Apparently the time has also come for me to replace the body mounts on my 76. How much of a chore am I getting into with this? I have the manual and things look fairly straightforward... on paper. Any comments from folks who have been there?

 

Spray plenty of penetrating oil on the bolts before you start. If you lift the car high enough to slide under it, you can spray a stream of PB Blaster on the cage nuts on top of the frame. If you've ever had any mice in the car, it's almost certain that the #4 cage nuts in the body will break. Fortunately, my bolts were rotted and I was able to snap them, then drive the rotted cages upwards, snapping the soft aluminum rivets. Be sure to examine the #4 reinforcements. I installed my replacements with stainless machine screws and some polyurethane construction adhesive.

After you've backed the bolts out, leave the #2 and #3 bolts loosely screwed in on one side. Use a floor jack to lift the opposite side of the body high enough to slide the new cushions in. Lower that side down, loosely install the #2 and #3 bolts, then do the opposite side.

Keep track of the shims from each mount point and put them back in the proper location (or replace them with the proper count of new shims if they're too rotted).

You'll need to disconnect the steering column from the steering box. You'll also need to disconnect the brake lines from the master cylinder (or slide the M/C forward off of the booster and find some way to support it), and disconnect the negative battery cable. If you have seat belt reinforcement cables, those will have to be disconnected.

There have been a bunch of threads on replacing body mounts, you might want to check those out for information on how to deal with the problems that may crop up. I'd recommend poly cushions instead of rubber - they won't rot like the rubber did.

 

Thanks! Its never as simple as it seems on paper. The manual makes it look like an afternoon with a case of beer.

 

I did mine in about four hours, including changing out the #4 reinforcements and the #4 cage nuts. If one of the #2 or #3 cage nuts breaks, it's going to take a lot longer...

 

Do you have to loosen or remove the mounts by the radiator/front bumper? Or can the body flex enough to raise it without cracking?

 

Here is a good site to look at. Body mount replacment on a 77. Should be the same as a 76.
Brian
http://www.europeancorvette.com/html...eplacement.htm

 

and what do the guys do who have gone seamless with their bumpers? It would appear that they would have an issue.

 

I had my radiator and surround out.

 

Thanks, not sure what (surround) means?

 

The steel support that bolts to the chassis and the inner fenders which holds the radiator and A/C condensor. They're very prone to rot (bad design), so it's probably worth examining. If it's in good shape, the two lower bolts will need to be removed before tipping the body. I didn't think about it in my earlier description because it was already pulled out when I changed my body mounts.

 

'76 in New Brunswick!! I hate to say this to you but be prepared to do a body-off.

If a local car, odds are high that you will not be able to successfully remove the old mount bolts in one piece, if in fact they are the originals. Body-off is no big concern, it will give you a chance to refurbish the frame while you are at it!!

 

Hey there Kingston. Things look pretty good. I got the car in Alabama. The rubber is hurtin but there is little to no rust on this car

 

If you have no rust, then you will have no problems!!!

 

Just make sure to spray the #2 and #3 cage nuts with PB Blaster or equivalent product and let them sit first...better safe than sorry. Also, if mice have ever been back in the #4 wells, those bolts and nuts will look like iron ore.

 

Hi. Does anyone know where I can get #2 & #3 ones from? Ecklers seem to only do the #4 cage nuts. Thanks.

 

Can't imagine that they're any different. If they are a different size, Paragon, Zip or Dr. Rebuild might have them.

 

I think you're right. I just checked and the diameters look the same. I broke one of them, but Paragon sell the whole nut with a cage which you can weld back onto the chassis - thanks very much for the links .

Dave

 

You're welcome. Body mounts can be a frustrating job. Fortunately I had a lot of good advice from here before I dug in.