[Dave Carney]

Just curious....rotisserie looks like what I need (big project/old back)....I mean if you didn't flip it with the floors out or anything, what would be the problem? My brother is kinda warning against using one (body is not in it's natural state...one corner may come out higher than before.....so on and so forth), he has more experience than me but he's never actually used one either. My project car is a '39 Pontiac 2 door sedan.

I thought about modest bracing and a few measurements first and then letting it rip

[astroracer]

Just like you said Dave. Modest bracing and take some measurements. MAKE SURE the body is straight and level before you put the bracing in. Use 1 X 1 sq. tubing and put a diagonal going front and back and also triangulate the front and back of the door opening/s.
Mark

[jcarter]

I'm working on a 39 chevy 2 dr. so pretty much the same body.I removed all the glass,interior, etc.and knocked out the hindge pins and removed the doors.Iused web straps at all 4 corners to lift it off the frame to clean the frame up before I put my new r.e. and M II front end on. I installed the r.e. with the body off then put it back on to do the front end, to make sure my front was centered in the front fenderwells. I didn't reinforce the body when Ilifted it off, and it didn't hurt it at all.It is a very strong body shell. My rocker panels were pretty bad so I've replaced them and I did cross brace front to back and across from side to side just in case. I have done all of my patching so far with the body still back on the frame.It is blocked up on big H-beams under the axles so that the tires are about 12" off the floor. I have had to build a whole new tail pan and rear body mount area.It wouldn't have been strong enough there to hold it on my rotisere.I am nearly ready to lift it back off the frame onto the rotisere to turn it over to finish some welds in trunk area and paint the underside.My front mounts under the firewall look a little weak on one side, so I was going to get some 3" chanell and bolt it to the body using all the body mount holes,then attach that to my rotisere,then it won't twist a weak corner. I talked to a guy with a 38 chevy 4 dr. who set his body shell on the floor and carefully rolled it over on its side using some old couch cushions toprotect the corners. Made it real easy towork on the floor and didn't hurt it a bit.