ArtGle

O.K., I've got the 72 torn down enough to begin thinking about removing the nose and going after the hinge posts and windshield frame.

My question is the 'Disassembly of the body plastic around the hinge posts and removal of the nose.

I've never taken the BODY of a Vette apart before, so any and all suggestions are welcome.

I need to strip this car down for major repairs.

Heat Gun? Piano Wire?
Pry Bars and Air Chisels? (just kidding)

East Bay 68

Hey Art, I haven't done a lot of this (yet) but I did start taking the firewall off my 68 coupe (front clip was already off when I got it). To get to the firewall rivets in some places I needed to remove fiberglass pieces that were bonded to the firewall. First off was to use the AIM to assist me in seeing where and how the different pieces are bonded together. I used a a couple of different scrapers mostly (one really stiff one more flexible) but the key thing was applying heat from a heat gun to get the old bonding adhesive to soften up. If you try and pry things apart without heat it just breaks the fiberglass. So I would heat up the part I was trying to pry off and eventually the scraper would slide in there then you can move along (slowly). I might have used a hammer too to help get the scraper going. There are some good threads on the Forum about this that I found, especially from Dub. Good luck! Chris

Mr D.

I would remove the bumpers and headlight assemblies before you start busting bonding areas loose.

Glas-ra makes some pretty good books on this subject.

http://www.glas-ra.com/frontend1968thru1982.html

porchdog

heat and good putty knife . take your time. heat is the key .

DUB

Art...first thing is to get the body back on the ground.

Second...putting the jack stands to support the front of the car may seem to be in the right place...but actually it is best to put them under your lower control arms. Reason being...due to no windshield and the weight of the front end of the car...the pivot point is NOW right where your jack stand is and IT CAN cause for problems in the cowl/plenum area. Now it is your Corvette and you can do as you wish...but all I will write is that I DO NOT put jack stands there to simply support the car....and IF I do put the jack stands there due to no front suspension..I have my floor jack under the cradle to support it also....so the front clip can not sag. Usually I put the tall jack stands in the spring pocket in the frame when I have no front suspension in the car. The reason I fell as strongly as I do about this is because I have seen the problems due to supporting

You still have my number and you can call me if you choose.

As previously stated...HEAT is going to be your friend..and that is also making sure that when you apply the heat...you allow the heat to soak or migrate into the panel.

The thin putty knifes or even sections of a radiator hose clamp...or long blade feeler gauges work also so can allow you to get into an area and begin to separate the seam. Once you get going...you will see that it is not that hard but it DOES take time.

'RVZIO' showed the tools in his thread he used when I talked him through removing the front clip on his 1969....without any damage to it.

Before I begin any of this....I would HIGHLY advise you in taking a lot of measurements. It is good to know where you started and how things fit...so when you are putting it back together and realize that something is wrong...it might have been wrong initially and you did not know it. SO it is up to you if you have to put the wheel back on and the doors back on...that is up to you.

DUB

porchdog

i drill pilot holes in the fender/flange so i can use old screw drivers to align it . i cut the ends off the screw drivers.

ArtGle

Engine and transmission are out of the car.

ArtGle

Front of the car is now stripped of everything not actually part of the front clip.

ArtGle

I have two beautiful replacement doors (Original 1972 doors)

ArtGle

Engine and transmission out.

Exhaust out in one piece, including cross member. LOL

ArtGle

Well guys, first off, thanks for the helpful hints.
Do NOT think they've gone unnoticed.

Here's the progress so far.

This 'Adhesive' is easier to work with than I expected.

Should have the firewall off in the next day or two.

Happy Thursday.

Oh, "DUB"... Thanks!!!

porchdog

be sure to brace the front clip at the firewall end. that small strip across it will go south quick. looks good so far.

ArtGle

The wood cross brace at the firewall end is screwed to the nose.
There were a couple of holes in the edge under the hood area, so I put some drywall screws there to secure the wood lift frame I built.
Not taking any chances on the nose 'shifting' while suspended.

But thanks for the suggestion.

ArtGle

The car came with 'numerous' spare body parts.
Doors, Hoods, T-Tops.
Still haven't picked up the rest of the spares that came with it because seller underwent serious medical operation.

But thanks.

DUB

VERY NICE JOB on getting the front clip off.

In the photo below....the three rivets that to can see in the center of this photo that held the fiberglass gusset to the cowl area ...( under an to the right of the rust hole)...are the three rivets I mention about a lot of times that can fail can and cause this area to break loose and thus cause for the gap between the door and front clip to change.

This area is where my concern comes from when I see a Corvette supported with jack stands in the wrong area.



DUB

ArtGle

Greetings.
Firewall off and body around hinge posts.
Probably need to go further though.
The rear of the T-Bar where it attaches to the Halo needs to be cut out and welded new.
Looks like I'm taking the ENTIRE BODY OFF.
But, thanks to you, I've learned and been able to 'finesse' my skills at this.

ArtGle

And 'Planning Ahead', need to ask about reassembly time.
Was at Shelby Autobody Supply, and spoke with them about adhesive.
He showed me this with it's information.
Tells me that it's what local Corvette guys use.

DUB

I guess it all depends on WHERE you plan on using these Fusor products??? They are great products....but it depends ...like I just wrote.. where they are being used

DUB

ArtGle

I should have been more 'wordy' in my question.
I'm sadly of bad memory, but I 'think' you mentioned the Corvette Panel Adhesive more than once, for reassembly of the body.
That's what I'm talking about.
I'd asked the body supply guy about that, and he 'steered' me to this product.

So, that's my question.
When it comes time for the reassembly of the body,
Firewall, hinge posts, nose clip to body...

Or where do I purchase the Corvette Panel Adhesive?

Because, apparently, that guy didn't want to sell it to me.

DUB

Art,

When you get to the point where you are going to be installing the firewall with the rivets and such. That is when you can use SEM BEIGE SEAM SEALER which is catalyzed to seal off the top edge of your firewall to the birdcage that is part of your wiper trough.

AS for the rest of your panels that you can see are riveted and possibly have some sealant behind them in various areas....I would still use the SEM product. If it is an actual adhesive. SEM offers a product for that also.

When it comes to bonding fiberglass panels to fiberglass panels...that is where it can get a bit 'touchy' due to there can be two different types of materials used to make up your body panels. More than likely the exterior panels are made out of a 'SMC' type material.

I can get into this more in depth if you need for me to. BUT....I would use the EVERCOAT SMC Panel Adhesive pt#994 for bonding the panels back on. And IF any filling needed to be done...I would use EVERCOAT's Vette Panel Adhesive pt # 870(quart) or pt#880 (gallon).

DUB