When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
There is a pretty complete checklist somewhere on the forum for everything you need to remove and disconnect before you lift the body.
It is pretty complete, but it is missing a few things.
I found a bunch of ground wires, some from the tail lights, rear window defroster, radio antenna, factory alarm horn, there’s one to the drivers side on the radiator surround and everything that goes through the firewall.
Don’t forget the cable connecting the underside of the seatbelts pads that runs under the driveshaft and the hand brake cable.
Push both battery cables out through the holes in the battery box.
Just when you think you are ready, there will be something else you find that you missed.
Take lots of pictures for reference when your putting it back together.
Corvette Body Removal ChecklistThe following Body Lift Checklist will assist you in preparing to remove your Corvette body form the chassis. This checklist is prepared from past experiences and may include several items that physically are not necessary but will assist in the lift process.
Every effort has been made to be as complete as possible, but keep in mind that various years and models of Corvettes were different from each other as they left the factory and certainly many changes have been made by individuals during its life. Consult your Service Manual and Assembly Instruction Manual for additional help. Be alert for changes made by individuals or items that are aftermarket or non-standard.
The tools required are relatively minimal. In addition to standard safety equipment such as gloves and safety glasses you will need the following:
One two ton floor jack
A set of good safe jack stands
A 1/4" standard drive socket set with 5/32" to 1/2" sockets and extensions (1-1/2" & 3")
A 3/8" standard drive socket set with 3/8" to 5/8" sockets and extensions (1-1/2" & 3")
A 1/2" standard drive socket set with 7/16" to 1" sockets and extensions (3" & 6") and one flexible attachment.
It is recommended that socket sets include six and twelve point sockets as well as standard and deep well sockets.
A set of open / closed-end wrenches to include: 1/4", 5/15", 3/6" 7/16", 1/2", 9/16", 5/8", 3/4", 11/16", 3/4" and 7/8".
A set of phillips type screwdrivers.
A set of slot (straight) type screwdrivers.
Needle nose and standard pliers.
Hammer and box knife.
Pre-Body Lift checklist
Exterior Trim:
1. Remove rocker panels or side exhaust covers
2. Remove Fuel Lid and Bezel (good time to check that gas tank is drained and empty)
Cooling System:
5. Disconnect upper radiator hose and remove
6. Disconnect expansion tank hose from radiator
7. Disconnect heater hose from water pump
8. Disconnect heater hoses (2) from heater core
9. Unbolt expansion tank straps
10. Remove expansion tank with hoses attached
11. Disconnect Lower radiator hose
12. Remove fan & fan clutch as an assembly
13. Remover upper radiator shroud support bracket
14. Remove shroud mount bolts
15. Disconnect horns and lay to side
16. Unfasten horn relay and voltage regulator from radiator support
17. Disconnect transmission cooling lines if so equipped.
18. Remove Air Conditioning dehydrator bottle if so equipped.
19. Lift radiator and fan shroud out as one unit
20. Remove lower radiator hose
Electrical system:
21. Remove horns
22. Remove voltage regulator
23. Remove horn relay
24. Disconnect wires from alternator/generator
25. Loosen bolts to alternator/generator mount bracket and move towards engine
26. Remove top ignition shielding if car is so equipped
27. Disconnect wires to coil (both positive & negative)
28. Disconnect wire to temperature sending unit and free it from any clips that might secure it.
The electrical system will not be completely finished until we disconnect the lower starter wires. We will get to these once we are under the car.
Mechanical Connections:
29. Disconnect brake line from master cylinder
30. Remove clutch return spring
31. Disconnect clutch linkage at cross shaft
32. Disconnect steering column
33. Disconnect accelerator ground strap from the block
34. Disconnect the accelerator rod linkage from lever
35. Disconnect tachometer drive cable from distributor
36. Disconnect oil pressure sending tube from block
37. Pull all of the above back from firewall
38. Pull rubber dust shields out of upper “A” Control Arms
39. Disconnect and remove fuel injection air cleaner if so equipped
40. Disconnect fuel line from fuel pump
As an IMPORTANT safety precaution - make sure all fuel is drained from the system.
Under Car Connections:
41. Remove front bumpers and brackets
42. Remove rear bumpers and brackets
(Be sure to count the shims in the inner rear bumper brackets that shim the frame out to the body)
43. Remove rear license plate bezel
44. Remove rear valance panel if applicable
45. Disconnect wire harness from gas tank and pull back from frame.
46. Disconnect radio ground strap from frame
47. Disconnect front parking brake cable from any clamps that may keep it from going with the body
48. Disconnect speedometer cable from transformer and any clamps that may keep it from going with the body
49. Remove all forward splash shields that that are connected between the frame and body
50. Remove body to frame ground (Left #1 mount point)
51. Disconnect wire harness from starter and solenoid
52. Disconnect back up light leads if so equipped
53. Disconnect neutral safety switch if so equipped
54. Remove the lower radiator support bolts (two)
55. Remove body bolts at position #1 on both right and left side. Located just forward of the firewall
56. Remove body mount bolts at position #4 on both right and left side. Located near the rear of your Corvette.
57. Some years require that seat belt retaining wire and brackets be removed.
It is VERY IMPORTANT to give a final check to the underside of the car. There are many differences between years and of course there are many areas that could have been modified. Check carefully to see that there are no connections of any type between the body and frame.
