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Frame-Off Restoration

Forum: C3 General Discussion

29 Messages
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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 5/16/26 5:55pmMessage 21 of 29
7
73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA
Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 940
Vette(s): 1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day. 2023 Accelerate Yellow HTC Stingray
I couldn't see the 2X4 you used for a spreader on the picture of the body on the hoist. Is it inside the body?

1973 L-82 4 spd

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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 5/17/26 7:36amMessage 22 of 29
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Redwingvette
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Waterford, MI - USA
Joined: 9/13/2002
Posts: 1807
Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe
Sorry, I could find the picture. I placed it a top of the door between the straps. I had it sticking out about 3 inches on each side of the doors so it didn’t pull in on the door skins. This picture is from my first lift and I decided on the spread when I lifted the body back up when I was putting it back on the frame.
Edited 5/17/2026 7:36:51 AM (AZT)

Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 8/8/26 3:01pmMessage 23 of 29
K
Ksafe 69Vette
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OAK RIDGE, TN - USA
Joined: 7/30/2025
Posts: 10
Vette(s): 1969 350/300 4-speed convertible
Well, finally retired in July 😁. Starting the restoration in earnest.

Emptied the gas tank and ventilated it of all vapors. Was nervous having the 58 year-old gas tank, and the associated rubber fuel line, in my garage with ten gallons of gas. All gone now.

Completed detailed inspection of the frame (from the underside). Really only revealed two areas of significant concern, the usual areas directly in front of the rear wheel wells (sorry, no picture at hand).

Also pulled rocker panel molding and side pipes this week. Obviously, the side pipes are not original. However, the 1969 did come with factory option side pipes, RPO N14. Haven't pulled the tank yet, so don't know yet if build sheet present and, if so, whether the car originally built with side pipes. Based on the way the rocker panel molding has been cut, my conclusion is they were not used with the factory option.

Plan to pull seats and kick panels next. Want to get a look at base of the birdcage. Ultimately trying to determine what I am in for if I decide to pull the body and do the full restoration.


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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 8/8/26 6:11pmMessage 24 of 29
m
manchestershark
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Equinunk, PA - USA
Joined: 10/31/2007
Posts: 2646
Vette(s): 1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.
Hello. Nope, pipes are not O.E.M. Look like they are Hookers. Go slow. It took me 6 years to do a 75 T top. You can do it. Get a new tank. Put the old one in the junk. Don't even think about saving it. Stay consistent and label Everything. Let me know if you need any parts. I have a few.


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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 8/9/26 12:34pmMessage 25 of 29
7
73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA
Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 940
Vette(s): 1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day. 2023 Accelerate Yellow HTC Stingray
Those are Hooker or Hooker style what is referred to as nest-of-snakes style headers and side exhaust. I believe the real Hookers had a Hooker icon stamped in the side pipe itself, not sure.
Take lots of pictures before you disassemble anything and bag and label all parts.

1973 L-82 4 spd

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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 8/10/26 10:03amMessage 26 of 29
K
Ksafe 69Vette
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OAK RIDGE, TN - USA
Joined: 7/30/2025
Posts: 10
Vette(s): 1969 350/300 4-speed convertible
Those are Doug's headers and straight side pipes (no muffler!). Too loud - woke up my whole neighborhood when I went to work at 6:00 am.

I have recieved the message to bag and tag everything, and take lots of pictures. It is part of my process.

Thanks for the input.
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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 8/10/26 3:10pmMessage 27 of 29
b
blu72
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Pasadena, MD - USA
Joined: 6/16/2004
Posts: 334
Vette(s): 72 Coupe L48 4 sp Air Tilt Leather
I remember those Hooker Side pipes, 1979 or so. (required cutting the fiberglass part under the rocker panels and the rocker panels😬)
Had to have a set, friends and I installed them on Blu72.
Yes - even with the slip in mufflers it was too loud, but really cool for a 25 year old car nut.
The thing I remember the most was going up hills with your foot in it. LOUDER
The floor vibrations made it loud with windows rolled up, the 4 seperate tubes running under each side helped heat up the car even more, and transfer more noise into the cabin - gee that was fun..... maybe something to do with Tinnitus now.....

Bruce
72 Coupe L48 4sp
Custom Blue/Silver/Pearl

(Click for a larger pic)

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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 9/13/26 5:01pmMessage 28 of 29
K
Ksafe 69Vette
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OAK RIDGE, TN - USA
Joined: 7/30/2025
Posts: 10
Vette(s): 1969 350/300 4-speed convertible

Well, after much consideration (and I must add with some disappointment), I have concluded that it would be unwise to attempt to lift the body off the frame. I have removed the seats, carpets and interior panels to the degree needed to inspect the “corners” of the birdcage, at least to the degree possible (which is not much). What I can see discourages me from the endeavor.


Pictures of front corners…

It may be difficult to tell from the pictures as, at some point, somebody has coated the surfaces with some type of black finish (looks almost like “rhino liner”), but there is clearly significant metal missing and some evidence of structural disfigurement (i.e. failure?). Comparing these to how I believe the birdcage components should looked based on the diagrams in the assembly instructions leads me to believe there could be significant deterioration of the birdcage.


Pictures of the back corners…


Can’t see much of the birdcage from this view, but what I do see has significant rust.


Restoration to continue, just with the body staying on the frame.


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Re: Frame-Off Restoration

Posted: 9/13/26 7:31pmMessage 29 of 29
7
73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA
Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 940
Vette(s): 1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day. 2023 Accelerate Yellow HTC Stingray
You might consider scraping the bulk of the scale off of the rusty areas and painting them with POR paint that you can get from Eastwood. POR stands for Paint Over Rust and I've successfully used it a couple of times and it seems to work especially in protected areas like you're dealing with.

1973 L-82 4 spd

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