Help with Frame OFF

[87we410877]

Hi, i decided insted of laying under my car and trying to replace all the fuel lines, brake lines, and body bushings, i would just take the body off and make it easier on me. This way i can blast and paint the frame too. I already have the engine and tranny out. Im looking for a step by step kindof thing here. Any help would be great. Thanks!!!

 

[HI85WH1]

Hmmmm...

I hope you have access to a two-post lift... or youre gonna be laying on the ground anyway...

AS best I can remember....

Remove ALL body bolts (core support, cowl, mid frame, forward of rear wheelwells, rear of rear wheelwells, rear corners of frame)

Disconnect Brake lines at proportioning valve or unbolt the master from the booster. Disconnect the brake warning switch lead at the proportioning valve.

Remove Front sheetmetal, bumpers, gas tank (depending on your lifting device you may be able to leave the tank)

Disconnect parking brake cable, (I would do it inside the passenger compartment where it connects to the parking brake assembly)

Disconnect shifter cable and speedo cable from transmission... (unbolt speedo cable from crossmember as well)

Now... Carefully lift the body, one side at a time (or if you have a 2 post lift at the same time) using whatever means neccesary... initially get the body high enough above the frame to slip a long beam (4x6 or larger)through the wheelwells, and under the front of the cowl area. (further back if engine/trans is still in car.....)

I've seen a few other methods... but this is the gist of it.

 

[87we410877]

Thanks. Doestn seem too hard. I dont have a lift but im a pro and smackin my head on the frame so i should be ok. Anything else? The trannys already out to i dont have to disconnect that linkage anymore.

 

[turbofish38]

Question about lifting body off the frame - TurboBuicks.com

When Turbo Regal Web Site comes up that link in the tread gives a step by step on how to do it with an engine hoist and stuff you can buy at HomeyDepot. When I get a minute I'll post it again.

 

[87we410877]

Question about lifting body off the frame - TurboBuicks.com

When Turbo Regal Web Site comes up that link in the tread gives a step by step on how to do it with an engine hoist and stuff you can buy at HomeyDepot. When I get a minute I'll post it again.

OK thankyou!!

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

You won't regret it Dude

Like I said you can do it with an engine hoist like I did mines some horses and
A few 4x4x8
If you look at my pictures I think you can see the engine hoist holding up the car.
Just make shore you go high enough to clear the frame humps.

 

[Sam Colalillo]

What I did.

One other thing, disconnect the steering column shaft from the steering gear box.

Here is how I got the body off.

I cut 2x6 boards long enough to fit parallel to the frame rail in between the transmission cross-member and the and where the lower control arms mount to the frame. I used these boards to distribute the weight onto a floor jack. I used two floor jacks and these two boards. I placed one floor jack and one board under each side of the car. Raised the body up above the frame and slid some 4x4’s under the body. The 4x4’s are now sitting on top of the frame rail. Next I lowered the floor jacks down. Now the body is setting on the 4x4’s.

Then I positioned the 2x6’s used earlier into a new position under the 4x4’s. The 2x6’s were placed on the out board side of the car parallel to the rocker panel and perpendicular to the 4x4’s. Two floor jacks, one on each side was slid under each 2x6 and the car is raised up. Then I put a jack stand under each end of the 4x4.


Rolled the chassis out and massaged it a little.

 

[HI85WH1]

I was driving home from work this morning thinking I forgot something... LOL

Also, If you dont drop the fuel tank.. you will need to disconnect the fuel lines anyway...

 

[turbofish38]

Here's how I did it when I built my Regal 455. Most of it has already been posted. At the time I wasn't ready to do any paint or body work and the body was rust free. All I did was paint the floor pan and firewall.What I did was build the frame and suspension and than swapped the frames. Plus it made it easier to mock up the motor and trans with the body off.
Remove front and rear bumpers.
Remove fuel tank.
Remove intermediate steering shaft.
Remove trans nuetral safety switch linkage from steering column. Unhook shifter cable if floor shift.
Pull engine and tranny. Necessary to use the engine hoist to lift the tub.The exhaust should be bolted to the frame so it can stay on.
Disconnect rear park brake cable from the front cable.
Disconnect front park brake cable from the frame.
Unbolt master cylinder from brake booster. No need to bleed brakes since the system wasn't opened.
Remove radiator and AC condensor.
Remove headlight and grille mounting panel. Remove radiator support.This allows you to leave the hood and fenders attached so you dont have to realign them. You dont want to lift using the radiator support anyway. It wont support the weight and you end up ruining some good parts.
Remove the body mount bolts.
Okay, now for the fun part.
I used 4 metal sawhorses and 2 12' long 4X4's. I've seen 4 50 gal drums used instread of the sawhorses.Make sure you have some pavement under them.
Lift the rear part of the body using a chain attached to the trunk lid striker. Just pop the trunk lid. No need to remove it. Lift the rear part up high enough so that the hump over the rear axle clears the body and your 4X4. Slip the 4X4 under there with a sawhorse to support the ends.
Now to the front. Take the chain and attach it to the body on the lower part of the firewall down where the #2 body mount is. There are two box shaped boxes welded to the body there that make good anchor points for the chain.Wheel the hoist in through the engine compartment. I assuming you know the hood can be made to open straight up by unbolt the hood struts. Now lift the front with the hoist attached to the middle of the chain. Same thing. Get the front high enough for the frame and wheels to clear. Support it with the 4X4.
Now,assuming I didn't forget something you can roll the frame out.
When supporting the body, make sure the 4X4s are under the lip of the rocker panels. The lip is the two pieces of sheet metal spot welded. It's strong enough to support the weight of the tub with a full interior. You might have to experiment with the position of the rear 4X4 as most of the weight is on the rear part of the tub. IIRC right behind the #4 body mount is the sweet spot if you still have the seats in the car.

Edit: You might want to remove the rear bumper fillers. They should be out of harms way but why take a chance if they are still usable. The front fillers come off with the headlamp mounting panel.

 

[87we410877]

How high exactly does the body need to be in order to pull the frame out? Ide like to lift the entire car then remove and drop the frame from the body.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

Measure from the floor to top of the hump of the frame above the rear end and add enough to work comfortable. That should be the highest point.

Dude get the pictures going.:biggrin:
Dave

 

[87we410877]

Cool. But theres no way im working in this cold!!! So the pics will have to wait. I'll be in Fl and Cancun till the 9th.

 

[elk93001]

Get 2 spare "donuts" from the junkyard. Mount them on the rear wheels to lower the rear so the frame hump clears the floor pan. You won'thave to lift the body as high either

 

[HI85WH1]

Get 2 spare "donuts" from the junkyard. Mount them on the rear wheels to lower the rear so the frame hump clears the floor pan. You won'thave to lift the body as high either

.... And you can take the rear coils out as well.:biggrin:

 

[elk93001]

The only drawback with pulling the coils is the upper and lower control arms may bind

 

[87we410877]

I got all of the body mount bolts out, dissconnected the steering column, brake lines, exhaust. Need to dissconnect the ebrake cable and i thik im ready. Got all 12 bolts out.

 

[gnX405]

If you haven't done so already, make sure that the power steering resevoir moves with the pump, otherwise you could pull the bottom out of it.

-john

 

[87we410877]

If you haven't done so already, make sure that the power steering resevoir moves with the pump, otherwise you could pull the bottom out of it.

-john

Engine and tranny are out. Thanks though. I guess i should start with the pics.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

lets see them

 

[87 WE2]

lets see them

What he said