Hey everybody,

Been a long time since I've logged on. My mife was diagnosed with cancer soon after I inherited my 71 Vette and the focus of our lives changed drasticly. Suzanne is OK and is now 2 1/2 years out from the initial diagnoses. I've spent the past couple of years doing things for her and now our lives are back to normal.

The Vette ....Well, I haven't touched her for 2 1/2 years. My last contact with he was taking out the body bolts in prep. for taking the body off, all the bolts are out and I do have a jig to set the body on. What I need is some advice from folks who have done this on exactly how to proceed from this point., ie what other parts need to be removed to lift the body and the best way to lift the body so that I don't damage it.

You folks are the BEST, so sorry for being gone for soooo long.

Thanks, Dean

 

Dean,

Welcome back. May God bless you and Suzanne with many more happy years together.

Do a search for "Kortensi". He has done a complete record on CF of his frame off restoration of his 71. There may also be others.

Rickman

 

Wish I could could help, but I can't. However, thank God for your wife's recovery! Hope all goes well with your project.

 

I also know how priorities change, my wife was diagnosed with cancer 13 years ago and she continues to do well. Best of luck to you both.


As to the body lift, get a copy of the Noland Adams Body Lift and Chassis Disassembly book (Also a video). It has a checklist for a body lift. Be sure to document with pictures and ESPECIALLY be sure to do an accurate count of the number of shims at each mount locations.

(The NA book has a spot to record the shim count.)

 

Also be carefull to unhook all ground straps. Most are obvious from underneith but there is one up by the starter that GM hid well.

 

Dprinter 1,

I am about 90% through the same project, I kept notes so I could remember what to put back 18 months later (below). TAKE TONS OF PICTURES, before, during and after the work.

In basic order but not exact:

Remove Spare Tire Carrier Hardware
Remove Emergency Brake
Remove Rear Bumpers
Remove Exhaust Tips
Remove Rear Valance
Remove License Plate
Remove License Plate Bezel
Remove Rocker Covers (Driver Side)
Remove Sil Plates (Driver Side)
Remove Rocker Covers (Pas Side)
Remove Sil Plates (Pas Side)
Remove Side Eggcrates (Both)
Remove Hood
Remove Antenna
Remove Antenna Cable & Ground Strap
Remove Passenger Door
Remove Drivers Door
Remove Ignition Shielding
Remove Air Cleaner
Remove Seats
Remove Reverse Interlock cable from firewall
Remove 3 Rear Bumper Brackets
Remove 3 Front Bumper Brackets
Removed 8 Body Mount Bolts
Removed Starter Cables
Remove Ignition Coil and Brackets
Remove Ground Cable to Frame Near Battery
Remove Emergency Brake Pulley
Remove Front Frame Crossmember under Rad

Remove Battery
Remove Gas Cap & Bezel
Remove Radiator Upper Hose
Remove Radiator Lower Hose
Remove Heater Core Hose Connections
Remove Altenator
Remove Vacuum Connections
Remove Starter wires
Remove Shift ****
Remove Master Cylinder Lines
Remove Clutch Linkage
Remove Air Cleaner
Remove Carburator
Remove Tach Cable
Remove Speedo Cable
Remove Oil Sensing Line
Remove Throttle Cable

Remove Fan Shroud
Remove Fan
Drain Coolant
Remove Rear Access Door
Remove Body Mount Bolts
Remove Stering Joint


If you have a convertable you need to install door supports before lifting the body.

 

This is what I need to get started again, thank you. The car is a T-Top, I'm hoping not to have much trouble with the body

Thanks to all who responded with words of encouragement to my original post. I'm now off to the garage to clean out the junk from the past 2 1/2 years so I get to the car and get started again

Dean

 

Well, its been a couple of weeks now and I've made some progress. I cleaned and organized the garage the same week of this original thread, trash truck ate a good meal Then I got the list and went at it, after two days of wrenching my arms were both killing me, then I went to Harbour Freight and bought an electric impact progress has been much faster Today I jacked the body up enough to get two peices of 2x4 block in at each mount and I'm ready to put the straps on and lift er up. It was over 100 degrees in the garage today, I need a couple days to recover I'm hoping to do the lift next weekend and start stripping the chassis

Can anyone suggest a good vendor to buy a cover from, as I'll have to leave the body in the driveway til I get the chassis done?

Thanks,

Dean

 

This is a little unorthadox, but then again, so is using a backhoe to do it













With room to spare, Seven foot from floor to rafters Not much to work with, but a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do