Thread: American Graffiti Coupe, My Version

Tweet

BodyPaint.jpgThe paint shop probably has a dolly so all you have to do is get the body to the shop, on a flatbed if necessary. If you are painting it yourself in your garage you can probably make a dolly from a 4' x 8' plywood sheet on a wooden rectangle built from 2" x 4". Maybe Tractor Supply has such casters? Wood is cheaper for one-time use but the whole thing might come out over$200.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Building A Body Cart - Street Rodder Magazine

Edit; the above link's design has no diagonal braces and should be modified to prevent collapse.

Thanks guys, that link is exactly what I need that's what I'm going to build.

I made a cart that was completely underneath the car body in order to give clearance for painting. You can't see all of it here, but you can get the idea. Except for the casters, it was made from stuff I had lying around the shop. I bought the casters from Lowe's or Home Depot. Don't remember which. Just check the weight bearing capacity of the casters.

IMG_0073.JPG

Thanks Jack, good point

Originally Posted by 36 sedan

Building A Body Cart - Street Rodder Magazine

Don't build this without modification! Against my better judgement as a carpenter I built this thing exactly as listed to find there is absolutely nothing diagonal to keep it from collapsing and with only one bolt per crossmember it is going to collapse, which it did with a body on it! Luckily I wasn't under it, just near it!!

Originally Posted by Matthyj

Don't build this without modification! Against my better judgement as a carpenter I built this thing exactly as listed to find there is absolutely nothing diagonal to keep it from collapsing and with only one bolt per crossmember it is going to collapse, which it did with a body on it! Luckily I wasn't under it, just near it!!

Exactly! Under load, that cart can collapse side-to-side or front-to-rear, given enough weight - or, if a wheel hits something and binds while you're pushing it. The one in my photo will not collapse side-to-side because of the width of the main rails and the uprights. It won't collapse front-to-back because of the triangular gussets.

IMG_0071.JPG

You're right, it has no diagonal bracing, didn't pay much attention to it. Add a vertical 2 x 4 between the upper and lower horizontals at the corner 4 x 4s with a 12" square gusset of 1/2" plywood at each corner screwed in place would take care of it.
gussets.jpg

Originally Posted by 36 sedan

You're right, it has no diagonal bracing, didn't pay much attention to it. Add a vertical 2 x 4 between the upper and lower horizontals at the corner 4 x 4s with a 12" square gusset of 1/2" plywood at each corner screwed in place would take care of it.
Attachment 65290

Your design would work fine. The only comment I have is that, with the original and the extra gussets, it would take a whole lot of lumber, and be quite expensive.

Not my design, I can't believe Street Rodder Mag has not amended it to be safe. The additional cost to make it safe would add less than $20.00, well worth it to be safe. However, as all have pointed out, any design should be made to fit your application and above all be safe.

One additional note when building your cart, sheet rock screws are not safe for structural applications, they have no sheer value. In other words, they break easily.

By 'your design' I was only referring to the drawing improvements you had in your post #113. The point on sheet rock screws is spot on.

I simply screwed a few pieces of plywood to the 2x4's at the corners also where it was right next to the 4x4's, mindfully I did this while its was emergency jacked up since it folded up like a tent with a VW body on it (luckily only a VW!) after that particular incident I have always wondered if some of the mag articles where really wrote by guys that actually have some "shop time" in, if you know what I mean.

Originally Posted by 36 sedan

Not my design, I can't believe Street Rodder Mag has not amended it to be safe. .

Reminds me when one of the hot rod mags said turn up your hot water heater as high as it will go and hook a hose to it to really "steam" clean a greasy motor, a few people the next month stated garden hoses burst about 150 degrees and they got a scalding bath!

Originally Posted by Matthyj

....Reminds me when one of the hot rod mags said turn up your hot water heater as high as it will go and hook a hose to it to really "steam" clean a greasy motor, a few people the next month stated garden hoses burst about 150 degrees and they got a scalding bath!

Sounds like a tort attorney's dream!!

Originally Posted by 36 sedan

Building A Body Cart - Street Rodder Magazine

Edit; the above link's design has no diagonal braces and should be modified to prevent collapse.

AGREE!! Needs lots more support. I have built many for all the bodies I have painted through the years. 4 heavy duty casters mounted on bottom of 3/4 inch plywood sheet cut to size needed then I add 2 x 12 lumber up on top of plywood on all 4 sides all bolted together with long lag bolts. gets body up just high enough to paint very easily and super strong.