Need help on 65 Corvette Info!!

chevyaddict · 03-15-03, 11:32 AM

HI guys! We might be buying a 65 convertible project car! We are so excited! This will complete our corvette collection (except for a C6, of course). Anyway, we have a picture of the body tag and vin plate but it is ambiguous in the photo of where this actually is on the car. Could anyone enlighten me on exactly where these are located? Also, the body is off its frame at the moment and we will have to drive quite a ways to get it. How feasible is it to just reattach the body to the frame for transport purposes? Will anything get damaged? The car is completely disassembled. Are there critical areas in the body that could have been damaged since its been off the frame that I should look for?? We aren't familiar with this body style. I know alot of pieces are available to purchase and this doesn't concern us - what I AM concerned about is structural integrities since it has been off the frame for awhile.
Thanks!

JohnZ · 03-15-03, 12:24 PM

The VIN plate and trim tag are both riveted to the cross-car lower instrument panel reinforcement, directly below the glove box door. Hard to comment on the project car, as there are so many variables involved in a disassembled car, but the body should either be on the frame or bolted down on a well-built body dolly before transporting it.

Mikey1 · 03-15-03, 01:23 PM

Well....you should definitely check in what way the body is or was stored (for how long ??).

The backend of the Vert tends to hang if not separately supported and you need to check the birdcage for rust under the doors. That leads to knida V-shaped door openings...which will bring a lot of fun installing doors correctly.

If the radiator support is taken out of the car as well the frontend should be supported as well. Especially if stored for a while.

Is there any way of determining for how long the body is off its frame ?

All the work is doable...this is not the point...but it affects price and truly your work.

61 Silver · 03-15-03, 01:26 PM

Hi!

I recently transported a restored body to the paint shop for lacquer paint. I did end up with one minor crack on a previously repaired area, and I believe this happened when I secured it to the body dolly and loaded it on the trailer. I choose to transport the frame to the paint shop for body mount, and then return the 65 chassis and lacquered body to my shop to complete the restoration. Check to see if the wiring harnesses has been removed, or secured where they will not affect the drop. The drop is fairly easy with enough helpers. I would ask the condition of the body mount bolts and nuts, hopefully the previous restorer documented the amount of shims at each mount. This may not be important for transporting, but it will help provide a reference point when you drop the body for the finial drop. You may want to take a tap and die set to chase the threads. I would recommend that the doors are installed with the latching hardware. This helps to prevent body flex during lifting. If this was my project I would like a rolling chassis.

Hope This helps!
Ray

http://home.rochester.rr.com/carneyscorvette/

chevyaddict · 03-16-03, 10:09 AM

These are all good points and extremely useful information, thank you all. We have actually declined on the purchase simply due to the fact it will have to be transported 2000 miles on some nasty highways just by bolting the body to the frame and securing the frame to trailer with no suspension. It seems that that alone might be enough to damage the integrity of the body. Plus, I get the impression the person who disassembled the car is more of a novice and I don't know if it is worth the headache. At the same time, it is hard to let it go but the right one will come along.

Again, thanks so much and we will keep your advice saved for future reference!!

Mac · 03-16-03, 01:59 PM

A disassembled project car is kinda like the biggest 3-D jigsaw puzzle ever made but much worse because you can't always be sure all the pieces are there or that everything will work. Completion is possible but not always practical, let alone affordable.

You can usually tell by how organized the pieces are whether the person who took it apart knew what he was doing or not as one of the secrets to a successful restoration is documentation at every stage of the disassembly. The subsequent repair and reassembly is much easier if you've recorded how things came apart. The inexperienced restorer (voice of experience talking here) in his haste to see results, will pull things apart as quickly as possible and end up owning a pile of parts. It's no wonder so many guys get discouraged and quit.

My first frame-off resto attempt was a Jeep CJ5 which I ended up selling for 1/3 what I paid for it after I pulled it apart to a rolling chassis. The guy who bought the chassis replaced the rusted out body with a fibreglass tub and, as far as I know, he's still trying to get it back together. He's a patient sort so he might just succeed, eventually.

Mikey1 · 03-16-03, 04:14 PM

Even 2000 miles shouldn´t do any harm if the body sits on the frame. Some "suspension" could be done by adding some stuff underneath it on the trailer.

But I agree...if this is just a big puzzle left over by a novice....better keep the hands off if it is not exactly what you´re looking for or it is a very seldom car..

Also I have to admit that I am kinda novice in terms of restoration as well having my body sitting beside the frame for about half a year now.

Today enigine and tranny went back into the chassis....which in complete rebuilt mode and almost finished.

I expect to have the body back on the frame somewhat in four weeks after a repaint of the engine compartement. Rest of the body is ok and will not be done any work to right now.

So that seems pretty realistic....but I experienced....it always takes twice as long and costs double the amount !!!!!