Resto - Interior C3 1976
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Small update.
The interior is almost completely stripped now. Today I cleaned up the bottom plates of passenger and driver side. Removed the rust. The seatbelt compartments are rotted, they will be replaced (cut and welding). Pictures are not too clear, sorry about that. Wrong setting on camera.
Next week we'll be checking the plates underneath the car. When the new pieces are welded in, everything will be cleaned and covered with a nice layer of POR15 \m/
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Album=EAEU8T4C
If anybody has comments or tips, please post.
Cheers,
Maarten
The interior is almost completely stripped now. Today I cleaned up the bottom plates of passenger and driver side. Removed the rust. The seatbelt compartments are rotted, they will be replaced (cut and welding). Pictures are not too clear, sorry about that. Wrong setting on camera.
Next week we'll be checking the plates underneath the car. When the new pieces are welded in, everything will be cleaned and covered with a nice layer of POR15 \m/
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Album=EAEU8T4C
If anybody has comments or tips, please post.
Cheers,
Maarten
Last edited by ST Graveyard; Nov 29, 2008 at 09:01 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 480
Likes: 5
From: Bovenkarspel, Noord Holland, Netherlands
Maarten, ziet er TOP uit die interieur klus van jullie!
Ik las dat je wel eens van NCRS The Dutch Chapter gehoort had! Wel laat je niet bang maken door het matching gebeuren en of het wel origineel is. Bij de NCRS zijn we allemaal bezig met het onderhouden en restaureren van onze Corvettes.
Als je me een PM stuurt met je mail adres, dan mail ik je onze laatste nieuwsbrief door....daar staat namelijk een vaste sectie in over restauraties en opknap projecten binnen onze Nederlandse afdeling. Een deel waar je veel van kan leren en jullie project niet zal misstaan!
Succes,
Ik las dat je wel eens van NCRS The Dutch Chapter gehoort had! Wel laat je niet bang maken door het matching gebeuren en of het wel origineel is. Bij de NCRS zijn we allemaal bezig met het onderhouden en restaureren van onze Corvettes.
Als je me een PM stuurt met je mail adres, dan mail ik je onze laatste nieuwsbrief door....daar staat namelijk een vaste sectie in over restauraties en opknap projecten binnen onze Nederlandse afdeling. Een deel waar je veel van kan leren en jullie project niet zal misstaan!
Succes,
4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Genk
Reso - Interior C3 1976
Hey all,
Since this is a forum in English, I'll do a translation of the above:
Maarten, looks great the interior job of yours!
I read that you already have heard from the "NCRS The Dutch Chapter"! So don't let this matching story frighten you if it is original or not. With the NCRS we all are busy maintaining and restoring our vettes.
If you send me a PM and your email-address, I will send you our last newsletter...there you will find a standard section concerning restoration and maintaining projects within our Dutch section. A section of which you can learn and in which your project will suit well.
Success
Since this is a forum in English, I'll do a translation of the above:
Maarten, looks great the interior job of yours!
I read that you already have heard from the "NCRS The Dutch Chapter"! So don't let this matching story frighten you if it is original or not. With the NCRS we all are busy maintaining and restoring our vettes.
If you send me a PM and your email-address, I will send you our last newsletter...there you will find a standard section concerning restoration and maintaining projects within our Dutch section. A section of which you can learn and in which your project will suit well.
Success
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Hi, it's been awhile, but we're back.
It's very cold now in Belgium so last friday we bought a stove and placed it in the garage. Now we can continue working the rest of the winter and hopefully have her ready by spring!
What we've done lately :
We cut out the rotten parts where the seatbelts are placed into in the bottom. I ordered some new belts, not originals, and we will be checking how to install them. Than we can see if we need to create new compartiments in the bottom or if we can just welt new metal plates on the whole.
I also added a nice layer of POR15 on the rest of the frame inside and on the bottom plates. This baby won't be rusting anymore now. The result looks quite good, even if it will all be covered later on in the project.
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Album=EAEU8T4C
So now we can start to think on re-installing the interior, but we still need to wait awhile on the seats and doorpanels...
I'll keep you posted,
Cheers,
Maarten
It's very cold now in Belgium so last friday we bought a stove and placed it in the garage. Now we can continue working the rest of the winter and hopefully have her ready by spring!
