Suggestions for Mechanic's Lift

I agree that I don't need a ton of detail, but I'm really looking for a photo that shows me the shape and size. 

 Meaning -- is the lift an "H" shape" or does it have multiple cross arms?  Also, how wide are all the "beams" and the thickness of the pole?  How long is the overall lift?

 Overall, I won't need detail per say, but I do want the lift to "look" right.  I plan to put this pretty close to an aisle, so I'm expecting people will try to see all the detail in side.

Most single post lifts were the H shaped type with two tracks/rails you drove the tires onto. All the posts I ever saw were 12 to 15 inces in diameter.  Most frame lifts were 2 post affairs, with each lift post having a T-shaped top that could be  adjusted for width. One of the lift posts (usually the front) could be slid forward and back so it could be adjusted for different wheelbases. Most gas stations had the H type, since it was the simplest and worked fine for lubes and oil changes. The 2 post type were used in shops that did a lot of work on the wheels...tire shops/brake shops/ect. since it's obviously hard to pull the wheels off when they're setting in the rails. I think most gas stations just did this type of work on the ground, one wheel at a time...at least back in the 40's.  So back to your other size questions...the rails were about 1 foot wide (about twice the width of a tire) and about the length of your average car . I think most had 3 cross members.....a heavy one in the middle that the ram attatched to (usually a little wider than the ram), and a smaller one at each end just to prevent any twisting.

......is that many gas/service stations had grease pits instead of lifts.  These stations were more limited as to what they could do when compared to a station that had a lift.  In the late 40's and early 50's, as a preteen/teen kid I worked in both types of stations doing lube jobs.  As I recall it, most of the single post lifts were chassis lifts. (Of course I am a septogenarian and my memory may not be as flawless as it once was.)

Who remembers fender skirts on the late 40's Fords and Chevys?

Have fun.

Moose

For construction suggestions, I'd use some Plastruct 'I'-Beam (BFS-2), two pieces cut to an appropriate length (maybe ¾")... Bridge them in the middle with some 5/32x.020" (MS-213) at the top flange... add some cross-members made from round rod (MR-025)... glue this assemble on to of a larger stick of rod (MR-100) for the ram...

They had a safety pole that was pivoted next to the ram, laying parallel to the rails, and as it raised would swing into a vertical position next to the ram (as seen in the images on the page I previously linked to)... this could be a piece of thin rod (MR-15), if you planned on having it in the raised position.

I was experimenting tonight, and I think I found a good method for making the rails.

The service station I'm doing already has a pit cut into the floor, so I'm doing a chasis lift in the next bay for free-wheel services.

I found this on web site that talked about vintage gas stations and the example they used had a pit and a chasis lift.  So that's what I'll do. 

I tried the Plastruct I-beam, but using those in an application like this still always looks like a Plastruct I-beam to me.  So instead, I used two Evergreen channels placed back to back.  This make a more solid looking beam with smaller (thinner) top and bottom, making the "I" of this new I-beam.  It looks a lot more in scale for the rail. 

 I'll make some more progress and see how it goes.

 

I see.  I don't have those then.  Only the clunky ones.  I'll have to look for the Fine series.  Didn't even know they existed!