Body removal stands

buggin74vw · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:05 am Post subject: Body removal stands

Ok I've done a lot of searching through the forums and build threads, however haven't really found anything to informative. I'm planning on removing the body on my 74 super. I understand the concept and even watched the bug me video on this. What I'm specifically looking for is photos of how people mount the the body to a support of some kind. I have a small garage so I would like to make it movable. I've seen the bug me "saw horses" but am not crazy about the angles, I'll constantly have to step over the legs. And I've seen photos where guys double stack a 2x4 on saw horses. Looks like the woods bows pretty good on these and doesn't look to mobile or safe. I want it safe, and not worry about the body getting knocked off. Btw I've seen rotisserie style setups but that is probably a little too much for what I need to do. Post pics of your setup and what you would have done different next time or maybe one you've seen that you really liked, I'm having a bunch of friends over this labor day weekend and would like to remove body since I'll have all the help. Thanks in advance

MattZ · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:34 am Post subject:

I built a cart to hold the body. Have less than $100 in it and I can move it around easily. I designed it so the frame (on it's own cart) can slide under it for storage, at least until I started reassembling (in the pic you can see the parking brake doesn't fit). I ran my design by my brother who's an architect to make sure it would hold the weight.

I turn it sideways in the back of the garage and can fit three cars in my two car garage...

I hope to have the body back on within two months and am going to give it away or recycle some of the wood and burn the rest....

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

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1975 Le Grande Super Beetle (The Grape)

buggin74vw · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:30 am Post subject:

Thanks Matt z. I like that setup! Looks very stable. I just may copy that very setup

andk5591 · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:54 am Post subject:

That is nice but overkill IMHO. A bare body shell can be carried around by me and my wife. A full body (fenders, hoods, glass, etc) is a little more than she is comfortable lifting, so I would have one of my daughters help.

What you want to think about is storage after the fact, and easy of use. Think wide sawhorses with casters. You can tie them together for additional stability with some 2x4s or even just 1x4s. Having them open in the bottom is nicer to be able to roll the body past the pan if the engine is on it.

Also think about working height - depending on what all you are doing.

And here's something even better if you can find the rafters in your garage celing - get 3 or 4 cheap come alongs from someplace like Harbor freight. You can lift the body straigh up - I have done body removal and installs almost solo with them.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

andk5591 · Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:51 am Post subject:

See this http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=519213&highlight=
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

Dwayne1m · Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 4:28 am Post subject:

MattZ · Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2014 5:08 am Post subject:

Maybe overkill, but would rather spend $30 extra and not have it fall on my bus and regular car. Kill 3 cars with one mistake. Anyway, whatever works safely for you is all good.
_________________
1975 Le Grande Super Beetle (The Grape)

morymob · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 4:17 am Post subject:

Until I 'retired'my bug refurbing I have the extra work space & the removed body supported by a good sawhorse in front & 2 55g drums witha 2x12 across under the rear, this gave plenty of room 4 the underneath rework needed. In good weather I lowered body onto a flat 2 wheel cart towed in/out with my mower, most of the dusty sanding outside + u see better.Paint work was in a sectioned off, well vented area &left to dry 4 a few days.chassis was done 1st, moveable most of the time & when no work being done just rolled under the body, eng done last, installed to trans & chassis driven around to check it out before final body attaching, worked 4 me u just have to ger a simple working method thats safe, my 2cts.

buggin74vw · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 7:37 am Post subject:

Thanks guys, I have a good idea how I'm going to do it now. Ill be keeping the doors and glass on the body so theres no way just my wife and I will be able to lift it ourselves. Ill post pics of the setup when Im done

Zacharysayre · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 10:50 am Post subject:

This is what VW created...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/tools7.php got to #633 and click on the images.
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If it ain't steel, it ain't real

buggin74vw · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 6:26 pm Post subject:

So finally got the body off. Sourced some free caster wheels that were rated for the weight. bought some 4x4s and 8" bolts. I can wheel the body around seperatly from the pan to work on things. and then stack em back up when im done.

houseofboyd · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 3:19 pm Post subject:

waco69bug · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 3:52 pm Post subject:

I did something similar with 2" X 6". I had a cross member up top to put the body one then was able to slide the chassis under to reduce space when I wasn't working on it. My big mistake was making it too tall, I wasn't able to roll the cart out onto my driveway, the body would hit the lip of my garage door.

Here is an early photo before I added casters. I just bought a Harbor Freight moving dolly and used those wheels. When I was done I unbolted the cross members for easy storage.

_________________
1969 Beetle (Just finished a complete pan off restoration, SWEET! Runs like I imagine a new Beetle would!)
1971 Beetle - 1776CC, dual carbs
1971 Super Convertible - my wife's car
1969 Bus - Work in progress, fun to drive, just needs the odd tweak.
1957 Rag top - Just got her Nov. 13.

runchman · Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 9:07 am Post subject:

My little roll-around cart. I had plywood laying around so I built 'beams' out of screwed together plywood pieces:

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1971 super total body-off restoration

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=532247&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

NewTechnicIan · Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 1:47 pm Post subject:

No good pictures but I have my 73 body up on sawhorses and I regularly sit in the body to hammer on things, weld things, cry about how much more there is to do.... Embarassed

But for real, these carts are overkill and don't make it easy for mocking up the body to the frame. I've had to drop the body onto the frame and lift it back up about 30 times at this point and the body's light enough (just barely now that there's more metal than rust) that I can lift, take out a sawhorse and drop the rear, move to the front and do the same. Hard to do that with a cart design.

If you're worried about stiffness in the cross member, good on ya. Anyone who knows beam dimensions should be using 2x6 oriented vertical instead of 2 ganged up 2x4's. Thickness does not equal strength. Height of the web does. That's what I did. Then the legs are 2x4 because wood's plenty strong in compression, it's just beam loading you need to watch out for.

My body's been on those things for over a year now, no troubles.
_________________
My 73 Standard build - It's painted! It drives under its own power! Time to get it wired and upholstered!

My 1679 Engine build.


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