Redoing a 63 convertible and am intersted in taking the body off the frame. Would like to do a thorough job. I have a two car garage and am looking for input, as this is my first body-off (frmae-off?) project. I would appreciate any comments and guidance in getting started that anyone has to offer! Here are some starting questions:

I understand there is a rotisserie available for easy turning of the body once it's off...any comments? Will this be practical in a 2 car garage or do I need more space? Where do I get one, and how much are they?

Is the strap-on body hoist something I can bolt to the joists in the garage attack, or will the body be too heavy for the joists?

What will a body-off retsoration allow me to do that I couldn't do otherwise? Obviously I can blast the frame and paint it more easily, make frame repairs if needed...any other advantages? I am simply trying to weigh the + and - side of things here. Worth my time?

Thanks so much in advance for the input. If there is an archive of similarly addressed info, please redirect me. Or if there is a book that describes these topics, please let me know. Appreciate the help!!!

JW
San Antonio, TX

 

On the technical/ restoration side of this post; this may help. http://corvetterepair.com/tech_tips.htm

 

Are you really ready for a body-off restoration? There's lots more to it than meets the eye, and you need to be prepared for it:

It will cost three times more than your best estimate right now.

It will take four times longer than you think it will.

You won't have room to store the parts in the garage.

If you don't have a detailed project plan mapped out, and follow it religiously, you'll give up in frustration.

You'll have the garage tied up for two years.

You'll find you don't have anywhere near the tools you need, and many of the tools you buy you'll never use again.

Is your wife OK with being a "car widow" for the next two years?

Can you remain motivated long enough to carry it to completion?

Do you have a complete technical library for the car and its components?

Do you know you'll never get your money back out of it?

Not trying to discourage you, but those are simply the facts about body-off restorations at home, and are the reasons so many Corvette "projects" get sold in boxes. If you can answer each item positively, you're ready to start planning.

 

Excellent advice from JohnZ.

 

Okay, let's say I answered these questions positively (thanks for the tough-love ). How about the rotisserie and body hoist?


Any comments on the hoist and rotisserie?

JW

 

Rotisseries are usually five to six feet longer than the body; check Hemmings for manufacturers.

I wouldn't use garage joists to hang/lift a body unless they're reinforced; you can lift the body with an engine hoist, or with a bunch of buddies (if you supply the food and beer).

 

I wouldn't use a rotisserie for a Corvette body. They are very flexible and don't have the structure for end to end support on a rotisserie that a unibody or other metal body car has. If you mount the body on a dolly, be sure that the dolly allows for access to the body from underneath for clean up, repairs and detailing.

Once the frame is separated and stripped of the powertrain components, it can be manged very easily with a helper.

John Z's advice is very sound regarding the up front planning for a body off resto. A '63 is certainly a worthy candidate.

 

I Recently Replaced Optic Spark And Now I Have A Miss. My
Number 6 Plug Will Not Fire. Any Suggestions? THIS BY THE WAY
IS A 1993 CORVETTE.

Uhawku

 

Suggest you post this in the appropriate regular forum (C1/C2, C3, C4, etc.), depending on what year car you have; your post doesn't say what year it is, and there's no information in your profile.

 

With everything John says!

 

OK JW,

First let me say that John and Lemans Blue gave you some excellent advice. Let me add some. Can you do the work yourself? If you can't, you can multiply John's numbers exponentially. But, if you have a need to do a frame off, like the frame needs work, you can do it in your garage. Lighten the body up as much as you can (seats, etc). The nylon strap hoist works just fine, and depending on the construction of your garage, you can pick it from the joists. I have done it with 2 cars. I laid a 4x4 across 6 joists (2x8) and had very little deflection (if any).

Very important: like Lemans said, do not turn it. In fact when you set it down, you need to set it on the body mount pads and core support (right away). Very tough to set up a dolly or dollies to do it. If you don't do that, you will end up with lamination separation and/or stress cracks.

Also, if the frame does need work, there is an excellent book that gives exact dimensions and even all the little tips about where factory marks, etc. were. The name of the book escapes me right now. But, my '69 needed weld repair at the kick-ups and those dimensions helped ensure it was right when the repair was done.

What you will find when you do the job, is you will most likely rebuild the entire frame and suspension (again, go back to John's comments). Hard not to after all that work.

Good Luck, Dan

 

I seem to recall Noland Adam's frame-off book has plans/dimensions for building a body dolly for C2s. Might also be in the video.

 

Thanks for the encouragement, Dan! I have sweated out a medical education, will be finishing residency in anesthesiology in about 12 mos (8 yrs total training by then, not including college and grad school!) and feel I have the motivation, attention span and **** retentiveness to do this project, I just need some specifics to get me started. I do appreciate the fair warning from John though, don't get me wrong.

