Trunk trailer >cutting rockers, etc. sawsall, how hard?

[Jonk67]

Hey all, I guess the body section is the best place to ask. Looks like I'll be picking up this rusted shell next weekend to turn into a trunk trailer like Tarafied Craig:





 but it's 3hrs. from my house and I have a 4'X8' trailer to haul it on. I'd rather not bring back the rusted front half of this '68 6cyl. I plan to cut it at the upper windshield posts and across the floor just in front of the door jambs/rear frame.

Here's the big problem, it's at a storage facility where I won't have access to electricity, I can rent a sawsall but I gotta power it. I have a gas generator I could lug along but it's not small. Would a 1000W-1200W voltage inverter like ths

 hooked to the car battery with it running be enough to power a sawsall that takes say 800w?

The guy has a batt. powered sawsall but once it runs out I'm screwed. How long will it take to cut through the rockers which should be the thickest part right? Is there a more appropriate tool like a circular saw with a metal blade?

I plan to dump the front end and the 7.5" rear end at a JY 5 mi. from the storage unit so the trunk will fit on my trailer over the wheel wells. Should be light enough and short enough (measured ~6ft. long on my car).
Thanks, Jon

[daveSanborn]

a storage facility where I won't have access to electricity

There's got to be electricity somewhere at the facility.... intead of finding ways to work without electricity, I'd try and find out where the elctricity is.

[Fast68back]

Dont the units have light bulbs?




http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-40616/Detail

[SELLERSRODSHOP]

i've got a sawzall you can use, no sense in renting one... i think i have one of those light bulb adapters too. i'll check later & let you know...

[Jonk67]

Thanks guys, I'll have to run out to your place Fri. evening Steve if I borrow the sawsall. I can buy one of those adapters at HD, can't be much.
I'll email the guy and make sure he's still got the storage unit and that it has a bulb (it's KY so who knows :craz

Jon

[Waffles]

The storage unit I had when we were in our apt had NO lightbulbs... just sayin.

[lethal289]

Lennox's new blade they have been able to  cut a car in half in 2 minutes.  A good cordless dewalt saw and a couple batteries, you should have no problems,  Maybe use a couple new blades just to be quicker.

[Jonk67]

I'll look for the Lennox blades, got a reply from the seller about any electricity at the unit "There is no power at all, no plugs, lights or outlets" so it looks like rechargeable or I haul the generator with me. Any ideas if the power inverter would work or not?
Thanks, Jon

[Shrinkdude]

Use the generator to recharge the batteries of the sawzall?

[AzPete]

Find an RV to take in.....all the power you need....plus A/C.

[Jonk67]

I'm also on a time limit, it will be Sat. and the JY there that will buy the scrap closes at noon and I'm 3 hrs. away to start. So even if I leave at 5am and get there at 8am I've only got a couple hours to get it cut and take anything else off I want then haul the front clip to the JY before noon. So I won't have time to wait for a spare batt. to charge. If I bring the generator I'll just use a plug in sawsall.

I've got to empty my shed to get to the generator and I haven't started it in 4yrs. so I may have to test run it too. I've got to get everything loaded and ready Fri. night when I get home to leave out early Sat. to get this done, the wifes planning a dinner out with relatives and I simply said I've got to pick something up that will take a few hours past lunch....

Hopefully I can sneak it into the backyard when she's not home. Luckily it'll fit behind my shed and she never goes back there, gotta figure out how to keep the 11yo from ratting me out when she finds it...?

Thanks Pete, where do I pick up your RV?
Jon

[AzPete]

Thanks Pete, where do I pick up your RV?
Jon

About 8 hours south....you will never make your schedule.

To bad there is not a way to get the car to the junk yard first, then cut it there.

[Jonk67]

I'm already 8hrs. south in Jackson MS this week I could meet you and swap
Is there a safe way to hook up an inverter to my '05 Escape without damaging the eletronics (like directly to the batt. with the truck running? or ?). I figure it wouldn't hurt to have that as a back up if we run out of batt. power for the rechargeable sawsall. I'm going to see if I can rent extra batt./charger once the seller lets me know the brand of his sawsall.

