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Turning a SAAB on its side for restoration, aka the "SAAB turnuppus tool" - Page 1 of 1
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This is a set of levers cleverly outfitted with SAAB wheels so you can lever your car up on its side and have unimpaired access to the floorpan for that ever enjoyable portion of the restoration. I'm sorry there are no in-progress pics. If I get an opportunity, I'll take some and update the gallery. For the time being we'll have to live with what's here.
The fabrication of this tool is extremely simple. The component bit are:
- Two old SAAB steel wheels (that match the bolt pattern of the car under restoration)
- Two more wheels, also steel, they could be SAAB but generally round is all that's necessary.
- Two pieces of thickwall tubing, say 2" to 3" dia, square or round, about 5' long
- Two pieces of round thickwall tubing, 2" to 3" dia, about 1' long each
- Cut the centers out of the two "other" wheels. This will give you access to the lug bolts when installing the tool on the car.
- Put the SAAB wheel on the ground and the "other" wheel with the center cut out on top of the SAAB wheel. Weld them together. Good strong welds. Now you've got a double-wheel.
- Put the 5' long tube on top of the double-wheel assembly and weld it on. Weld it well.
- Put the 1" long round tube on the "bottom" end of the 5' long tube, perpendicular to it, weld it. Do I need to tell you that nice strong welds are important? Good.
- Do it again to make the second one. Clean 'em and paint 'em up with some wild candystripe colors (for the heck of it). You are done!
To use the turnuppus tool, jack one side of the car up and bolt the tools to the hubs. Let the car down so it sits on the tool's pivot tube. For grins, and if it is still hooked up, put the handbrake on. Go around to the other side of the car and jack it up a bit to give yourself a headstart. An old SAAB with no interior or engine in it doesn't weigh but 6 pounds or so. A child ought to be able to lift it. Still, I bet you will go find your strongest most gym-workout-muscled buddy to help you lift this thing. He'll grunt and blow air out through his teeth to make a good show of it, but really, your granny could play this game just as well.
To the real point now, it's not the pushing up part that's tough, its floating it down onto the tool handles gently that gives fits. Give the SAAB a pusshus and turn it uppus but make sure to have help or the uppus might go woopsus and someone will have to come woop up on your assus. As a precaution, consider having an old dismounted tire or two placed strategically to cushion the descent should muscleman slip because of too much body oil on his hands.
Have at it.
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