Restoring or repairing your vehicle on your own can be both a challenging and rewarding experience. However, you need the proper equipment to do quality work, and this usually includes an auto body cart to hold your frame. There are different styles of auto body carts and each style can accommodate large and small projects. Although this type of equipment can be quite expensive, with the right tools and skills, you can construct a simple auto body cart for a fraction of the retail cost.
Determine the dimensions you need for your auto body cart based on your project. Traditionally the dimensions range between 48 inches by 48 inches to 65 inches by 65 inches. Measure the steel according to your dimensions (two pieces for the length and two pieces for the width). Mark the measurements with a permanent marker.
Cut each piece of steel to desired length with a hacksaw, cold saw, or jig saw equipped with a metal cutting blade. For safety reasons, wear safety glasses while cutting the metal.
Measure and cut four 24 inch pieces of steel.
Arrange the first four pieces of steel you cut into a square or rectangular shape depending on your dimensions. Clamp the corners together using large clamps or vices to hold the shape.
If you wish to build an I-shaped auto body cart, use one of the length pieces and the two width pieces to form an I shape. Clamp the pieces together.
Weld the steel pieces at the joints using an Arc or MIG welder. This is the base. Inspect each weld to make sure they are solid. Remove the clamps or vices when the welds have cooled.
Clamp a 24 inch steel piece to the top of each corner of the square frame you just welded. For the I-shaped cart, attach the 24 inch steel pieces to the top of each of the four ends.
Weld the 24 inch posts to each corner or end of the frame. These are the mounting posts that will hold up the vehicle.
Weld a u-shaped steel bracket to the top of each of the 24 inch posts. Position them so that they are parallel to the frame. These brackets can hold and attach to the vehicle being placed on the cart.
Flip the frame over. Weld a caster to the bottom of each corner or end. This will allow the cart to easily move around the work area.
