started gutting the interior
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: West MI
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West MI & JAX/NE Florida
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St. Jude Donor '11-'17, '21
When you leave a car sitting out all winter exposed to the elements it RUSTS! 
The frame etc are not fiberglass. 
With the $ this one is going to take you could buy a new Zo6 and then some.
The frame etc are not fiberglass. With the $ this one is going to take you could buy a new Zo6 and then some.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
Dont attempt to use a torch or a flame of any kind unless you have fire insurance. 
As I said before there are 4 plates, one under each seat corner that you can grind the the seat bolts and rivits off from underneath and remove them. they are easy to fix once in your hands.
As I said before there are 4 plates, one under each seat corner that you can grind the the seat bolts and rivits off from underneath and remove them. they are easy to fix once in your hands.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
I uses a air grinder with a cutoff wheel to get them out. Mine were good enough to repair. {take the broken bolts out} and clean up. A simple job. 42 bucks a piece? Thats indictive of how these Vette vendors get your money. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,165
Likes: 950
From: Keizer Oregon
Honestly it doesn't look THAT bad
I did mine about 2 years ago. It looked very similar, but mostly surface rust and cleanup work. I attacked mine with an air compressor and some wire wheels. It took a couple of days, but that surface rust actually comes off real fast. After I ground it down really good, I primered and then used POR 15 to paint it, except for the parts that were a pita, where I used a can of Rustoleum. I got a new carpet kit from Corvette Central and did not put in any other insulation other than the backing that comes with the kit.
Have fun......good luck
I did mine about 2 years ago. It looked very similar, but mostly surface rust and cleanup work. I attacked mine with an air compressor and some wire wheels. It took a couple of days, but that surface rust actually comes off real fast. After I ground it down really good, I primered and then used POR 15 to paint it, except for the parts that were a pita, where I used a can of Rustoleum. I got a new carpet kit from Corvette Central and did not put in any other insulation other than the backing that comes with the kit.Have fun......good luck
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,268
Likes: 2
From: Minnesota in the summer, Las Vegas in the winter
You're at the beginning of a tunnel.......a very long tunnel. There is an end; you just can't see it from where you're at. Here's mine last year..........
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,434
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St. Jude Donor '07
Spray some phosphoric acid on the rust to get rid of it. I think thats what its called
Edit: I think they call the product ospho
It's green and your local auto parts place should have it.
Edit: I think they call the product ospho
It's green and your local auto parts place should have it.
Last edited by Yellow73SB; Apr 23, 2007 at 07:27 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
Pleeease... don't re-carpet your car without any heat insulation in it (unless you live in Alaska). You will be soooo sorry that you didn't. Check out Reflectix, a 4' x 25' of mobile home insulation that Home Depot sells for around $40. It will do the whole car and keep it cool in the summer. [Ask me how I know.]
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 4
work is going slow, and getting slower. the further i get into this the more problems im finding.
just cut the seat belt bolts this afternoon, so those are finaly out. not sure what im going to do with the wireing yet, just makeing one giant mess out of it right now.
and i found rust holes in the bird cage.
drivers side
passenger
the plan now is to just lay a blanket over everything in the dash area of the car and then sand blast these section and paint them.
and does any one have any idea where you would buy these, or what theyre called? theyre the little tabs that go on the end of the wire for all the light bulbs.
with all the problems im finding, my plans are quickly changeing. currently its going towards more "screw the interior. just put some damn seats and seat belts back in and drive i the way it is"
just cut the seat belt bolts this afternoon, so those are finaly out. not sure what im going to do with the wireing yet, just makeing one giant mess out of it right now.
and i found rust holes in the bird cage.
drivers side
passenger
the plan now is to just lay a blanket over everything in the dash area of the car and then sand blast these section and paint them.
and does any one have any idea where you would buy these, or what theyre called? theyre the little tabs that go on the end of the wire for all the light bulbs.
with all the problems im finding, my plans are quickly changeing. currently its going towards more "screw the interior. just put some damn seats and seat belts back in and drive i the way it is"
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 184
Likes: 1
From: Atlas is shrugging KC, MO area
Go to the auto parts store and buy yourself a couple of cans of "P B Blaster" rust/corrosion solvent. It is great stuff and YOU NEED IT! When you want to loosen more bolts/screws, just shoot some on the bolt/nut (making sure it gets to the threads where the bolt/nut join) and leave it for a few HOURS (not minutes). It takes some time for the stuff to seep down in the threads and break the crud loose. It is MUCH better than breaking or stripping bolts all the time. For the bolts you broke for the seat belts, you will have to drill out the center and use an E-Z Out (after PB Blaster) to get the shank out. We're all with you in this.... [been there....done that]
it's great stuff
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 372
Likes: 0
From: Keizer OR
I was planning to glue it around the edge as that is where it appeared to be glued when I pulled the old carpet out. However, there were enough places to tuck it under stuff, and other stuff bolted over that I ended up not gluing anything and it seems to be held in place pretty well.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 337
Likes: 1
From: Clyde Ohio
with all the problems im finding, my plans are quickly changeing. currently its going towards more "screw the interior. just put some damn seats and seat belts back in and drive i the way it is"[/QUOTE]
Don't get discouraged yet, I threw a new interior in mine this winter, thought it would only take a week or 2 being it came out so fast, ended up taking 2 months and I had no rust issues, the more plastic I took off the car, the more I found broke. Actually every piece of plastic was broke somewhere, but I kept at it. Heck, I just got done with a complete 8 year resto on a 71 Roadrunner. You want to know of problems........there really is sunlite at the end of the tunnel if your willing to take the drive !
Don't get discouraged yet, I threw a new interior in mine this winter, thought it would only take a week or 2 being it came out so fast, ended up taking 2 months and I had no rust issues, the more plastic I took off the car, the more I found broke. Actually every piece of plastic was broke somewhere, but I kept at it. Heck, I just got done with a complete 8 year resto on a 71 Roadrunner. You want to know of problems........there really is sunlite at the end of the tunnel if your willing to take the drive !
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 435
Likes: 7
From: Wake Forest NC
Without meaning to sound discouraging, you may want to remove the hinges for the well lid and clean them up. I have the same case you do: water leaking into the interior; my hinges looked pretty rude. Worse yet, water gathers in that well that retains the #4 mount bolt and this happens:
Just a thought, ya know, while you're at it....
Just a thought, ya know, while you're at it....