KG body weight

[JHHeiger]

Getting ready to lift the KG coupe body to replace rocker, heater channel on the drivers side. How heavy is just the body? Is it a two man lift or more?

[FJCamper]

Hi,

Body, doors, all glass, no pan, is four guys. It is very, very hard for two.

This is experience talking.

FJC

[Marc]

If you work one end at a time, two can do it. Nice to have a third to place dunnage, but that person doesn't have to do any heavy lifting.
The key is to have some lumber - like, a couple of 8' 4x4s - and jackstands/milk crates/empty oil drums, etc. handy.
Lift one end of the body enough to slide a 4x4 through and support it at both ends, then repeat at the other end of the car. Repeat as needed, "walking" it up on increasingly taller supports until you can roll the pan out from underneath.
It's a much more controlled operation this way. Three or four can just manhandle it up and carry it off, but if one guy trips and stumbles that could be a disaster.

You should probably put in some temporary bracing across the door opening (before you remove the body) so the body holds its shape while you're changing that rocker panel, too. If you don't relish the idea of welding something in that you'll need to cut/grind off afterwards, pull the door and fabricate something that picks up the door hinge and latch hardware threads.

[JHHeiger]

Thanks for the feedback. While planning the body removal I came upon some prefabbed door supports that triangulate across the door opening and anchor to the door hinge mounts and the door lock assembly. I also took 2 measuremants across the door opening as reference points when I final weld.

[KR250]

Thanks for the feedback. While planning the body removal I came upon some prefabbed door supports that triangulate across the door opening and anchor to the door hinge mounts and the door lock assembly. I also took 2 measuremants across the door opening as reference points when I final weld.

I'm looking for some body supports also, can you post where you found these?

Thanks

-Kyle

[JHHeiger]

Yeah, if memory serves I got them from Bug Stuff in Brownsville PA, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh 724 785 7000 I think.

[tonyorlo]

http://www.bugstuffonline.com/index.php

Never herd of the place until I saw you mention it. I'm not too far from there.