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frame off

E

edl

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Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
809
Location
Southeast, US
hi folks - if you were doing a frame off restoration for the first time, in this case a c3 corvette, what useful items could one BUILD to facilitate that

- so, one thing that occurs is some form of wooden rack into which long somewhat flat body parts (hood, doors, decklid) to avoid just lining them up along the garage wall - has anyone done this? do you have a building plan to share or could walk through the steps?

- what about a dolley of some form to put the body on - I have a 4 post lift, so that seemed like the right place to keep the chasis - again, plans? steps?

- i know there are homemade rotisseries out there - what would be the right specs for a c3 - how would you make it? - do you have to mount something on the body in order to mount the rotisserie there?

any other tips or tricks in terms of storing that you are not working on and otherwise handling the material? - so yes, ziplocs, permament markers, boxes - but what else - somekind of wire or other tie that can be put on a part that is not coated in paper, but something more permanent? - other? many thanks, ed.
 
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Junkman

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Dec 18, 2006
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Northeastern CT
A car in parts takes up about 5 to 8 times as much space as a car that is whole. Get a digital camera and start taking picutres. Then get a storage unit to put alongside the garage to store all the parts. Then have fun taking every thing apart. Make sure to keep all the pictures in a safe place. If you don't finish the project, the next owner will appreciate your documentation. Frame off restorations take forever to complete, and many people loose interest before they even start to put it all back together. Also get a factory assembly manual so you will know what goes where.
 
L

-lecroix-

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Jan 28, 2006
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establish yourself a budget ... and then multiply it by 3 ... i'm being serious too.
 
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E

edl

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Jan 29, 2006
Messages
809
Location
Southeast, US
thanks guys - it is that multiplication of space needed that i am trying to address with my questions - can't get a container in could build some sort of outside storage, like a shed outside the garage wall - but it is humid and rainy down here in south texas - wondering if anyone has come up with a godd system in the garage for using the vertical space to get these sorts of parts up and out of the way - so shelves are clear for small items in bags or boxes - but what about big stuff...like a hood or a door or a deck lid? long bits of molding - i can envision something coming off the ceiling for the long light stuff - maybe a wide stout shelve with carpeting on it to put the other stuff and tie it in? - don't know ... hoping to get some ideas - thansk, ed
 
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E

edl

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Jan 29, 2006
Messages
809
Location
Southeast, US
thanks guys...OK...I GOT IT...I am approaching a black hole...danger will robinson, bottomless pit of spending ahead...turn back!!:bounce:

but if i am STUPID enough to go forward with this (and trust me...I know...always cheaper to buy done than to do)...what about the storage stuff? rotisserie? other good tips and tricks for those that have done this? - not necessarily baggies, permanent markers, boxes ... that much even a bobo like me can figure out ...but what else? - cool ideas on a database to catalogue stuff? - anything?? (other than bail before you start :eyecrazy: )

thanks all! ed:beer:
 
P

PAToyota

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Jan 20, 2006
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Location
South Central Pennsylvania, USA
Digital camera is probably the number one thing - take pictures of each part as it comes off, possibly then in the bag and then in the box so that you can find it again. Spreadsheet that links the pictures to the bags and boxes. I'm in the process of putting together a shelving unit that will hold those clear plastic storage containers - like the Rubbermaid 11 gallon containers - for the smaller parts. Put the parts in freezer bags with labels on the bag and the container. I'm also installing shelving up high in the garage for larger pieces like body panels and such. We'll see how it goes... :)
 
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K

kyeakel

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Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
22
Location
central NY
I am nearing completion on a total frame off resto on my 78' vette. This started as a rear end replacement, and I kept noticing just one more thing that needed doing. I finally just tore the whole thing apart and re-did it. I have a 3 car 2 story garage with an attic. I had the parts in all 3 bays and the interior in the attic. I've been working on it for about 1 year, everything has been replaced frame, rear, ******, engine, radiator, brakes, bearings, steering, etc. I found serious bird cage rust and had to remove the fiberglas from the birdcage and make my own patch panels as some of these parts are not available. I'm in NY so up here rust is a serious problem, maybe yours is not that rusty. I have a 2 post lift, plasma cutter, tig, mig, and gas welders. Sheet metal machines, a sandblast cabinet, a mill, a lathe, and proper mechanics hand tools. I've put about $15K into this resto, it's not my first either.
There are some very good suggestions in the previous posts. You had better love to do this type of work. I've seen plenty of disassembled vettes for sale, as the owners loose interest or can no longer afford the parts.
Check out http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zeroforum?id=3 for alot of info and some great walk through pictures of C3 resto's in progress.

Good luck!

Kipp
 
B

bahamasair

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Jan 21, 2006
Messages
120
Location
bahamas
I dont think a rotisserie is a good idea on a c3. I dont think the front clip would be strong enough to support the car. Im half way thru a body off on my C3. I used my 4 post lift to take off the body. I strapped the body to the rafters with the lift half way down then lowered the lift the rest of the way then rolled the chassis out from under it. Then all I had to do was raise the lift and put a 4x4" under each side under the rocker channels. I used a 2x4 across the front under the radiator support to support the front clip. Whatever you use to store the body on make sure to support the nose.
 
T

TurboAWDFanatic

Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
14
One tip that has saved me hours is to re-thread any bolt back into its original hole that you can after the part is taken off...that way you know for sure where it came from. Obviously with a frame off you might not be able to do that as much depending on what you want to do to the body, but I'm sure it will work for some things. For example, when you take the motor mounts off, thread the bolts through the bracket that the mounts attach to so that you remember which one goes where while everything is sitting around.

For the rest of the hardware where you can't do that, use the baggie method as stated earlier, putting a label inside each zip-lock.

Take TONS of pictures. If you have a digital camera there's no excuse not to take as many as you possibly can.

Get a factory service manual. Haynes/Chilton's just won't cut it for a frame-off.
 
B

buffaloracer

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Sep 10, 2006
Messages
1
Older semi-trailers are cheap storage. Keeps parts off of the ground and dry. Also keeps things from disappearing.
 
M

MDH9252

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Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
81
Location
Charlotte, NC
Ed, price some manufactured rotissories before you commit to building one. There are several nice plans on the web (harwood's included), but with the price of steel now days you can buy one far cheaper than building one (unless of course you have the steel laying around collecting dust).
 
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