Up-date on body off project.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Up-date on body off project.
I finaly got all of the rusty rocker channels out of the way. I found that a round carbide burr in my air grinder worked best to seperate the spot welds once I could find them. I placed the new rocker channels in place to see if I could weld the inserts to it before i installed them. Looked pretty good so they are now one piece. I am going to spray whats left of the rusty metal with Por15 and paint the new rockers next. Now it is time to start on the frame. Pictures can be seen on my web page.
[Modified by redwingvette, 11:59 PM 7/29/2003]
[Modified by redwingvette, 11:59 PM 7/29/2003]
Racer
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
From: Marlborough MA
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
Nice! I checked the website, that is certainly a different body dolly!, but I suppose the others that I have seen have rested inside the rocker channels, so that would be a slight problem to replace them! :D I'm about 1-2 weeks out from removing the body. (1st attempt failed due to time constraints). Did you find the hooks from the lift straps wanted to slide together when you started to lift?
Good luck with the rest of the project!!!
Good luck with the rest of the project!!!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Re: Up-date on body off project. (75 BBC Stingray)
75 BBC, No they stayed where I put them. The biggest problem I had was the rockers were so rusted that they bent out as I lifted it. I ended up putting some shims between the rocker and the bottom of the door for extra support.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
Wow! :eek: Nice work Brian. Somehow I expected body to be lifted only a few inches to swap out frame sections. From your pix looks like rocker panels are separate from main frame. How/where do they fit in? And one more annoying question, what did you use for a lift? Engine hoist? Also is that a standard 2-car (20'x20') garage?
Thanks for the requirement list as have saved it for referance. :cheers:
Thanks for the requirement list as have saved it for referance. :cheers:
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Re: Up-date on body off project. (cardo0)
cardo0,
the rocker channels are attached to the body. It is what the body mounts bolt though to hold it to the frame. They run from the #1 mounts to the #3 mounts. They are welded to the windshield post and the rear support. The garage is 24X32 with a 10 ft ceiling. I used two come-a-longs attached to a beam above the rsfters and a set of body straps to lift it off. Care had to be taken because the rockers are what the straps attach to and they were really rotten.
the rocker channels are attached to the body. It is what the body mounts bolt though to hold it to the frame. They run from the #1 mounts to the #3 mounts. They are welded to the windshield post and the rear support. The garage is 24X32 with a 10 ft ceiling. I used two come-a-longs attached to a beam above the rsfters and a set of body straps to lift it off. Care had to be taken because the rockers are what the straps attach to and they were really rotten.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,269
Likes: 3
From: St. Charles IL
Cruise-In 5-6-7-8-9-11-12 Veteran
A CI-6 Car Show Winner
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
Brian, it's refreshing to see you are doing this thing right. The picture of your old channels pretty much tells it all. That's about how mine looked, and I'm sure there are a lot more of them out there. You were much braver then me lifting that body from those rusted out channels, when I lifted mine I used large ratcheting type tie-down straps that I worked completely under and around the body. I hope you might consider submitting your step-by-step photos to the "FAQ" site for archival. :cheers:
[Modified by Big Fish, 6:35 PM 8/3/2003]
[Modified by Big Fish, 6:35 PM 8/3/2003]
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Re: Up-date on body off project. (Big Fish)
I spent yesturday with a wire wheel and hit the rust off the frame, Started to paint it today. Hope to get it painted before I have to go out of town on Tuesday. Man that POR is messy. Can't get it off my skin. Friday should be welding night for the rockers and frame body mounts. I would like to start reassembling things on Saturday.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Re: Up-date on body off project. (NHvette)
I got back home yesterday and started working on it again. I replaced the fuel and brake lines with stainless and put the tank back on. Now I need to weld the rocker channels back in and I can put the body back on the frame. Just in case someone is keeping track: Rocker channel repair kit $250, Fuel and brake lines $310, tank straps $25, assortment of bolts $50, frame paint $25, body mount kit $140, etc.... At least my suspension and drive train was already rebuilt. Hope to get a lot done tomorrow.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Semper ubi, sub ubi
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
Wow, what's it been about 2 or 3 weeks since you pulled the body? That's got to be a record for a body off, especially with the bird cage repair you had to do.
Great job!
Great job!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
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From: Waterford Mi
Re: Up-date on body off project. (noskillz)
I used a air grinder with a round burr to remove the spot welds from the inside and bottom of the rocker channels. After the rockers were removed I did the same on any left over tabs inside the post. I then fit the new front and rear inserts to make sure they would fit in the channels. Then I welded them to the rocker channels and sliped the assembly into place. Then I welded the inserts to the post from the inside.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
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From: Waterford Mi
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
The body is back where it belongs, Mounts are tite and doors open and close the best they have in a long time. Now its reassembly time for everything else. New bolts every where.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Semper ubi, sub ubi
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Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
Brian, I think we need to put you in a special category of C-3 owner. Over the past 3 years or so I have followed a number of body off repair projects, and your repair has to to be the quickest I can remember. I know who I'd want helping me on a body removal and repair!
Great Job!
Great Job!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
:cheers: Congratulations Brian. You’ve done some impressive tool turning. :yesnod:
I guess I’m still not sure how those channels fit in as it looks like they could have been chiseled out with some kind of long shaft hammer tool. Now this has me worried when someone mentions “the birdcage” as it sounds like a metal framework hiding behind the fiberglass. I guess my question is how bad can it get ? And does anyone normally replace the whole birdcage? Now I'm afraid to look at my body mounts or the front window post/channel. :lurk:
I guess I’m still not sure how those channels fit in as it looks like they could have been chiseled out with some kind of long shaft hammer tool. Now this has me worried when someone mentions “the birdcage” as it sounds like a metal framework hiding behind the fiberglass. I guess my question is how bad can it get ? And does anyone normally replace the whole birdcage? Now I'm afraid to look at my body mounts or the front window post/channel. :lurk:
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
Your frame looks pretty nice and solid. I'm surprized the rocker channels rusted so severely. I hope you were able to take the opportunity to spray rustproofing inside the frame rails to make sure that the frame stays solid for many years to come. I've found that Eastwood has a nice undercoating sprayer with many attachments. Their undercoating's a bit pricey and watered down, though. Modelcraft paints sells a good undercoating that's only about $12 a gallon. They have a number of outlets in the Detroit Metro area if your interested.
Nice work on the bird cage and super quick too!
Nice work on the bird cage and super quick too!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: Up-date on body off project. (redwingvette)
Just in case someone is keeping track: Rocker channel repair kit $250, Fuel and brake lines $310, tank straps $25, assortment of bolts $50, frame paint $25, body mount kit $140, etc....
Wow Brian, you just flew through that. I can't believe yoiu've got the body
back on already. You do sleep, right ??
What did you use for body mounts. I am convinced that the original rubber
mounts collect moisture and help the rotting process. I'm hoping the poly
does not have this problem.
Good luck wrapping it up. :seeya
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,683
Likes: 202
From: Waterford Mi
Re: Up-date on body off project. (NHvette)
NHvette,
I stayed with the rubber mounts. I have to believe I won't be doing this again in my life time again: at least not on this car. :lol:
By the way, I up dated the web page.
I stayed with the rubber mounts. I have to believe I won't be doing this again in my life time again: at least not on this car. :lol:
By the way, I up dated the web page.
