Well, a couple years ago I sold my 69 coupe project because I had to buy a house. Now, I'm looking for a driver (not a project) and am considering what things are probably going to need fixing on cars within my budget. That brings me to: the birdcage.

Assuming that I cannot disassemble the car, weld up a new birdcage and put it all back together, what are typical options for this? Is it so expensive I may as well just double my budget from the get-go? Or could I find someone to do it properly for less than just buying another drivable car? I've seen plenty of reassurances about frame rust/softness but no one in the ads ever mentions that their birdcage is solid.

Thanks!
Chris

 

first of all, rusted out birdcage cars do sell. you just have to buy in at the right price. and I mean that the price has to be such that you can dump the car quickly for your costs you paid (after full disclosure).
but keep in mind your total initial costs. not only do you have to consider purchase price, but consider shipping, insurance, sales tax, license and title fees, inspections and the other initial money you have have to put into a rusted car just to put it on the road. its a plus 20% proposition.

the correct repair is well into 5 figures by someone that has experience at the repair. add another 10K for the inevitable bodywork and paint that will be required.
almost total disassembly of the car is required with a year downtime.

and while it is apart, you should do this this this and this........

the only thing one would have going for them is the degree of rust. there are different ideas what this degree is.
If I required a zero rust car and found a car where the owner claimed a birdcage repair. I would want documented proof that it was repaired correctly.
so many folks paint over rust, others cut it out for a correct repair.

spend the extra money for a solid car. you won't regret it.

 

What is your budget and what rlyear car do you want. Personally I would NOT go near a car that needs a birdcage unless it was a chrome bumper, all the parts are there and its free. I have seen many threads here, the amount of time, money and labor involved is amazing. Unless you can weld, do body work, and paint , its not going to becworth it.

Later year c3s can be had in great shape for under $10K
Chrome bumper cars with T tops in my area start around $15K. I would get the best car you can for your budget. I started with a $10K budget and ended up with a $19K convertible driver with decent paint. It needed alot of hidden work that I found but didnt realize how much more was hidden. It was about $2500 to $3000 more with my own labor

 

Some might be trying to put one over but based on my recent quest to find a C3 a lot of people just aren't aware of the issue. When I mentioned the birdcage (thanks to this forum for making me aware of it before I got one) I got a lot of blank looks.

 

 

For my rusty birdcage I painted it with Por 15 everywhere I could and it is very solid now. Mine was not completely gone but did rain some brown flakes on the floorboards before treatment. Nothing now fortunately. While at it I did the frame areas around and below the door hinges as well. Not a bad job to do if you are careful. Worst part is keeping the Por 15 off of your hands and areas where you do not want it. Suggest buying multiple smaller cans vs. one big one as it is easier to handle and the cans can seal up solid on you once opened.

Redvette2

 

Well, my budget is in the low 20's, like $24k or so and the car I want is a 69 convertible 4-speed with A/C. I'm not pressed about getting a survivor or a numbers-matching resto, but I don't want some looney restomod that loses sight of the original car's appeal. 5-spoke wheels in 315's are ok, but glassed in headlights are not. A big block is probably out of the question unless it has rust issues, so not even searching for those, but I wouldn't kick it outta bed.

The biggest concern: I want a drivable car that'll last 20 years with the kind of TLC that doesn't include dismantling the entire car for a year.

This would be just right.

 

POR 15 is magic. Unfortunately, I am just never going to be in a position to do the kind of dismantling and reassembly required to get the birdcage exposed.

 

Personally I would avoid anything that needs birdcage work at all costs. There are other trade offs that can be made to help affordability but to me, at least, I would only consider at car that has solid bones. Saving money at the entry stage that will cost you an exponential factor at the finish stages is a false economy. Pay now, not later, to get a solid car. JMHO

 

Dunno if RVZIO is gonna part with the 69 he is getting close to done with. He is Orlandoish. Seems testy when he doesn't have a Vette to build. He knows what is in your state I would think. I assume not Miami Ohio...

 

I totally agree - I guess the question is, is $24k the right budget, or should I only consider cars selling for $40k and up? Bearing in mind I am already older than the car, so if it gives me 10 years without big trouble, that's just fine.

 

Get the best car you can afford ,if you think you are saving a couple of thousand because it needs this and that it will soon cost you more in the long run.(CORVETTE TAX) You want good paint ,good chassis ,good engine or the best you can get for your money eg:rusty old b b corvette needs paint and tune $20,000 or mint 350,rebuilt engine ,new paint, body off restoration $25,000 would be a wiser choice.

 

For a definte rust free car I would shop in arizona , texas , new mexico area, maybe southern California. I would avoid areas that could have flood damage because sometimes you cant see it right aaway. for $20 K you should find a good one. look on our for sale section because good deals come thorugh here every so often.

 

in theory, this sounds like sound advice, stay away from anything from the east coast, and purchase from the aforementioned States:- however, it's often difficult to track a vehicles entire history, to the point you don't know where they spend the majority of their life, only where they are sold from.
Coupled with this, I've seen birdcages in cars from the East, that have near perfect frames and cages, because they are stored in garages 24/7, and not used in the winter months. It's fair to argue thou, that cars that spend most of their life outside, and used on roads with salt during the winter months, could well have terminal problems. Cars used extensively in the East, on salted roads often rust from the chassis, upwards, including the lower birdcage, but still garaged every night, so it's quite possible, the windscreen frame could be fine.I've seen cars from the West with rusted out windscreen frames due to
being left out in the weather all the time, and often the lower cages, and frames are fine.
Only way to be sure is a thorough inspection, but it is fair to say that the older these cars get, the more difficult it will be to find a rust free example. Changing frames is not a horrid or difficult job, but birdcages is another thing entirely. With labour costs around $100 per hour(guessing here), rebuilding/replacing, will costs thousands of dollars, so one could easily overcapitalise.
Sorry for the rant, but it's a minefield out there