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Hey guys, C4er here looking to expand into a C3. Can anybody show me a pic of this so called bird cage and where to look for problems with it, or other problem areas. And yes, I did an unsuccessful forum search. Looking for an 80-82.
Rick
Last edited by shootnstarz; Aug 23, 2016 at 09:26 AM.
Hi Rick,
Ah! The birdcage!
Look for rust around the windshield, the cowl below the windshield and bottom of a-pillars, the hinge pillars including the body mount at their bottom, and the lock pillar including the body mount at their bottom.
The other area to be concerned about is the frame. Sometimes there is serious rust in the frame just forward of the rear wheels where the trailing arms mount to the frame.
Some 68-82 cars have no rust, some have a little, and some have a lot.
A rusty 68-82 can be a costly headache!
There is no reason to buy a rusty 68-82 car.
Regards,
Alan
This is one of the areas to get a look at on the chassis. Removing the little access panel 4 screws lets you get a look at the bottom of the lock pillar and #3 body mount.
It's also wise to get a look at the front crossmember and the bottom of the radiator support. This is an early car than you're considering but shows the general area.
LOL.......I spent several hours looking up the meanings of slang Corvette terms so I would have an idea of what everyone was talking about (I knew a "horse-collar" should be at the front of the car....but WHERE ...LOL).....one birdcage example below (google pics of Vette birdcage).....
Last edited by doorgunner; Aug 23, 2016 at 09:34 AM.
that's a c3 bird cage, it's the sub frame that makes up the cabin space. i'm a dodge ram owner so I know all about rust lol .they like to rust out around the windshield areas and bottom areas around the bottom rails. because these are unibody designs rust will collect in the most PITA ( pain in the a**) areas. I live in FL so there is salt along the beaches. to get a good look at the bird cage you can usually look through the windshield or look under the car around where the firewall sits.
This pic is what you don't want to see.....Frame rusted all the way thru. The second photo (different car) shows what I considered too much surface rust, the entire frame and suspension looked like this.
Bird Cage
.they like to rust out around the windshield areas and bottom areas around the bottom rails. because these are unibody designs rust will collect in the most PITA ( pain in the a**) areas. I live in FL so there is salt along the beaches. to get a good look at the bird cage you can usually look through the windshield or look under the car around where the firewall sits.
