Got a Lift... get one

I wish I was 65 to crawl out from under a car! I am pushing 80 and still crawl around on the floor sometimes even with my 4 post Stinger lift. My lift cannot go to the top due to ceiling height so I still bend over backwards to work under the car. Best exercise I get is working on the car, just when I am down on the floor, I try to think what else I can do while I am down here. Try to take all the tools I need the first time so I don’t have to get back up for a darn wrench one size bigger.
Would not be without my lift no matte what age!
Len Wheeler
Tucson

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thanks for the inspiration :smile:

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I just turned 83 and only crawl around when it’s absolutely necessary! I’ve always kept old carpeting on the garage floor and when someone asks why I always say that if you play with old cars you spend a lot of time on your back looking up!
Bob

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Word!
What a fine, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, supportive and inspirational
group of car nuts we’ve got here.
Best for the Holidays,
Alan

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asymmetric is my choice, unless you are OK banging the door as you try to wiggle out of the car while the door is hitting the main lift supports.

Jrinam: From Wikipedia:
“Non-shrink grout is used beneath metal bearing plates to ensure a consistent bearing surface between the plate and its substrate.”

No aggregate in grout.

We used it in commercial construction all the time for just that purpose. The concrete in your garage floor is usually 2.500 PSI to 3,000 PSI after 28 days of curing. Grout commonly achieves a strength of double that or more as it cures.

CONCRETE GROUT does have aggregate, when I grout masonry walls, I always specify small pea gravel as it meets specs and is easier to pump but can have larger gravel if not requested. a cement grout would have no coarse aggregate, just sand, Portland cement and water. GROUT can be any number of things and have many purposes and properties. the product I was reffering to is a form of non shrink grout but designed just for setting columns.

The benefit of a lift isn’t exclusively about getting to the underside. Working on the guts of a door is a lot easier when you can lift the door to eye level.

I’m only 54, but I feel it if I spend an afternoon bent half over fiddling with carbs or the distributor.

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One of these is useful. Maybe not this particular unit but one similar.

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/creepers-seats/mechanics-roller-seat-61653.html

My garage is only a little over 7 ft. I bought a used kwik-lift several years ago. I can pull it outside if i need to or use it I the garage.

Mine is a STENHØJ ( Denmark) 2 post. It is asymetric but the arms have sliding extensions, so you can adjust the degree of asymmetry. No matter how I do it, the door is blocked by the column when the car is positioned on the lift.
The solution I use is the stop the car where I can still open the door and get out. Then I just push the car forward a couple of feet to position it for lifting.
Ken Wallace, San Diego, 62 Mk2 3.8L

Peter. I did not mean to imply that there was anything wrong with your method. I just wanted to show what worked well for me. My situation was that the bonnet and engine were already removed which left the center of gravity right over the radius arm mounts which made me nervous about keeping it balanced. By using straps it was very simple for me to lift the body off the rear suspension and then lower it down onto a 4 wheel dolly and wheel it into another bay.

That dolly is almost identical to the one I made for my car. I made sure
to use the wheels that lock so when pressing against the body, it didn’t
roll away.

Where is the fun in that? Takes all the challenge out of it:) Actually I had these ones kicking around or I would have gone for the locking ones. Will have to cut out some suitable chocks.

I installed a two poster several years ago, which if I hadn’t I dont think I could of carried on restoring cars. A godsend for old knees and back.

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Pat,

On the first photo I noticed you installed coil over shocks in place of the torsion bars. Can I ask why ?

Happy Holidays

Love the '66 Cortina!

Mark
The springs are helpers, providing about 30 lbs assistance. They do not replace the torsion bars. The picture frame is nowhere near strong enough to support the forces required in that area.
Regards
Pat

I had often wondered the same: I knew the Jag frames were not in any way adequate for the twisting/bending moments that would be put upon them by full-on coil overs, but thought maybe you had committed some of your clever reengineering them to do so!