<VV> Jacks/ ramps /BMW parts?

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/30/2005 8:59:42 AM Pacific Daylight Time,  
kaczmarek at charter.net writes:


The  tip that I believe Tom said about driving up on a couple boards to 
increase  clearance for the floor jack is one I have often used. However, I also 
have a  set of ramps that I use to drive the front end of the car up on, and 
then  remove the incline portion when I am doing a job where the tires can stay 
on  the car. 
Hank



One further ramp note. If you have a lowered Corvair - You have a car that  
resembles the front of my Corvette - at least in body clearance ahead of the  
front wheels. When trying to get the front of the Vette up high enough to 
change  sway bars - I just can't leave anything alone - I noted that the commonly  
available plastic ramps have too steep an approach for the low cars.  I  found 
that a single 2 x 4 across the ramp - just ahead of the incline - raises  the 
front of the car (when the wheels climb it) just enough to allow the body to  
clear the ramp. The plastic ramps do have one nice feature, a long  flat 
panel ahead of the incline. That makes it tough to push them across the  driveway 
trying to climb up - a good thing! 
Another motor mount note. If you have replaced the stock-type motor mounts  
with the solid mounts which have been available over the years from several  
sources - or even if you made your own. You can just about lift the car by  
anything you want. I have for years.
 
And another jacking point note. The trucking industry has standardized the  
hold-down points on new cars for years. All new cars have to accept the 
standard  T-shaped restraints, in order to be trucked around to dealers. My Corvette 
is  extremely fragile underneath, making the jacking points important. Several 
 Corvette dealers sell  ($$$) jacking blocks designed to snap or bolt  into 
the pre-ordained slots in the frame, thus allowing you to jack the car  without 
damage. Before I bought a set of these, I talked with a friend who  pointed 
out the commonality of the slots and let me know that a set of plastic  snap-in 
parts from a BMW parts supplier would work for about 1/3 the price. That  is 
what I bought for my Corvette. While sliding under my 65 Corsa for the  
hundredth time before Portland, I noticed that the Corvair has the same slots  
punched into the front subframe on either side. In the rear of the Vair, the  slots 
are recessed into that triangular shaped area often suggested as a  jackstand 
location. The slot is so recessed that I don't think the snap in  piece will 
fit, But something else could be made to fit in there, or the pads  could be 
modified to clear. Leaving the plastic snap-in parts in place on  the front 
would allow a non-contact (with the underside paint) lifting  point for show 
cars, etc. If you want more info on the pads (About $30 for  five of them, as I 
recall) let me know. - Seth  Emerson