The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Panel body question

To anyone who has removed a panel/suburban/canopy body from the frame (in one piece), how did you do it?

gmcpanel,

This is probably more than you want to read, but you can always ignore what does not interest you.

I am completing an off-the-frame restoration of a '54 Chevrolet Suburban. Here is what I did to remove the body (and put it back on).

All rust repair was done with the body on the frame. This assured that the body was aligned properly to the frame and all doors fit properly. In my suburban, most of the floor sheet metal was repaired/replaced (most of my front floor was rusted away and the front of the body was 1-2 inches below the frame). After the metal work on the body was completed, the body was removed for paint prep and the frame was restored.

REMOVING THE BODY FROM THE FRAME:

1. Remove all front-end sheet metal and running boards.

2. Remove all doors (and suburban windows)

3. Remove the 6 body mounting bolts

4. Jack up the body at strong points. Raise the body 6 inches above the frame.

5. Slide two 6x6 timbers above the frame and under the body (at front and rear mounting points). The timbers that I used extended 12 inches out both sides (and I put cement blocks under them).

6. Now, continue to raise the body 4-6" at a time (front then back). I used scrap 2x12x12 pieces on top of the cement blocks - the blocks/boards served as very stable stands. You must raise the body high enough to roll the frame out (note the humps in the rear of the frame - you have to clear these).

Once you roll out tye frame, you have the body high enough to easily work underneath.

You can now also easily remove all paint from the cab and then prime/seal the metal.

WARNING: Do not climb into the middle of the body unless you put supports in the middle - otherwise you put a lot of stress in the unsupported middle of the body. There are leaded seams to the top rear of each side door and these will most likely crack or pop out if too must stress results from weight being placed in the unsupported middle of the cab.

RETURNING THE CAB TO THE FRAME:

1. Restore the frame first and put all possible parts back on a rolling chassis (including drive train).

2. Restore and paint the bottom of the cab (black or body color or primer color whatever suits your tastes.

3. Restore ands paint the firewall (originally it was body color).

4. Put a 4 mil poly sheet over the entire rolling chassis/frame. This should entend 2-4' beyond the frame in all directions.

5. Roll the chassis/frame back under the truck. Put body blocks and body-to-frame pads in place. Lower the body back onto the frame and put body bolts in place (no need to tighten these bolts until later).

6. Position the poly sheet to cover everything below the body (tape it to the floor, if you like).

7. Finish the prep of the body for painting - check the leaded seams at the top rear of each side door - mine had cracked, so we repaired them in place (again) with the cab on the frame (and thus in the correct position).

8. Paint and color sand/polish the cab (inside then outside).

9. Remove the poly sheet.

10. Put parts back on (this is where I am now - I am finishing up my dash and should be able to soon start up the engine (I want to test it before putting the front sheet metal back on).

I raised and removed the cab with a good friend and a cheap floor jack. Wood blocks were needed between the jack saddle and the 6x6 timbers. These were unstable but I raised each side only two inches at a time (putting a 2x2x12 wood block under the ends of the timers as they were raised). In this way, if the jack slipped, things would only drop a few inches and be stopped by the very stable cement side stands. I easily lowered the cab back onto the frame by myself. Slow and steady - no problems.

By the way, I easily lowered the cab in order work on the top/roof. I put rolling wheel-caddys under the 6x6 timbers and slowly lowered the body down to the wheel-caddys by removing the side stands. This not only lowered the body but is also allowed me to roll the body around (I lag bolted the body to the timbers through the body mounting holes in the cab and rear floor).

Sorry if this was too wordy or if it is unclear.

Good luck,
Tim

like this!!
step 2 - move over and plunk it on the new frame!


Bill

Thanks for the ideas - I might be buying the rust-free body of another 1-ton panel (mine is a total rust- and dent-ball), but I don't want another chassis and drivetrain around. Hopefully, I can make a deal and bring the body home on our trailer.

Squeeze, that is pretty good trick Want to send that fork-lift down here for a few weeks