That's a lot of rust. Good luck with the repair
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Body mount rust (pics)
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
Body mount rust (pics)
Once I removed the kick panels I found that the body mount were quite rusted out. I also noticed that the body mounts near the rear of the seats were rusted out aswell ( see http://forums.corvetteforum.com/album.php?albumid=9734 ). They guy I got the car from has replaced most of the mechanical components and I have redone the interior so I would like to keep it but from what you see in the pics. is there anyways I can keep it on the road untill I am able to do a frame off (5 years away)?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,486
Likes: 71
From: Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
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Advanced
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 53
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That is some pretty serious body mount rust. I would scrap out and vacuum most of the loose scale and debris up with a shop vac and see what you have left. For the # 2 mounts you could make a U brace out of thick sheet metal with a large hole in the center for the actual body mount and weld them into the rocker channels, that's after grinding to good bare metal if there is any left. That would at least get you those two back to usable shape and then see about doing that to the other mounts if possible or maybe some other backyard engineering, LOL..
Good luck
Good luck
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
That is some pretty serious body mount rust. I would scrap out and vacuum most of the loose scale and debris up with a shop vac and see what you have left. For the # 2 mounts you could make a U brace out of thick sheet metal with a large hole in the center for the actual body mount and weld them into the rocker channels, that's after grinding to good bare metal if there is any left. That would at least get you those two back to usable shape and then see about doing that to the other mounts if possible or maybe some other backyard engineering, LOL..
Good luck
Good luck
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
I hopped under the car tonight and got a better look at the other mounts and the frame. This is what I found...
The good:
-Pillars are solid (Some sort of epoxy on them but I sanded down to bare metal and it was solid)
-birdcage around mount #3 is solid from about 4" above rubber mount on both sides all the way around
-The frame is solid except kick ups which look like they have been patched decently
-birdcage going around seats and to the t-top is solid
-birdcage near firewall is solid
The bad:
-Mount #4 on each side seems to be covered in some epoxy but under neath doesn't look too bad
-The metal around the door hinges on the cage is pretty rusted out
-The piece of metal going from the t-top cross member to the glass is rusted out
Opinions, fix it ? Sell it?
If I fix it, the body wont come completly off, I was planing on lifting parts of it to add some new metal to some of the mounts.
There are alot of pics. here... http://forums.corvetteforum.com/album.php?albumid=9746
The good:
-Pillars are solid (Some sort of epoxy on them but I sanded down to bare metal and it was solid)
-birdcage around mount #3 is solid from about 4" above rubber mount on both sides all the way around
-The frame is solid except kick ups which look like they have been patched decently
-birdcage going around seats and to the t-top is solid
-birdcage near firewall is solid
The bad:
-Mount #4 on each side seems to be covered in some epoxy but under neath doesn't look too bad
-The metal around the door hinges on the cage is pretty rusted out
-The piece of metal going from the t-top cross member to the glass is rusted out
Opinions, fix it ? Sell it?
If I fix it, the body wont come completly off, I was planing on lifting parts of it to add some new metal to some of the mounts.
There are alot of pics. here... http://forums.corvetteforum.com/album.php?albumid=9746
Last edited by S&S_ShovelHead; Feb 3, 2010 at 01:19 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 74
From: New Carlisle IN
Unfortunatly, I have been running my 73 with bad #4 mounts on it for years now. The reinforcement plate rusted then the bushings pushed up through the fiberglass. I plan on fixing it in the future, but have to get other things in life in order first. My body sits down on the frame and will bounce a little when going over bumps. Other than that it doesn't do anything more than that. I will have to pull my body off and reglass the mounting area then put in new reinforcement plates (already bought). I will then install poly bushings.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,246
Likes: 114
From: Watkins Glen NY
That is some pretty serious body mount rust. I would scrap out and vacuum most of the loose scale and debris up with a shop vac and see what you have left. For the # 2 mounts you could make a U brace out of thick sheet metal with a large hole in the center for the actual body mount and weld them into the rocker channels, that's after grinding to good bare metal if there is any left. That would at least get you those two back to usable shape and then see about doing that to the other mounts if possible or maybe some other backyard engineering, LOL..
