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Low cost engine dolly

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:47 pm
by pfarber
I got the plans for a wooden engine dolly off the net:

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/engine_dolly.html

I bought enough materials to make two (I have 3 chevys and two working motors to deal with)

Hardware:
Screws TSC $5
Casters Harbor Freight $15
Wood Lowes $24 (I chose pressure treated lumber as its cheaper) 1 4x4x8 2 4x6x8

So the total for two engine dollys was a grand total $45

The only thing I changed from the plans was the 3 1/2 inch cut for the side support. My table was only raised the blade to 3 1/4 inches. It made no effect in the final dolly.

szP9100162.jpg

Wood cut to length.

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Notch gang cut on vertical supports

szP9100164.jpg

This was the 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 notch that I cut to 3 1/4 x 3 1/4

szP9100165.jpg

Screwed together with 4 swivel casters

szP9100166.jpg

Engine in sling, dolly in place

szP9100167.jpg

Then end result.

Its a good fit... the casters make moving it easy on concrete... its pretty stable.

Not bad for $25 in parts.

I did cut the other dolly's wood but did not assemble it not knowing if I would need to make and changes.

I am going to modify it as needed for the massive 270 from my CCKW.

Re: Low cost engine dolly

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:53 pm
by pfarber
I used 1/4 inch screws (1/4 x 3 and 1/4 x 1 1/2) for the 3 inch screws you must predrill... a lot of the screws are very close to the edges and you will crack the wood of you try to just screw them in.

I did not predrill the 1/4 x 1 1/2 screws for the casters

Re: Low cost engine dolly

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:05 pm
by retro-roco
Paul,

I've also built an engine dolly using that same plan. It works great. I also built a cab dolly, again using plans from Stovebolt. I seem to remember modifying the plan a little, to beef it up. The first cab dolly I built was destroyed being towed onto the trailer when my truck was being loaded for the trip to Illinois.