Yet another Frame off Started
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
Yet another Frame off Started
Well I have been enjoying all the excellent posts submitted over the summer and am amazed at the in depth technical knowledge on this forum.
The time has come for me to start on my 73 L82 4Speed restoration. I will try and post some pics as I go along.
This is what motivated me to get started!
The time has come for me to start on my 73 L82 4Speed restoration. I will try and post some pics as I go along.
This is what motivated me to get started!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,848
Likes: 0
From: Beacon NY
First thing first, I think you need to post some "before" pictures!
What are your restoration plans? Engine rebuild, tranny rebuild/swap,...?
Good luck and be sure to take lots of pictures (especially of the engine before, it can be confusing figuring out where and how to route all the wiring and vacuum lines a year+ from now), lots of notes, and bag and lable everything that comes off the car! Also, the assembly manual is probably a good investment (if you don't already have one).
Even if you don't know what you are doing (like me) you can have the whole car taken apart in about a month. The rest of the time you'll be asking yourself "why the hell did I do this" as you attempt to figure out how to put it back together!
Goog luck!
What are your restoration plans? Engine rebuild, tranny rebuild/swap,...?
Good luck and be sure to take lots of pictures (especially of the engine before, it can be confusing figuring out where and how to route all the wiring and vacuum lines a year+ from now), lots of notes, and bag and lable everything that comes off the car! Also, the assembly manual is probably a good investment (if you don't already have one).
Even if you don't know what you are doing (like me) you can have the whole car taken apart in about a month. The rest of the time you'll be asking yourself "why the hell did I do this" as you attempt to figure out how to put it back together!
Goog luck!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
Just mark everything and take lots of pictures
My first stop was for ziplock freezer bags and my digital camera.
The car is mostly original with 131,000 on it and had the motor rebuilt about 13,k ago. It could probably be classified as a 20 footer. Spent the last 15 years or so in storage and came with many of the repair reciepts. has the usual vette issues such as rear bearings and rusty frame.
Plan for this year is to get the body off and restore the chassis, drive the car next summer while I replenish the bank account then do body and interior next winter. Want to enjoy it while I can and not have parts in boxes for 5-10 years
Here is a before..
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 57
From: Mundelein Illinois
You have to move south, way to early to be looking at that stuff. Even in Chicago we don't see that till December and it useually melts in a week.
We want lots of pics
Good luck, and don't let the wife see the credit card statement.
We want lots of pics
Good luck, and don't let the wife see the credit card statement.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
Originally Posted by tfi racing
Wasn't that pleasant to wake up to this morning?Good thing I left the vette in the garage this weekend!
I'm glad it's snowing up there. I'll be coming out to Fernie Mt. to ski in February. Sure shortens the Vette season though.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
Nice project hope your garage is heated. The good thing is you can make room in the garage by storing the beer in the snow while you work.
Nice looking 73 you have there. I like the grills painted silver
We want lots of pics
Good luck, and don't let the wife see the credit card statement.
Good luck, and don't let the wife see the credit card statement.
looking pretty crusty underneath, should be good for a few hours at the sandblasters
Guess the kids inheritance will be smaller than expected!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,848
Likes: 0
From: Beacon NY
Originally Posted by hwcoop
Will post some pics as I get it further apart.....as expected the rubber body mounts just crumbled. 1,2,3 on pass side came out no problem #4 had to be cut, hope for same results on drivers side.
looking pretty crusty underneath, should be good for a few hours at the sandblasters
Guess the kids inheritance will be smaller than expected!
looking pretty crusty underneath, should be good for a few hours at the sandblasters
Guess the kids inheritance will be smaller than expected!
I got lucky when it came to removing my body mounts. I only had to cut one of the #4 body mounts and the rest came out with only a mild ammount of wrestling. Its amazing how much easier it is to install nice shiny new bolts than to remove old rotten ones!
As far as the kids inheritance goes, at least they'll get an awesome car from you several decades from now! Tell that to them then get them out to the garage to degrease the body and frame for you!!
Degreasing and cleaning the body and frame is the hardest and most time consuming part of the project.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
Well after reading , thinking and Planning about it for the summer I finally got it done. Thanks to the excellent posts and the body off checklist posted on the forum there were no real problems to speak of.
The only real snag was removing the shroud and radiator, I ended up loosening up the rad support and snapping a pile of bolts in the process so that I could only put it in with a bolt on each side. That is why you don't see a strap supporting the front on the body lift, didn't want to take the chance of ripping things apart.
Looks like I will have a busy winter ahead stripping, blasting, welding and reassembly. Going to keep things pretty basic...poly bushings, headers, new springs,shocks, 255-60-15 BFG etc...just want a nice reliable, numbers matching cruiser...Not ncrs.
Don't you just love the sound of creaking fiberglass as you toy hangs from a few straps!!
My son and his friends were handy to have around to support the front. When it goes back on I will have a front strap
Sure makes it a lot easier to rebuild this way....I just could not imagine
trying to work on some of this with the body on
Pretty much sums up this picture
Many thanks to Collectskulls for use of the body dolly and lift straps!
Still decent room to move around and work on things
The only real snag was removing the shroud and radiator, I ended up loosening up the rad support and snapping a pile of bolts in the process so that I could only put it in with a bolt on each side. That is why you don't see a strap supporting the front on the body lift, didn't want to take the chance of ripping things apart.
Looks like I will have a busy winter ahead stripping, blasting, welding and reassembly. Going to keep things pretty basic...poly bushings, headers, new springs,shocks, 255-60-15 BFG etc...just want a nice reliable, numbers matching cruiser...Not ncrs.
Don't you just love the sound of creaking fiberglass as you toy hangs from a few straps!!
My son and his friends were handy to have around to support the front. When it goes back on I will have a front strap
Sure makes it a lot easier to rebuild this way....I just could not imagine
trying to work on some of this with the body on
Pretty much sums up this pictureMany thanks to Collectskulls for use of the body dolly and lift straps!
Still decent room to move around and work on things
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
wheres the snow?....
Unfortunately it can work the other way around too when the Chinook leaves.
http://www.mountainnature.com/Climate/Chinook.htm
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
I like the shot of the woman in the doorway waiting for disaster to strike.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Originally Posted by hwcoop
When it goes back on I will have a front strap
