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Birdcage transplant

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Birdcage transplant

Posted: 12/12/15 7:05amMessage 1 of 6
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Former Member
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chesterfield, MI - USA
Joined: 2/16/2015
Posts: 34
Vette(s): 1979 L48 Auto red on red 1971 Coupe 350 auto 1970 454 4-speed Coupe sold 1977 350 auto sold
I have my 71 Coupe that was totaled and a 1979 that I plan on using as a doner for any parts that will interchange. Does anyone have info. or experience with such a project? Maybe some great websites for info?  I've been in the body restoration biz for better than 25 years and have done a few C3's in my time. This will be the first though in such depth, there are differences of course but the core of the cars are pretty much the same.  I'd like to go as far as removing the body panels, front clip, firewall,rear clip, etc.  As to access the the metal birdcage and media blast or maybe even dip and e-coat it and go from there re-assembling this car.  Yes it would have been much easier, and cheaper possibly, to buy a really nice project so to speak. But, I would never have a C3 in completely rust free condition as this would produce.  Frankly, I love tearing cars down to the bone and rebuilding them.  Any good resources for this info and/or materials would be great.. 
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Re: Birdcage transplant

Posted: 12/12/15 9:15amMessage 2 of 6
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Tisdale, Canada
Joined: 12/24/2013
Posts: 423
Vette(s): 1975 L48 Stingray 1992 LT1
Best thing u could get is the shop assembly manual shos every piece right down to washers and bolts and order they go in

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Re: Birdcage transplant

Posted: 12/13/15 12:23pmMessage 3 of 6
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chesterfield, MI - USA
Joined: 2/16/2015
Posts: 34
Vette(s): 1979 L48 Auto red on red 1971 Coupe 350 auto 1970 454 4-speed Coupe sold 1977 350 auto sold
I have a manual but it doesn't show much on measurements. I suppose I could get the 79 stripped down enough to make a million measurements and record the with pictures and lots of notes before cutting anything up. The easiest solution would be to just switch out the rear clip from my 71 onto the stripped rear section of the 79 birdcage. Thus keeping the 79 birdcage and front clip un-touched, almost..  LOL   Then do my transplanting of 1971 parts to the 79 front clip. I have bought the fiberglass sections from a Ebay seller of all the defining differences between 79 and 71.  All I need are the front bumper brackets and headlamp/header cross members for the front nose.  My fear is the 79 birdcage being rustier than the 71 birdcage. The 79 Corvette wasn't parked inside storage 'till 2006 and the 71 has been inside since approx. 1974 or 75    The 79 has 109,000  and the 71 has only 24,000 it was totalled by the one and only original owner 40 years ago and has been stored inside since.  This is why I would like to remove and replace only the damaged parts of the 71's original birdcage.  So far I know the 79 has a solid birdcage, at least all except the rear lower part of it behind the seats and the bottom  of the "B" pillar (latch plate.  I haven't been able to access that area visually yet.
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Re: Birdcage transplant

Posted: 12/19/15 3:55pmMessage 4 of 6
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Long Valley, NJ - USA
Joined: 3/21/2007
Posts: 297
Vette(s): 1972 454 Coupe, 4 speed, Targa Blue with blue interior, luggage rack 2019 Grand Sport Coupe, M7, Ceramic Matrix Gray with gray interior
There's s great resource on the web called http://corvette-restoration.com/# where a guy documents rebuilding a 1971 corvette down to the birdcage. I haven't looked recently but have used the the site over the last few years. It's a great resource.

Mario

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Re: Birdcage transplant

Posted: 12/20/15 5:03pmMessage 5 of 6
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chesterfield, MI - USA
Joined: 2/16/2015
Posts: 34
Vette(s): 1979 L48 Auto red on red 1971 Coupe 350 auto 1970 454 4-speed Coupe sold 1977 350 auto sold
That is a great site..  Already learned that removing the front clip shouldn't be as difficult as I thought.  Thanks for the info..
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Re: Birdcage transplant

Posted: 12/26/15 7:29amMessage 6 of 6
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Long Valley, NJ - USA
Joined: 3/21/2007
Posts: 297
Vette(s): 1972 454 Coupe, 4 speed, Targa Blue with blue interior, luggage rack 2019 Grand Sport Coupe, M7, Ceramic Matrix Gray with gray interior
Glad it helped Happy Holidays

Mario

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