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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 11:07 AM
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Default Birdcage???

What is the birdcage on a vette? Sorry to ask such a question but I keep hearing people talk about checking the frame and birdcage.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 11:30 AM
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Here you go,

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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 11:37 AM
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Thanks!
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 11:59 AM
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When inspecting the bird-cage what exactly are we looking for? Rust, i would imagine but what else?? Are there any problematic points with in the bird-cage?
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by ohsofast
When inspecting the bird-cage what exactly are we looking for? Rust, i would imagine but what else?? Are there any problematic points with in the bird-cage?
Rust is the usual problem and is most likely to occur in the lower corners of the windshield frame and the verticle pieces below them, although it can occur anywhere. If by "problematic points" you mean are there any inherently weak points, I've never heard of any.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 02:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Glass Act
Here you go,

pic ought-to be made a sticky, as this is a very-often discussed term, and the average-layman (myself included) had never heard the term before joining here.
thanks Glass Act
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 02:24 PM
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From: 406ci SB, AFR 180 Heads - 490 HP @5,600 RPM 529 lb-ft @ 4,100 RPM
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Originally Posted by ohsofast
When inspecting the bird-cage what exactly are we looking for? Rust, i would imagine but what else?? Are there any problematic points with in the bird-cage?
Here's the area's that are noted for rusting on the birdcage.
As mentioned, the lower windshield area, and remove the kick panel to look for rusted out support frame as noted in this diagram.

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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 02:30 PM
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From: 406ci SB, AFR 180 Heads - 490 HP @5,600 RPM 529 lb-ft @ 4,100 RPM
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Here's a couple of other diagrams.



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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 03:05 PM
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Tip-toe softly past this one.

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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 03:26 PM
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Originally Posted by 82Vettrin
pic ought-to be made a sticky, as this is a very-often discussed term, and the average-layman (myself included) had never heard the term before joining here.
thanks Glass Act

I was just about to suggest a sticky as well.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 06:51 PM
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"Rust is the usual problem and is most likely to occur in the lower corners of the windshield frame and the verticle pieces below them..."


Originally Posted by paul67
Tip-toe softly past this one.


So much for that idea.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 07:03 PM
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Can one buy the complete Birdcage assembly?

How hard is it to replace?
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 07:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Derby98
Can one buy the complete Birdcage assembly?

How hard is it to replace?
not as yet that I know of. As for how hard on a scale of 1-10 1 being the easiset I would rate it a about 15. I never done it and I would never would want too. also the first pic is a bird cage from a 63-67 coupe
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by paul67
Tip-toe softly past this one.

Holy cow!

That is the worst windshield frame rot I have ever seen....and I live in Minnesota, road salt capital of the USA. There has to be more to that story than the ordinary rust issues.

Derby...you can buy certain patch sections of the windshield frame from Zip, but as far as I know no one sells a complete birdcage. Unless the car is an L-88 or something, it really wouldn't be worth the labor to assemble a car around a new cage anyway. It's basically like hand building a new (old) Vette body tub.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 07:35 PM
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Thanks.

My kick panels are rusted,

I'll check with a local body shop & see if they can tackle the job.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 09:44 PM
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Are they as rusted as the windshield frame shown above? You miight try cleaning them up first to make sure it's not completely rotted out.
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 10:05 PM
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When inspecting a car, where exactly are we looking? From inside remove the kickpanels and look for rust. Around the windshield frame is easy enough...anywhere else? From underneath? Underhood along the firewall? The drawings are great I just gotta apply them to the assembled product.

I second the motion to "sticky" this thread
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Old Feb 15, 2008 | 10:37 PM
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From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
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Originally Posted by MakoShark77
When inspecting a car, where exactly are we looking? From inside remove the kickpanels and look for rust. Around the windshield frame is easy enough...anywhere else? From underneath? Underhood along the firewall? The drawings are great I just gotta apply them to the assembled product.

I second the motion to "sticky" this thread
The windshield frame isn't always easy. If the rust is bad (but not extreme like the pic above) a lot of it can be hidden by the stainless molding. Another trick is to put sheets of white paper in the foot wells, lower the windows, shut the doors hard and examine the paper for bits of rust.
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 10:25 AM
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I had no idea what one was until I got my Vette and it took me a while to figure it out as well. That isn't a bad idea about making it a sticky.
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 10:41 AM
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ens1967: Look at this thread.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ighlight=avner



If you want you can fix everything.
Avner
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