Hi

I am a new guy here, so forgive me if this has been posted before.

I am working on a 68 roadster. It has seen better days and I would like to get the body off to do some work on it as well as powdercoat the frame and get the suspension/brakes all sorted. I built a wooden support for the body and have removed the front body mounts and this is where I am a little hesitant/stumped.

Should I remove the doors/hood/top and then lift the body up?

Should I leave it intact?

Any other advice, tips, instructions, etc. would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

If you going to use starps to lift it I then would leave the doors on it. If you are going to lift it with five or six friends then take them off.

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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

Make certain your wooden support provides for some support under the nose of the car. Leave the radiator support in place, it's a great place to support from and adds a lot of strength up there.

Thanks for the advice so far.

This is the support I built -- http://www.vetteprojects.com/cthulhu/misc/c3dolly.pdf -- seems it supports the front and middle, but nothing for the rear. I noticed on the same site that they made a similar version for a C2 which required straps to support the back end --http://www.vetteprojects.com/cthulhu/misc/c2dolly.jpg -- any idea if I need these straps for the C3?

What is the best way of lifting it, friends lifting from the sides or a Hoist?

Thanks again

Either hoisting method will work. My preference is straps and a engine lift. Carefully inspect your rocker channels for rust as they will carry most of the load when lifting by the conventional method.

The straps I used were configured to lift at the latch post on the door jamb and the lower door hinge. Prior to lifting I removed the doors.

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I used large adjustable tie-down straps. I was able to thread the plain end over and under everything under the car and then simply adjusted them for a level pick from a chain hoist. In my case it was a very good thing I did not use the straps that hook on the rocker channels, they were toast. Probably would have dropped the body.

yea, i just did this last week to mine i used the body lift straps. my doors were off it would have been better if the doors were on it would have taken up more slack in the straps but i got it off with out too much trouble. the body dolly is the same as i built and it works great. iwas working on the frame today got alot done the motor pulled, all thats left is the front & rear suspension

This is the homemade setup I used. Worked well.

 

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http://www.fast77.com
If it ain't broke......fix it till it is

Excellent, thanks everyone, this is the kind of info I was looking for and the pic is helpful also. If I understand correctly, some of you used straps that hook to the body channels and some threaded the strap under the whole body?

Hopefully I will be able to do it this weekend or next at the latest, still need to get the rest of the body mounts off, I think all I have left are the hard ones.     

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=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.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0008.j pg  

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0009.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0010.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0011.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0012.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0013.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0014.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0015.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0016.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0017.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0018.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0019.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0020.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0021.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0022.j pg 

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0023.j pg  

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0024.j pg  

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0025.j pg  

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0026.j pg  

http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/6501_6600/6512/Dscf0027.j pg  

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

New pick. of hood and wiper door

try it again...

[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?

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.

  

[/QUOTE]

Excellent pics.... I had to show you what I found when I pulled my body off. The mess under the pumpkin is the leafspring

makovai38508.5358101852

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http://www.fast77.com
If it ain't broke......fix it till it is

Tell me what you think of fiberglass leaf springs. I know they are lighter but what about strength ???

They are indeed lighter.  But they are also very strong.  Durability is excellent, and the ride is softer.  You will need a different rate shock to make it work well, other wise it's a bit bouncy.  With the right shocks, the handling improves a bit as well.

Just be sure not to cut, nick, etc the spring.  If you create a weak point, that's where it will fail in the future.  But they are quite good.

Some of us prefer the old steel.  It is a bit harsher, and heavier, but it does produce a unique ride quality.  And I like it.  The steel is not better per say, I just like it.  Now suspicions are confirmed, I am a bit of a screwball.

Thanks for the info, my springs look org. I have no reason to change them yet but I'll keep it in mind glass or steel. I did find a wiper door assembly on Ebay and picked it up for $230.00 less the vac. tank, Good price or what????

My car has had one for over 15 years. A PO put it in but I am not sure just when it was. I know I have had the car for 12 years and I bought it off a freind that had it for 8 years. He may have been the one that installed it.

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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