What we've done lately :
We cut out the rotten parts where the seatbelts are placed into in the bottom. I ordered some new belts, not originals, and we will be checking how to install them. Than we can see if we need to create new compartiments in the bottom or if we can just welt new metal plates on the whole.
I also added a nice layer of POR15 on the rest of the frame inside and on the bottom plates. This baby won't be rusting anymore now. The result looks quite good, even if it will all be covered later on in the project.
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Album=EAEU8T4C
So now we can start to think on re-installing the interior, but we still need to wait awhile on the seats and doorpanels...
I'll keep you posted,
Cheers,
Maarten
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Maarten,
I really enjoyed seeing your Vettes! I spent 4 years living in Europe and loved it. I especially enjoyed visiting the Netherlands (Holland) many, many times. The people, and the culture were awesome. I also own a '76 Stingray and was wondering how easy it is for you to get parts over there....I'm now redoing my entire dash, (to include new harnesses) and was curious as to how you get your parts. Good luck with your Vettes!
Pat
I really enjoyed seeing your Vettes! I spent 4 years living in Europe and loved it. I especially enjoyed visiting the Netherlands (Holland) many, many times. The people, and the culture were awesome. I also own a '76 Stingray and was wondering how easy it is for you to get parts over there....I'm now redoing my entire dash, (to include new harnesses) and was curious as to how you get your parts. Good luck with your Vettes!
Pat
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Hello Pat,
To be honest with you, the Vette we are restoring now, we try not to buy new parts but fix and restore the old parts as much as possible. Sometimes however, this is not possible anymore. Normally I order the parts from USA companies, or even shops in Holland, but during the years I've met other Vette enthoisiasts. Some people buy wrecks, and I get a lot of stuff from there. After refurbishing they look new. So it's a mixture of the options mentioned above. In the end, to answer your question, our hard days of getting parts all the way to Belgium are over :-)
Another example, instead of buying new seatcovers and doorpanels, we brought them to somebody who will be redoing them in nice skai leather. It's cheaper and most importantly, I'm sure it will look and feel better than the ones you order in the shop ...
Anyway, we try to keep it all original, but if we can make it a bit better than it was, we try and do that as well.
Cheers,
Maarten
To be honest with you, the Vette we are restoring now, we try not to buy new parts but fix and restore the old parts as much as possible. Sometimes however, this is not possible anymore. Normally I order the parts from USA companies, or even shops in Holland, but during the years I've met other Vette enthoisiasts. Some people buy wrecks, and I get a lot of stuff from there. After refurbishing they look new. So it's a mixture of the options mentioned above. In the end, to answer your question, our hard days of getting parts all the way to Belgium are over :-)
Another example, instead of buying new seatcovers and doorpanels, we brought them to somebody who will be redoing them in nice skai leather. It's cheaper and most importantly, I'm sure it will look and feel better than the ones you order in the shop ...
Anyway, we try to keep it all original, but if we can make it a bit better than it was, we try and do that as well.
Cheers,
Maarten
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: Tallinn (Estonia)
I wish you all the best with this project! The photos were awesome, I looked through all of them. I'm stunned! They nicely show how birdcage restoration is done, I never knew how the process exactly goes. I wonder if someone has a birdcage that has rusted through, how is it then restored? And if you restore it like you did, does it weaken the structure somewhat?
I'm in Eastern Europe and getting parts here is not very hard. In fact, it's almost as easy as in the States, except that we have to pay more for shipping (sometimes a lot more) and we have to pay customs fees if the invoice exceeds a certain amount (in Estonia it's about 200 USD). We also need to wait longer till the items arrive (usually it takes no longer than 14 days from USA) and some sellers do not ship to foreign countries, hence some restrictions do exist.
There's a positive side doing this stuff in Europe, as well. If these C3's turn heads in USA, here in Europe they TURN HEADS
I'm in Eastern Europe and getting parts here is not very hard. In fact, it's almost as easy as in the States, except that we have to pay more for shipping (sometimes a lot more) and we have to pay customs fees if the invoice exceeds a certain amount (in Estonia it's about 200 USD). We also need to wait longer till the items arrive (usually it takes no longer than 14 days from USA) and some sellers do not ship to foreign countries, hence some restrictions do exist.