Now when you speak of dollies, do I need to get the body back down on something like a jig right away, or can it stay on the strap lift (by Ecklers, e.g.) for some time? What I have invisioned right now is lifting the body, stripping the drivetrain from the frame, doing the frame work, replacing drivetrain, suspension, brakes, fuel line, etc, then replacing the body and THEN finishing the body work. Would it be better to change that plan and do the body work while the body is away from the frame? I do need to replace the front clip at some point....on or off, that is the question...(Gee, maybe I should watch Noland's video???) I plan on doing most/all of the mechanical work myself, but I will farm out the body work. I breath enough gas as it is, I don't think I could stand the fumes!

I came across an interesting thread showing a nice lift that looks like would allow me to do this frame-off in my garage, wadda ya guys think???

K. Off for now. Will continue checking back...

Jim
San Antonio, TX
63 vert
327 ci
silver blue, db interior

 

are u talking about his Corvette Restoration & Tech. Guide Volume 2, 1953-62?

JW

 

Mike, are you talking about his Corvette Restoration & Tech. Guide Volume 2, 1953-62?

 

Volume I covers 53-62; Volume II covers 63-67, but the dolly plans are not in either, as I recall. Mr. Adams has a book and video covering a frame off restoration of a straight axle car and I had this confused with the Sting Rays.

There are several frame off How-To reference sources available. Many of the aftermarket providers carry these, including videos. You might also pick up further information from the National Corvette Restorer's Society.

Good luck.

 

I would agree with what has been said above. In addition, if you are strickly doing the project for "therapeutic" reasons, then that is great. Take your time, forget adding up the cost, do not get stressed out, and enjoy the experience. If however your goal is to get the car done in a somewhat predictable time to either NCRS standards or to Concour level, I don't recommend beginning it in a home garage.

Our shop gets 2-3 projects each year that began in someone's home garage and then died. Much of the work performed had to be redone to achieve NCRS or Concour standards because of the use of inferior products or workmanship.

The equipment necessary to do a quality restoration today is very expensive and requires considerable real estate. If you do not use it regularly, it provides no return on investment. Items to consider:

1.) Glass bead cabinet: Ours is pictured here and cost us $5k used. http://ckautollc.photosite.com/CKAutoShop/DSC02009.html It is both a pressure and suction cabinet with the ability to bead blast down to 30-35 psi. Most non commercial models are pressure only and require 50-75 psi to blast. This is disastrous for some metal like pot metal, aluminum, etc.

2.) Roller dolley and frame rotisserie: We have 2. The dolley on the right and frame rotisserie on left is pictured here. http://ckautollc.photosite.com/CKAut...22006_001.html Again there expense is significant to purchase or make these and if not re-used the ROI is terrible.

3.) Air compressor: Needed for air tool use, operating blast cabinet, painting, priming, etching, cleaning out stuff. Ours is pictured here and cost $7.5k not including the insulated room to put it in. http://ckautollc.photosite.com/CKAutoShop/DSC02001.html

4.) Other things to consider include: Frame machine, arbor press, drill press, bench jigs for front suspension (C1), lots and lots of shelving for in process parts, access to good Cadmium & Chrome plating sources, stainless buffiing equipment and supplies, full state of the art paint facilities or access to one, solvents, cleaning tanks, source for large part sandblasting, lots of tools and equipment, tons of supplies, good ventilation equipment, full spectrum lighting, engine stand, run stand, jacks and stands, technical manuals, reference books, photos of similar vehicles, and finally the ability to hold the course to get the project done.

Restoration can be a ton of fun and very educational but it is not for the faint of heart .... or for the family faint of heart.

Good luck in your endeavor.

 

Does anyone know if a jig made for a C3 would hold the body of a C2; i.e. would the dimensions of the C3 jig work for a C2? A nice jig was made by BlackRocket and I'm interested in using his design. Here is the link to his frame-off project...

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1254402

Jim

 

I believe that it would. There is a body mount on the C2 just at the fiirewall that is not present on the C3 so you may have to modify the jig to include a support at that location.

I have seen several C2's with C3 frames under them so that is why I would surmise that it would work.

 

Okay guys... This may sound a little sarcastic,... but for those who what to restore your baby, go for it!

Pulling the body can be done inexpensively and with ease... If your motivated and are willing to do a little work. I pulled my body and had it back on a fully restored frame in 8 months!

Check out http://home.sc.rr.com/jandre/

My moter and body were in good shape...so, I pulled the body and restored the chassis, and put it all back together in less that a year...

All the info to do what I did is online and the equipment can be obtained cheaply... The labor is not cheap!!! Yes, it will cost you for the chassis compoinents to be rebuilt... You have to decide what your abjective is...

I'm willing to discuss any aspect of what I did over the phone if you would like.... Just sent me an email... Check out the photos first..

If you interested in puting in an in-ground pool, let me know, I did one of them to!