Mom, look what I made....

[speedo]

To start off...I have a rotisserie, and it works great. And while I use rather unconventional means to get my "project du jour" up on the rotisserie...it is only used for metal work, not assembly or disassembly. I normally use my trailer to transport the projects to the sandblaster or painter depending where I am in the process. And up until this point, I have been leaving the suspension on my projects...to get the cars onto the trailer and subsequently the sandblaster or painter. This is good and bad...good from the stand point that I can roll/steer the projects around, but bad in that the suspension/wheels/steering is in the way for both sandblasting and paint. My trailer is a light dual axle aluminum beast, with the ramps locked into the center of the deck. When the ramps are being used, there is a gap in the center of the trailer.

I wanted a dolly that I could lower a chassis onto (after dropping engine and trannie), that would allow me to disassemble a car (suspension, fuel system, wiring etc) at a reasonable height...no more laying underneath the car (while it is supported inches from my face) elevated by jack stands. Then after sandblasting, metal work and paint...I could use the dolly to support the chassis while I re-assemble everything. And the chassis supports allow me good access to areas to re-install t-bars, suspension, brakes, steering, control arms etc. Ideally this would be at a comfortable height...24-30" off the floor.

I have been looking around at what various shops use for chassis dollys...and there are a lot of different designs. I like the "trikes" like the Porsche factory version three wheeler, but they won't work with my open center-deck trailer. Stoddard offers one that bolts together...but didn't appeal to me as it looked to be specifically a 911 dolly. I was looking at the dollys used by CPR to move projects around their shop. So I called out to CPR in CA and spoke with the GM. He described their dolly and kindly offered to send me the design specs. I liked the design because it used the torsion bar tube as a support in the rear, and the corners of the front pans in the front. This allowed the dollys to both be used for 356s and 911s...nice! It was designed to use "cups" in the rear to cradle the t-bars and pads in the front to support the welded seam on the floors. NOTE: I will not post the design on this thread as it is not my property. I took the design and modified the dimensions so that it would...1) fit my trailer and ramps, 2) be collapsible for storage, 3) have adjustable inserts for the uprights to allow for variable height settings (+- 6"), 4) be usable for 911, 356 and 914s and finally 5) be able to roll from my shop to my driveway (large wheels), and have locking casters.

So I sourced two fixed and two steerable solid 8" casters (locking), and necessary lengths of 11 gauge 2 x 2" square tubing and 14 gauge 1.75 x 1.75" square tubing (to telescope inside 2" tubing), some 1 x 1" square tubing and flat plate. And with a bit of welding...voila! I have yet to drill for the pins, and weld up the rear inserts for the cradles for the tbars.



Front adjustable insert removed.


Longitudinals are also adjustable in length (+-4") or replaceable for a longer chassis


And it completely disassembles into a 48" x 12" x 25" bundle that will stand in the corner of the shop out of the way till needed again.



Bonus is the price excluding welding materials was only around $200!

Speedo

[matt930s]

Awesome! What do you anticipate a bare tub weighs?

MattR

[72911]

Superb idea. I built a shop "crane" that folds down to about the same size but can lift 8 feet high. You have got to have the welder to build this kind of stuff. I'll keep your project in mind when I get to stripping my 72 for paint.

[speedo]

Originally Posted by matt930s

Awesome! What do you anticipate a bare tub weighs?

MattR

Good question...someone on here will know. My guess would be 800-1000 lbs naked.
As I am going to use it to reassemble, I figured basically on needing to be able to support the entire car minus the engine and trannie. So I guessed at 1800 lbs. This meant the weakest link would be the dollys...so these are rated to 460 lbs apiece.
That gives me a wee bit of cushion.
But the cars I work on are all pretty light early cars...so if I erred it was on the side of being conservative.
As I gain experience with this, the goal is to make custom inserts for the uprights...obviously that will first happen with the rear of the 914 as they don't know what torsion tubes are...

[Sebscst]

Not sure exactly what the bare tub weighs but my 78 sc I was easily able to lift it. I'd guess under 600 lbs. btw I'm only 160 lbs. that dolly looks great and I like that it's collapseable. I used a flat material dolly rated for 1000 lbs and it moved effortlessly with pneumatic tires..

[jpnovak]

Nicely done Lars. Would love some drawings. As my car finishes metal work it will be time for the transition off the Octisserie.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Nicely done Lars, I like the collapsibiility. My dollies are always fixed and I went triangulated.

[T77911S]

I have looked into making dollies.
the wheels are what I am always concerned about.
good ones are not cheap

if it is a bare body its not as big a deal but I would put a complete car on one, or mostly complete. perhaps no engine/tranny

[pdtweeks]

I did similar.......purchased universal "kit" from Summit...cut it down to work with the 911....there was enough material to build dolly for a '62 Impala !
It survived the disassembly, a round-trip on flat bed to blaster, a round-trip on flat bed to paint shop, and re-assembly. Stored in bottom of cabinet until the next project.

[Puma]

I think a swb tub weighs around 700 pounds, maybe 750. I can pick my car up pretty easily by myself so it can't be much heavier than that.

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

Super nifty! Thanks for sharing.

[Matt Monson]

I want one. Crowdfund this sh......

[Ferrino]

Looks great - update us when you get the pins set up.

Where are the front pads contacting the floor?

[speedo]

Front pads will contact the floor seam an inch or so forward of where the seam turns from parallel 40 degrees inward. Just a little bit north of the A post. I will post pics...eventually. I will provide a solid rubber 3/4" inch pad on each side with a V notch for the seam to cradle. The 914-6 needs a bit more welding on the rotisserie...then it will be the first to get a "dolly ride".

[speedo]

I haven't been sleeping, but I needed to make a trip to DenCol for more 1.75 square tube 14 gauge. My chores were done and today I welded up the tbar cradles. Now it looks done. Once the targa finds a new owner the 70 coupe will end up on this...





I will make some 914 adapters for the rear shortly. Looking forward to getting the correct (workability) height adjusted and drilling for pins.

Speedo

[Ferrino]

Thanks for the update! When you load it onto a trailer, do you just secure the tub to the dolly with a bunch of straps?

[speedo]

Originally Posted by Ferrino

Thanks for the update! When you load it onto a trailer, do you just secure the tub to the dolly with a bunch of straps?

Rather than securing the tub to the dolly, then the dolly to the trailer...plan is to just secure the tub to the trailer. If the tub can't move, then the dolly can't move. At least that is the plan....