Lifting a Stag

[paulbell6]

Hi, my Stag restoration is getting to the point where I need to lift the body off the support frame and lower it back down to terra firma and onto it's shiny new wheels and tyres. Most parts are now back on the car but the engine and gearbox have yet to be fitted. My question is, would it be possible to lift the body by attaching slings to the t bar where it connects to the door pillars? I realize that I would need to keep the body balanced, but that will be done by a bit of brute force and ignorance.
If anyone out there has done this or has a view on it I would be most grateful to hear from you.

Many thanks

Paul

[Westfaling]

Paul
I think its easier to offer up the front and rear suspension to the body than lower the body onto the suspension. it's not like having a separate chassis where you've got two separate lumps. both front and rear assemblies need a fair bit of jiggling to line things up. You'll need someone at each corner to get things sorted. If you do it the other way one person can do it... Easier though with more help.
Nick

[paulbell6]

Nick, all of the running gear is already fitted, and I have just fitted the wheels, so it is just a case of how best to lower it all to the ground!

Paul

[WealdenManinKent]

Hi Paul,
I wonder how high you have the body? I use a trolly jack and blocks and lift and lower my car in stages. This way I can get my car up quite high, if you had car ramps you can you lower the rear in stages down onto these? (maybe even on the front as an interim stage if you have four car ramps?) and then having the rear up on the car ramps may help with dropping the engine/gearbox assy back into the car as this seems the preffered route with rear elevated and front at normal level on wheels? I can drive the rear onto ramps but have not checked clearence on the front yet and so would drop down on trolly jack again if this all makes sence?

Suspending the car by the T-bar is something I defo wouldn't try in case of distortion to A or B posts. But a sling down to the front chassie rail or the cross member the steering rack is bolted to through the engine bay may be ok.

Sounds like your at a very exciting stage, now all coming back together, remember pics please for us all
Roger

[paulbell6]

red shell.jpg
Hi Roger, here is a picture of my Stag on the frame. the bottom of the car stands about 2 feet off the ground and therein lies the problem. My trolley jack just about reaches the underside, but as you can see the frame is made of wood and supports both ends of the car, so i really need to lift the whole thing to be able to remove the frame. I could just lift one end and then cut the frame in half, but that would leave the end still supported by the wood unstable as it will only have two wheels attached - hope that makes sense. Hence the idea of the lift from the T bar. I suppose I could wrap some slings around the whole body to give the same effect, but then I would be worried about distorting body panels.
Not too sure about it being an exciting stage, as every time I try to do something on it I hit a snag hence you will see quite a few posts from me recently.

Oh well onward and forward

regards

Paul

[stagmuffin]

paul
just a thought if you have some brawn available bolt some angles( 4 places) at each bumper mount point on front and rear put holes in brackets to allow shackles to be fitted doing this you could use an engine hoist to support one end or both if you can borrow them ,use chains or straps two at each end or one long one at about a 45 deg lift this will be quite steady and get a couple of friends to pump and steady while you then remove the ellegent stand .i would avoid straps on body cos of potential panal/paint damage unless you remove bonnet and strap around xmember .
steve

[WealdenManinKent]

Hi Paul
After looking at your photo I go with Steve on using the bumper mounts and engine hoist off the stand with a couple of spare pairs of hands to help keep all steady.
If you were a little closer I would volunteer to help, but am sure someone in the area would be able to give a hand. You Stag is certainly looking great and I hope you have her on all four wheels soon
Roger

[elvimto]

If you fit the road wheels you can block under them using wooden cribing then just jack up and remove a bit at a time thats about the same height I had my car up when doing work on it, it takes about 30 mins to get the tires in contact with the road but its a lot safer and you have more control over it.

cheers Stuart

[Westfaling]

Bloody hell! That thing must have been entertaining to move around. Car looks great. Soft top fit looks really good.
I made a couple of Dolly's from box section steel to bolt to the original suspension pick up points. I used much bigger casters -too big actually the car moved around too easily but it was nowhere near as high.
Nick

IMGP1140small.jpg

[paulbell6]

Hi Nick, believe it or not it moved around quite well, although as the bits went back on it did get a bit sticky! I set it so high so that I could get underneath it easily.
Hi Stuart, yes I think I will have to go with your idea, which is what I had in mind as a back up to a single lift, but I thought it may take quite some time to perform. What is "cribing" by the way.

Thanks to all for the input guys.

Paul

[73stagman]

I have mine on a similar steel frame.. Will also be looking at putting it back on the ground soon! I have a plan though that includes not taking any pictures for putting on here due to health and safety issues! I have done it once already as a trial and it is not amusing but ended up on rather tall axle stands but was much steadier than I expected

[elvimto]

Hi Paul,
cribbing is what they call it over hear and its been so long that i can't remember what we called it back in the UK, you stack lumber be it 2 x 4 or 4 x 4 or what ever size two bits one way two bits the other and build it up. I had my car up 2 foot and I built a stand out of pipe and a few custom bits and bobs but to lower it I had blocks under the wheels then started to lower it a block at a time with my jack I did it by myself but if you have help it wil go faster just make sure you keep three points it contact and you should be fine.

good luck Stuart

[DJT]

Hi Paul,
cribbing is what they call it over hear and its been so long that i can't remember what we called it back in the UK, you stack lumber be it 2 x 4 or 4 x 4 or what ever size two bits one way two bits the other and build it up. I had my car up 2 foot and I built a stand out of pipe and a few custom bits and bobs but to lower it I had blocks under the wheels then started to lower it a block at a time with my jack I did it by myself but if you have help it wil go faster just make sure you keep three points it contact and you should be fine.

good luck Stuart

Sounds like a big game of Jenga...........

Dave

[paulbell6]

Thanks Stuart, I think I expected that to be the answer, and it's also the way that I have decided to do it. It may take a bit of time, but hey there is no rush, I've only been doing the car for 20 years!

Regards

Paul

[Guest]

I can't really help but that Stag is going to look gorgeous when its finished! I'd put a tyre on that rim though!!

Jason