Neccessity is the mother of invention!!!

I don't have the luxury of a truckin' buddy around to help me flip my 50 f1 frame, so I've devised a way to do it myself. I finished welding the top and bottom portions of my crossmember kit and needed to tackle the sides. (Ya, it's possible to weld vertically, but I am not that good yet.) My frame was sitting flat on my jackstand-pallet-mobile.

So I took a 2x4 and cut it long enough so that when you stick it into the c frame it protrudes past the running board supports on the opposite sides. Then I attached a length of 2x4 at the free end, perpindicular to the first board. I used 3" long wood screws everywhere to make darn sure it will hold! Then a support was attached to both sides of the joint. I built a second "L" shaped 2x4 the same way. One is placed at each end of the frame with the bottom leg of the "L" pointing up. I tied some bailing wire from the frame to the "L" corner braces, so that they would move with the frame.

Then I removed the jack stands on the side of the "L" support base and allowed that side of the frame to sit on the floor. I propped the other side of the frame off the jackstand-pallet-mobile and removed the pallet & jackstands. As I walked the frame towards me, I tilted my side up so that eventually the "L" supports were sitting on the garage floor right side up and hence holding up my frame. It really did not take much effort. It is more of a balancing act to get the "L" supports and frame perpindicular to the floor.

After it was standing up I clamped a brace on each side of the frame extending it to the floor to help keep it steady. I also used jackstands and 2x4 pieces at the front and rear of the frame to help keep it steady and to take some of the load off the 2x4 "L" supports.

It probably makes more sense if you see the pictures below.....


Showing lower portion:



Showing whole frame on side:




Keep in mind this is only temporary. I finished welding one side of the spring cup supports today and will flip it and finish the other side tomorrow. Then the frame will be sitting flat and right side up again. I hope this helps others with the same predicament.

A bonus is that I was able to better reach an inside corner of my Fatman MII crossmember and put down a good solid weld bead. I will do the same for the other side tomorrow, after I flip the frame.

 

All done. I flipped the frame to the opposite side and finished welding the spring cup supports and crossmember corners. Now the frame is sitting back on my jackstand-pallet-mobile ready for some MII parts to be bolted on.

The 2x4 "L" supports worked great! Note; make sure you use 2x4s with the least amount of knots and flaws!