1966 Mustang Restoration Pt.26 - Building an affordable tip over jig (poor man's rotisserie)

I want to work on the underside, but don't want to weld and paint on my back underneath the car. In about 2 hours with about $30 and some scrap I have access to the bottom of my mustang. It worked great.

[@CruisinComPTon]

Its a beautiful thing when you can come up with something that saves you that much money and gets you that much closer to your goal. Great job!

[@3rdstallgarage]

Thanks!

[@rickgaine3476]

Nice job, necessity is the mother of invention. Hope this makes the project go easier for you.

[@3rdstallgarage]

So far it’s been great. Thanks.

[@fly5099]

Holy crap! Thanks. I think you just solved my problem of how to work on the bottom of my ‘64 GTO. (I worked at Ford for 17 years but this GTO was literally my first car.) I have the same problems you did - cost and very little room even if I found a cheap used rotisserie.

[@3rdstallgarage]

You're welcome!

[@deankay4434]

I always give a thumbs up to someone who not only repairs / builds vehicles, but has nice things to say! I have had buddies and seen guys who started their project car, get married, run on one pay check and end up quitting and frequently selling it! I worked at dealerships as a tech, but jumped ship after a buy / sell was going bad, but the owner had an independent shop and paid me full labor as he made money off the parts I sold. But honestly, he had to have eye surgery for detached retina's after he built a high perf boat engine and (Pair I think) and hit something at 90MPH. I don't know but I take my retinas on long walks, talk to them and play their favorite music! wow! Don't know what year GTO you have but they can be twice the weight with 7' quarter panels so be careful. DK, ASE master since 78, retired.

[@callocklin4243]

@@deankay4434 It's a '64 GTO which was the first year. I'm rebuilding it to stock and drove it that way for 8 years so I don't expect any problems but, yes, I will be careful - definitely more than when I was younger. Unlike the '65s, there are no repro parts for a lot of the front end and few used parts so they are very expensive - $2000 for fender, $2000 for radiator support, $3000 for wood grain steering wheel - luckily I have 2 parts cars and hope to fix up and sell some of the extra parts. I've been keeping a website of my progress/hassles. The first year or two were mostly just rebuilding the engine, stripping my parts cars, buying more tools and learning to work on the sheet metal - so no nice photos of it going back together yet. The site needs a few months of updates but I hope to have those done in the next couple weeks. The site is www.aimsdc.net/gto for anyone interested. I'm also debating whether or not to take the time for my own KZbin site. If so I plan to call it Cal's Barn.

[@deankay4434]

@@callocklin4243 64 is something I can check in with Pete, on KZbin SWRNC and Diy school. He's been on KZbin 13+ years, GTO, Camaro, Mustangs and lots more. He found a NC company called AMD (I don't know for sure) but will find out. I know parts are harder to get, OEM donors, or quality new. I am afraid that younger guys are into them, older guys doing less and a company has to make a product that sells and not sit in a box on a shelf. Pete is a crusty old sort but very good. As I got into an "LS" swap into a 1967 C10 (Both fell in my lap / wasn't looking) but released that chemistry has changed so much, stripper, epoxy, metal prep, high-build, paint and clear. I have done a number of family cars as 2 of 3 would destroy them faster than I could afford to buy. I bought 13 gallons of methylene chloride paint stripper as it was going up, now gone. Horrors of sand blasting or mess (See Cooper Strip Club) and watch their videos. Buy the spray on refills of "Stripper & Flusher" no extra shipping and easy to call). But metal prep inside doors, quarters and "A, B & C" pillars to clean rust with no scrubbing use "Klean Strip" concrete & metal prep (See Hoosiers Garage / Duster) or "Wray Shielien" at Pro-Shapers Metal Shop. Kleen Strip & Evapo-Rust almost identical, but kleen strip is better I think. It's rumored Eastwood buys Kirker Enduro Epoxy, sold by the coating store. Kirker is moving during December into a new facility and start producing more black epoxy to sell. A lot. Hope this helps, I am in Omaha, NE. Master tech for 38+ years then contract labor for GM to hold tech seminars for ACDelco thru Raytheon for 7 years in the upper Midwest. Wore me out! Later!

[@deankay4434]

@@callocklin4243 Seams strange to think of two speed wipers as an upgrade. Still better than vacuum. I remember the ex-service guys from Nam who work on Dodges at the motor pool in the military, now at the dealer. They freaked when Dodge brought Mitsubishi cars and trucks into the dealer. 1st, they hated ground at a switch that controlled a circuit, unlike GM that used ground for two speed wipers. But since they where imports, they locked their tool box and sat on the bench. They brought them to me to install A/C and do repairs. I had no problem. Multiple dealers, owned by one guy. Even the VW guys won't work on them since as they said, they were hired to work on VW and nothing else.

[@CFairNH]

That is an awesome idea!!! Very cool!

[@3rdstallgarage]

Thanks!

[@deankay4434]

I like it and stick by the code of structural engineering, build it to last, handle live loads, then double it. It has torque boxes off the bottom of the firewall, right? I have never seen them. I would say lots of extra welding, some grinding and seam sealer. Then two coats of epoxy are needed. I would do the internal frame wax you bet, as everyone says convertibles rust and this needs saved for years just materials & labor right now. Neat idea!

[@3rdstallgarage]

Thanks!

[@brookratcliff8564]

Hi Doug, so simple and a big fan of work smarter not harder. Suggestion, as you work on VIN it may rock and move those chocks. Screw a verticle or horizontal leg on to the curve down to floor to ensure it won't move on you.

[@3rdstallgarage]

Thanks for the suggestion. Since this video I’ve used a steel cable to cinch the top of the car to both sides of the garage preventing it from tipping over if I push on it or fall against it. It’s nice and secure now.

[@larrytomovich8436]

I made 1 long ago and i took it past a 90 degrees and it reduces the chance of it tipping back over.

[@3rdstallgarage]

Good suggestions. A slight tip might make it easier to work on too. Thanks for the "tip". ;)

[@user-bv5pn2lj7x]

When you said "Don't try this at home"....thats the exact opposite of what I was thinking.

[@3rdstallgarage]

Lol.

[@currieshawn]

Do you think it would work with the suspension on?

[@3rdstallgarage]

It might. I would worry about weight they way I built it. If you made it stronger I think you could.

[@donsmanufactory]

Hey, that’s pretty cool. So that’s what I’m did wrong, I’m 69 years old and spent a month under Betsy’s bottom.

[@vinces8974]

I’m usually only good for 15 minutes lol

[@3rdstallgarage]

Betsy might not have appreciated it either!!!

[@benjaminjacobs8483]

I dont have a dale so i will have to buy a rotissiere for my 67 convert

[@3rdstallgarage]

Everyone should have a friend like Dale. The world would be a better place.

[@paulnaiman8108]

Try thinking about undercoating maybe.

[@3rdstallgarage]

I've pondered that. My only concern is that undercoating tends to be a nightmare for any future work or restoration and I don't plan to ever drive it in the snow and (hopefully) rarely in the rain. Have you had good luck with undercoating?

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

Too much work to flip it on it's side for me. :) Makes life much easier doesn't it.

[@3rdstallgarage]

Yeah…your rotisserie is sweet. But mine took 2 hours and some scrap wood. ;)