If anybody knows someone In LA that is willing to work on my vette without killing me $$ ???
Needs replacing body mounts
And minor work . Thx

 

I do not know anyone that I can recommend and stake my reputation on....but I can tell you expect that they may not give you an exact price...BECAUSE there are so many variables that can arise and cost more time...thus more money.

If you are going to this extent for what ever reason...make sure you look at your fuel lines and see if they may need to be replaced...because NOW would be the time to do so. IF you need them...I would advise getting them from Inline tube (http://www.inlinetube.com/) The fit is exceptional!!!

DUB

 

Thank u for the tip I will for sure change out my 40 year old probably rusted fuel line !!

 

I just got quoted $1000 for to change all the body mounts with the fuel line and poly mounts ? Does this sound excessive?

 

Because of the variables as DUB noted, that could be anywhere from very high priced to a real steal. Unless the car has been protected from weather and kept in a dry climate, there will surely be rusted body mount bolts that may be frozen to the point the bolt(s) break or the captured nuts coming lose. When that happens you have to figure out how to remove the bolt and fix the captured nut. Having helped my friend Rob remove his '70s body I can say it is not a job that goes easily and quickly.
Good luck,
Pete

 

Think about replacing the brake lines as well. Bad news if a rusty brake line cuts loose too!

 

The MAIN THING to keep in mind is the level of quality that the person you choose employs when doing this job. And not so much how much it costs. This job is not easy my no means....and you can run into many issues that can and more often times increase the costs.

So..if you car came into my shop and you wanted a price...I honestly could not give you one due to each Corvette is different...and if you said " Well..my friend had his done in a day and cost him X"...I would reply..."That is your friends Corvette and NOT this Corvette". And that is the TRUTH!

One thing you DO WANT TO DO....BEFORE you take it in....and even show it to the shop so they are AWARE that you know what to look for....or at least this one area.

Remove your door sills. When they are removed there should be orange plastic plugs. Two on each side. Pull out the one at the front on the drivers side...and the rear plug on the passenger side. This will expose a hole that is used to make sure the body can be squared to the frame...and this is done by using a dowel to make sure the holes line up and your can look down in these holes and see STRAIGHT through down to the ground.

IF they are correct now....GREAT...but if they are off....take careful note in their location and this is where one of these 'issues' may show itself due to the possibility that the can has been messed with or has been in an accident and the body shifted....which when released...can make it move and thus harder to get back to the position it is in currently...even if it is not correctly aligned.

You also need to take a good look and climb under the car and see how things look...and when you go and pick it up....I would advise you to look....and that means laying on the ground and looking. Because...leaving the shop and paying for it and then finding something wrong...it will then depend on the integrity of the person who did it and if they will correct an issue you KNOW is not correct...because you noticed it before you took it in. TAKE PHOTO's of bumper mounting and anything.

This is big.....so do not take it lightly....and this also goes for the correct sealing compound that seals off the number 3 body mount access plates. If this sealing compound is left out....water will get in and rust out that area....which is a SUPER BIG DEAL to fix.

I understand that money is an issue....but I honestly think that if you have someone do it and they have to stick to a price they gave you...YOU will possibly be the one who suffers...(bolts left out and not tightened, etc)..especially if the amount of time increases and they begin to feel like that they are not getting paid for unseen problems. Not writing that you would hold them to it...but just do not be surprised.

I hate to write it (and not implying that you only worried about cost) ...but your focus should be on getting it done RIGHT....and there is ONLY one RIGHT! This is not an oil change....by no means.

Chances that the steering coupling (rag joint) will go bad when removed....due to age.

DUB

 

I truly appreciate all the advice DUB and I'm taking notes !! I already know that they will be rust and issues with mount #3 because I got this vette from kentucky louisville . I'm driving this vette daily and have been dealing with one issue at a time . Most of the work have done myself like new headers and exhaust , fuel tank , radiator, Borgeson gear box , bilstein sport suspension all around , front and rear stability bar , xenon front lights and new sound system . I Do not want to adventure myself on doing the mounts because I know that there is a possibility that I wont be able to finish it also no time and space to do it . So for now 1K sounds ok with him supplying the fuel line and all bolts and poly . Specially the person who I talked is the owner of 3 corvettes 67, 69 , 78 .

 

I'd go with rubber body mounts (73's and up had them) instead of poly. Some on this forum have had their poly bushings disintegrate.

 

I have look into it on this forum , I think that it's pretty mixed . Some say poly and other rubber . So for my 72 metal shim should be either replace by rubber or poly . I live in LA does that make a difference??

 

YES...the poly can disintegrate. I have encountered it numerous times on many area that have had poly installed.

Hopefully the person you are using has off-framed the 3 corvettes he owns. Just because he owns several does not mean that he works on them at this level. Not knocking him by no means...just saying.

Also..I would ask him where he plans on buying the fuel/brake lines. MAKE NO MISTAKE...because I have used numerous sources on lines...and Inline Tube is the best when it comes to fit.

DUB