There's a positive side doing this stuff in Europe, as well. If these C3's turn heads in USA, here in Europe they TURN HEADS
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,286
Likes: 4,375
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Maarten,
I took a look at your up-dated pictures. You certainly DO know how to pay attention to DETAIL!!!
Since you mentioned your door panels are off, I thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of the window and latch/lock parts from 1 door of my 71. It's unbelievable how many pieces there are.
Playing with old cars is great fun!!!
Happy New Year.
Regards,
Alan
I took a look at your up-dated pictures. You certainly DO know how to pay attention to DETAIL!!!
Since you mentioned your door panels are off, I thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of the window and latch/lock parts from 1 door of my 71. It's unbelievable how many pieces there are.
Playing with old cars is great fun!!!
Happy New Year.
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Hey George,
Thanks for the uplifting comments. The birdcage was indeed rusted, but nothing so bad to actually weaken the structere. When a frame is complete rusted though, the only option is weld a new part in it. I've got a 72 which had this done.
On this 76 project we used POR15, I love that product. I don't think this will be rusting again anytime soon. Of course, it won't be seeing rain again :-)
Nice 79 you got there ... I love them in black ... And indeed, they do turn heads in Europe! Love it
Cheers,
Maarten
Thanks for the uplifting comments. The birdcage was indeed rusted, but nothing so bad to actually weaken the structere. When a frame is complete rusted though, the only option is weld a new part in it. I've got a 72 which had this done.
On this 76 project we used POR15, I love that product. I don't think this will be rusting again anytime soon. Of course, it won't be seeing rain again :-)
Nice 79 you got there ... I love them in black ... And indeed, they do turn heads in Europe! Love it
Cheers,
Maarten
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Hey Alan,
Well you definitely are the restoration king in my book! Wow!
I don't think we will be going that far this time. We will be cleaning the doors inside and lube the parts however...
But one day, when I have the space to do the work ... I hope to do a complete NCRS rebuild of my 72 ... But that is still far away.
Cheers & happy New Year to you 2!
Maarten
Well you definitely are the restoration king in my book! Wow!
I don't think we will be going that far this time. We will be cleaning the doors inside and lube the parts however...
But one day, when I have the space to do the work ... I hope to do a complete NCRS rebuild of my 72 ... But that is still far away.
Cheers & happy New Year to you 2!
Maarten
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: Tallinn (Estonia)
Hey George,
Thanks for the uplifting comments. The birdcage was indeed rusted, but nothing so bad to actually weaken the structere. When a frame is complete rusted though, the only option is weld a new part in it. I've got a 72 which had this done.
On this 76 project we used POR15, I love that product. I don't think this will be rusting again anytime soon. Of course, it won't be seeing rain again :-)
Nice 79 you got there ... I love them in black ... And indeed, they do turn heads in Europe! Love it
Cheers,
Maarten
Thanks for the uplifting comments. The birdcage was indeed rusted, but nothing so bad to actually weaken the structere. When a frame is complete rusted though, the only option is weld a new part in it. I've got a 72 which had this done.
On this 76 project we used POR15, I love that product. I don't think this will be rusting again anytime soon. Of course, it won't be seeing rain again :-)
Nice 79 you got there ... I love them in black ... And indeed, they do turn heads in Europe! Love it
Cheers,
Maarten
When I bought my 79 just a couple of months ago, I checked for rust as well as I could, went under the car and inspected from the inside as much as possible. I couldn't remove the interior trim panels before the purchase. It seems like I was lucky enough, I've now looked at most of the dangerous places and it all seems pretty clean, just some surface rust spots here and there. I feel like too much of a newbie right now to do the rust fighting by myself but I'll enjoy the car in the Summer and see what's going to happen next Winter.
I'm happy to have a car which has not rusted much, but I'm sure it's an even better feeling to have a car which you KNOW has been completely re-worked and has a pretty much brand new quality frame.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Thanks for the info. I've read about the POR15 product in this forum, seems like one of the best. Did you find it from your country or had it shipped from USA?
When I bought my 79 just a couple of months ago, I checked for rust as well as I could, went under the car and inspected from the inside as much as possible. I couldn't remove the interior trim panels before the purchase. It seems like I was lucky enough, I've now looked at most of the dangerous places and it all seems pretty clean, just some surface rust spots here and there. I feel like too much of a newbie right now to do the rust fighting by myself but I'll enjoy the car in the Summer and see what's going to happen next Winter.
