Mobile Bodyshell

tomgoodwin3 · Post by **tomgoodwin3** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:24 pm

I'm making plans to drop the suspension off my 914 such that I have a completely stripped body shell to play with. Normally I'd just leave the bodyshell on axle stands but I want to be able to move it about so I can work on it and deliver it to the bodyshop.

My plan is to make a wooden platform mounted onto castors and have the bodyshell rest on that. Having one of those car rotisseries would be great but they're prohibitively expensive.

Has anyone done this kind of thing before? Any pointers?

Cheers,

Nige · Post by **Nige** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:34 pm

Mark (912uk) has made a trolley thing for his car, see what he says.

912uk · Post by **912uk** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:10 pm

Pee easy to make one... cost me about £60 in metal and £40 in wheels I plan to sell it afterwards and from the responce I have had over it I will not have it for sale too long when I do sell it..

I made mine so I could unbolt it and put it in a car for transport..

see me web site ( slighly out of date... )

http://www.classic356.co.uk/Trolly_how_two_make.htm

http://www.classic356.co.uk/Trolly_bigpic%27s.htm

tomgoodwin3 · Post by **tomgoodwin3** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:41 pm

Thanks Mark, that's really useful

Been thinking about how best to support the 914 bodyshell on a trolley like yours..... The logical place to support it would be at the four jacking donuts but the floor pan at one donut needs beating out on mine so it'd best if it were kept free......any thoughts from anyone?

Cheers,

Nige · Post by **Nige** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:58 pm

shock absorber mounts?

tomgoodwin3 · Post by **tomgoodwin3** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:24 pm

My plan was to drop the supsenison after putting the bodyshell on the trolley, all the suspension hard points would therefore be occupied.....

......unless of course the best appraoch is to drop the suspension using jacks/axle stands to support the body and then lift the stripped bodyshell onto the trolley......

.....come to think of it I haven't really considered how I'm gonna lift the bodyshell onto the trolley at all!

Any thoughts on that??

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:34 pm

Rotates, Lifts upand down, has wheels, and the mounts can be changed to suit all cars.

Any good for you.

Graham · Post by **Graham** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:24 pm

I did this recently:

Used an old front suspension mount,the rear is made up from angle iron.

But I built a frame with an old front suspension mount on it and two rear suspension mounts (3 hole one's) on a simple rectangle shape,with uprights to the mounts,the I welded it to an old car trailer.

912uk · Post by **912uk** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 12:02 am

tomgoodwin3 wrote:My plan was to drop the supsenison after putting the bodyshell on the trolley, all the suspension hard points would therefore be occupied.....

......unless of course the best appraoch is to drop the suspension using jacks/axle stands to support the body and then lift the stripped bodyshell onto the trolley......

.....come to think of it I haven't really considered how I'm gonna lift the bodyshell onto the trolley at all!

Any thoughts on that??

I have two very nice proper jacks like they lift almost 1m off the ground... I just jack the car up abit at a time and it works real well. I even once jacked up the 356 on the trolly and put on axle stands so I could get my 2 other Porkers in the garage ( my 65 was under the 356 right up to the windscreen ) it all was safe just looked odd

tomgoodwin3 · Post by **tomgoodwin3** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:23 pm

Thanks for the pics guys.

A car rotisserie would be great, but right now I just need to ensure I can move the bodyshell once the suspension's gone. Plus I don't really have the money or skill to make as rig as good as those shown.

How heavy is a 914 bodyshell?

Do you think it could man-handled onto a trailer for transporting??

Cheers,

912uk · Post by **912uk** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:21 pm

do you eat 3 wheatbix's in the morning

I would say not a good idea...

ALL i can say is if you build a trolly right and well you will 100% be able to sell it afterwards. So that is why I built mine to be able to be put in a boot of a car..

I am building a Rotrissery at the momment and again you could get the whole lot in an estate car.. So the extra I am spending I know when I have finished with it I will be able to sell it..

think like that and you can't lose

Graham do you think RB would buy my Trolley when I have finished with it??

it would work a dream in your work shop

Nige · Post by **Nige** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:41 pm

912uk wrote:do you eat 3 wheatbix's in the morning

I have 4 sometimes 5 if I'm hungry, mush them up into a Wheatabix milky porridge then sprinkle abit of sugar on em, after that you ready to handle abit of stripped out body spit-roasting action. You normally would need two people to handle both ends. OK!

Graham · Post by **Graham** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 9:35 pm

tomgoodwin3 wrote:
How heavy is a 914 bodyshell?

4 people at least,better with 6!!! I know,weve done it!

Graham · Post by **Graham** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 9:37 pm

912uk wrote:
Graham do you think RB would buy my Trolley when I have finished with it??

it would work a dream in your work shop

Weve now got 3 rotisseries,2x356's 1x911/914
and a few trollys,but he might well be interested,we have plenty of rare rusty heaps that need moving around!