Frame on restoration?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: London
Frame on restoration?
Hi everyone,
So, i got my vette a few months ago, its running great, got my first batch of bits and pieces from willcox to fix little things on the way and this got me wondering about frame off VS frame on restoration!
I have been reading a lot on here and i see that most of you go all the way out and go frame off.
I dont really want to do a frame off for the moment, i know it wouldnt hurt, but i dont have the room or knowledge (or money) to start that now.
Would it be any good to just paint the frame and undercarriage without taking everything apart or is that not worth it in the long if im not going to redo everything now?
(i have really little surface rust)
And if i do that, can i just paint on top of all the bushings and bolts or should i mask them? (i might change a few bushings as i go but i dont want to change all of them right now)
Thanks a lot
Charles
So, i got my vette a few months ago, its running great, got my first batch of bits and pieces from willcox to fix little things on the way and this got me wondering about frame off VS frame on restoration!
I have been reading a lot on here and i see that most of you go all the way out and go frame off.
I dont really want to do a frame off for the moment, i know it wouldnt hurt, but i dont have the room or knowledge (or money) to start that now.
Would it be any good to just paint the frame and undercarriage without taking everything apart or is that not worth it in the long if im not going to redo everything now?
(i have really little surface rust)
And if i do that, can i just paint on top of all the bushings and bolts or should i mask them? (i might change a few bushings as i go but i dont want to change all of them right now)
Thanks a lot
Charles
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 288
Likes: 1
Charles
IMHO anything you can do to slow down the rust process is worth doing. Paint everything. When you do pull your body the paint on the bolts and bushings might cause you a little more work but not near as much as rust.
Don't let the lack of knowledge stop you either way you precede. I speak from experience there is a TON of knowledge here and elsewhere just waiting to help people like me and you.
Good luck with your car. How about some pictures.
IMHO anything you can do to slow down the rust process is worth doing. Paint everything. When you do pull your body the paint on the bolts and bushings might cause you a little more work but not near as much as rust.
Don't let the lack of knowledge stop you either way you precede. I speak from experience there is a TON of knowledge here and elsewhere just waiting to help people like me and you.
Good luck with your car. How about some pictures.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: London
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 2
From: Sherwood Park AB
I ended up doing a frame on restoration due to lack of room and resources.
Here are a few points I noticed.
1) You will spend lots of time crouched down, or on your back under your car.
2) Taking apart everything from underneath the car is more difficult and time consuming than it would be with the body off.
3) You are probably only going to do this once...
4) Cost will be essentially the same, except for a few odds and ends, fuel lines, etc...
5) If there is any rust repairs whatsoever on your frame it will be waaay easier if the body is off.
If I were to do it again, I would have taken the body off. If you have to replace everything and don't have the room or resources, you can replace things as needed while driving.
Just remember that everything you take off leads to the next piece and the next bill.....
edit... I just re read your post... if you are not planning on replacing the bushings, why take it apart? It seems like you will end up doing things twice.
Here are a few points I noticed.
1) You will spend lots of time crouched down, or on your back under your car.
2) Taking apart everything from underneath the car is more difficult and time consuming than it would be with the body off.
3) You are probably only going to do this once...
4) Cost will be essentially the same, except for a few odds and ends, fuel lines, etc...
5) If there is any rust repairs whatsoever on your frame it will be waaay easier if the body is off.
If I were to do it again, I would have taken the body off. If you have to replace everything and don't have the room or resources, you can replace things as needed while driving.
Just remember that everything you take off leads to the next piece and the next bill.....
edit... I just re read your post... if you are not planning on replacing the bushings, why take it apart? It seems like you will end up doing things twice.
Last edited by rexx78; Dec 8, 2009 at 03:09 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 314
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
A "rattle-can" restoration is the cheapest way to go...you can clean, remove surface rust and cover it up with paint. It might make you feel better and it might slow the corrosion down a bit, but it really isn't restoration. Very little underneath was ever painted at the factory. Believe me, when you get it up on jack stands, get on your back and start dealing with the leaks, worn-out and broken items...it is going to be harder and harder to draw the line. Just try to keep everything in perspective and set your budget limits. You have a 33 year old car which has a finite value, which you need to be aware of as you spend more money. Spray paint is relatively inexpensive, vette parts are not.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
Drive it awhile and it will tell you what it needs. As you fix the small (hopefully) things which fail, you will notice related areas which need attention. Address these as they appear and enjoy the car as a driver... "restoration" will take it off the road for a long time and "renovation" will allow you to enjoy it and improve it at the same time. Time, finance and your desire are the driving aspects here, not perfection!
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Rogers Arkansas
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,558
Likes: 4
From: Oakland California
I'm doing a frame on restoration on my 74 right now due to the lack of space/time, and also budget since I'm in college right now. I try to cover as much as possible because I don't want the whole underside to be black, and before I go spraying undercoating I sand the chassis and wipe it off till it's clean and then spray the undercoating. I've used some old newspapers to cover things up. I am doing a complete brake rebuild and to replace the front to back brake line was kind of difficult, but doable. I'm going to try to get as much done as possible this month, while I'm out of school , so that I can have it running by my birth day on February. You are going to spend lots of time on your back underneath the car, so you better have a creeper ready
. Good luck with your project. Oh, by the way, I like that green on your vette
.
. Good luck with your project. Oh, by the way, I like that green on your vette.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,145
Likes: 5
From: South of London, Engerland
Charles, a guy down here in Sussex lifted the body off his '80, wire brushed and painted the chassis and dropped the body again in a few days. It can be done and would be much more satisfying than trying to reach all the difficult bits with the body on. It would make suspension bush replacement that much easier too.
From the photos in your other thread it looks like a '76. I'm in the middle of a body-off with my '76 (which is the first year with metal floors) and discovered rust in the floorpans that has extended the project considerably. Have you had chance to inspect yours closely yet?
Love the green colour with the black wheels and trim - proper '70s.
From the photos in your other thread it looks like a '76. I'm in the middle of a body-off with my '76 (which is the first year with metal floors) and discovered rust in the floorpans that has extended the project considerably. Have you had chance to inspect yours closely yet?
Love the green colour with the black wheels and trim - proper '70s.
Last edited by BenUK; Dec 9, 2009 at 05:51 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: London
Hey all,
I have been under the car a lot and it doesnt seam to be rusted appart from a bit of surface rust...
Thats why i thought that untill i get the money to change all bushings and work on the suspension i would just paint everything to prevent it from rusting now that its in a country where it rains 300 days a year!
Ben UK, it is indeed a 76, and the underfloor looks good...
Its strange that everybody likes this color, im not convinced by it, i think its to "fast and furious" might repaint it in the future.
C
I have been under the car a lot and it doesnt seam to be rusted appart from a bit of surface rust...
Thats why i thought that untill i get the money to change all bushings and work on the suspension i would just paint everything to prevent it from rusting now that its in a country where it rains 300 days a year!
Ben UK, it is indeed a 76, and the underfloor looks good...
Its strange that everybody likes this color, im not convinced by it, i think its to "fast and furious" might repaint it in the future.
C
