I'm planning on doing that for the work on my cab. One problem is that most engine stands have the axle angled up a bit, so you'd need to cut and reweld the top pivot tube so it's horizontal. The engine stands I got are 4-wheel type with the lower tube inserted in a socket below the upright. I plan on using a single tube inserted into each socket to hold the two stands together at a fixed distance so the whole assembly will sit on 4 wheels (rears on each stand). The rear wheels are fixed on both stands, so I plan on replacing them on one stand with casters from the front of one stand.
The bed, being rectangular is pretty easy to reposition with some blocking, so I'm wondering why you'd need a rotisserie for it, unless you're thinking on painting the entire bed while on the rotisserie.
on edit: I just remembered something else. For my rotisserie, I also need to raise the pivot point to clear the cab as it rotates. You might have to do something similar to be able to fully rotate a bed. It's going to take a touch over 2' of clearance, assuming you get the pivots at the geometric center of the bed. Attached is a drawing I worked up to see just how high the pivots needed to be to spin a cab around fully. It's going to take at least 3 feet.
Last edited by klhansen; 01/08/20189:58 PM. Reason: added info and photo
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I'd just flop it over on some 2x4's. Or better yet some short sawhorses so it's at a convenient work height.
Last edited by klhansen; 01/09/20186:46 AM.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I'm planning on doing that for the work on my cab. One problem is that most engine stands have the axle angled up a bit, so you'd need to cut and reweld the top pivot tube so it's horizontal. The engine stands I got are 4-wheel type with the lower tube inserted in a socket below the upright. I plan on using a single tube inserted into each socket to hold the two stands together at a fixed distance so the whole assembly will sit on 4 wheels (rears on each stand). The rear wheels are fixed on both stands, so I plan on replacing them on one stand with casters from the front of one stand.
The bed, being rectangular is pretty easy to reposition with some blocking, so I'm wondering why you'd need a rotisserie for it, unless you're thinking on painting the entire bed while on the rotisserie.
on edit: I just remembered something else. For my rotisserie, I also need to raise the pivot point to clear the cab as it rotates. You might have to do something similar to be able to fully rotate a bed. It's going to take a touch over 2' of clearance, assuming you get the pivots at the geometric center of the bed. Attached is a drawing I worked up to see just how high the pivots needed to be to spin a cab around fully. It's going to take at least 3 feet.
Kevin, I just finished a cab off resto, and if I were to do again, I would look further into the rotisserie. In fact, I think a good pivot point would be about the top of the engine recess in the cowl, to make it less top or bottom heavy.
Last edited by sstock; 01/13/20183:30 PM.
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
Kevin, I just finished a cab off resto, and if I were to do again, I would look further into the rotisserie. In fact, I think a good pivot point would be about the top of the engine recess in the cowl, to make it less top or bottom heavy.
Actually, my plan is not to rotate it about the front to back centerline, but crossways, mounting the cab using door hinge and strike attachments. I realize it will make getting to the interior a bit restricted, but I think I can deal with that. I figured the geometric center of the cab using the cab dimension figure from the FAM (Sheet 1.07). The height of that point is a bit below the top hinge, corresponding with your recommendation. My cab floor is where most of the action will be and there's not enough meat left there to support it from there, like a "standard" rotisserie would.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
