Cab and Front Clip Removal??

[72longbed]

I'm just about ready to swap the sheetmetal from the 2WD to the 4x4 frame. With the Search function down, I was hoping you guys could point me in the right direction to find some Threads that show different ideas about removing the Cab and Front Clip as a unit, and some 'dollys' for moving the whole unit around until the 4x4 chassis is ready for it.

My shop has a 13ft ceiling with an I beam across the ceiling, and an 'in floor' single post car lift almost centered under the I beam. Any ideas that would utilize the lift and/or the beam would be great.

Has anybody 'bookmarked' or saved Threads about Cab/Bed/Clip removal??

Thanks,
72longbed

[67ChevyRedneck]

My dad and I put an 85 dodge body on a 78 dodge running 4x4 chassis (the 78 body was swiss cheese and rust) using the front bucket on a backhoe and lots of straps we lifted the cab/front end off the 85 and put it on the 78. Another thing we did was use an I-beam in our garage to do as you described with an 86 toyota 2wd. (again good body/bad frame swap with good frame/bad body truck) We put straps through the windows and used come a longs to raise the cab and we also put straps and a second come a long under the front wheel wells. Worked great, but an 86 toy cab/front clip weighs about 1/4 of a 67-72 chevy. You may have issues with height (4x4 frame). If you have the engine in the truck I think it would be difficult getting the grill over top of the motor. If you have the garage/storage space, I'd leave the body on the 2wd until the 4wd frame is ready. No point in setting up your cab lift twice if you dont have to.

My suggestion would be to use your beam (as long as its real beefy) to lift under the cab and then use a cherry picker to lift the front of the grill, slide the suspension backwards from under the truck and roll the new chassis in. I consider this to be very dangerous so please be careful and use enough straps/chains/whatever, and don't attempt this by yourself (someone has to call 911 )

Edit: I don't know what a single post car lift is, the one with one post on the side and 2 prongs that form a V? You could jack the body above the frame high enough then maybe slide the prongs under and lift?

[shifty]

Here:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=173623

That was my recent dilemma....

Look at post #32 on the page:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...5&postcount=32

Then check out #46 on page 2:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...7&postcount=46


Let me know if you ahve more questions, always happy to help if I can.

[72longbed]

Thanks Shifty, this is real good stuff! I thought I once saw a Post by a member who took the entire front clip and cab off as a unit?? Then there was a guy who used saw horses on each side of his truck to raise the entire cab and front end off high enough to roll out the chassis?

Anybody know where to find these Threads or Posts?

Thanks,
72longbed

[shifty]

I don't know where you will find it. I saw several threads of creative ways to hoist off the cab. I will see if I can find something.

Tip: If you remove the front clip separate, I think it would be easier....but that's just me! Be sure to tape the edge of the fenders that marries up to the doors. I put some appliance rollers under mine so I can roll it around the garage. I lost some paint on em b/c I didn't use tape

[shifty]

Here, as with everything else, The FAQ is a wealth of info.

Go to the sticky thread always at the top of that FAQ forum:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=157669

I searched for the word "CAB" using my browser's FIND feature (press CTRL+F)

I got this near the bottom:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=113397

There is also one under it that involved blazers you might wanna check out. I saw one thread here a few months ago that showed how to do it using a tree.

[Chris H]

http://pages.prodigy.net/cthallst/19...7gmcC30caboff/

See the pics in the link above for how I did mine.
Preview:

[kingsolver72]

Fabricate or have someone fab a "cab adaptor" part in the first pic.Simply connect it to a cherry picker.Works awesome.I got the plans here on the board.

[krue]

I did it with a strap and a chainfall hanging from a tree. It was a piece of cake. I removed the front clip seperately and left the doors on the cab.