63 Riviera on lift

[Guest Steeleco]

I saw this on ebay and was wondering, "Is this an acceptable way to use a lift on a first gen Riviera? DISCLAIMER: DON'T LIFT A RIVIERA LIKE THIS!!!!!

Edited May 6, 2013 by Steeleco (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

That's a scary picture.

My car has been on a lift twice. Once in 1978 when I got the new exhaust system and that was a drive on lift. and once about three years ago when we put the Hushpower mufflers on it. It was the same lift and the same mechanic.

I have a good 3 Ton floor jack and quality jack stands so I wouldn't hang my car off a two post lift.

I don't tease rattlesnakes either.

Bernie

[Guest Steeleco]

Hey Bernie, Regarding the picture of the Riv on the lift, besides the fact it is a 2 post lift are the spots on the car where he is lifting from solid enough to lift the car?

Edited May 5, 2013 by Steeleco (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

I saw that. It made my skin crawl.

I keep telling my wife that restraint is my least recognized attribute. My intent was to use a little.

Who ever raised the car or authorized it was certainly not the one who did the work up was my first thought. Looks like a scene for the drooling masses of old men who stare at the so called History Channel. If they are not braiding their senior warrior pony tail they are changing the band aids from dragging their knuckles.

If the owner had J C Taylor insurance they could send that picture as part of the appraisal. I bet it would go viral in the insurance world.

Now see what you did to all that restraint I had an hour ago. < There's an example of a rhetorical question.

Bernie

[RivNut]

On the front, he's using the floor pan braces - just sheet metal like the rest of the body. YIKES :eek:

[cool57]

Modern lifts were not designed with our cars in mind. It is a problem if one hires out any undercarriage work.

[Guest slacker1965]

NO this is not OK!!!!!.....yeah all of the car's weight is being held up by the floorpans....on my rusty 63 they would have poked up thru the floor....

if the car rides too low to extend the arms & get them under the framerails, you drive the car up on blocks(think 2x12's) then put the arms where they belong

[60FlatTop]

I've had the body off mine a couple of times. If it wasn't so hard to align the fenders and hood I'd put quick release fasteners on the body and work from the top.

Actually I guess having my car on a lift in 1978 and 2009 kind of shows the wisdom in buying a Buick.

Bernie

[toomuchvinyl]

I have 2 mechanic shops that work on my '64. Both use 2-post lifts BUT both also have Buick background (one shop is the former service department of the long time Buick Dealership here in town that lost their franchise in the GM Bailout). The other worked at that dealership also before going independent back in the early '80's. At both places you can hear them cuss when they brush the hot exhaust pipes as they position the lift points UNDER THE FRAME .

[RivNut]

I copied these pictures from a post by Foxlovescars that he posted back in July, '12, titled "X-body frame question." Here's what he did to make sure that a two post lift would pick up his Riviera on the frame.

If you go to the same shop all of the time, it might be worth your time to make up some of these for yourself and leave them at the shop.

Ed

[toomuchvinyl]

Thanks for refreshing my memory on that one Ed. I also have an Eagle 2-post lift like Fred though mine is still packed as it was delivered 5 years ago. I really hope that I can get it installed sometime soon and that cross bar would be a welcome accessory. I have emailed Fred for the spec's/dimensions.

[Guest Rob J]

That pic is downright scary. No way I'd ever have my car up on a lift as such. That's a recipe for disaster!!!!

[60FlatTop]

I wouldn't get near that thing, especially stand under it. And I wouldn't be surprised if the AACA could be held liable in a death or injury suit just by allowing the information to be displayed with or without a disclaimer.

There are other options.

Bernie

[Guest Steeleco]

Ok, as I mentioned the photo at the top of the post was found on ebay (not my car), and as I expected the lifting technic looks dangerous. I edited the post with a disclaimer as suggested by Bernie.Thanks

[Paul K.]

Looking at Fred's lift modification it appears it prevents the car from rocking side to side due to the far inset of the jack lift points. If that is all it does ( which is a lot) one could get similar results from placing the correct thickness 2x4 blocks laid flat stacked between the lift arm and the rocker panel.

[Zimm63]

I made the accessory lifting arms for my Ben Pearson lift a couple years ago. It is designed to lift the car from the frame, which is why the pads are located as the are. The cross pieces are also pinned to the arms of the lift, so there is no way an arm can come out from under the car. The cross pieces are made from 2x4 X 1/4 steel tube.

It takes some crawling on the floor and bad language to get it set up correctly, but gives me confidence that the car is supported safely when I am working under it.

The first pic may get the car in the air, but all sorts of bad stuff can happen to the alignment of the body the way it is lifted.

Zimm