Rolling body on side

48builder · August 13, 2007, 12:22:53 PM

My '48 is finally starting to look like a car. This weekend I am going to pull the body off the frame and spray it with primer. I then want to get it in its side so I can spray truck bed liner on the bottom. I was planning on rolling it over onto some old tires. I know a couple guys here have done that. I may also try to roll it onto a dolly I built to roll the body around on.

Do I need to weld some bracingt inside the body? I really don't want to , but then I don't want to srew up the door alignment either. The body is a good, solid, rust-free body.

Thanks,

Walt

phat rat · August 13, 2007, 01:14:55 PM

It might be a little harder to spray but why not just raise it up enough to roll underneath and spray it? Are you doing this for rustproofing or using it as a sound deadner? If for deadening you could spray the inside of the car? If for rustproofing, it's not likely it'll rust if it's basically a summer ride. Primer and paint together would be adequate

48builder · August 13, 2007, 01:18:34 PM

Quote from: "phat rat"Are you doing this for rustproofing or using it as a sound deadner?

A little of both. Also, I want to erdo my e-brake bracket, and I'm not great at welding upside down. I may consider doing what you say. I could try gluing and screwing the bracket.

Walt

Dave · August 13, 2007, 04:23:06 PM

Quote from: "48builder"
Quote from: "phat rat"Are you doing this for rustproofing or using it as a sound deadner?

A little of both. Also, I want to erdo my e-brake bracket, and I'm not great at welding upside down. I may consider doing what you say. I could try gluing and screwing the bracket.

Walt

Could a new welded up but bolted in bracket be fabricated?
Dave

rumrumm · August 13, 2007, 05:27:20 PM

You could paint the bottom with a brush or a roller if you use POR 15 or other such rust sealer. Just make sure do it outside so you have good ventilation.

donsrods · August 13, 2007, 05:38:09 PM

I would be afraid of distorting the body panels on the rolled side. That body is a lot of weight to be pressing down on door skins, etc. They sell those round thingies that are made to roll one over, but it keeps the body suspended so none touches the ground.

I would find some good 55 gallon oil drums and put 4 of them under it, maybe with 4 x 4's across it, and once you are confident it is safe, work underneath it. We used to put boats up to about 26 feet on four drums at the marina to paint the bottoms, and it held that weight.

Don

chopped · August 13, 2007, 05:39:31 PM

I sprayed the bottom of my 36 with thick undercoating. Put down a lot of cardboard and masked off what I didn't want coated. Took my time and aimed carefully. Didn't make a mess.

UGLY OLDS · August 13, 2007, 05:52:37 PM

Quote from: "donsrods"I would be afraid of distorting the body panels on the rolled side. That body is a lot of weight to be pressing down on door skins, etc. They sell those round thingies that are made to roll one over, but it keeps the body suspended so none touches the ground.

I would find some good 55 gallon oil drums and put 4 of them under it, maybe with 4 x 4's across it, and once you are confident it is safe, work underneath it. We used to put boats up to about 26 feet on four drums at the marina to paint the bottoms, and it held that weight.

Don

I too used four 55 gallon drums & 2 long 4X4's to paint /seal the bottom of the kids Dodge....It takes about 6 or 8 buddies to lift it....You can roll the chassis right out from under it .....Spray away ...Roll the chassis back under...( Be sure & use a block to "raise" the "rocker panel" area where it sits on the 4X4's...Don't ask me how I know that..... :evil: :oops: :oops: )

Dave · August 13, 2007, 08:40:06 PM

Too bad you dont have a rotisisire (spelling) that would be safer to me.. With out one if you cant come up with a plan why not hire a friend for beer or a professional welder and get it right before you do the spray thing.. I gotta believe youve got enuff invested now that it cant hurt :?: Thats way too nice of a car to muck up..
Dave

40 · August 13, 2007, 10:30:21 PM

I now have a rotisserie but prior to that,I've rolled several bodies over on a stack of old mattresses with good results.

48builder · August 14, 2007, 12:34:10 PM

[quote="UGLY OLDS
I too used four 55 gallon drums & 2 long 4X4's to paint /seal the bottom of the kids Dodge....It takes about 6 or 8 buddies to lift it....You can roll the chassis right out from under it .....Spray away ...Roll the chassis back under...( Be sure & use a block to "raise" the "rocker panel" area where it sits on the 4X4's...Don't ask me how I know that..... :evil: :oops: :oops: )[/quote]

I have a couple electric pole crossarms I could use, and I made a couple heavy duty jack stands that go up to about 3 feet. I have set it on them to roll the chassis out. I'll give it a try. I rolled my '39 over onto am old matress do work on the underside, and it worked OK, but I don't want amything to happen to this body.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Walt

UGLY OLDS · August 14, 2007, 07:10:14 PM

Walt....I would really be afraid of those crossarms.....

# 1..If they're "old" it means they're dry...possibly can break without warning...

# 2... Aren't they pre-drilled for insulator pegs?? If so, now we're using a couple of dried out boards full of holes to hold up you body...That SCARES me...Better to buy a couple pieces of new 4X4 than to chance dropping your body...

What I did was drill a couple of holes through the 4X4 & BOLTED it to the body mounts at the cowl..That way it cant "roll " out & cause problems...
The rear one I placed in the rear axle area near the top of the "axle hump" , again so it could not roll or move around...Remember--you're going to be holding up roughly 900 / 1100 lbs of body...

I jus' don't wanna see anybody get hurt...

As far as "rolling " the body on it's side..It WILL bend & buckle, mainly in the large flat panels ..It will actually "oil can" the large panels & pop them in....Again, please don't ask me how I know this... :oops: :oops:

Dave · August 14, 2007, 08:06:01 PM

Quote from: "UGLY OLDS"Again, please don't ask me how I know this... :oops: :oops:

Ok dummy I will .. tell us..
Dave

48builder · August 15, 2007, 10:15:09 AM

Quote from: "UGLY OLDS"Walt....I would really be afraid of those crossarms.....

# 1..If they're "old" it means they're dry...possibly can break without warning...

# 2... Aren't they pre-drilled for insulator pegs??

My ccrossarms are not old. They are brand new. And very strong. I have used them before to hold the body. They are 4 by 6 inches.

I plan on stripping the old undercoating with my air needle scaler. It will be tough work upside down, but that's what 16-yr-old sons are for.

UGLY OLDS · August 15, 2007, 05:42:59 PM

Quote from: "jusjunk"
Quote from: "UGLY OLDS"Again, please don't ask me how I know this... :oops: :oops:

Ok dummy I will .. tell us..
Dave