Car dolly dimensions, or frame tube spacing?

[jtolbert]

So I'm trying to get my garage ready for my Type 65 Coupe delivery. I'd like to build a dolly instead of using jackstands to hold the chassis, but I'm uncertain of the frame dimensions. My plan is to just build an I-shape dolly with 2x 2x6 laid flat at each end and a single 2x4 running between the front/back stacks of 2x6s. If someone has built a dolly for their Type 65, can you fill me in on how wide the dolly needs to be to support both sides of the chassis properly and how long the thing needs to be to keep rear lower control arm interference from being a problem? Thanks!

[John Dol]

I kept mine on the wheeled wood frame from the factory for the longest time.

John

[billjr212]

I kept mine on the wheeled wood frame from the factory for the longest time.

John

What wood frame from the factory? Is this something you get only when you order in a crate, maybe?

[edwardb]

This is an incomplete answer because it's based on Roadster experience, but maybe helps a little. The 4 inch tubes are 24 inches apart (on center) and I'm 99% sure the Coupe is the same. I have a dolly that another member paid forward to me. Used it for my last build and will be using it again in a few weeks. Here are a couple threads from the other forum:

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/17-factory-five-roadsters/373266-frame-dolly-dimensions.html

http://www.ffcars.com/forums/17-factory-five-roadsters/235474-chassis-dolly-dimensions.html

[68GT500MAN]

There have been many threads on this subject over the years. Some are fairly robust, others not so much. The safety police may be after you if you go the later route.
Doug

[edwardb]

There have been many threads on this subject over the years. Some are fairly robust, others not so much. The safety police may be after you if you go the later route. Doug

My answer regarding the use and experience with the dolly I have was strictly to pick up the kit from FFR and move it around in that early state. I see now the OP is also talking about doing some of the build while on that dolly (missed that before...) and some of the examples in the links I posted also did this. Agree there might be a safety concern here. My first two builds were on jack stands, my next will be on the 2-post I installed last summer. I wouldn't be too happy crawling under the chassis with only the dolly once it starts getting loaded up. At least with the one I have. It's purely for transportation purposes. Be careful out there.

[John Dol]

What wood frame from the factory? Is this something you get only when you order in a crate, maybe?

Got my Coupe 2nd hand, but it was sitting on a wood wheeled frame which seemed to be from the factory. Was not in a crate.

John

[jtolbert]

Thanks, folks. Yes, my goal is a dolly I can do some assembly work on and that will let my scoot the thing around my garage, but I wouldn't get under it without extra support. I'll probably just put the thing on jackstands when it gets where and build a dolly afterward.

[eDuane88]

I just rested the frame on top of 2 pieces of 4x4 wood and put them on top of 4 car dollies from harbor freight.

43678

[jtolbert]

That's not a bad idea. I have four wheel dollies; I could just put some boards across pairs of those.

[CJBergquist]

I used 4 dollys with 4 jack stands. I screwed the jack stands to the dollys and used heavy duty zip ties, crisscrossed to the frame to hold it all in place.. Sat up high enough to do all the suspension and even hang the tires. Easy to roll around until I got the engine in...still was manageable. The only thing I would do differently is replace the rubber wheeled casters with metal wheeled casters.

[Gbeck]

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=44034&d=1438285821
I built two platforms (front and rear) on heavy duty casters to support jack stands. Then I cinched the frame down to the platform with ratchet straps. It gets the car up to a nice working height, I can roll it around the garage as needed, and it's solid as a rock. I expect that the weight of the engine will be too much for the casters. But until then, it will do.

[jtolbert]

So after selling my '67 Valiant and cleaning out some of my garage to make room for the Type 65, I discovered that I have a decent amount of 1-1/2", 1/8"-wall square tube. Tempted to just build an I-type frame with casters, throw some padding on top of the 1.5" tubing and call it good. Sound decent?

Oh, and I'll also build it so it can be broken down after I'm done with it...Yay.

I ended up not liking my wheel-dolly idea; the wheel dollies aren't flat enough across the top for my liking.

[6t8dart]

Make a 4x4 frame, use multiple casters, 6-8 and use ones rated for at least 300 lbs a piece. I just built one, and I am rating it for 1900 lbs. with the casters.

[6t8dart]

44556 44557

[jtolbert]

My garage is about as ready as it'll ever be. My kit was supposedly picked up by Stewart this Tuesday, but getting anyone at Stewart to answer their phones or respond to e-mail with any kind of detail is difficult, I guess. Odd; they were on the ball when arranging this whole deal.

I called on Friday to see if they'd picked up the car last week...No answer. Left a message for Jolene. Got a message saying the Type 65 will be picked up this Tuesday, I'm the third stop, and I should hear from a driver on Tuesday. Well, Tuesday has pretty much come and gone as far as picking up from FFR goes, and no call from anyone. So, I called Stewart again and---shock shock---no one answered the phone. Left another message.

I need to let work know when I'm not going to be there and such, so better communication would be nice.

I've been reading a lot of other posts from people that had the same problem. I'm also hoping that what everyone else says is true: their drivers are great...Cause if I had to base my experience on just the communication, they aren't doing so hot.

[jtolbert]

Now the line is "there's no one at Factory Five to load up the trucks right now, so your car will be loaded Friday. You might have it as early as Sunday." :|

[jtolbert]

So apparently they weren't being deceptive; got a call today that they picked up my Type 65 and will be delivering it on Monday. Yay!