Part it out?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
Part it out?
Got a 74 about a year ago for $4200, after starting to restore I found the body mounts, basically the entire lower portion of the birdcage and windshield frame was rusted out. I replaced the windshield frame and removed and repainted the entire interior or bought new parts. I dont want to keep it because of the birdcage situation. Do you think Ide be better off slapping it back together and selling it or parting it out? Drivetrain works and the car has had other drivetrain components replaced. Interior is currently out & it leaks oil + tranny fluid.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,558
Likes: 4
From: Oakland California
I think there was somebody here that was selling a restored chassis this week. You might want to take a look into that. As for the bird cage, if you have a lot of patience, go for it. Sounds like you already spent a good amount of money on it. You might as well finish what you started.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
I would love to finish what I started but I dont know if it would be plausable to pull the body in my driveway and replace the lower half of the birdcage. I could find the time and if anyone else has done it at home I'de love to hear from them.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 971
Likes: 45
From: Middlesex NJ
I have been replacing all the same items on my own. Never did it before but took my time.
I literally just finished my rocker inserts off last weekend.
Take a look at my photo album under my profile and you can see what Ive done. My body is off and I bought a steel body dolly that allows me to get complete access to the rocker channels.
I completely removed the #2 and #3 mounts cleaned up the pillars and cut out and patched any rust that was there and then welded in the new inserts.
You can do it if you have the place to do it and the tools. You did your windshield frame. You can do this as well. Just a little more involved as far as accessing the parts and areas that need to be worked on.
I literally just finished my rocker inserts off last weekend.
Take a look at my photo album under my profile and you can see what Ive done. My body is off and I bought a steel body dolly that allows me to get complete access to the rocker channels.
I completely removed the #2 and #3 mounts cleaned up the pillars and cut out and patched any rust that was there and then welded in the new inserts.
You can do it if you have the place to do it and the tools. You did your windshield frame. You can do this as well. Just a little more involved as far as accessing the parts and areas that need to be worked on.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
All it really needs is the inserts, I dont think it would be hard (done a frame off before). I just need to find a way to lift the body in a driveway as my single car garage is full. I might just build a wooden dolly and have some friends help me lift it off and roll it under. Any chance there are plans out there that will support it well & allow access to the rocker channels
Last edited by S&S_ShovelHead; Oct 21, 2010 at 10:48 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 971
Likes: 45
From: Middlesex NJ
Being off the frame helps allot as it gives you unfettered access. The issue is one of access to what you need to get to and also allow for proper support of the body while your are working on it. Plenty of guys have seemed to do this with the body on but it seems like they cut away the fiberglass rocker to attach it from above but still had to get the body up high enough to install the inserts from below.
I also removed the fiberglass c pillar access panel in the rear wheel well for the #3 body mount bolt so that I could gain complete access to the c pillar and remove all the rust and weld in new patches and then follow up with the insert.
I have seen guys install the inserts without removing the c pillar access cover but I am not sure how they cleaned up the rot or welded properly through that little access hole. In my opinion if your #3 mount is rusted out then the material around it will undoubtedly be bad as well and need to be replaced. Just my $ .02.
Mine didnt look to bad at first but then i put a wire wheel to it the holes started to show up. I dont care what anyone says. Slapping on a coat of POR or eastwood rust encapsulator is not going to rebuild missing steel. You need to replace what compromised.
I believe alan71 made his own dolly that was very simple and strong.
I also removed the fiberglass c pillar access panel in the rear wheel well for the #3 body mount bolt so that I could gain complete access to the c pillar and remove all the rust and weld in new patches and then follow up with the insert.
I have seen guys install the inserts without removing the c pillar access cover but I am not sure how they cleaned up the rot or welded properly through that little access hole. In my opinion if your #3 mount is rusted out then the material around it will undoubtedly be bad as well and need to be replaced. Just my $ .02.
Mine didnt look to bad at first but then i put a wire wheel to it the holes started to show up. I dont care what anyone says. Slapping on a coat of POR or eastwood rust encapsulator is not going to rebuild missing steel. You need to replace what compromised.
I believe alan71 made his own dolly that was very simple and strong.
Last edited by mysixtynine; Oct 21, 2010 at 11:02 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,267
Likes: 4,361
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi s&s,
I think you could remove various uprights as needed to work on the rocker channel and body mounts.
All the uprights are located at a body mount center line.
Might work for you!
Regards,
Alan
PS: the reason I built it out of framing lumber is that I don't know how to weld. I do know how to use a drill and screwdriver and I'm learning about hammers. Is it true that if the only tool you have is a hammer EVERY fastener becomes a nail?
I think you could remove various uprights as needed to work on the rocker channel and body mounts.
All the uprights are located at a body mount center line.
Might work for you!
