My Alternative to a Rotisserie

[Fishcop]

Hi Guys

I'm currently doing a full resto on my 69 911 and which will require sone hard work on the underside (I'll make a separate thread of it).

I considered making a rotisserie but as I need to change out sills and floor panels, I don't consider they support the car squarely and you risk the chassis flexing whilst those key panels are out (the effect is worse if it's a Targa). This set up is also suitable for an early car right through to a late Carrera.

I was talking to Hayden Burvill from Wevo and he suggested a variation on "The Rack" that Emory Motorsports use The Rack This set up holds the chassis at its suspension points and still allows you to roll the chassis onto better working orientations - including up-side-down.

Anyway, I finished it up today and thought I'd post some photos for reference for those of you who feel handy... I'm referring to this as an Octiserrie













Anyway, I hope it's of help to anyone planning on working on their 911

[Green 912]

Interesting idea, have you rolled it yet?

[jpnovak]

I like it. Can you post dimensions?

I have always wanted to build such a device. usually I end up laying on my back. I have become much better at welding upside down.

[sc_rufctr]

Looks great. Two guys could roll that easy.

Just one thing... Please tell me you're going to add bracing to the corners of the horizontal connecting pieces.

I'm concerned that if you rolled it onto it's roof the way it is it may collapse like a house of cards.
How thick are the walls of the steel tubing? (1.5, 2.0, 2.5mm)

[78SCRSMAN]

That really is a great idea. I have a home made rotisserie of sorts and it has only eight stops. That contraption should work great. The only down side is the need for space to roll it.

[ratpiper71T]

Saw someones post in the paint and bodywork forum on this. Was it yours? I've been interested ever since. Why did you decide to make the octagon in the dimensions that you did? Any pics upside down yet?

[Fishcop]

Hi Guys

No, I haven't rolled it yet, but I have no qualms (I did tip it up on its side). The bare chassis comes in at under 400kg/880lb so it's relatively light - but I'm getting too old to to risk injury doing it one up and haven't had a chance to get a mate around.

JP, the idea of welding on my back seriously drove me to this solution!

Peter, not sure what you mean, there's no need for braces on the horizontals as they have immediate/transitional vertical support as the car rolls. Tubing is 35mm square and 3mm thick - pretty heavy duty. There is a weight bias to the back of the chassis (about 60/40), so the rear hoop is gusseted. Is that what you mean?

78SCRSMAN, I have the space to roll the contraption, and the castors quickly bolt on and off so that it can be moved around in the preferred orientation - what I am short of is sheltered working space front and rear that a normal rotisserie takes up.

Ratpiper, yep that was me. I've kept a collection of people's rotisseries and 'other' solutions to working on the underside of cars. For my purposes, this one came out the best. I chose my dimensions by eye... I haven't measured But advice was to stay close to the car's shape. Too big and it's a pig to roll/control, too small/close and you can't work tools behind the framework. I'm pretty sure it came out very close to the Emorymotorsport dimensions I linked in my first post.



Cheers

[Walko]

John,

Looks good. Can you post all the dimensions.

Thanks Michael

[///Mous3]

Originally Posted by Green 912

Interesting idea, have you rolled it yet?

He's in Australia. That's already upside down

[Fishcop]

Success!

I figured I'd have a little play in the shed whilst it was raining...

It turned out to be much easier to roll than I remembered, and I was able to turn it 45º and 90º by myself quite comfortably. I even sat down and began drilling spot welds to remove the floor. I have no doubt it will comfortably turn turtle when I need it to.

Walko, I'll measure it all up asap and post it for reference. And FWIW there's only about $300 tied up in it, so a pretty cheap option...

[sc_rufctr]

That looks great. I was concerned about the strength of the whole thing but...

Well Done!

[Fishcop]

I was concerned too! But some people I trust greatly have pioneered this before and 3mm wall tube is heavy duty stuff....

Good thing about this is I'll be able to break it down and store for the next project, lend it or sell it, and any of the 901/911 series will bolt up to it

[ratpiper71T]

That is awsome. I'm gonna build one, when I start my resto later this year. Thanks forthe pics, fishcop. One more pic request though... Is there a chance you can post some closeups of the mounting points? I wonder if putting Some of those furniture sliders aroundthe perimeter might help to slide it more easily across the floor. Or is that already pretty easy to do?

[ratpiper71T]

Oh more thing. When you attached the car to it , I assume you had to put one side then the other then the logitudinal supports welded? So you will have to cut the octisserie off when you remove it? Not that that's bad, just trying to understand the specifics of how it's put together. Thanks

[rvanderpyl]

If you look carefully I think you can see the bolts that hold the logitudinal supports to the hoops.

[Chuck Moreland]

I like it.

I like that it connects to the actual weight-bearing suspension pickup points, and not the bumper mounts like the typical rotisseri. That should prevent excessive sag in the chassis when mounted, closing up door gaps etc.

If I make one, I will do it on a tubing bender. That will avoid most of the welds, and provide a bit of raidus on the corners for easier rolling.

[777joee]

While you built a very cool tool to use now and in the future Gary Emory at Parts Obsolete has been using these for decades. It is a VERY proven design and for a one man operation is nearly priceless.

See here: Workshop

Cheers and it looks like a fine unit that will serve you well.

Very cool!

[Fishcop]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Yes the longitudinals are bolted on - I used slightly smaller tube mounts that the longer pieces close over and bolt up to. I may have to create another join in the hoop towards the end to remove the "arch" part of each octagon when I'm hanging doors etc... I will measure it all up and take closer photos of joins for you.

777joee - you'll notice in my first post that I had already referenced Gary Emory's "Rack" and linked to his website, all kudos goes to these pioneers

Chuck, I was really concerned the normal rotisserie arrangement was not suitable to replacing structural panels for the reason you highlight - this will let me replace my floor and then sills quite safely (though I'll likely weld in some temporary bracing to be sure). One of the versions of this I located on the net used a pipe bender to make a genuine hoop that surrounds the chassis - the two hoops sit in bases with bearings that let you litterally spin the chassis on the roller bearings (I think they may have been skateboard wheels).

[Packy]

holey crap, i can't believe that works! how much does a bare chassis weigh? Anyone?

That is not that many bolts holding the chassis to the rotisserie. pretty cool.