Usually when I'm working on the datsun and need to hoist it I grab the
bumper and lift the car enough to get jack stands under it, in case I need
to use both hands on a wrench or something. After all, they're just little
old sports cars, not big and heavy like my truck. Make sure you lift at the
bumper guard and not in the middle of the bumper, so you won't bend it.
Then you can put an engine hoist on it for when lifting by hand is at an
awkward angle. Don't want to strain your back lifting wrong.
I actually did do that with a bugeye Sprite once. I had an empty shell that
I lifted onto jackstands, then added parts by hand until I filled it up.
The block was only a hundred pounds or so, and I put on the head, etc., in
the car. When I got it all assembled, I tried to lift it off the jackstands
and couldn't! My floor jack wouldn't reach the frame because I had set the
stands on their highest settings. I finally had to use both hands to lift
and just kicked the stands out of the way. (actually, I borrowed a bigger
floor jack, but this makes a better story)
I found a neat bit of technology for my lowered roadster. Since I can't get
a jack under the frame rail, I have bought large "lego" stacking blocks from
the camping section of Wal-Mart. They are made to level parked motor homes,
and come 10 to a package. I make a small ramp out of five blocks and put
two ramps where I need them, then drive up the ramps to get the required
ground clearance. The "lego" package is 9" square and 11" deep. You can
use them on tandem axle trailers in place of a jack, which was my first use
for them, but I have since found other uses.
The dates for the TDROC events are as follows: Schumann mini-meet on
September 8th (Saturday) in New Braunfels, and on November 10th and 11th
(Saturday and Sunday) the tenth-anniversary meet at Kerrville. We had over
thirty cars at Kerrville when our club was new, and we would like to have
that many or more for the tenth anniversary, so plan to come. Do the
Saturday events if you don't want to stay the whole time, and if it's
impossible to bring a roadster, bring something else to drive. On the very
first event I drove an Escort station wagon. I will hide an old Datsun in a
storage unit and pretend it's a rare "lightweight" that's just been
discovered in someone's estate, and we can auction it off for millions (or
tens) of dollars.
|