Page 3: Corvette Work in the Garage
- Working in the Garage -
This is a picture of the oil being changed using the Snap-On Mid-Level lift on the C5 Corvette. This lift works great for most of the work we do.
The lift is from Snap-On and is a model EELR300A. It's made by Wheeltronics which is connected to Snap-On and is available from your Snap-On dealer. It's cost can vary from one dealer to another but is in the range of $2,500 -$2,800 depending on shipping, taxes, etc. Here is a link to their web site: http://www.wheeltronic.com/ This is the maker of the lift but it is sold here through Snap-On. This will give you a picture and specs. for the lift.
This one has several advantages including not getting in the way such as some others can. It is heavy but portable so it can be moved as needed. It also just fits under a stock height C5 but if you plan on lowering your car it might not. You have about 3/4" clearance from the lowest point of the car if you back over the lift to clear the front air dam. I back on to avoid hitting the front spoiler. The highest point on the lift is the lifting unit which is 4&3/4" high. You should take a measurement of the lowest point at the center of your car to make sure you will clear okay. I made a 4 &3/4" gauge out of wood with a short handle to place under the car to make taking the measurement easier. When delivered you also have to take into account that you have to unload the unit and it weights about 1,000 pounds. It comes on a wooden pallet and you have to get it off that. My wife and son helped and we unloaded it okay. Once off the pallet it will roll as it has wheels on the rear and the power unit also has wheels with a handle to move it around.
One great feature is that it leaves the wheels off the ground so it is good for changing tires, oil, and polishing. It raises the car about 37" off the floor so it is at a good height for most work but you can't walk under it like you could with a four post unit and you don't have unencumbered access to the middle area under the car.
Each garage lift has their own pros and cons. For most of the work that I use it for it works well. None of the lifts are what you would call inexpensive and I would be leery of anything that was. I wouldn't take a chance with something that heavy over your head. I may get a four post lift later to use for storage of one car above and one below so, if storage is a consideration, you might want to consider that aspect. The four post units don't leave you access to remove the tires, since they sit on the ramps, unless you use a separate rail and jacks. You also need sufficient ceiling clearance to raise the car completely. It boils down to getting one that is safe to use, fits the garage dimensions you have and that suits the kind of work you will be doing.
There are several manufacturers of four post lifts including Auto Lifters, Superior Lifts, Back Yard Buddy, Double Park, etc. so you might want to check them all out before buying. One low cost unit is the Quicklift which is much less expensive but you need to use a floor jack to lift it. It is good for doing oil changes but limited in other ways. You might want to check them out also. Here are some addresses to other lift companies: http://www.autolifters.com/ ; http://www.superlifts.com./ ; http://www.doublepark.net/ ; http://www.backyard-buddy.com/ ;http://www.kwiklift.com/ These will give you an idea of some of the other equipment out there. With any lift evaluating it's inherent design quality, construction, safety features and installation requirements are key points to consider. Also, check to see if they have been certified by an independant source using ANSI rating standards and look for feedback from those that have them.
This unit did not require any special preparation but I did place stainless steel plates under the front and rear to protect the tile on the floor. On cement you wouldn't have to do that. It is an electric/hydraulic unit and I run it from a 20amp line. Overall it's proven to be very useful and has turned into one of those pieces of equipment that you wonder how you ever got along without it.
The lift is from Snap-On and is a model EELR300A. It's made by Wheeltronics which is connected to Snap-On and is available from your Snap-On dealer. It's cost can vary from one dealer to another but is in the range of $2,500 -$2,800 depending on shipping, taxes, etc. Here is a link to their web site: http://www.wheeltronic.com/ This is the maker of the lift but it is sold here through Snap-On. This will give you a picture and specs. for the lift.
This one has several advantages including not getting in the way such as some others can. It is heavy but portable so it can be moved as needed. It also just fits under a stock height C5 but if you plan on lowering your car it might not. You have about 3/4" clearance from the lowest point of the car if you back over the lift to clear the front air dam. I back on to avoid hitting the front spoiler. The highest point on the lift is the lifting unit which is 4&3/4" high. You should take a measurement of the lowest point at the center of your car to make sure you will clear okay. I made a 4 &3/4" gauge out of wood with a short handle to place under the car to make taking the measurement easier. When delivered you also have to take into account that you have to unload the unit and it weights about 1,000 pounds. It comes on a wooden pallet and you have to get it off that. My wife and son helped and we unloaded it okay. Once off the pallet it will roll as it has wheels on the rear and the power unit also has wheels with a handle to move it around.
One great feature is that it leaves the wheels off the ground so it is good for changing tires, oil, and polishing. It raises the car about 37" off the floor so it is at a good height for most work but you can't walk under it like you could with a four post unit and you don't have unencumbered access to the middle area under the car.
Each garage lift has their own pros and cons. For most of the work that I use it for it works well. None of the lifts are what you would call inexpensive and I would be leery of anything that was. I wouldn't take a chance with something that heavy over your head. I may get a four post lift later to use for storage of one car above and one below so, if storage is a consideration, you might want to consider that aspect. The four post units don't leave you access to remove the tires, since they sit on the ramps, unless you use a separate rail and jacks. You also need sufficient ceiling clearance to raise the car completely. It boils down to getting one that is safe to use, fits the garage dimensions you have and that suits the kind of work you will be doing.
There are several manufacturers of four post lifts including Auto Lifters, Superior Lifts, Back Yard Buddy, Double Park, etc. so you might want to check them all out before buying. One low cost unit is the Quicklift which is much less expensive but you need to use a floor jack to lift it. It is good for doing oil changes but limited in other ways. You might want to check them out also. Here are some addresses to other lift companies: http://www.autolifters.com/ ; http://www.superlifts.com./ ; http://www.doublepark.net/ ; http://www.backyard-buddy.com/ ;http://www.kwiklift.com/ These will give you an idea of some of the other equipment out there. With any lift evaluating it's inherent design quality, construction, safety features and installation requirements are key points to consider. Also, check to see if they have been certified by an independant source using ANSI rating standards and look for feedback from those that have them.
This unit did not require any special preparation but I did place stainless steel plates under the front and rear to protect the tile on the floor. On cement you wouldn't have to do that. It is an electric/hydraulic unit and I run it from a 20amp line. Overall it's proven to be very useful and has turned into one of those pieces of equipment that you wonder how you ever got along without it.
This is a picture of the 62 Vette chassis being converted to work with a new parking brake assembly to match up with the new rear disc brakes. Along side is my devoted "chief mechanic's helper" who is supervising the work!
This is the final polishing of the 62 prior to applying the Zaino ZFX polish. From past experience this is a job that can make a real mess of things. We taped the areas on the car to avoid getting the polish dust from the recessed areas and covered the other cars and walls with plastic to keep the splatter down to a minumum.
This picture was taken while work was being done to the cooling system on the 67 and detailing of the chassis was underway on the 62.