Dirk76

Hi I have bought a 76 model and about to start a ground up restore in 2 months. Got holidays first. So what I am looking for is a good book/manual that I can read over holidays. Also I have seen a guy built a wooden frame that the body can sit on, while working on chassis. Anyone have a diagram for this.
Thanks for help

markids77

Welcme to the finest C3 resource on the planet. Spend the weekend using the search function here. There are posts about everything from suggested toolkits, air comperssor sizing, body dolly construction, home paint booth construction and anything else you can possibly envision which pertains to working on your car. You name the challenge and someone (or several someones) have faced the same thing and come up with excellent solutions. No waiting for the mailman, adult beverages encouraged, and it's free... what more could you ask for???

PUNISHER VETTE

PM me your email address and i'll send you the plans for a body dolly someone sent me on here a while back.

I built the body dolly from the plans and I felt it could have been a LOT better and easier than it was.

I think I drew up a photo that made some corrections...let me see if i can find it.



Things I learned about the body dolly.
Make sure if you're using an engine hoist to lift the body the legs fit under the dolly. I think i used 4" caster wheels and that didn't get it high enough for the dolly to slide under.
you might consider some kind of extra support for the front nose... mine's been sitting on the dolly for a year now with no support and i'm worried it isn't good for the body.

PUNISHER VETTE

just a little more while i'm on the subject.

You can get body lifting straps from corvette stores online. if you're using the engine hoist method i had to put knots in my straps to shorten them just enough...


pic of actual body dolly...


using an engine hoist is not the way I would do it again if i had other methods or extra money...


and the issue with height that i ran into..

briankeery

If you haven't done so already pick up the AIM, here's a link to one:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1976-Corvette...#ht_5099wt_754

Study hard............and welcome aboard.

Dirk76

how heavy is the body, as i need to buy a engine lift that can hold it.

PUNISHER VETTE

I think it's like 700ish?

buy a hoist with the longest arm that'll support 700ish lbs as you can as mine lifts the body BUT when you need to go higher the hydraulic ram rubs on the paint and bends the door fiberglass...

Luckily my body/paint are in poor condition so I don't care. But I'll find a new method once i get my paint fancied up...

Not sure what others are using but I would vote against using an engine hoist... just get 6ish big family or friends to come over and lift it off for you...

Easy Mike

There is no single source reference for a complete restoration. Purchase two or three of the How Tos, including C2s since the principles are the same, and use the best ideas for your restoration.

Before you begin you will want an owner's manual, the assembly instruction manual (AIM), and the GM chassis service manual.

Space will become an issue. You will need to store everything you pull off. As soon as you separate body and frame, will will need twice the shop space.

Good luck.

PUNISHER VETTE

Biggest mistake I made was not getting a LARGE air compressor before I started.

The amount of wrenching and sand blasting I've done with my 15g Dewalt is a joke.

brent319

When I put the body back on my 76 I used a cheap HF engine hoist that I borrowed from a friend. I used 2 straps that I borrowed from a truck driving friend that had the flat hooks on each end. I have seen people use four straps, but I had really good luck with putting one across the front corners and one across the back. I thought it might be awkward to move the body swinging from the hoist, but we have a very steep driveway and did not want to try to roll it out and back in so I borrowed (see a theme here yet?) some wheel dollies and we slid the frame under the suspended body. I was dreading the process, but it was actually quite simple and went very well. That is me in the second photo watching my friends (who loaned me the stuff) do most of the work. Yup. Cheap AND lazy. Ask my wife... she will tell you.


Papawana has wiring diagrams that he has been kind enough to send to everyone, but since I already got one of his '76 ones, I can send it to you (check your PM) or you can request one from him:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...or-anyone.html
Good luck and keep us posted.
-brent

Dirk76

all ready in front of you. I got the wiring diagrams off him a day or so go. Thanks

I thought the engine lift was the easy option. So if i got 3 other people could we just lift it off. Paint dont care about, going to get done. But i dont want to flex the body to much.

PUNISHER VETTE

3 football players?

I just moved to PA so didn't know 6 people so the hoist is a single man method that works for me... but I think 6ish people could lift the body fairly easy and with much less risk of flexing the body and dealing with straps and all that...

lvmyvt76

There is a restoration going on now at "The Restoration Page" on the internet, a 73 I think. Very detailed on every aspect.