How do you transport a Cerbera bodyshell
Discussion
Having just sold my fully assembled MOT'd and running car yesterday I've now gone an found a replacement in kit form 
Not purchased yet but pretty damn sure it's going to happen.
Unfortunately the car is in three major pieces .... bare chassis, body shell and engine/box.
Now the chassis and engine/box combo are transportable with only a bit of grief but how do you get the bodyshell shifted without having a team of guys at both start destination and end (they're 130 miles apart!)?
I've considered getting a shell dolly made up but that presents the problems of firmly attaching the car to it.
Any of you guys that have had the two main bits apart got any advice here.
Not purchased yet but pretty damn sure it's going to happen.
Unfortunately the car is in three major pieces .... bare chassis, body shell and engine/box.
Now the chassis and engine/box combo are transportable with only a bit of grief but how do you get the bodyshell shifted without having a team of guys at both start destination and end (they're 130 miles apart!)?
I've considered getting a shell dolly made up but that presents the problems of firmly attaching the car to it.
Any of you guys that have had the two main bits apart got any advice here.
Jhonno said:
Just tie it to them?!
OK, does the Cerbera fibreglass bodyshell have any suitable points to use to tie down.Having never seen one unattached I've no idea how you'd do it or if there are suitable apertures you can put straps through.
I'd rather not try putting ratchet straps across the body as a means of restraint!
Having done two body lifts I wouldn't even consider trying to move a body shell unsupported. You will either need a forklift and the damage that will entail or a team of at least 8 people at each end of the journey. You can statically lift the body with two engine hoists but there is no way you could move it like that. The only place I could find to support a shell without damaging the sills was under the wheel arches and there is no safe way to do that on a trailer.
A Cerbera shell dolly is called a chassis! To move it any other way you would need to fabricate something like the dollies the factory used.
For me, unless you can put the body back onto the chassis before transport, it would be an irrevocable deal breaker.
A Cerbera shell dolly is called a chassis! To move it any other way you would need to fabricate something like the dollies the factory used.
For me, unless you can put the body back onto the chassis before transport, it would be an irrevocable deal breaker.
Edited by Tanguero on Saturday 30th March 01:03
Thanks Tang.
Appreciate the voice of experience.
I think we're going to have to drop the shell back onto the bare chassis, attach that to one of those e-bay wheeled shell dollies and then load the assembly onto a transporter!
As the chassis would also need to be transported anyway this actually makes good logisitical sense as well.
Appreciate the voice of experience.
I think we're going to have to drop the shell back onto the bare chassis, attach that to one of those e-bay wheeled shell dollies and then load the assembly onto a transporter!
As the chassis would also need to be transported anyway this actually makes good logisitical sense as well.
Tacchino said:
Thanks Tang.
Appreciate the voice of experience.
I think we're going to have to drop the shell back onto the bare chassis, attach that to one of those e-bay wheeled shell dollies and then load the assembly onto a transporter!
As the chassis would also need to be transported anyway this actually makes good logisitical sense as well.
That would definitely be the way I would do it if I had to do it. If you just put the sill bolts in once the body is back on that should be plenty to hold them together and would be easy enough to get out again. Just be careful shifting it around on dollies - they work brilliantly but it is surprisingly easy to push the car off them.Appreciate the voice of experience.
I think we're going to have to drop the shell back onto the bare chassis, attach that to one of those e-bay wheeled shell dollies and then load the assembly onto a transporter!
As the chassis would also need to be transported anyway this actually makes good logisitical sense as well.
I was looking at one of these ones ... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHELL-DOLLY-MOVER-TRANSP...
Firmly strap the chassis to the dolly beams and transporter.
Load / unload shouldn't be too troublesome.
Firmly strap the chassis to the dolly beams and transporter.
Load / unload shouldn't be too troublesome.
Getting serious;) That looks like a good solution... Fibre glass structure is fairly robust but I wouldn't move the body unsupported. Putting it back on the chassis is the obvious solution. I'm certainly around to help & I'm sure we can muster a few more bodies if needed
After I've seen it tomorrow should have a better idea what state its in, I'll take lots of pics and send them to you..... Fairly soon you'll have to be careful you dont start mixing up all your different kits of parts
After I've seen it tomorrow should have a better idea what state its in, I'll take lots of pics and send them to you..... Fairly soon you'll have to be careful you dont start mixing up all your different kits of parts
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