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I am starting to look at different C3s for sale and I am new to the whole idea of where to look for rust? I can imagine looking underneath the car at the frame would be a good place to start......but I’ve seen you guys refer to some sort of cage? If someone could help school a newbie on what to check for telltale signs of rust.
The "birdcage", as it's referred to, is the steel structure that surrounds the passenger compartment of the C-2 and C-3 Corvettes. The front most portion of it is the steel that the door hinges attach to, at the leading edge of door openings, it then extends upward and over the windshield, along both rocker panels, and then rises up at the rear of the door openings, where the door striker bolt attaches. On a hardtop car, it also forms the structure that the T-tops attach to. This is most rust prone in the first upright, which can be inspected by removing the lower kick panels, as well as at the base of the windshield, which can be observed just by looking carefully through the windshield, where the dashboard and cowling meet. The side frame rails, because they're a "multi-piece" welded assembly, are also prone to rust issues.
There is a great video on this forum which lists the 10 things you should look for before purchasing a Corvette. It is a great start for anyone looking to get into the hobby. Jerry
Here’s a birdcage picture.
The body mounts behind the drivers and passenger side kick panels are also a good place to look for rust. Good luck and enjoy your search!
C3 birdcage.
Here’s a body mount shot from our ‘72 Coupe.
Last edited by Jstan2014; Jan 10, 2020 at 02:54 PM.
Unfortunately there are also areas that are not very accessable that might rust. A lot. Ask me why I know...
But areas pointed out above is a god start. If those are solid you are probably safe.
The frame will have surface rust all over it, that's normal. But if you can poke a hole in it with a screwdriver you better bail out.
In addition to the birdcage, the frame must be inspected too. Best way to do this is to get the car on a lift, nearly any auto repair shop will do this for $50-100.
My good friend was looking at a C2 and had the frame inspected, it was like swiss cheese! Obviously he passed on it...
A critical area prone to rust is the pockets were the trailing arms are bolted to, right in front of the rear wheels. Take the rear tires off to inspect the area. Ike
Last edited by general ike; Jan 10, 2020 at 06:50 PM.
Guys, thanks for the suggestions and the clarification of what the “birdcage” is. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed and I want to make good decisions on this. I am not looking for a show car, but one that is solid and will make a good DD.
Hey Jason everyone was in your spot at one time or another. Not a decision to make lightly. Simple answer, educate yourself or find someone who knows to inspect the prospective car, either a volunteer or someone you have to hire!!! Post pics here, there is a wealth of knowledge to help guide you.
Ike
Last edited by general ike; Jan 10, 2020 at 07:30 PM.
Guys, thanks for the suggestions and the clarification of what the “birdcage” is. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed and I want to make good decisions on this. I am not looking for a show car, but one that is solid and will make a good DD.
The car can very well look nice on the outside (maybe even look like a showcar), but have serious problems underneath. So be sure that it is solid, adding a new paint and interior is both much easier and cheaper than trying to fix a shot frame...
The previous owner of my car had not done his homework. When he took the car to the first inspection it wouldn't pass because a piece was litteraly missing in the middle of the frame between the front and rear. That´s not what you want to hear about the car you just accuired...
Guys, thanks for the suggestions and the clarification of what the “birdcage” is. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed and I want to make good decisions on this. I am not looking for a show car, but one that is solid and will make a good DD.
You may want to look up your local Corvette club, and see if a member or two, would be willing to inspect any car that interests you. It might cost you a case of beer, or two, but in the long run, it would be a wise investment.
Is there anyplace where the original photos in this post are intact (besides the YouTube video)? Photobucket has fuzzed out all of the pics in the link you suggested. Thanks!
Last edited by Sir Keith; Jan 11, 2020 at 08:28 PM.
Thanks for all your help. I finally found the car for me. Pretty much exactly what I was looking for in a C3. It was a little more money than I wanted to spend, but seems like it’s pretty nice. BTW, I seriously considered buying a C6 with low miles for less money, but I wanted something with the ABSENCE of electronics......something ‘Old School’. Thoughts??
What do you mean finally? On January 10th you posted saying that you were 'starting to look' for a C3, and less than one week later you have found your car? That's got to be record time! Anyway, the car looks awesome; good luck with it.
What do you mean finally? On January 10th you posted saying that you were 'starting to look' for a C3, and less than one week later you have found your car? That's got to be record time! Anyway, the car looks awesome; good luck with it.
My wife would tell you that when I start a new hobby, I’m OBSESSED with it and I can think of nothing else. I’ve been scouring the internet, forums, Craigslist, etc for hours each day.......looking for the perfect car. I think I’ve damn near found the perfect car for me. It’s not a numbers matching car, but it’s a beginner-level show car I’m told. Professional Restoration in 2013, and has been basically in storage since. New Carb, fuel lines, brakes and brake lines, etc. Tires have flat-spotted to an extent, so those will need to be replaced.
I’m pretty stoked.
EDIT: I didn’t realize it hadn’t been quite a week. I’ve been looking ever since I picked-up my C7. Oooops.
Where to Check for Rust?