I thought about that but then I'd need something to tow it with to keep it from weaving all over the road, etc. and it's 5mi. to the JY so I'd have to worry about not getting caught or swinging it into a ditch.

Once it's in 2 pcs. I have a 4'X8'(+neck length) flat tilt trailer with hand winch (old flat boat trailer) to crank it up on and haul it there. Sell it then return and pick up the trunk which should fit perfect over the wheel covers lining up with the wheel wells to haul back. I'll be dumping the 7.5" rear to the JY also so it won't be in my way.
Jon

[AzPete]

I used to run a small inverter in my '01 F150. I used it for computers and other fun things while traveling. Wife would get bored because I would drive forever. Never had any problems and I never used it when the engine was not running. The ones I had plugged into an acc. plug.

[Jonk67]

Ok, guess I'll just get a loose acc. male plug to wire to the inverter, guess that's the safest way since it's fused and the inverter is fused. I just wonder if the acc. plug would get hot but I guess the fuse would kick in then.
Jon

[AzPete]

Check the demand you will have plus the fused rating of you acc. plug. If your load is to much, going straight to the battery may be better. Always could take an extra car battery, use jumper cables to keep it charged, and run the inverter off of that. Might put a layer of protection for the vehicle.

[jims6t6]

Use the generator to recharge the batteries of the sawzall?

Would be a lot easier to use the inverter

[jims6t6]

Check the demand you will have plus the fused rating of you acc. plug. If your load is to much, going straight to the battery may be better. Always could take an extra car battery, use jumper cables to keep it charged, and run the inverter off of that. Might put a layer of protection for the vehicle.

If the saws-all will run on the power the inverter has I would definitely connect the inverter to the battery.

[daveSanborn]

I'm also on a time limit, it will be Sat. and the JY there that will buy the scrap closes at noon

I hope you're not expecting that 45 years since last installed 7.5 rearend to come off easily/quickly.

So your plan is to load half of a 14x6' car onto a single axle 4x8' garden trailer..... and then remove the rearend.... and then fit the rearend onto the trailer with the car.... and then get the rearend to the junkyard by noon.

Good luck.

[70_Fastback]

I hope you're not expecting that 45 years since last installed 7.5 rearend to come off easily/quickly.

So your plan is to load half of a 14x6' car onto a single axle 4x8' garden trailer..... and then remove the rearend.... and then fit the rearend onto the trailer with the car.... and then get the rearend to the junkyard by noon.

Good luck.

 :WOP

[AtlantaSteve]

Most ACC ports are rated at about 30 Amps.  That's 360 watts(assuming ideal conditions).  You're not going to get more energy out than you can put in, regardless of inverter size.  Your only chance of getting the inverter to work is powering it right from the battery.   Even then at 1200w you're pulling 100Amps (Actually a little less since a car usually produces 14-15 volts)   

To be frank, I think you're biting of a LOT to chew in a few hours time.   I wish you luck. If I was in spitting distance I'd be there to help (at least to see what happens!) 

The car stripped like that should be very light weight, and you're only going 5 miles with the full car.  It might be worth renting a bigger trailer.  Of course, UHaul probably won't rent you one to tug behind an escape.

[AzPete]

The more I read this, the more I wonder if an cutting torch would be better. Plus a fire ext. Maybe you should just take it all home to have time and not rush. Things go wrong that way. What happens if the junk yard closes before you get done? Another trip to dospose of things or paying someone....... Think things thru real good.

[lethal289]

look for a scrap guy in the area. Im sure theres adds on the local craigslist (where the car is) asking for scrap metal, and have him meet you there with a torch, generator, what ever it takes to get the job done.  For the trouble he goes through to help cut it up, he can have the parts you dont need or wont fit on your trailer.  Just a thought.  It may work out to an extra set of hands, and save a trip to / from the junk yard.

[scedd]

Remember the golden rule of Murphy's Law - If something can go wrong it will.
You are looking at (short amount of time + lack of power + small trailer = ? consequences)
Expect the worst - You will never be disappointed.

[Shrinkdude]

Too bad you don't want to tow it back home, it would be easier to cut up then and also you could sell some of the parts off of it before taking it to the junkyard.