Lancia Motor Club

For myself I'm content with a high lift jack and either blocks or axle stands.  However there's a whole industry out there with other ideas for getting a car in the air for home maintenance.  I was going to email this particular one to Simon Ingman but it occurred to me it might be of more general interest.  In its favour its reasonably compact to store, versatile, and gets a car up in the air quickly.  The down sides are the surprising cost and the fact its not all that high.

http://www.carlift-ramp-mr1.com/

This company advertised in Practical Classics and has a lot of options:

http://www.cjautos.eu/

Of all of them this looks good value, light enough to drag somewhere else to store, and pretty versatile:

http://www.cjautos.eu/product_p/cl01.htm

A posher option - if you have the money, space and smooth and strong floor for it:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-LIFT-MID-RISE-SCISSOR-MOBILE-/231225273948?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35d619ae5c

...and more again:

http://www.hamercarlift.com/

All of which makes these look better value than if looked at in isolation:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/as30a-axle-stands?da=1&TC=SRC-axle%20stand

One day I'll give up waiting for something similar at a car boot or autojumble and buy a set.  Meanwhile various smaller stands and blocks and something very similar to this:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/as30a-axle-stands?da=1&TC=SRC-axle%20stand

To save getting a tape out it lifts to just short of kitchen worktop height, and if you want to go taller pop it on some blocks and lift again.

David

I worry about the CJ auto option.....

The one on Ebay looks good, except the price....

Ok for changing wheels standing up but useless for storing a car underneath!

These always look a bit marginal to me and I end up looking at the jumbo wooden saw horse type things at aircraft museums - or ship yards...  For the Austin 7 I made four boxes that take axle stand tubes in the top constantly reminding myself each corner weight was less than me so a bar stool or even a plastic deck chair per corner would be fine.  However support is one thing, rigidity and confidence quite another!!!

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/jacks-chassis-stands/champion-chassis-stands

David

I quite like the Hamer lift, but not the price. Simple and can be stored when not using - which is most of the time !

There's always the option of fitting a used 4 post lift, usually a few on eBay each week so one will come up near you.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cascos-3-ton-4-post-vehicle-lift-/261478364020?pt=UK_Lifting_Moving_Equipment&hash=item3ce1533374

Sounds like a nice idea, especially if you need to store one car on top of another but always change the cables and have it professionally fitted and set up and always always always put something like axle stands under it when you're working under the car just in case hydraulics or the lift nut fails.

They do take up a lot of space and unless there's plenty of room down the sides it's not always easy to get around. If you use one to store a second car underneath make sure you have mechanical locks in place in case of failure and get the kit checked regularly!

Guy

Ans I would't recommend my garage door mod either! I've now got an electric roller shutter one.  :)

But the Spider is long gone.....

Guy

Does the Stratos end up in the spare bedroom?  With that door as well its VERY Tracy Island I must say...

The garage door was one of those "D'Oh" moments... it opened into the space the lamp pod occupied so the up and over mechanism had to go. It was effing heavy to open and was a real strain on the old back! Swapping for an electric roller shutter was actually quite easy, a DIY job! The car lift was used to lift the whole assembly into place, it's normally a two or three man job! And added advantage was losing the wooden door frame which made the entrance about 6 inches wider.

The garage actually has quite a high roofline but since the photos were taken we've added a bathroom above but due to a cock up measuring things we lost about 3 inches headroom. The Spider only fitted with the roof down and after the extension there would have been no way to fit it.

One really really important point I forgot to make is that these lifts have an electric switch to limit the travel. Try to get it in the right place or you'll end up raising the roof.

Guy

I've got a decent pair of axle stands and a trolley jack if I need them, but these days I can't grovel around under cars very well so they're just for emergencies.
One of the best arrangements I had were a pair of ramps that you drove on to while they were more or less flat, then from the end you wound them up like a scissor jack, this was very handy if you just wanted one side up as you used both of them on the same side, these are still available but horrendously expensive.
I also made 4 wooden ramps about 8 inches high  x 2 foot long with a slope at one end and a stop at the other, I could then put one in front of each wheel and get all of the car an extra 8 inches off the ground without driving off the end. ;D

Brian
8227 8)

There was one I went looking for but the variety here is interesting:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=wooden+car+ramps&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=fCdzU_TvFpGd7gaj-YCIBA&ved=0CC4QsAQ&biw=1205&bih=594

Were the adjustable / scissor ramp things like these?

http://www.cjautos.eu/product_p/cr02.htm

Just for fun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XCTKJA5JcI

David

I'm with Guy completely, A four or two post lift is the way to go and I wish I'd done it years ago. I was fortunate in that I was given mine and the only use it had had was to store one car above another. It came complete with drip trays which are obviously essential. I would even be prepared to locate it out in the open if the garage didn't have sufficient height!

It is so much more convenient to be able to stand upright when working under a car. You can wheel your mobile tool box close to where you're working and in the event you need something not there it's just a few steps to get to it. Also great to be able to get the car at exactly the right height when working on hubs and brakes. Agree with Guy re safety locks and axle stands.

The lift also came in very useful when fitting the front subframe, engine and gearbox into the Fanalone. Stick the front of the car over the front of the lift and lower onto the subframe. Easy!

Robin.

Yes the scissor ramps were like the CJ ones.
Why would anyone build a ramp angle like that in the video, sooner him than me, I thought it was probably going to sit on it's tail once it got all four wheels on the ramp!.
Brian
8227 8)

I love seeing a Fulvia body shell all painted like that ! It is a work of art  -  Almost a shame to put them back together ....... Almost

Just for you Simon  :)

Robin

I will have to put my Fulvia photos up from a similar period, it looked great in its primer (matt black)....reminds me of Barry's Stealth integrale!

Wat size tyres for thos 4 x 1J wheels!! ;D

They're slicks - so illegal for road use

Have to agree. If, in my dreams I found myself with a shell in that condition I'd be very tempted just to fit the front seats and dash back in and that would be it.

I can see where you're coming from Simon and Stanley as when the body shell came back from the paint shop we couldn't stop walking round it in wonderment. However, there really is no substitute for driving them is there? :)

Robin.

Quite right - I suppose I should have mentioned I would have added the engine and wheels too.