Build Your Own Body Cart/Dolly For Frame Off Restoration

My dolly is similar however my RHS steel is a snug slip fit and not that loose. That inside RHS doesn't need to be that thick but stout enough to support the weight.

 

Looks like I was thinking along the same lines. Just modeled this up the other day. Just need to add casters. I need to get up about 30" to clear the plymouth rear rails, but then can lower it back down. And all in all, if I ever pitch the long runners for something, All I'll have to do is buy the square tube to use for a different size. I made my vertical adjusters with a long coupling nut inside to raise and lower the pads for some final tweaking. And only 3 adjustable heights on the main legs.

 

Thanks for the help, I too made one as well. It's a bit taller and breaks down into 4 legs when not in use. Got her up there yesterday, holds solid, and I can adjust the body almost 4' in the air.

 

The aforementioned body dollies are far more sophisticated than mine but I had very little time or money invested in mine. Garage sale/swap meet metal and wheels worked well to do a quick and dirty body dolly that rolled around very nicely, plus I was able to roll the car on it's side to work on the bottom of the body.

 

Thats a really nice dolly and so useable.
When I took the body off my COE , I made a dolly like you, limited for space and also to transport it to the paint shop. I had a couple of independent small trailer suspension units and wheels from a scrap trailer so like you needs must and I made this.
Nice work

 

While I applaud the design and craftsmanship that went into Aeromans and the other body dollies, builders might want to consider building something that can be used for multiple tasks, or modifying their dolley to become a work table/dolley. My suggestion is to build some kind of overhead beam(s) or a crane that can lift the body. If you have enough overhead room, a beam with a couple of trolleys will allow you to lift the body high enough to move it off the frame and shift it out of the way. You can leave it hanging or simply put it back on the frame at the end of the day.....in just a couple minutes. The rest of the time it takes up virtually no floor space for storage and you can lift a million other things with it.
A work table can be made that rolls out in the shop for projects and rolled away (with the project still on it) at days end. If made heavy enough it can also serve as a body dolley when needed. I have a small cart that I currently use for a long term body dolley for trucks, but I can lift bodies "easily" and move or roll them about at will. What I'm suggesting is not meant as a knock on Aeroman or anyone else, but builders may want to consider how they can get the most use out of whatever they put some money and effort into building.
I buy things at industrial auctions, especially when the little "hole-in-the-wall" old shops and the very old industrial factories close. Lots of good useful stuff there. I buy a lot of "useless" stuff simply to get the wheels or some unknown junk machine. Then I adapt them to my use later. The large industrial casters go cheap when they are attached to some useless crap. The table in the picture with the steel top and large casters as well as the dolly with large casters is the result of a couple of buys......then cut stuff apart and make something else. Probably have less than $200 in both the table and the cart. I have a shed out back with a whole shelf full of different size casters. Usually Harbor Freight for smaller 4" casters. You can do this stuff fairly inexpensively if you just use your head and go to industrial auctions. Its not about buying exactly what you need, but what you can adapt something to. Try to make things that have multiple uses.


You can build all kinds of multi-use things and put them on wheels.

 

I have one for 33 - 34 Ford bodies

 

@Aeroman do you happen to have the Solidworks file that you would want to share? I'd love to get a copy of the file so I can open it up and take some measurements and maybe change a few things. Thanks

 

Jakers, I'm pretty sure the file is long gone. Let me verify.

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Old photos

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Sample Photo #2

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#3

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Hope these help

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Aeroman,
I was more or less looking for some measurements of the small pieces of 2 1/2" used on the corners as well as the uprights that mount to the body. No big deal, I can definitely come up with the measurements I need. This is an amazing design and I think it will work perfectly for my needs.

Building a 36' Ford Coupe in a one car garage needs a little extra height to store things under the body!

Thanks for the awesome design as well as all the pictures!

 

This is nothing like Aeromans dolly but I needed something to roll my car outside with no front suspension on it (rearend is still attached). Whipped this up in a couple of hours out of 1" square tubing. Works great!

 

Just got my 1949 olds fastback onto the body dolly I made. Thanks Aeroman for the idea!!

 

Very nice! You're welcome!

 

Body and frame dolly, I kept it simple. Easily modified if necessary to suit others. Pneumatic tyres make it easy to get into and out of garage from grassed area and step-up to floor.

 

Very nice! Just what I need!