Good luck
Good luck
Sure, that can be done. But with that kind of rust, the rocker between #2 and #3 is probably rusted out as well. But the car WILL be without a doubt pinned to the frame better.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 531
Likes: 0
From: Frisco TX
I hopped under the car tonight and got a better look at the other mounts and the frame. This is what I found...
The good:
-Pillars are solid (Some sort of epoxy on them but I sanded down to bare metal and it was solid)
-birdcage around mount #3 is solid from about 4" above rubber mount on both sides all the way around
-The frame is solid except kick ups which look like they have been patched decently
-birdcage going around seats and to the t-top is solid
-birdcage near firewall is solid
The bad:
-Mount #4 on each side seems to be covered in some epoxy but under neath doesn't look too bad
-The metal around the door hinges on the cage is pretty rusted out
-The piece of metal going from the t-top cross member to the glass is rusted out
Opinions, fix it ? Sell it?
If I fix it, the body wont come completly off, I was planing on lifting parts of it to add some new metal to some of the mounts.
There are alot of pics. here... http://forums.corvetteforum.com/album.php?albumid=9746
The good:
-Pillars are solid (Some sort of epoxy on them but I sanded down to bare metal and it was solid)
-birdcage around mount #3 is solid from about 4" above rubber mount on both sides all the way around
-The frame is solid except kick ups which look like they have been patched decently
-birdcage going around seats and to the t-top is solid
-birdcage near firewall is solid
The bad:
-Mount #4 on each side seems to be covered in some epoxy but under neath doesn't look too bad
-The metal around the door hinges on the cage is pretty rusted out
-The piece of metal going from the t-top cross member to the glass is rusted out
Opinions, fix it ? Sell it?
If I fix it, the body wont come completly off, I was planing on lifting parts of it to add some new metal to some of the mounts.
There are alot of pics. here... http://forums.corvetteforum.com/album.php?albumid=9746
I had similar rust issues with my '69, but not quite as severe as yours
Both rocker channels on my car were replaced with donor pieces - each new piece extended up about 8-10 inches from the #2 and 3 body mounts
Its a hell of a job
You can also count on having rust in the lower windshield frame as well
BTW, what yr is your car?
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
That is some pretty bad rust on the # 2 body mounts and rocker channel, you may be able to do the U brace thing if you extend it up high enough to hit good metal but not really sure. The # 4 needs to be replaced as it looks like they are rotted and someone covered them up with caulk or something. You can buy replacements and pull all body mount bolts out and jack up the body to get to the # 4's and cut out old mounts and bond and rivit in new mounts. I believe there have been others that replaced them the same way.
Windshield looks bad and so does T-top pillar close to windshield but I would sand that all down to bare metal and see what's left, if there is mostly good metal you could cut out bad sections and weld in new ones or just POR 15 over the entine area with 2-3 coats and top coat it with chassis paint. It really all depends on the amount of work and money you want to put in.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
Windshield looks bad and so does T-top pillar close to windshield but I would sand that all down to bare metal and see what's left, if there is mostly good metal you could cut out bad sections and weld in new ones or just POR 15 over the entine area with 2-3 coats and top coat it with chassis paint. It really all depends on the amount of work and money you want to put in.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 493
Likes: 2
From: Dunellen New Jersey
reading this got me looking at my mounts.Pulled the body off and never got to take a real look at the mounts.All look excellent except one on the rocker.Only rusted around the hole and made it larger.I see zips carries this exact part.great
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,871
Likes: 6
From: Sault Ste. Marie Ontario
Most of the corvette vendors sell repair pieces for the birdcage.
I used them for my #3 mounts and the fit was pretty good.
Have a look at the Zip site. It may be easier to cut and weld the the repair pieces in then fabricate something from scratch.
I used them for my #3 mounts and the fit was pretty good.
Have a look at the Zip site. It may be easier to cut and weld the the repair pieces in then fabricate something from scratch.
