Removing the Body

[QUOTE=evil-paul]

ok, I got the body off this weekend. It wasn't pleasent, got hooked up on a couple things. Thought I would share and maybe get some advice on how I could have done things differently. ok, here is the account...

Removed all the bolts in the front half of the car and it went pretty good. The four in the rear caused problems as the nut in the cage would just spin freely. I managed those by cutting them in half with a reciprocating saw. The next problem I had was with the cable loop in the transmission tunnel. That was a bear as I didn't notice it until I had started lifting the body and realized the frame was also lifting after a certain point. I ended up cutting that cable with a sawsall as well since I had limited room with the engine hoist attached.  

All in all the frame had no rust and looked quite good. The body has several holes and crash damage, but seemed very solid when being lifted. Onto the fun stuff now I guess. 

[/QUOTE]

glad you got it off..  i notice you used tyhe dolly diagram off my site..  glad it could be of use...

i didnt need to support the rear..  it was pretty well rigid..  it sat for months just fine..

anyway here is my latest work

http://www.vetteprojects.com/cthulhu/images/frame-off/chassi s5/chassis5.html

Your project is looking good. Can you give me some info on the bar at the front of your frame, looks to be support between the control arms?

Here are some pics of the body removed from the frame. I had to support the rear in order to get the doors to shut which is what the poles in the back are. The frame is sitting ove and old built in BBQ of my dads, so just disregard.

http://www.VetteRegistry.net/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0008.j pg  

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Did you flare the wheel wells, or was it that way when you got it?

[QUOTE=kstyer]Did you flare the wheel wells, or was it that way when you got it?[/QUOTE]

It was as I got it. The front headlights were filled in as well. I thought I would jst be able to sand it down and cut the hole back out, but as I sanded it revealed that it must have been crashed and repaired in that fashion as the fiberglass doesn't match original.

It also has the mounts where the windshield wipers attach to the body ripped out as you may notice in some of the pics. Anybody got any ideas about if that is repairable?

[QUOTE=evil-paul]

Your project is looking good. Can you give me some info on the bar at the front of your frame, looks to be support between the control arms?

[/QUOTE]

that is a front suspension spreader bar..  got it from vb&p..

basically a shock tower stabilizer.

Yes, those holes are repairable.  You may want to make a piece first, then bond it in place.  You will want to build several layers of fiberglass.  Don't make the edges smooth, the rough surface provides better grip.You may want to consider bonding glass to a piece of metal to make the repair piece.  Coat both sides of the metal with glass.  This will make the mounting point stronger.

This is what I should do to my '68 but it runs and stops for now to enjoy it daily. It's a good winter job to think about and I have the room to do it .Thanks for the great picks and advice on the body off resto.

[QUOTE=kstyer]Yes, those holes are repairable.  You may want to make a piece first, then bond it in place.  You will want to build several layers of fiberglass.  Don't make the edges smooth, the rough surface provides better grip.You may want to consider bonding glass to a piece of metal to make the repair piece.  Coat both sides of the metal with glass.  This will make the mounting point stronger.[/QUOTE]

Cool, that's what I was thinking, but not sure if it would hold or if it had been done before. The way you described it gives me more confidence to go ahead. I would prefer to just skip them and run with just some RainX on the windshield, afterall I am in AZ , but I am pretty sure the DMV wants working wipers.  

[QUOTE=Sixty Eight Shark]This is what I should do to my '68 but it runs and stops for now to enjoy it daily. It's a good winter job to think about and I have the room to do it .Thanks for the great picks and advice on the body off resto.[/QUOTE]

Your car looks good, what kind of hood is that? 

It's a '80's something "Turbo Hood" that came with it, now it has a stock '68 small block hood I found in Va. on my way up to N.J to pick up the Vette at Conte's Corvettes.Thats a story in it's own.........I sold my '77 Vette here in FL., took my '57 GMC pick-up to N.C. to sell,found the '68 stock hood in VA.on the way to N.J. [my home state] to get the Vette and see my family. Once again the Vette Gods smiled down on me....... and I found the wiper door and grill on Ebay, now I need the mounting hardware and vac. tank.... anybody that wants to sell the set-up ?????????? LET ME KNOW