I spent the better part of 15 yrs restoring two E types…Cant count the # of times I was under it…putting it on jacks…doing impossible contortions and dangerous activities .Well now that I don’t really need one I bought a lift…Gentlemen…if you do not have a lift, GET ONE…best thing ever!!..Makes you want to work on them again…I got a Direct Lift( no affiliation) and am very pleased…Delivered and set up within 48 hours of purchase…Perhaps not as robust as a BenPak but more than enough for casual usage and storage…Price was quite reasonable…
Ill say it again…GET A LIFT…
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Couldn’t agree more…made removing and installing the engine from underneath a one man breeze…lift I have was under $2k.
I’m going to get one once I’m done the current resto on my 120, though I have only 9’7" of air between ceiling and floor (if only I could convince the wife that we don’t really need the guest room above) that’s sufficient freeboard for storing and working on two restored open two seaters.
For my money you can’t beat a wheeled rotisserie for bodywork, especially in a wide open shop with no space impediments, which is the only disadvantage of a lift - it takes up real estate and you need to work around it.
I’d love to but for one small problem…
That’s their idea of low? Alas, I don’t have barn ceilings in my garage, just a run of the mill conventional home garage. I have maybe 8’4" floor to ceiling clearance. The shortest post lift I’ve seen is 9’. Scissor lifts are cool for some cars but I can’t imagine where they could be placed other than the center stiffeners which doesn’t seem really stable. Plus it would probably require ramps along the sides to allow the low hanging exhaust to clear the lift.
Yes, prices on lifts have dropped so much they are just an expensive (but very useful) tool.
The next time I have the E on my lift I will see (and take a photo) of what it looks like with the top of the windscreen less than 8’ 4" off the floor. You wouldn’t be able to stand under it but they do make reclined chairs specifically for wheeling around under the car.
Right, it wouldn’t be possible to stand under, but my first challenge is that the lift literally couldn’t be installed. The posts are too tall.
the ceiling could be cut out and posts run threw. in most cases, this would give you 10" before hitting the floor above. just position them to clear the joists.
The posts on mine are 7’ tall.
But I see it is currently out of stock. They have a similar model but I think the distance between the tracks is to wide for our cars.
Ah nice, that would be worthy of consideration!
Can we start a two post four post debate, I personally have both, but I love the passion some people have about their particular type, my first was a 4 poster with wheels free, old school quality.
That’s funny and timely, it’s funny cause I could say almost the same thing except getting the lift… I’ve been pricing them and may pull the trigger after the holidays.
Thanks for the additional motivation,
Cheers,
LLynn
I can see some advantages for either one, I would like the access that a 2 post gives but I’d likely have to replace the concrete in my garage so that’s a no go for me. The other disadvantage is the possibility of the car tipping if one removed either the engine or the rear end. Since you have experience with both I’d be more interested in your thoughts than my own on this.
Cheers,
LLynn
Pete,
Which one did you get? Did you have to have a fork lift to unload it from the shipper?
Is it going to be convent to get the tires off and so forth?
Cheers,
LLynn
We only recently got the two post, its got outriggers at the base so concrete thickness is not as important, its better for major jobs like engine backend gearbox removal, but the four poster is better for smaller servicing type jobs as you just drive on and lift it up, plus you can use the ramp as a bench for storing tools, while you work. Dad did 50 years with 4 posters and an early two car lift without many problems, we dropped the irs off the E by hanging it off the back of the four poster. if you can only have one it would be a four with wheels free, i’m not keen on bridge jacks though, they get right in the way!
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Hi All…i have a 4 post…limited headroom but great… 
a friend with an E type uses a scissor lift…limited headroom but easy enough to remove engine from below…just drive over the ramps put blocks in place and lift at rear swing arm mounts and front bulkhead… it one of these http://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-7530d-garage-scissor-lift/ Steve
Me too! Will be getting a two post very soon and will have room for another four post if necessary. As I am typing , the crew is putting on the roof of my new 30x40 garage. Will have 14 ft. ceiling. Bath w/shower and attached man cave/kitchen with maybe a pool table? Never thought this dream would become a reality.
Glenn
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I got my lift at gregsmithequipment.com good pricing, Installation manual is worthless. I assembled it myself. Which I should’ve youtube’d the process because it was such a calamity I’m sure it would’ve gone virual. Here are some of the highlights:
Fortunately for me, there was a gregsmithequipment store within 200 miles, so I hopped in the burb (2002 3/4 ton 8.2 litre V8 Suburban) with trailer in tow. Arrived just before closing. They loaded me up, I also picked up a 2 ton shop crane that I figured I’d need for assembling the lift. All loaded, and discovered the lift was longer than the trailer. Crap! No tie downs. By now night has fallen, and I really don’t know the area. My daughter and I drove around got lost, asked God for guidance; which landed me in front of a farm supply shop just before closing. Thank you Lord! I picked up tie downs, and we were on our way.
