Body Dolly and Shock Tower Repair

[beguer]

I have the body of my 1973 bug separated from the pan and placed on top of a dolly. The time has come to repair the rear wheel well/shock tower area. For those of you who built a similar body dolly and had to do this repair, how did you lift/position the body? Right now the area I need to cut out is resting on the dolly!

If I slide the whole body forward and rest it on the rear bumper mounting area I worry that the weight will bend everything out of whack when the shock tower section is cut out. Has anyone overcome a similar problem?

[Tobias Bylund]

Either build something going from one side of the lower "beams" on the dolly to the other and use a jack to lift the body up in the middle, probably supported on the crossmember at the parcel tray, or underneath the rear part of your heater channels, a couple of 2x4's spanning from one side to the other

Or use a jack on the floor with a vertical beam, 4x4 or similar, that goes up to the body to lift it off the dolly while doing the repair, this would mean that you have to lock the wheels on the dolly and not move the dolly/car during that repair, but with some planning and preparation it wouldn't take that long.

[gorbur]

Consider moving the rear support forward on the dolly. I had numerous repairs to do on the rear section. Placing the supports at the base of the A pillar and rear most point of the heater channel. Having the rear cantilevered made access easy.

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73 - Ghia Cabriolet, currently under resto
76 - Type1, 1776, full restomod

[esde]

put another crossmember across the lower 4x4's, and block up to catch the rear corner of the heater channel. Use and adjustable stand under the rear apron to hold it in place while you work.
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[summerof78]

[beguer]

summerof78, I ended up doing what gorbor recommended and moved the rear support forward on the dolly. It was frustrating to me (and the people I enlisted to help) to remove the body, modify the dolly, then put the body right back on, but I had the space available in my garage at the time so it made the most sense.

[summerof78]