Rotisserie Restoration

Rotisserie restoration involves complete body separation, mounting on a rotating frame jig, and working on the body shell independently from all running gear.

Process:

Separation phase:

1. Strip car completely (engine, suspension, interior, glass)

1. Unbolt body from front subframe (K-member)

1. Unbolt body from rear frame rails

1. Lift body off substructures

1. Mount body on rotisserie jig (bolts to frame mounting points)

Restoration phase:

1. Rotate body to any angle (upside-down for floor work)

1. Complete rust repair with perfect access

1. Bodywork and panel alignment on jig

1. Paint body separately (360-degree overspray control)

1. Detail undercarriage to show/concours standards

Reassembly phase:

1. Remove body from rotisserie

1. Bolt body back to frame/substructures

1. Install drivetrain, suspension, interior

1. Final assembly and testing

Advantages:

• Perfect access to all body surfaces

• Comfortable working position (standing, not laying)

• Easier rust repair (welding downward vs upward)

• Factory-correct undercoating/overspray possible

• Can use body jig for alignment correction

Disadvantages:

• Expensive ($10,000-$30,000 additional cost)

• Time-consuming (adds 6-12 months)

• Requires specialized equipment and shop

• Risk of misalignment during reassembly

• Overkill for most restorations

I've seen rotisserie restorations in progress. The access is incredible—welding floor pans while standing comfortably, reaching every torque box and frame rail easily, applying undercoating to a perfectly clean surface rotated to horizontal. It's restoration on easy mode. But watching the shop bill climb from $60,000 to $95,000, I'm glad I did frame-on.

Rotisserie is the gold standard for concours restorations and severe rust repairs, but overkill for most builds.

When rotisserie makes sense:

• Concours restoration (factory-correct undercarriage required)

• Severe structural rust (entire floor replacement)

• Frame damage requiring jig alignment

• Budget over $100,000 (cost difference less significant)

• Ultra-rare car (Shelby, Boss, 428 CJ)

• Want absolutely perfect undercarriage detailing

When frame-on is sufficient:

• Show quality build (90% of restorations)

• Driver quality build

• Moderate rust repair (patch panels)

• Budget under $80,000

• Want reasonable timeline (12-18 months vs 24-36 months)

The cost-benefit reality:

Rotisserie costs $15,000-$30,000 more and takes 6-12 months longer. You get:

• Easier access (more comfortable)

• Better rust repair (perfect access)

• Perfect undercarriage (concours-level)

Is that worth the premium? Only for top-tier builds.