My 14 year old daughter was with me and was hungry, I sent her in to an eatery for food. I gave her a $50 cause that was all I had on me. She came back with about $15 worth of food and no change. I asked her where’s the change? She said, “I left a tip”. WHAT! That was a $35.00 tip! I hope the service was exemplary! Lord.
Back on the road, trip home was uneventful. It was late, so I figured I’d get the lift off in the morning.
I assembled the shop crane, and decided the best place to unload was in the middle of the road. I’ve got a pretty steep driveway and there is no way I’d get the lift off the trailer; gravity wasn’t working in my favor.
I hooked the crane up to the lift picked it up off of the trailer to discover that the boom on the crane, and the car lift wasn’t going to clear the sides of the trailer. Roll the crane parallel to the trailer right? The shop crane was straddling one of the trailer wheels, so no pick up move forward action. Crap.
Ok Next Plan,
Put car skates under one end of the lift, pick up the other end with the shop crane and pull it out. Nope. Wouldn’t budge, the skates got caught on the ribs of the trailer bed. Crap.
Ok Next Plan,
Chalk the wheels of the shop crane and move the trailer forward. Nope, just drug the crane down the street. Hmmm… Head and ass scratching… Some liquid thinking power and a pile of cigarette butts later; I finally got conceded a forklift was in order.
Rented a forklift $150.00 a day, which was delivered several days later. Of course it was snowing. I got the lift off the trailer. But couldn’t get it up the steep driveway. Crap.
Next plan,
Winch! 
hooked the winch from the burb to the forklift, and started to pull my way up the drive. BRILLIANT! Not so much. I got to the steepest part of the drive and the 8,000lb suburban was coming towards me. CRAP!!!
Next Plan
I unhooked the winch, and moved a couple of feet back, and the forklift, car lift, and I were sliding sideways down the drive. CRAP! Got all of the wheels pointed in the right direction before the forklift regained traction. Phew!! If the pucker factor wasn’t so high, I’m pretty sure poo would’ve come out. Amazingly enough I didn’t lose the lift off the forklift.
While I was waiting for the snow to melt, I moved stuff around in the garage so I could operate the forklift in the garage. Brilliant right?! I got the lift of up the drive way to deposit it into the bay were it was to be assembled, and live its life. The forklift is too tall to fit in the garage. Crap!
Next Plan
it’s sunny day but pretty close to freezing temps, and I have no other choice than to unpack in the drive way. The ramps come off first, then the other structure and bits which I put in the garage. Leaving the ramps in the drive way.
Since the forklift won’t fit in the garage, then I’ll use the car skates to get in the garage. I got the ramp on skates using the forklift. Hopped out of the forklift to push the ramps into the garage. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw the forklift creeping down the driveway. “I know I set the brake, and it’s not running”, I’m thinking.
I looked again, CRAP!!! It is moving! I chased the forklift down the drive and got it stopped before it made it to the opposite side of the street and through my neighbor’s yard, to rest in their house. Thank you Lord!! Phew! Another pucker moment.
I got the forklift all sorted and parked. I’m heading back up the driveway to notice the slow creep of one of the ramps as it starts its decent down the driveway. CRAP! I’m running towards it. I jump on the ramp, straddling it as it’s heading down the drive at terminal velocity, I can’t stop it by dragging my feet, so I take my shoes off and toss them in front of the car skate wheels. The skate stops immediately, the ramp and I keep on going, I’m off the tarmac driveway now, and the ramp sticks in the dirt like a shovel launching me into the bushes. I sat in the bushes laughing. Only me, I’m thinking.
Next Plan
I’ll think about that ramp later. I successfully get the hydraulic cylinder and ramp in the garage without any drama. I get the forklift up the drive and strap the ramp onto one of the blades on the fork lift. While positioning the forklift and ramp so I could get it into the garage, I go off the driveway and onto the grass, where the forklift immediately sinks about 6 inches. I’m stuck, the forklift is stuck.
After much fiddling with wood, the winch, and the suburban, I got the forklift unstuck. All of the car lift pieces in the garage for assembly.
Note to self,
Use the forklift, and tie downs to maneuver the big pieces, and keep the forklift out of the grass.
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I think I will let the pros deliver and install mine. After all I have spent on this garage what is a few hundred bucks more. Won’t risk the chance of the thing falling on me and my wife getting the insurance money!
Glenn
If you’re good with a wrench (spanner) then these are pretty easy to install. once I finally got the lift unpacked, and in the garage, then the rest was easy. all said and done, it took me about 12 hours (by myself) to install it.
Wife and insurance money
I like the way you think!! 