body rotisserie
 

Hello,
I plan on purchasing a rotisserie for my 66 body. A couple of questions

* Is there one that works safest/easiest over another?

* Being a hardtop, should I plan on door opening cross supports or not really needed?

Thanks for any feedback you can provide

Regards,
Joe

How deep into structural metal repair are you going to have to go? If you don't need to replace the entire floor pan and/or inner rockers, you can probably get away with not using door braces. When I asked about this for my own '66, numerous others here said door braces weren't necessary, so I didn't use them on my car and everything went back together as it should. But I also have a post coupe with the extra pillars. That said, the folks to said braces weren't necessary had the regular hardtops like you, so I think you'll be fine, too, unless you're getting super deep into structural stuff.

In my case, I fabricated my own dolly for my car rather than buying a rotisserie, but I had a lift that allowed me to get away with not using a rotisserie versus a regular dolly. One question I have is do you actually need a rotisserie that spins? The ability to spin isn't always needed, and if you will be sending your body out for metal work, you should ask the shop what their preference is (it can vary). If it's you who will be doing the work, give some thought to the pros & cons of a rotisserie versus a dolly. If you can get away with a dolly, there's a lot of money to be saved there.

Regardless, I know a few others that use rotisseries made by Redline Automotive (LINK), which seem to work pretty well for them. The photo below is what I made for my '66. Cost me about $350 in raw materials if I recall.

https://i.imgur.com/Bomhp5Dl.jpg

Thanks for the feedback. My 66 spent it's whole life in Arizona before I brought it to NY in 1995. Was built at the California plant. I took the body off around 1998 and went through the entire chassis. I had every original nut and bolt re-plated. New brake/fuel lines, springs, bushings, etc. Body went back on and has been in dry storage since. Kid's are all grown so now it comes back out at the end of the month. Floors. trunk pan, rockers all solid. A local media blaster company prefer's it to be on a rotiserie. Hence my request for the best unit to buy. I'll check out the company you mentioned.
Thanks again.
Joe

I can't help on what rotisserie to choose, but using one is life changing.

My 70 is on one now. Doing metal work, blasting, and painting the underside has been super easy.

Body cart is nice, and so is a rotiss. But they serve different purposes. If youre handy with a welder its pretty easy to build your own. I did mine for a few hundred dollars but I had a few pieces of steel lying around. With prices today it may not be (but then again I havent seen the price of them lately). Doesnt need to spin all the way around, just flip the car on its side. I would def brace the doors and body but just because. I bolted a piece of angle at each hinge location and also at the strike. Then welded in a trussed triangle to the 3 spots. Then an x brace across the body from those bars. Body didnt move at all.

If you were close enough you could borrow mine, its sitting behind my barn right now. I have done so in the past. I gave my body cart away to a guy when I was done with it.

I would suggest buying one of the cheap body rotators, get your use out of it, then sell it locally for 75-80% of what you paid for it.
That’s what I did recently. Bought a new one a few years ago for around $1000, after the restoration was complete I sold it to a fellow for $750. Can’t remember the name of it, but it was blue, and they’re probably around $1200 by now.
So, for $250 I got my use out of it.
I replaced the trunk pan and both rear quarters on a 64 Lemans convertible. Used a 2x4 bolted on each door opening at hinge area for bracing.
The rotisserie made work a breeze.

I was thinking about selling mine, but have just come into a project that I will most likely need it.