Separating the front end from body.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Nashua NH
Separating the front end from body.
I need to separate the front fenders (complete nose) from the body on a 77 coupe (at the firewall). The body is coming off the frame. What's the best way to get them off with minimal risk of damage? Can I get them separated before lifting the body off (which would seem to make it much easier to lift the body off the frame)?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 783
Likes: 38
From: Mankato Mn
I've done 2 of them. The first one was totaled so I cut it off on the frame. There wasn't much to save so it was easy.The second one, a 68, some Bubba installed the front clip and I had to re do it because the inner fenders were in the wrong place so the hood hinges were not in the right place nor was the clip in the right place for all the brackets to line up. So that being said, you can do it with a sawzall, a heat gun & a putty knife with a hammer. You might want to look at the AIM to see where it is bonded but if you take your time you can do it without wrecking anything. You will need to have the doors off to start with. Make sure when you reinstall it that you dry fit everything before you bond it. A whole bunch of the little spring loaded clamps from Home Depot or Menards will help alot when fitting the clip back on.....Good Luck...You can do it !
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Good information here. http://www.glas-ra.com/v3_4.html
Useful information here, but you do not necessarily need to do everything as this fellow did it. http://www.corvette-restoration.com/...ip_removal.htm
Eckler's also has a fiberglass repair book which is pretty good.
My advice is not to remove a factory installed front clip if you honestly do not need to. Are you certain the clip has to come off?
The clip can be removed before pulling the body from the frame. When it's time to reinstall the clip, have the body back on the frame.
Useful information here, but you do not necessarily need to do everything as this fellow did it. http://www.corvette-restoration.com/...ip_removal.htm
Eckler's also has a fiberglass repair book which is pretty good.
My advice is not to remove a factory installed front clip if you honestly do not need to. Are you certain the clip has to come off?
The clip can be removed before pulling the body from the frame. When it's time to reinstall the clip, have the body back on the frame.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
Useful information here, but you do not necessarily need to do everything as this fellow did it. http://www.corvette-restoration.com/...ip_removal.htm
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Nashua NH
on my 73 the nose was repaired after a pretty bad accident. None of the baffling or other material was reinstalled. I have a parts car with a very good nose. I wanted to pull the bad nose off and use the good nose on the rebuild.
If that will be overly difficult, maybe I can live with the bad nose.
If that will be overly difficult, maybe I can live with the bad nose.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 111
From: Tolland CT
on my 73 the nose was repaired after a pretty bad accident. None of the baffling or other material was reinstalled. I have a parts car with a very good nose. I wanted to pull the bad nose off and use the good nose on the rebuild.
If that will be overly difficult, maybe I can live with the bad nose.
If that will be overly difficult, maybe I can live with the bad nose.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Nashua NH
I am a novice at body work. My mechanical experience comes from working on aircraft. I read through a couple articles on removing the clip. Looks like it would be extremely tough to do with out damaging the fenders in some way. I may try it on the parts car first, if that comes off ok, I can get the repaired nose off with less stress about damage to it.
What is that bonding material?
On a positive note, I've gotten the parts car body up about 8 inches off the frame, and looks like everything is ready for liftoff. That frame has some rust, but will be a lot better off after a good blasting and paint.
What is that bonding material?
On a positive note, I've gotten the parts car body up about 8 inches off the frame, and looks like everything is ready for liftoff. That frame has some rust, but will be a lot better off after a good blasting and paint.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Nashua NH
I got the clip off the 77! I decided to try it and hope for the best. Found out two things. It was a replacement front end, put on with some type of epoxy that shattered when struck!!! Good Lord that would have been interesting on the road!! Also found that the strip over the firewall between the fenders was MISSING. Looks like a Bubba job. RIVETS were holding the fenders to the firewall, not sure if thats normal (I really doubt it).
Anyway, just have to lift off the rear body section and we can start real work on the frame.
Anyway, just have to lift off the rear body section and we can start real work on the frame.
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Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Time is money. So how it is done in body shops is they SawZall straight down through the fenders about a foot in front of the doors. Then you only have two straight lines to rebond the body back together. My Daytona front end was put on this way
Without front body damage I would just lift the whole body off. 5 of use were able to lift the complete body off my 61 when I did a restoration
Without front body damage I would just lift the whole body off. 5 of use were able to lift the complete body off my 61 when I did a restoration
Last edited by gkull; Oct 30, 2010 at 05:20 PM.
