Body came off the pan today. Check out the body dolly I made

Bella Ghia

I pulled the body off today!! I am finally making some progress!! Now ready to media blast. The body dolly will go over the pan for better storage space. It also gives me some place to stand and get up higher on the sides. The dolly should fit on my car trailer.

Louie VW Logo

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
1969 Autodynamics Caldwell D 13 Formula Vee 1969 Karmann Ghia Vert sold
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/240775.jpg

jason_hamilton · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 10:29 pm Post subject:

That's awesome.
This is a project I'm going to be watching regularly. Please keep us posted.
_________________
Jason Hamilton
1969 Karmann Ghia coupe
@MiddleAgedHoon

Gary · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 6:58 am Post subject:

Very nice! Is that 2x4 construction? I like the reinforcement bracing.
_________________
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943)

74Ghia · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:07 am Post subject:

Great Looking dolly. Smile

Is the body secured to the 4x4s anywhere? It'd be cool if you could adapt that and have a rotisserie.
_________________
Allen C.

2012 Silverado
53 FiberFab MG TD Replica (VW)

Life is hard and its harder if you're stupid.

MedicTed · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:40 am Post subject:

Be very careful moving that body without any bracing between the doors and across the inside. It would be bad to find that your heater channels are weak and that it folded in half.
_________________
Ted Wojton
70 VW Bus Westfalia camper
2003 GMC Sierra

Bella Ghia · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 9:01 am Post subject:

I made the dolly so that the body would attach at the front and rear body mount locations. Now that I have the body on the dolly I like it better the way it sits. The 4x4 cross brace runs right in the middle of the wheel well opening and gives the most space to work on the body. If I use the body mounts the car would need to shift toward the rear about a foot and I could bolt it down front and back.

I was going to build it as a rotisserie as well but it took most of a Saturday to build this. I thought I would rather work on the Ghia than build on the dolly any more. Its up high and makes it pretty easy to get to everything. Got about $100 into it. $60 for 4x4 and bracing, Harbor Freight had the 10" Pnumatic tires on sale big time at $36 for four!

Louie
_________________
1969 Autodynamics Caldwell D 13 Formula Vee 1969 Karmann Ghia Vert sold
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/240775.jpg

Bella Ghia · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 9:06 am Post subject:

MedicTed

It's hard to see the bracing between the doors because of the dark garage and the shadow from the flash. The bracing between the doors is also painted black, but it is there!!!

Louie
_________________
1969 Autodynamics Caldwell D 13 Formula Vee 1969 Karmann Ghia Vert sold
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/240775.jpg

MedicTed · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:02 am Post subject:

kometose · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 1:07 pm Post subject:

so, approx how much does the body weigh on it's own? is it pretty easy to move around?

you happen to have plans or drawings for that dolly?

Bella Ghia · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 1:57 pm Post subject:

kometose,

The body is soooo light!! 4 of us picked it up. One of the four was my wife Wink

So it's light. I can push it around easy. My kids are going to want to "play" with it in the yard. Laughing

Give me some time to try it out while I media blast the body and see how the dolly does. Then I will get some #'s/plans together for anyone that wants one like it. If you were closer you could use it all you want.

Louie
_________________
1969 Autodynamics Caldwell D 13 Formula Vee 1969 Karmann Ghia Vert sold
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/240775.jpg

Bella Ghia · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:51 pm Post subject:

Komaetose

Here are some quick #'s for the dolly that will clear the pan during storage.
(2) 8' 4"x4" sides
(2) 6' 4"x4" front and back
(4) 1' 4"x4" up pieces (left over from the 8" pieces that go front and back)
(4) Wheels lag bolted from the bottom
Bracing on all corners (the 2"x4" cut at a 45 is not really needed)

The 6' front and back pieces go on top.
Then the 1' 4"x4" up pieces go under the front and back pieces
Next comes the 8’ 4"x4" sides on bottom.
What you end up with is the 1' pieces in between the top and sidepieces.

I ended up with a 4”x4” spacer on the front and back piece because my junk miss-matched tires were different sizes. One tire was a bit too tall to clear the rocker panel as I rolled the body over the tire. No biggie though!

Medic Ted
I pointed out the brace in the door. It’s hard to see.

Louie

_________________
1969 Autodynamics Caldwell D 13 Formula Vee 1969 Karmann Ghia Vert sold
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/240775.jpg

Gary · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 6:36 pm Post subject:

Louie,

You didn't mention how you got the car up there Wink

_________________
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943)

BirdLives · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:47 pm Post subject:

He said his wife and two other friends lifted it up there.

Nice to see someone make something out of wood! love the simplicity.
_________________
1967 Bug, 1967 Ghia
NorCal Aircooled Group (N.A.G.)
meets every 2nd Friday in Pleasanton
www.norcalaircooledgroup.com

74Ghia · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:04 am Post subject:

Kometose - just to give you an idea, my '74 coupe body OFF the pan with the glass, doors, and both hoods on weighs in at around 525 pounds. Simple enough for four people to lift it off and set it on a dolly.

Bella you got a nice looking dolly. I made mine out of 2x4s and a couple of saw horses. Have since disassembled the dolly and used thew wood for another project. Didn't know they had Harbor Freight up in Lebanon, OH. At least not when I was in Forest Park. You a member of the Cincinnati VW Club?
_________________
Allen C.

2012 Silverado
53 FiberFab MG TD Replica (VW)

Life is hard and its harder if you're stupid.

Gary · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:58 am Post subject:

Bella Ghia · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:44 am Post subject:

74Ghia,

kometose · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 7:02 pm Post subject:

hey bella, thanks for including the dimentions and all. i may give this a shot when my time comes to lift the body.

it'd be great to make it so it can be easily taken apart and stored in case you needed it again for other cars. maybe big bolts with wing nuts and washers?

kometose · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 7:03 pm Post subject:

...or heck, any vw clubs out there could make one that disassembles, and pass it around for decades for members to use...

BirdLives · Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 9:20 pm Post subject:

I like your idea kometose, but I think it would need to be a little more complicated (like with mortise and tenon joints) to be be safely and easily disassembled/reassembled. Sorry, I used to be really into woodworking when I had a garage. You could probably make one that would work for all type I's - same wheelbase right?
_________________
1967 Bug, 1967 Ghia
NorCal Aircooled Group (N.A.G.)
meets every 2nd Friday in Pleasanton
www.norcalaircooledgroup.com

Robert N. · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 12:00 am Post subject: ghia dolly

bella ghia, that looks like the solution to my space problem. I am going to make one for my ghia, I have a few more things to do on the pan before I bolt the body back on. I have two questions for you. 1st it looks like the clearaces between tire and dolly are minimal is 6 foot wide enough to move the pan out from under? my wheels are a little wider than stock. also, about how tall are your wheel casters from floor to dolly? it looks like about 10 iches when sized against the rear wheel. thanks


Hello! Log in or Register \| Help \| Donate \| Buy Shirts	See all banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

Body came off the pan today. Check out the body dolly I made
Page: 1, 2, 3, 4 Next

	Forum Index -> Ghia	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time Page: 1, 2, 3, 4 Next
Page 1 of 4