Birdcage rust Big Deal?
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Birdcage rust Big Deal?
hello,
I have a 69 coupe and its a driver and The body is great, and the interior is great. The frame is rusty but solid, I see so many posts about the birdcage rust... I can't really tell if my birdcage is rusted, I notice rust on my floormat ocasionally.....I'm not sure how bad my birdcage is, but I'm sure it is rusty....But if your not trying to make it a show car and the window post are not collapsing and seem strong..... What's the big deal. I see members discovering a little rust hole at the base of the window posts and tearing the whole car apart to try to repair.
If you are just using the car as a weekend cruiser and it is garaged and will never see the rain again.... and will never see a car show... I say who cares if there is some rust somewhere where I can't see.
I can see if your windshield was obvisoulsly weak and going to colape.... but other than that Am I missing something?
Guess I just don't see what the fuss is for these old driver vettes.
Erin69
I have a 69 coupe and its a driver and The body is great, and the interior is great. The frame is rusty but solid, I see so many posts about the birdcage rust... I can't really tell if my birdcage is rusted, I notice rust on my floormat ocasionally.....I'm not sure how bad my birdcage is, but I'm sure it is rusty....But if your not trying to make it a show car and the window post are not collapsing and seem strong..... What's the big deal. I see members discovering a little rust hole at the base of the window posts and tearing the whole car apart to try to repair.
If you are just using the car as a weekend cruiser and it is garaged and will never see the rain again.... and will never see a car show... I say who cares if there is some rust somewhere where I can't see.
I can see if your windshield was obvisoulsly weak and going to colape.... but other than that Am I missing something?
Guess I just don't see what the fuss is for these old driver vettes.
Erin69
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
Rust
the only problem i have found was when my windshield cracked and they couldn't reattach my new windshield due to so much rust. body shop first tried to do some repair but in the end replace entire windshield frame with new metal. but when i installed speakers in my kick panels i found more rust. but i'm not touching that!!!
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
1. Rust never stops.
I think most do it to protect there investment. And the pease of mind they are driving a sound car. Driving a car with rust damage "birdcage, windshield frame" is a hazzard and very unsafe. If you say you have rust on your carpet, you have a problem. The longer it goes unattended the worse it will get.
I think most do it to protect there investment. And the pease of mind they are driving a sound car. Driving a car with rust damage "birdcage, windshield frame" is a hazzard and very unsafe. If you say you have rust on your carpet, you have a problem. The longer it goes unattended the worse it will get.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 389
Likes: 1
From: West Point Utah
I have been working on my winsheild frame
check out my other post will update
with some more pics, going to have new glass
installed on fri.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1609614
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1598100
check out my other post will update
with some more pics, going to have new glass
installed on fri.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1609614
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1598100
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 13
From: San Angelo TX
1. Rust never stops.
I think most do it to protect there investment. And the pease of mind they are driving a sound car. Driving a car with rust damage "birdcage, windshield frame" is a hazzard and very unsafe. If you say you have rust on your carpet, you have a problem. The longer it goes unattended the worse it will get.
I think most do it to protect there investment. And the pease of mind they are driving a sound car. Driving a car with rust damage "birdcage, windshield frame" is a hazzard and very unsafe. If you say you have rust on your carpet, you have a problem. The longer it goes unattended the worse it will get.
Yup. Even washing the car will add new moisture to the rusted area and it will continue to get worse. Warm/Cold cycles also cause condensation.
It's not only a big deal, it's a HUGE deal!
Edit:
Oh yea. Why do think that a lot of people refer to car rust as "cancer". Because it's a good analogy.
You wouldn't not treat cancer in your body would you?
Yes, your car will die a slow death.
Last edited by roger55; Feb 3, 2007 at 10:44 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,007
Likes: 0
From: Shoshone Idaho
After finding rust on my birdcage, I decided I was part of the cuase, because of all the washing down I did with a hose when I first got it. I have long sence stoped washing down the car with a hose, but the damage has been done
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Instructor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
Price
if i remember right the body shop charge me $1200 to replace the windshile frame. the replacement frame pieces can be found in the corvette catalogs. i think that price dosen't include the parts. i was to long ago to remember. all i know is it was a big hassel. after going thru the the ordeal, i would recomend not replaceing windshield frame unless absolutlly needed. and if you do, don't just pick any old body shop, find one that has done this before or they may screw it up like the body shop did on mine and you have to take it back a bunch of times.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,249
Likes: 13
From: San Angelo TX
I know it's a C2, but look at this thread about bad birdcage rust:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1427645
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1427645
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
My car might not ever go in a show either, but you never know. When I get it finished it might compete, but not NCRS. I basically want a Bullet proof car that I can drive another 25 yrs and not worry about it falling apart. So I am rebuilding it, fixing all the rust and doing things to prevent it from rusting again.
Here is a thread I posted in for some pics.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ighlight=frame
Here is a thread I posted in for some pics.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ighlight=frame
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: New Baltimore MI
As I understand it, for the ones who haven't, we all should be taking the windshield trim off and inspecting the frame and behind the kick panels on the floor? I have found some rust on the floor body mounts but now I'm afraid to take the windshield apart. For the mechanically and financially challenged, like myself, are our cars doomed?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 2
From: Meriden CT
I know for a fact I've got rust... just never dove into that can 'o worms.
My windshield is cracked also... began when we had the body off the car. I dread replacing it, because when I pull the windshield, I'll have to fix the rust.
Next winter... I promise
My windshield is cracked also... began when we had the body off the car. I dread replacing it, because when I pull the windshield, I'll have to fix the rust.
Next winter... I promise
Racer
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 389
Likes: 1
From: West Point Utah
this may help some when I replace my windsheild frame
i was amazed that most of the rust that was
in my lap was coming from the metal backing that
is part of the pillar post since this is thinner metal
and unprotected by paint I think it rust out first
and starts the process.... someting worth changing
on a car with just a slight rust problem
JMO
i was amazed that most of the rust that was
in my lap was coming from the metal backing that
is part of the pillar post since this is thinner metal
and unprotected by paint I think it rust out first
and starts the process.... someting worth changing
on a car with just a slight rust problem
JMO
