Some folks wanted too see how I built my Tip over jig, so here is a more detailed post then what I had in my build thread. Before I get started my shell was completely stripped down with only the windshield installed, every other part was removed during the rust repair which made it as light as possible. Once completed I was able to pick it up and set it down by myself, but would suggest having a second person If you have a bad back or just for safety.
The materials I used were 3x 6 foot length of 2x6, 3x 8 foot length of 2x4, one 4 foot length of 4x4, 4'x2' of 3/4" plywood, some 3x1" scraps, 2x 90* metal brackets I picked up from the hardware store about 3"x3", four 1/2 bolts, nuts and 8 large body washers for the rear and longer m8 bolts for the front door pillar and a pile of deck screws (Im sure nails would work but I like screws better)
Some tools you'll need is a saw to cut the planks, I used a chop saw. A jig saw to cut a radius in the ply wood, and a drill.
Here is the main board along the back a 6foot long 2x6, this is what will carry the weight once it is up on its side. You can see Its spaced out on the passenger side with washers since the rear of the car is curved, the washers kept pressure on the wood spacers.
As you can see the back of the car is curved slightly so i made spacer between the main 2x6 and sheet metal. Im no carpenter so this could be made better but it works. I didn't want to distort the metal so I used some scrap 1' thick wood to samwich the sheet metal. I used some large 2 1/2 body washer on the inside. on the cutlass there are four holes I think they are 1/2 inch for the revers lights i drilled through the spacer wood and main 2x6 and bolted it down.
Here is a terrible shot of the inside. after unbolting the jig this left minimal to no damage to the metal.
Here you can see the 2ish foot length of 4x4 on the far right screwed to the 2x6. On the left there is a 24" length of 2x4 screwed to the 2x6 length wise then a 24" by 28" radius cut from 3/4 plywood screwed ontop, then a 28" length of 2x4 screwed to the plywood vertically with another 2x4 diagonally to support the plywood when im rolling it over. the far left bolt goes through the whole mess. You can also see the 2x6 plank is biased to the driver side to keep the body from contacting the floor when I roll it over. I kinda just eyeballed when I built it to make sure nothing would hit. Once it is on its side the weight of the rear is solely on the 2x6 and the four bolts. I added some 1" square tubing in the trunk since the quarters are missing on my car. I didn't want the rear to shift when it was on its side.
The front is built much the same way I used a 6 foot long 2x6 that sat level with the lower door mount. then used 18" of 2x6 on each side bolted to the lower door mount using all 3 bolts. On the pass side I screwed the other half of the 4x4 to the corner with screws coming from both boards, I figure the 4x4 helps strengthen the corner a bit. On the driver side I cut three 45* angles from the rest of the 2x6 to strengthen the main 2x6 in the front. All the weight of the front will be on this joint and the driver door pillar so I made sure it was strong.
I added a scrap piece of 2x4 ontop of the 2x6s just to add more strength. Screwed the other 24"x28" radius to the main 2x6 and added a 2x4 for support for when its siting down.
you can see in this pic how the front jig will twist up. I tightened the door bolts down as much as I felt comfortable with out striping them but it still shifted up. If I were to do it again I would add a 2x4 length from the 18" 2x6 bolted to the lower mount on an angle to the top 3 bolts to stop it from twisting. It being on an angle won't effect it when its on its side but when its sitting down flat the jig was resting on the fire wall. It didn't hurt the body from what I can see when I removed the jig.
The easiest part Is the leg attached to the upper seat belt bolts. Its just 6 1/5 foot length of 2x4 with some 90* metal brackets from the hardware store. I opened up the closest hole to the bend to fit a bolt that is the same thread as the seat belt bolt, then used 3 screws and washers on the wood side. I made sure the wood didn't stick out as far on the driver side as the front and rear jig so that the centre of gravity would help keep the body rolled over. If it were a T-top car I would probably add some bracing from the roof to the floor in an X pattern to keep things square, aswell as some bracing from the fire wall to the floor to keep the floor and rockers from twisting. Im not sure how "flimsy" T-top cars are but If your building something like this for one, extra bracing can't hurt.
Then carefully I lifted It up and over, I had some friends help when I first rolled it but later realized I could lift it no problem myself. Once it was over I added a "kickstand" to the front to keep it from accidentally rolling on me wile I worked on the bottom.
Once its on its side you could remove the radius plywood for extra working room since they are just hanging there all the weight is on the two 2x6 planks on the front and back as well as the 2x4 attached to the B-pillar.
I spent a good 2-4 days wire wheeling and scuffing the metal putting pressure on it. I tried not to rock it much but it stayed put and I never felt endangered of it falling on me.
I did this after the car was mostly repaired so it would be as strong as possible. If your going to replace floor pans some bracing in the interior would be a good Idea. Im sure the rear sheet metal were i bolted the rear 2x6 is different on the other G-body cars but a little creativity and some ingenuity it can work the same I'm sure. The rear body mounts could also be used, I just wanted access to them so I could paint every thing.
Lastlly I don't take responsibility for any damage to persons or property, If you don't feel comfortable about this method of supporting a car don't do it. Im cheap and and didn't see the need for a rotisserie for the 2 weeks I needed access to the bottom. This kept me off my back wile cleaning the floors and made painting and bedlining the floors a breeze. The total cost was like $40 I had the screws already. and once I'm done with it It makes great fire wood or recycled for something else.
