Lift the body off and store it safely

~30 min2/5

Status

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Watch out

Storing the body unsupported on the ground lets the walls forward of the doors bow over time. Always support it from underneath, even if it is "only for a few weeks."

Classic car restoration workshop with multiple vehicles on lifts. — Reference photo (Unsplash) — placeholder while Factory Five image permissions are pending.

Tools you'll use

3 sets of hands
two 24" lengths of 2x4 (or a body buck)

What to do2 / 2 checked

This is a three-person lift. Two people work the sides, a third helps guide the front and rear clear of the chassis as the body rises. Lift straight up, walk it to your storage spot, and set it down.
Ideal storage is a body buck — a wooden cradle shaped to support the underside. If the body will sit on the ground at all, slide two 24-inch lengths of 2x4 vertically into the windshield openings to keep the cowl from sagging. A rough buck shape works fine; there is a template in the manual appendix. If you are sending the body out for paint, ask the body shop whether they want it on a buck.