Mecum auction 4 post lift failure..

[66Caprice]

Just read this on the H.A.M.B. There was a 4 post lift that failed with a 55' Chevrolet on top of it. Still looking for more information as to which manufacturer it is or just what might have happened. Nobody was hurt but that 55' sure took a hit... Here is the link to the H.A.M.B. thread with pictures...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/4-post-failure.1329694/

 

[Skellyii]

Ouch!!

 

[WordMan]

Yikes.

 

[cvairwerks]

Looks like it was a racking failure. Hard to tell, but looks like it might have been setup on top of the flooring and not directly on the concrete.

 

[beltfeed]

Maybe Mecum can just use a little of their 303 buffout product to fix up that 55. They promote that stuff like it's the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[finn]

One of the hearsay comments was something to the effect that the floor was asphalt, covered with a race deck like product, and the floor gave way under one (or more?) of the posts.

The building does look like a temporary structure with an aluminum frame, albeit an insulated ceiling.

Non of the pictures posted on the Hamb show the bottom of the posts, but it doesn’t appear the locks failed.

 

[larry4406]

sad

 

[PCustoms]

Looks like it was a racking failure. Hard to tell, but looks like it might have been setup on top of the flooring and not directly on the concrete.

How'd the race deck hold up?

 

[csp]

It was a Champion lift. I have a friend who saw it happen. One of Champion's sales guys was lucky enough to only end up in a cast.

 

[66Caprice]

Did he see what or say why it happened? I have read plenty of dumb replies all over the place about this. But nobody has given a reason as to what happened.

 

[Sumboodie]

It was a Champion lift. I have a friend who saw it happen. One of Champion's sales guys was lucky enough to only end up in a cast.

Same outfit that builds air compressors?

 

[racecougar]

Same outfit that builds air compressors?

Negative.


BTW, straight from Champion. I can't fit the whole conversation in one go, but here's the main point:

 

[cvairwerks]

In other words, they failed to follow their own installation requirements and failed to discuss this display with their engineering team...

Wouldn't be surprised if they are not at the next show, and that there is a blanket ban on putting a vehicle on a lift at shows for a while. I imagine that the show/sales group, collectively probably need a trash can sized **** plug after the company lawyers got thru with them.

 

[kbuhagiar]

In other words, they failed to follow their own installation requirements and failed to discuss this display with their engineering team...

Wouldn't be surprised if they are not at the next show, and that there is a blanket ban on putting a vehicle on a lift at shows for a while. I imagine that the show/sales group, collectively probably need a trash can sized **** plug after the company lawyers got thru with them.

Wow, no kidding! And I can't believe that Champion staff are actually discussing the incident in a public forum.

Has Champion released any sort of public statement regarding the incident?

 

[racecougar]

I was surprised that they answered my question as well, but then again, it's likely best to be upfront and honest on their part.

 

[kbuhagiar]

I was surprised that they answered my question as well, but then again, it's likely best to be upfront and honest on their part.

I completely agree, and it's refereshing to see the forthright response, as opposed to them 'lawyering up', lol.

 

[Al G]

This was at Barrett Jackson, not Mecum. I was there this week and could tell by the photos I was in the correct location. There was another lift installed where the failure was. It was a double wide lift with two oversized blocks under the two legs on the side it fell towards. There were no cars on the lift.

 

[racecougar]

This was at Barrett Jackson, not Mecum. I was there this week and could tell by the photos I was in the correct location. There was another lift installed where the failure was. It was a double wide lift with two oversized blocks under the two legs on the side it fell towards. There were no cars on the lift.

Correct. BJ in Phoenix during setup last Wednesday.

 

[Mike007]

Someone is getting their walking papers.

 

[Kaizen]

same reason i hate traveling carneval rides. low paid people moving and constructing over and over. Sad part is i bet BJ washed their hands of the whole thing as i'm sure there is a clause in the contract the owner signed.

 

[racecougar]

same reason i hate traveling carneval rides. low paid people moving and constructing over and over. Sad part is i bet BJ washed their hands of the whole thing as i'm sure there is a clause in the contract the owner signed.

BJ isn't at fault. As Champion stated above (see my screenshot), it was on them.

 

[Skellyii]

same reason i hate traveling carneval rides. low paid people moving and constructing over and over.

When I was a kid whenever the carnival came to town, my dad and my uncles would help them setup, then tear down the rides. It was all cash, no expertise required. When I got old enough, I did the same. The carney folks always had cheap whiskey and "other" things they shared with us.

Of course, I'm old now and that was a long time ago, so I'm SURE that they have higher standards now...

 

[strength_and_power]

When I was a kid whenever the carnival came to town, my dad and my uncles would help them setup, then tear down the rides. It was all cash, no expertise required. When I got old enough, I did the same. The carney folks always had cheap whiskey and "other" things they shared with us.

Of course, I'm old now and that was a long time ago, so I'm SURE that they have higher standards now...

Yeah, the whiskey costs a few bucks more. The rest stays the same.

 

[strength_and_power]

Pretty sure that ‘55 will be rolling across the block passenger side to the crowd

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Not sure what classic Chevy's are bringing these days, but a lot less than a wrongful death suit.

Champion got lucky. They got damn lucky.

 

[Schurkey]

They claim that this was "during set up".

Why is there a car raised-up on the lift, if the lift is not fully "set-up"?

Doesn't make sense. You'd set-up the lift, and THEN raise a car.

Somebody is hiding something.

 

[finn]

They claim that this was "during set up".

Why is there a car raised-up on the lift, if the lift is not fully "set-up"?

Doesn't make sense. You'd set-up the lift, and THEN raise a car.

Somebody is hiding something.

Did you read Champion’s statement?

It’s pretty common to see lift vendors with displays at swap meets, at least in the Midwest.

They are rarely on paved surfaces. Mostly on gravel or grass. Sometimes they bring patio blocks, sometimes not.

Sometimes they have cars on them, sometimes not.

Champion got burned, and they admitted it. They didn’t hide anything.

 

[racecougar]

They claim that this was "during set up".

Why is there a car raised-up on the lift, if the lift is not fully "set-up"?

Doesn't make sense. You'd set-up the lift, and THEN raise a car.

Somebody is hiding something.

It was on setup day.