Handling a 1927 Coupe Body During Transport and Painting

[BLB27]

The first photo shows my coupe being moved last fall, and the second one shows how it is now supported in our garage. I will soon move it about a mile to where it will be painted. We will move it, like in the first photo, to flat bed trailer and then transport it to the paint shop.

I had anticipated it being supported during painting as shown in the second photo. The paint/body shop has a device that they use to bolt a car body to when they are working on it. This allows them to put the body in various positions as it is worked on. My painter has indicated that he like to put the coupe on it for painting. It would facilitate painting the underside and would allow the body to be moved in the shop as the work proceeds, if needed. I assume it would be bolted at the coupe's body to frame connections.

I would like opinions on this procedure.

[DanTreace]

Go with your painter's recommendations. Safe easy way for him to paint all the body areas. Yes, he will use the body mounting brackets to secure the body to the rotating frame.

When you get the painted body back, put it right away on the chassis frame.

Wouldn't use the current rigged up jack stands and loose 2x4's for support, way too risky IMO.



Made a wood body dolly on wheels when doing my work / painting on bodies.

[BLB27]

I am concerned about any distortions that might occur that would effect door fitness or getting the body to fit back on the frame.

[rickd]

Maybe bolt up some lightweight slotted angle iron on the interior for support trusses to add some rigidity to the body. I'm sure you dont want to start welding on it but that is also an option for support attachments.

[DanTreace]

Bruce

That's a fair concern, depends on skill of body shop and type of body rotisserie they have.

Most times using those the doors are off, so you should consult the shop.

For me, easier to build a strong wood body dolly, on wheels. Fastened body to it at the body mount points, on all metal '26 runabout body, left doors on for painting, no issues with my buddy getting the gun to the undersides.

Another with wood frame body. Rolled it into the paint room at auto body shop, they sprayed it, did the doors separate, hauled it in the enclosed trailer back home.

[BLB27]

We decided not to use the body rotisserie.

[Joe Bell]

Bruce, The 26-7 coupe is a steel frame car with roof supporting it, would not think you would have issues with doors not aligning up after. With that being said the wooden Fordor's and Coupes, I made sure they where built on straightened frames and then transfered to the other frame let set a few weeks before I set the doors back on. Hope this helps.

[John Codman]

Go with your painter's recommendations. Safe easy way for him to paint all the body areas. Yes, he will use the body mounting brackets to secure the body to the rotating frame.

When you get the painted body back, put it right away on the chassis frame.

Wouldn't use the current rigged up jack stands and loose 2x4's for support, way too risky IMO.



Made a wood body dolly on wheels when doing my work / painting on bodies.


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My concern about the present support is the concrete blocks. I would never use them in any capacity to support a car. I realize that the T body is not very heavy, but using the blocks is a really bad habit to get into. Ask me how I know...

[BLB27]

John, Share with me how you know.

We did not put it on concrete blocks at the paint shop.

[DanTreace]

Bruce

Concrete block is subject to fracture, with a load, or even a narrow load band like the little foot of a jack stand. The block seems dense but it is really porous substrate. Recommended not to use for automotive support. Accidents have been reported.

Here is one nice report, lucky no accident but the block cracking under load was just a matter of time...who knows until the worst!

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/094732.html

This pic is off the internet, another improper use. Blocks don't have a quality assurance and are as cast with who knows what defects, they are for building sure, but not for other uses. The block in this pic was on soft ground, bad idea, and was also placed on wrong side for better strength, but the pad of the trailer concentrated the load, and block just crumbled. Use anything but a hollow porous concrete or cinder block IMO.

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