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Showing results for tags '48 desoto business coupe'.
Found 3 results
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At first, I thought I could remove the body from the chassis alone. So, I'm glad a got a buddy to help me do it. It's a two man job for sure. We had to get the front of the body much higher than I thought for the rear frame to clear the bottom of the front 4X4 post. My buddy thought we could keep the wheels on the rear axle and just deflate the tires, but I didn't think that would work. I thought about using my wheel dollies to ride under the rear wheel hubs, but that turned out to be a bad idea. The leaf springs and shock absorber mounts got in the way. So I used the floor jack under the differential instead and it worked fine. I was able to clear the steering post without unbolting the steering box from the frame. We carefully lowered the body to the body cart by going around the car and lowering each side a couple of inches at a time. We had to put an 8 ft. 4X4 across the back of the cart to hold the body better. After the body was on the cart, we found that there was no real need to screw the body to the cart. The cart was super easy for one person to move the body to the other side of the garage.
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I am planning to tow my 48 DeSoto to Moyer Automotive so they can install new brake lines, fuel line, new exhaust system, driveshaft, etc. on a lift. I went to U-haul to get a car transport to haul my car there. But they said there is no winch on the car trailer to haul the car up the ramps. I've rented car transports in the past and they seemed to have winches in the past, but not now. So I'm going to buy a Come-a-long winch at Harbor Freight. Should I buy two Come-a-longs, or would just one be enough? Should I buy the 2 ton or the 4 ton Come-a-long? And is towing with a tow dolly a bad idea with the drive shaft installed. My car has fluid drive. Thanks.
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I am in the middle of my restoration of a 1948 DeSoto business coupe. I am considering taking the body off of the frame so working on the chassis will be easier. At my age, I don't want to be rolling around on my back trying to install new gas and brake lines. I saw the video from the Collector Car Restoration series, Vol. I Getting Started/Back on Track, done by two brothers about 20 years ago. They show how easy it is to take the body off of a 1952 Dodge sedan. After removing the body bolts and making all of the necessary disconnections, they just jack the body up about 6" off the frame and put an 8' 4x4 above the front and rear axles supported by 4 concrete blocks well to sides of the wheels. Then they just roll the chassis out from under the body. Then they lower the body onto a body cart that they made out of plywood and casters to roll where ever they want. Has anyone ever done this, and what are the complications, if any? Thanks, Marc.
