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Re: MGA body dolly.

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: MGA body dolly.
From: Tim Nagy <nagy@duq.edu>
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 1999 09:52:54 -0500
I like the idea of the body dolly, but I have a 72 "B"...below it says
that the empty MGA shell weighs in at about 160 pounds...what about an
MGB...is the weight comparable?

Tim

'72 B in pieces...

Barney Gaylord wrote:
> 
> At 06:59 PM 2/7/99 -0500, Kevin Richards wrote:
> >.... does anyone have any measurements/plans for a dolly to rest the body
> of the A on whilst it is removed from the chassis? ....
> 
> I do not have the exact measurements, didn't take any pictures of it, and
> it has been a long time since I did it, but I can tell you that it is
> really simple to do.  All it takes is a light set of casters (500 pounds
> total capacity is enough), a small hand full of wood screws, and two pieces
> of 2x4 lumber about four feet long (or maybe an inch or two more).  There
> should be two places to mount the boards, but I can't recall which way I
> did it.
> 
> Location 1.)  Cut the boards the right length to fit between the sills
> where the body sits on the frame.  Position the boards under the horizontal
> flange of the sill at points near the front and rear door posts.  Install
> screws downward through that flange into the boards.
> 
> Location 2.)  At points just ahead of the front door post and just behind
> the rear door post there are heavy sheet metal angle flanges (at four
> points) where the body accepts single large bolts that screw into the
> frame.  Place the boards here and fasten with lag screws and flat washers.
> I think I like this better because these points are a bit lower and will
> thereby hold the body a little higher off the floor, but maybe the rear
> points are not the same height as the front ones.
> 
> Most casters will attach to the bottom side of the boards with four wood
> screws each.  Position the casters a little inboad so you don't
> accidentally run over you foot when moving things around in close quarters.
>  When you want to work on the body you can set it up with the dolly boards
> resting on a pair of saw horses for convenient working height and free
> access all around.
> 
> I think the bare body tub weighs about 160 pounds (estimate) and can be
> very easily moved about on the dolly.  If you tip it up on its side it
> stands up straight and sits on the sides of the structural sill and pillar
> assemblies around the door openings.  In this position it is less than 30
> inches wide from sills to cowl, good for getting it out of the way while
> you work on the chassis.
> 
> I also made a pair of small dollies from 3/4" plywood about 12 x 15 inches
> and using even smaller casters.  You can put these under the pillars when
> the body is on its side to keep it off the floor and move it around easily
> without dragging it.  And to this day I still use one of these as an engine
> dolly (and occasionally for moving heavy furniture), really handy gadgets.
> 
> Now that I have a web site, I wish I had taken pictures of the body dolly.
> If anyone has such pictures I would like a copy to post on-line.  And I
> might even drive some substantial distance from Chicago to help someone
> build the dolly and take the pictures.
> 
> The best picture that I didn't get was when I took things to Redi-Strip for
> processing in 1978.  I had the MGA body piggy-backed on a 1974 Datsun Lil
> Hustler short bed pickup truck with the MGA nose sticking out beyond the
> top of the tail gate and the MGA tail parked above the cab of the truck.
> There were two 2x4 boards about six feet long lag screwed across the
> underside of the MGA body and tied down to the hooks on the load bed of the
> truck.  One of those boards sat on the drip rail on top at the back of the
> truck cab, the other board was on top of the load box near the back.
> Fenders, doors, wheels and all other sheet metal parts of the car were
> tucked into the load box underneath the MGA body tub.  I think the only
> thing left in the garage was the MGA rolling chassis.
> 
> Ah, thank you for such fond memories.
> 
> Barney Gaylord
> 1958 MGA with an attitude
>     http://www.ntsource.com/~barneymg

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