I need to remove what remains of my front clip.

Any tips on how to break the bonding?

 

Heat, and movement. If you can get a thin tool to help break the bond that's fine but usually heat and some generous tugging will free some of the remaining bonds.

 

.........

 

Thanks for the tips

will give it a go tomorrow .. weather permitting

 

Mark, if you can get the surround lip that attaches to the top the of the cowl off unbroken I will buy it from you. If you could get at least four inches each way on the fender lip with it, that would be a bonus. I hope I am not too late.

 

You're not too late - but I'm in South Africa. I'm don't think it'll be viable to send it to you. but I'll check the costs

 

It would just be a long flat box about eight inches wide and two inches thick. Just a couple of pounds, or kilos, with the packing. Shouldn't be that bad. Please let me know.
I had a call in to a 'Vette junk yard but he has not called back. Maybe it is not worthg their time to remove this piece. Hint: it breaks pretty easily.

 

So far I see 2 different methods posted 1)heat and movement or 2)no heat and a chisel. Which is the best way? I'm curious too because I have to remove and repair the nose of my 69 pretty soon. Thanks

 

I've never heard of using heat to separate corvette body panels. But, I have seen several corvettes that caught fire and had their bodies completely melted and burned off!

I've only seen chisels used. The trick is to use chisels that are so sharp you could shave with them. Don't use screwdrivers and butter knives and whatever else is laying around. The second trick is to understand exactly where the panels are bonded. There are some tough seams to reach on the inside on the fender around the louvers. If you are pulling on a panel and it does separate, it means the panel is still attached. If you keep pulling on it, the panel will probably tear before the bond will separate.

You can't do it in 10 minutes. It takes quite a while to get everything separated. Use extremely sharp chisels and knowledge (do the homework - look for photos of cars with no front ends to see where the bonds are). You can't work it like it's someones elses car and you want to go to lunch with everybody in the shop but you gotta get it off first ... unless you are going to replace all the panels for some reason.

Take your time, pick your spot ... and it will separate.

 

I'll try with the SHARP chisels - I'm assuming you mean like wood chisels? All panels to be replaced - tree damage (avatar) will try take some pics as I go.


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1657998

 

Years ago heat guns were not generally used and the chisels, putty knives, wedges with constant pressure was the ticket.

These days heat guns are commonly accepted and probably result in less damage for less experienced bodymen.

Here are some excerpts from a GM Collision Repair Manual. It clearly states to use heat to remove adhesive on SMC panels. Also here is the suggested structural adhesive to use for SMC.


Adhesive:


Heat gun use:

 

Heat will do nothing for you. The sealer used back in the day is like a rock. Heat is used on the newer adhesives "fusor" being one.
Your chisel is your best friend and like the previous post
TAKE YOUR TIME

 

Cannot speak to the earlier C3's but on my 81 using a heat gun works wonders. Able to take adhesive off without breaking adjoining panels. Also use it to remove access adhesive once apart.

 

We tried a heat gun to remove the last remnants from our '71 and it was a waste of time. It destroyed the fiberglass before it softened the adhesive, which was reminiscent of a mix of bondo and concrete.

 

The older cars don't use smc; newer cars like the 85 use smc panels (that is - the new cars don't use fiberglass panels!) I'm not sure when the transition to SMC took place.

Yes, use standard plastic handled wood chisels - like you find at home depot. I think you can a package of (4) for about $10-$12. You will need to sharpen then with a grinding wheel or a belt sander.

Take your time.

Do your homework - find out where they put the bonding agent. Work it from the edge - inward; left side than right. Don't rush it. Whenever you feel like rushing it, call a body a body shop and ask for a quote - then go back to the car, tap away and think about all the money your saving. Fight the impulse to rush it. You're only going to do it once. Pick your spot, and keep at it.

It's very do-able. There is no heavy lifting. Look for the difference between a panel and the "glue". The panels will have strands running through them; the "glue" won't. You may find "cloth" or some other red/green body filler. Chisel that stuff out. Just recognize what is the panel and what is the glue/filler.

There are a couple of books (GLAS-RAY) out there on practical corvette body work - it shows panels, bonding strips, etc. They cost about $30 each (front or back) - so $60 for (63-67) or (68-82) ... etc.

 

I got some of the front clip off today.

I tried a Heat gun and it did help soften the adhesive and I could cut it away.

I heated the join then eased the chisel into the join sometimes with lite tapping with a hammer.



I have a HUGE advantage as the front clip is FUBAR so I'm only concerned with the workings underneath. some of those joints are also cracked from the clip movement from the tree so I'll have to remove and re-bond those. It should go a bit better on the other side - but that side has shifted more than the right.



http://www.mz-zone.com/PictDia.php?D...Body%20Rebuild

I removed the Surround Lip - It was damaged from the tree and hood - There are a few places where the lip started to kink so there are weaker spots - I will take more detailed pics if you're still interested.

Surround Lip - recovered



The damage


more pics at first link.

 

I think I can work with that, Mark. Can you include a little chunk of each fender with it (about 10 inches, or 20 cm, 4 inches either side of where the lip joins the fender) ? That would help to glue it my front end. How much to get it here?

 

I really commend you for saving your car. It looks like quite a job you have taken up. Keep up the progress with the pictures. Good Luck

 

That a rusted door sill/chanel right behind the #1 body mount??