I'm happy to have a car which has not rusted much, but I'm sure it's an even better feeling to have a car which you KNOW has been completely re-worked and has a pretty much brand new quality frame.
When I bought my 79 just a couple of months ago, I checked for rust as well as I could, went under the car and inspected from the inside as much as possible. I couldn't remove the interior trim panels before the purchase. It seems like I was lucky enough, I've now looked at most of the dangerous places and it all seems pretty clean, just some surface rust spots here and there. I feel like too much of a newbie right now to do the rust fighting by myself but I'll enjoy the car in the Summer and see what's going to happen next Winter.
I'm happy to have a car which has not rusted much, but I'm sure it's an even better feeling to have a car which you KNOW has been completely re-worked and has a pretty much brand new quality frame.
I suggest you enjoy the hell out of the car for a couple of years and in the meanwhile read the net for resto reports on forums like this one. Start with easy things, you'll get more comfortable while doing that. I've had my Vette for 2 years now, but I've been reading about those cars for the last 5 years.
And ofcourse, working on the car with my dad makes it A LOT easier as he is way more technical than I'll ever be ...
Just make sure your car does not see rain or snow! And I hope it has a nice dry garage for the cold european nights ;-)
Cheers,
Maarten
Last edited by ST Graveyard; Dec 30, 2008 at 04:46 AM.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: Tallinn (Estonia)
Great news that POR is available in Europe as well. I haven't driven the car in rain or snow but once or twice I drove it on wet asphalt after I bought it (not in rainfall) and I've taken it out for short test drives when we've lately had dry asphalt. Unfortunately it seems like there is still some salt sitting also on the dry pavement. Today we had some above zero temperatures and I did a nice pressure wash to the chassis. Cleaned it up very well. It's now sitting outside to get rid of most water and then I'll park it in the garage. I'll just keep it stored now until March or April when the weather is supposed to get better. It's no fun driving it on slippery or salty roads.
How do you wash your Vette? I think pressure wash is good for the chassis but I've never done it on the body. I don't even let the body get very dirty but so far I've just used some water with car shampoo and gently washed the dirt off with a towel. I've avoided excessive water near the birdcage area.
How do you wash your Vette? I think pressure wash is good for the chassis but I've never done it on the body. I don't even let the body get very dirty but so far I've just used some water with car shampoo and gently washed the dirt off with a towel. I've avoided excessive water near the birdcage area.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Hey George,
I only wash when it is sunny, so the car can dry quickly. I just use water. And I also wax/polish the car from time to time. But I guess in the future I will be using only meguiar products ...
Cheers,
Maarten
I only wash when it is sunny, so the car can dry quickly. I just use water. And I also wax/polish the car from time to time. But I guess in the future I will be using only meguiar products ...
Cheers,
Maarten
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Hi everybody,
Back with an update.
We've added new pieces of steal in the bottom plate of the car. We did not welt it, since it doesn't have to hold anything. We used a very strong glue called TEC7 en rivetted the thing. I'm not an expert, but I'm very happy with the result.
After seeing pictures of fellow Corvetteforum member Alan's frame, I wanted something that looked as good as his. I tried, I've added a final coat of satin black on the window frame and the bottom plates. I'm very pleased with the result. It's not yet NCRS quality, but I'm happy :-) I know these parts won't be visible, but I just want it all to look as good as possible. The last picture displays the whole result.
I also started creating my own heat insulation. Haven't got pictures of it yet.
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Album=EAEU8T4C
Comments are welcome.
Thanks,
Maarten
Back with an update.
We've added new pieces of steal in the bottom plate of the car. We did not welt it, since it doesn't have to hold anything. We used a very strong glue called TEC7 en rivetted the thing. I'm not an expert, but I'm very happy with the result.
After seeing pictures of fellow Corvetteforum member Alan's frame, I wanted something that looked as good as his. I tried, I've added a final coat of satin black on the window frame and the bottom plates. I'm very pleased with the result. It's not yet NCRS quality, but I'm happy :-) I know these parts won't be visible, but I just want it all to look as good as possible. The last picture displays the whole result.
I also started creating my own heat insulation. Haven't got pictures of it yet.
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Album=EAEU8T4C
Comments are welcome.
Thanks,
Maarten
Last edited by ST Graveyard; Jan 10, 2009 at 08:19 PM.