Regards,
Alan
PS: the reason I built it out of framing lumber is that I don't know how to weld. I do know how to use a drill and screwdriver and I'm learning about hammers. Is it true that if the only tool you have is a hammer EVERY fastener becomes a nail?
Last edited by Alan 71; Oct 21, 2010 at 03:36 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 331
From: Indy Indiana
I am sure it has been done, but I cannot see doing this in the driveway.. it is a big project and will be apart for months. you will get a visit from the neighborhood association ****'s or the town marshall. you have rain, vandalism, neighbors walking by always wanting to talk..
I started a similar project years ago and had a empty 2 car garage to do it, but that was not enough either, especially if you want to spread out. I sold it all to someone willing to take on the project.
parting it out is a major effort too. you have advertising, answering thousands of questions on ebay, trips to the store for boxes, trips to the shipper, the occasional buyer from hell wanting to rip you off and the gray hair you will get from that..
put it back together and sell it with full disclosure of what you know. you might break even and save yourself thousands of hours of labor.
many guys here will argue about the 'thrill of the restoration' and that you will be saving one more car. but you will come out financially more upside down by continuing the project instead of buttoning it up and selling it. especially if you are a novice. this is not even counting the thousand hours of labor you will spend.
I started a similar project years ago and had a empty 2 car garage to do it, but that was not enough either, especially if you want to spread out. I sold it all to someone willing to take on the project.
parting it out is a major effort too. you have advertising, answering thousands of questions on ebay, trips to the store for boxes, trips to the shipper, the occasional buyer from hell wanting to rip you off and the gray hair you will get from that..
put it back together and sell it with full disclosure of what you know. you might break even and save yourself thousands of hours of labor.
many guys here will argue about the 'thrill of the restoration' and that you will be saving one more car. but you will come out financially more upside down by continuing the project instead of buttoning it up and selling it. especially if you are a novice. this is not even counting the thousand hours of labor you will spend.
Last edited by joewill; Oct 21, 2010 at 03:54 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
when i installed rocker channel and #2 body mount inserts, i used the flat part of the floor-pan and the battery and jack storage areas to support the body. for the nose, i had a jack-stand under the radiator support. used 3/4" plywood to cover as much of the flat areas as i could, and had the whole body up in the air about 4 months without any problems. this exposed the rockers and also the seat belt and seat mounting brackets for r/r. i'm sure a mobile stand could be made using these support locations.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
Thanks for all the replies. Being that I have no height restriction to lift the body, would you recomend a body dolly or a body lifting rack http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...ting-rack.html (lifting the body with straps in the fender wells). I think the straps might be better to lift and place the body on & have better access to the rocker channels.
Last edited by S&S_ShovelHead; Oct 21, 2010 at 08:36 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 802
Likes: 1
I did this in my back yard. I eventually bought a 10 ft x 20 ft tent. This made it a lot easier and I could work in the rain.
I replaced the lower rockers on both sides with doners rather than inserts. The doners had some of the uprights with it since the bottom of the uprights (A and B pillars) were rusted. It took me about a wk full time to do this to make sure the cut lines of the old rockers and the new matched and eveything lined up correctly.
This was a lot of work but I eventually did it and it looks good. I was able to salvage an otherwise car that would be parted out.
I used Nolands dolly but it is a piece of junk. So I modified it heavily. To lift the body of the body dolly to work on the rockers I used 4 cheap scissor jacks under the front two floor foot wells, under the battery box and under the jack box. I put a large piece of 1/2"plywood between the jack and the fiberglass to spread out the load.
This job has been done by lots of guys at home. It takes time. Paying someone to do it would be prohibitively expensive. You need to have some moderate welding skills. This is not the place to learn to weld.
Steve L
73 coupe since new
I replaced the lower rockers on both sides with doners rather than inserts. The doners had some of the uprights with it since the bottom of the uprights (A and B pillars) were rusted. It took me about a wk full time to do this to make sure the cut lines of the old rockers and the new matched and eveything lined up correctly.
This was a lot of work but I eventually did it and it looks good. I was able to salvage an otherwise car that would be parted out.
I used Nolands dolly but it is a piece of junk. So I modified it heavily. To lift the body of the body dolly to work on the rockers I used 4 cheap scissor jacks under the front two floor foot wells, under the battery box and under the jack box. I put a large piece of 1/2"plywood between the jack and the fiberglass to spread out the load.
This job has been done by lots of guys at home. It takes time. Paying someone to do it would be prohibitively expensive. You need to have some moderate welding skills. This is not the place to learn to weld.
Steve L
73 coupe since new
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 459
Likes: 0
From: Belair Md
cage
I did mine right on the car you dont have to lift the body off to do the cage . http://photobucket.com/bertpayne and I have never done one before. bite the bullet and do it!