From Above:
58. Remove doors (optional)
59. Remove body mount bolts at positions #2 on both right and left side of car. Located under sill plates.
60. Remove access covers in rear fender wells
61. Remove body mount bolts at position #3 on both right and left side of car. Located in forward wall of rear wheel wells and in some years two additional bolts in the interior just on each side of the floor tunnel.
62. Remove gear shift ****
63. Remove center console
64. Remove shift boot and retainer
65. Corvettes from 1953-1960 require that the rear exhaust extensions be removed.
Final Check of Engine Compartment:
66. Pull speedometer cable up from below and lay on fender
67. Pull front parking brake cables up from below
68. Pull all wiring harnesses back from frame
69. Pull brake lines back from master cylinder
Look carefully to see that all wires and other items have been pulled back out of the way. Once everything is checked, you are ready to lift body.
You are now ready and should be prepared for the big event. Keep in mind that you are working with a 3,000 pound car - so
Thank all ye merry gentlemen for contributing on Easter Day.
I am copying and pasting your pointers and lists to a word document to printout so I can cross things off as I go along.
I was a bit cheeky today (as our brothers over on the island would say).
I had a good feeling and decided to try and impact off the last two mounting bolts. They came off with no fuss at all.
Think we should replace it ? I am really pleased this came off so easily.
Interestingly this is the driver’s side. Note the small hole.
The passenger side has a much bigger hole. It is clearly not corrosion.
The skirts came off with ease. Too much ease. In fact there were quite few screws missing. And the others were not correct. Does anyone know what these metal loops are screwed to the frame ?
Frame actually looks overall in great shape.
Looks and feels solid
And this is the rust hole I’m all on about.
Peering inside I see more corrosion. If I want to address this, the body has to come off.
Another nut looking in great shape. Something is going to have to go wrong soon.
Looks like something is missing here. I’ll have to look it up in the AIM
I’m tremendously pleased. It might have taken me 3-4 hours but no serious challenges.
Encouraging
Passenger side kick panel. Much better shape than I was expecting.
Driver’s side Aluminum mount there. Cafe looks in very good shape.
Driver’s side behind panel of rear wheel well
All bolts out. A bit of Evaporust and they’ll be good as new.
The best and worst bolts. Hard to believe they’ve been in there for 54 years. Ironically the most corroded bolt (here) was the first and easiest to come out.
This is encouraging. I was expecting this to be a nightmare like:
The body is officially floating. No more driving this baby for a while.
I would highly recommend getting rubber boots for the top of those jack stands........putting the full weight of the car on those stands will dent the frame. These frames are not that thick and unless you put some wood or rubber between stands and jacks......you just dent the crap out of the frame......if you care.
This is the recent one. I typically do every single job myself. And here is the reason why. I thought this would be a super easy job for the mechanic around the corner. The exhaust was rattling. I asked him to stop the rattle. He welded the bracket too the frame.
At some point damage was done to the rear. To fix it, someone welded the bumper bracket on. The question is why. I don’t see any choice but to cut this.
Hopefully that will be enough to get the body abound and off.
Clearly at one point this car sustained damage to rear. Valance cannot be removed. Here it was glassed over so thickly that the bracket would not fit. Now instead of elongating the bracket slots, Bubba welded it on. Hopefully this means the frame is fine.
It should look like this.
Inevitable I guess. Not from the mini grinder.
That was close.
This piece 15 was missing. Interestingly they left the bolts in. The bracket end was still there too. They just cut it off. I’ll be hunting to spares.
Glad I made these. I didn’t think they’d come in handy… but did
You get what you pay for. $17. My good one was stolen. I bought this in a pinch and it lasted 2 days.
That’s awesome.
You got more done than I did.
I spent a couple of hours moving things around and reorganizing my garage to make room to store my completed dolly.
Once that was done, it started to rain so I reorganized again to make room to assemble the dolly inside.
This morning I will need to move some things from the garage into one of my sheds, then I’ll be ready.
Yep. I was lucky with the weather and could do the build outside. The garage is mostly clear but more work need to be done. I have Tuesday off. I plan to build the crane then.
The body will be removed on May 27. Invited a couple of friends over because this is a job I can’t do alone. The will be followed by a barbecue
Sounds like a fun day.
One thing I learned early in life.
Keep the beer warm until the work is done, because once a single beer is chilled and cracked open, the work ends and so does the help.
Sounds like a fun day.
One thing I learned early in life.
Keep the beer warm until the work is done, because once a single beer is chilled and cracked open, the work ends and so does the help.
I usually consume on job. It helps me relax and enjoy the process. And I swear a hell of a lot less.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
