Glenndoggy

I have talked to a lot of people who have paid a lot of money for Corvette's, only to find their newly accuired Vette's with hidden rust that was not apparent at first. Horror stories of hidden rust under the dash and around the windshield pillars, not to mention more obvious areas such as rusted out frames directly ahead of the rear wheels. This seems to be common on C3's.

Does anyone have any photo's of these rust problems and how to identify them? Especially how do you check for rust when looking at a car for the first time. Thanks in advance.

0Road-Race Vette

The two most common areas to check for rust on a C3 vette are the frame and in particular the kick ups which are the areas in front of the rear wheels right behind the doors, and the windshield pillars. Problems in both these areas is fairly easily identifiable if you take the time to look. Another place to check for rust is the bottom of the front cross member under the radiator support and the lower section of the radiator support itself. Sometimes the metal part of the rockers that wrap around the sides of the frame can get rusty as well,but those you really have to look hard to see. Lastly the number 4 body mount cups. located behind the rear wheels have a tendency to rust as well.

Bierbitzch

Go to: corvettec3.ca/ then click on "C3 Rust issues". There are pictures of common rust areas. Maybe someone can post these pictures up here. Did you know that all C3's from model year 1977 have steel floor panels that can rust?

I'm Batman

Steel floor panels were introduced sometime in 1975, IIRC.

Artsvette73

They went to steel floors when the cats came out in 75

redwingvette

Rocker channels and birdcage rust is the worst. I got lucky, just my rockers were rusted out. The frame and the windshield frame were still solid.



body-off

Paul L

Aggitated Monkey

[QUOTE=paul67;1562657872]

I had this expereiance about 15 years ago on a '79 and found a good frame shop in San Diego who was able to fix it. The shop had told me this was a comon problem with the C3 frames. I have never seen another until this photo.

SteveG75

Bad info.

Steel floors in '76. Glass floors in '75 with a heat shield.

SIXFOOTER

I had some rust issues, here are a few of my favs:


This is a door frame, the door to glass seals were never changed so the doors got water inside all the time. I dissasembled the door, sandblasted it clean, fabbed patches and welded them on and painted.

Here is a lower windshield corner, drivers side. This is caused from GM not properly protecting the metal. The fender mount is riveted to the WS corner with nothing more than a little primer on it. They should have used Urethane sealer and it would have lived forever. Water gets trapped under the fiberglass mount by the rivets and this is the result

Cut out the bad part

Fabbed new patch

Welded in and cleaned up

Painted


Of course the water leacking thru the windshield corner had to go somewhere
#2 mount

and passenger floor


I had to weld in rocker channel add on pieces and fab new #2 mount pockets. I cleaned up, painted and figerglassed in the floor panels, that was a lot easier than replacing them and they were expensive. Sinse the floor was not a structural member, patching it on both sides was a better option for me

0Road-Race Vette

sixfooter,I am glad to see that I am not the only one bringing the dead back to life. Again,like my wife said,"its not corvette restoration ,its corvette rescue"

SIXFOOTER

LOL, this one was for sure!
If I had known it was that bad I may have scrapped it and found one in better shape. But, then I would not have doubled my tool inventory.
Now I got 2 welders, cutting torch, blast cabinet, portable blaster, Hydraulic press, Air hammer, .........

chevygirl7

This is unbelievable! I never realized how many places that rust can hide on these cars. Makes me think twice about purchasing another untill I get an expert to look at it.
Does anybody have any more pictures of where rust can occur on these frames?

fastback79

I used to complain about all the oil that would spill out of my 79's engine. Now, I'm thankful all the oil and grime preserved my frame.

72LS1Vette

The differential crossmember and trailing arm pockets are prime locations.













Rick B.

Op.TechC3

Man, This is some good stuff.Show me some more.

Paul L

C2 coupe.