- depending on how much stuff you've removed. Both hydraulic and weight.

Perfect thanks