Birdcage Shop Reccomendation
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 185
Likes: 2
From: Long Valley NJ
Birdcage Shop Reccomendation
Anyone have a good birdcage shop they can reccomend in NJ. My 70 needs paint so I a not concerned that the fiberglass needs to be cut. The pillars, header, and T bar are rotted. Would like to get this sent to the shop this winter if possible. Am I looking at $5K here or less...or more.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Last edited by shashi27; Nov 1, 2009 at 01:00 AM. Reason: Year
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
good luck with 5k !
you are talking about completely dissassembling, including removing the firewall.
and everything connected, then repairing and replacing the rotten bird cage metal.
then reassembling rebuilding and body and paint.
I would not do that again for 15k. 69VETT
find someone with extensive corvette expereince.
you are talking about completely dissassembling, including removing the firewall.
and everything connected, then repairing and replacing the rotten bird cage metal.
then reassembling rebuilding and body and paint.
I would not do that again for 15k. 69VETT
find someone with extensive corvette expereince.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
I was referring to the complete job,
you will be much better off finding a shop to do everything.
if the visible windshield frame is damaged severely you can bet the hidden area is bad,
under the fenders, this need to be inspected at a min. which means ripping it down to the firewall, you gonna pickup all the parts and move it to another shop ?
(and not loose anything ?) with 2 shops who is gonna warranty what work ?
setting yourself up for a finger pointing problem with 2 shops,
and your left holding the bag, between them. good luck
that is gonna be a costly restoration and take lots of time. 69VETT
you will be much better off finding a shop to do everything.
if the visible windshield frame is damaged severely you can bet the hidden area is bad,
under the fenders, this need to be inspected at a min. which means ripping it down to the firewall, you gonna pickup all the parts and move it to another shop ?
(and not loose anything ?) with 2 shops who is gonna warranty what work ?
setting yourself up for a finger pointing problem with 2 shops,
and your left holding the bag, between them. good luck
that is gonna be a costly restoration and take lots of time. 69VETT
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
I just saw this posted in general they are NJ. might be just who your looking for ?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...aint-sale.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...aint-sale.html
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 802
Likes: 1
It took me a solid wk just to replace the rocker channels on both sides. The body was already off. 40 hrs x $80 = $3200 just for that, not including parts nor reassembling doors, and panels that I needed to take off.
You must have some serious rust problems if you need to replace your t-bar. Most people do this themselves because of the cost....otherwise, this is a parts car.
Steve L.
73 coupe since new
You must have some serious rust problems if you need to replace your t-bar. Most people do this themselves because of the cost....otherwise, this is a parts car.
Steve L.
73 coupe since new
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 2
From: walpole ma
If you dont mind a little travel time, We could help you. We specialize in extensive corvette restorations,especialy on C3s, and our work speaks for itself.You can search my old posts for a lot of work we have done and have posted here on this forum.
Regards,
Stan
www.2ndgenrestorations.com
Regards,
Stan
www.2ndgenrestorations.com
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 4
From: Concord Calif
Anyone have a good birdcage shop they can reccomend in NJ. My 70 needs paint so I a not concerned that the fiberglass needs to be cut. The pillars, header, and T bar are rotted. Would like to get this sent to the shop this winter if possible. Am I looking at $5K here or less...or more. Cheers.
Cheers.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 185
Likes: 2
From: Long Valley NJ
I will reach out to Road Race. I need to button her back together in the next couple of weeks. I don't think my cage is in that bad a shape, but I won't know until I have her looked over.
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 2
From: walpole ma
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 2
From: walpole ma
Every repair we do here is fully documented with photographs,as well as consultations with the customer as we are going along so there are no surprises.
The only surprises are the ones we usualy un cover on the car.
So I guess it could be from a few hunder bucks into the thousands if the car was raised up from the wrecage of the Titanic!!!! And we have seen both scenarios and everything in-between here.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 492
Likes: 3
From: Temecula CA
Let me throw this out there.....have you considered learning how to weld? There are some great "handy-man" type welding units out there for $1000 or less. I have found that it has been the most fun and rewarding skill I have picked up while wrenching on my car. I understand the huge job that repairing a birdcage is, but it isn't impossible. Lots of guys on the forum are amazing (and self-taught) welders! Good Luck!
Temvette72
Temvette72
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 384
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa OK
Welding
Thanks for the tip about welding, and yes I am planning to learn since my FRAME as well as my BIRDCAGE have "issues".
In fact I've been doing a little research on the types of welding. Seems that MIG is good for simplicity and for thinner metals (like the birdcage), but not good on rusty/dirty metals (like the birdcage).
Stick is good and cheap on rusty stuff, but needs 220V and is a little harder to learn/use.
Flux core seems like a good choice and can be done with a MIG unit but works better than regular MIG on rusty stuff.
So, as of now I plan to stop by the local Harbor Freight and see about getting a MIG welder and ask about flux core.
Of course, despite the reading I've done online, I have no significant practical experience, so any advice would be appreciated!
In fact I've been doing a little research on the types of welding. Seems that MIG is good for simplicity and for thinner metals (like the birdcage), but not good on rusty/dirty metals (like the birdcage).
Stick is good and cheap on rusty stuff, but needs 220V and is a little harder to learn/use.
Flux core seems like a good choice and can be done with a MIG unit but works better than regular MIG on rusty stuff.
So, as of now I plan to stop by the local Harbor Freight and see about getting a MIG welder and ask about flux core.
Of course, despite the reading I've done online, I have no significant practical experience, so any advice would be appreciated!
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 331
From: Indy Indiana
there should be a post high school education center near you that offers welding classes for a couple hundred bucks.. I took a welding class at such a place to learn how to weld cars... I was about 40 and all the others in the class were kids right out of high school!
it was night school too so it fit my schedule..
try that just to get started...
it was night school too so it fit my schedule..
try that just to get started...
Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 384
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa OK
Great idea, I'll check that out.
there should be a post high school education center near you that offers welding classes for a couple hundred bucks.. I took a welding class at such a place to learn how to weld cars... I was about 40 and all the others in the class were kids right out of high school!
it was night school too so it fit my schedule..
try that just to get started...
it was night school too so it fit my schedule..
try that just to get started...
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 492
Likes: 3
From: Temecula CA
I have a 220 volt wire feed MIG welder with a gas regulator for shielding. It can also use flux core wire. I like the 220volt unit because you can weld on 1/4 inch steel and get full penetration on a single pass. The frame on a Corvette is 1/8 steel, so welding overlapping plates will get full penetration. I love it and it was pretty easy to learn with the help of the local welding shop and a couple of how-to books. I bought a pile of scrap steel to practice on before I built anything "real".
temvette72
temvette72
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 492
Likes: 3
From: Temecula CA
I haven't used the flux core wire personally. I hear that the welds aren't as clean....A little more slag and spatter. No big deal, unless you're entering a beauty contest! My welding technique is far from perfect....Suffice to say that I am as good a grinder as I am a welder! I use an angle grinder and a flap wheel to clean up my welds after I'm done. Obviously, the most important thing is to get full penetration for structural soundness. I think prepping the area to be welded prior to working on it is important. Get all the rust, paint, undercoating, etc. off the metal first. Also, grind a nice V-groove on the edges of butt-joints. I'm far from an expert, but these are things I've picked up during my self-education.
Temvette72
Temvette72