The materials I used were 3x 6 foot length of 2x6, 3x 8 foot length of 2x4, one 4 foot length of 4x4, 4'x2' of 3/4" plywood, some 3x1" scraps, 2x 90* metal brackets I picked up from the hardware store about 3"x3", four 1/2 bolts, nuts and 8 large body washers for the rear and longer m8 bolts for the front door pillar and a pile of deck screws (Im sure nails would work but I like screws better)
Some tools you'll need is a saw to cut the planks, I used a chop saw. A jig saw to cut a radius in the ply wood, and a drill.
Here is the main board along the back a 6foot long 2x6, this is what will carry the weight once it is up on its side. You can see Its spaced out on the passenger side with washers since the rear of the car is curved, the washers kept pressure on the wood spacers.
As you can see the back of the car is curved slightly so i made spacer between the main 2x6 and sheet metal. Im no carpenter so this could be made better but it works. I didn't want to distort the metal so I used some scrap 1' thick wood to samwich the sheet metal. I used some large 2 1/2 body washer on the inside. on the cutlass there are four holes I think they are 1/2 inch for the revers lights i drilled through the spacer wood and main 2x6 and bolted it down.
Here is a terrible shot of the inside. after unbolting the jig this left minimal to no damage to the metal.
Here you can see the 2ish foot length of 4x4 on the far right screwed to the 2x6. On the left there is a 24" length of 2x4 screwed to the 2x6 length wise then a 24" by 28" radius cut from 3/4 plywood screwed ontop, then a 28" length of 2x4 screwed to the plywood vertically with another 2x4 diagonally to support the plywood when im rolling it over. the far left bolt goes through the whole mess. You can also see the 2x6 plank is biased to the driver side to keep the body from contacting the floor when I roll it over. I kinda just eyeballed when I built it to make sure nothing would hit. Once it is on its side the weight of the rear is solely on the 2x6 and the four bolts. I added some 1" square tubing in the trunk since the quarters are missing on my car. I didn't want the rear to shift when it was on its side.
The front is built much the same way I used a 6 foot long 2x6 that sat level with the lower door mount. then used 18" of 2x6 on each side bolted to the lower door mount using all 3 bolts. On the pass side I screwed the other half of the 4x4 to the corner with screws coming from both boards, I figure the 4x4 helps strengthen the corner a bit. On the driver side I cut three 45* angles from the rest of the 2x6 to strengthen the main 2x6 in the front. All the weight of the front will be on this joint and the driver door pillar so I made sure it was strong.
I added a scrap piece of 2x4 ontop of the 2x6s just to add more strength. Screwed the other 24"x28" radius to the main 2x6 and added a 2x4 for support for when its siting down.
you can see in this pic how the front jig will twist up. I tightened the door bolts down as much as I felt comfortable with out striping them but it still shifted up. If I were to do it again I would add a 2x4 length from the 18" 2x6 bolted to the lower mount on an angle to the top 3 bolts to stop it from twisting. It being on an angle won't effect it when its on its side but when its sitting down flat the jig was resting on the fire wall. It didn't hurt the body from what I can see when I removed the jig.
The easiest part Is the leg attached to the upper seat belt bolts. Its just 6 1/5 foot length of 2x4 with some 90* metal brackets from the hardware store. I opened up the closest hole to the bend to fit a bolt that is the same thread as the seat belt bolt, then used 3 screws and washers on the wood side. I made sure the wood didn't stick out as far on the driver side as the front and rear jig so that the centre of gravity would help keep the body rolled over. If it were a T-top car I would probably add some bracing from the roof to the floor in an X pattern to keep things square, aswell as some bracing from the fire wall to the floor to keep the floor and rockers from twisting. Im not sure how "flimsy" T-top cars are but If your building something like this for one, extra bracing can't hurt.
Then carefully I lifted It up and over, I had some friends help when I first rolled it but later realized I could lift it no problem myself. Once it was over I added a "kickstand" to the front to keep it from accidentally rolling on me wile I worked on the bottom.
Once its on its side you could remove the radius plywood for extra working room since they are just hanging there all the weight is on the two 2x6 planks on the front and back as well as the 2x4 attached to the B-pillar.
I spent a good 2-4 days wire wheeling and scuffing the metal putting pressure on it. I tried not to rock it much but it stayed put and I never felt endangered of it falling on me.
I did this after the car was mostly repaired so it would be as strong as possible. If your going to replace floor pans some bracing in the interior would be a good Idea. Im sure the rear sheet metal were i bolted the rear 2x6 is different on the other G-body cars but a little creativity and some ingenuity it can work the same I'm sure. The rear body mounts could also be used, I just wanted access to them so I could paint every thing.
Lastlly I don't take responsibility for any damage to persons or property, If you don't feel comfortable about this method of supporting a car don't do it. Im cheap and and didn't see the need for a rotisserie for the 2 weeks I needed access to the bottom. This kept me off my back wile cleaning the floors and made painting and bedlining the floors a breeze. The total cost was like $40 I had the screws already. and once I'm done with it It makes great fire wood or recycled for something else.
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