I am starting a frame-off restoration of a 69 convertible (sprint package). Can someone recommend a good guide book to follow or make some how to suggestions. A friend mentioned to me the frame will buckle if I do it wrong. The fool boards are pretty much gone. Thanks
Well for starters there is no continuous frame under the car. That's why it's called a uni-body car. You have a front sub frame and rear frame rails. They bolt to the body but do not connect. If you're going to take on a massive project like this you'd better get a handle on exactly what it is and the correct terminology or some body else will be buying your tore apart car from you for pennies. And yes the body will buckle if you don't do it right. Good Luck. Oh, and welcome to the board.
Thanks for the response I understand all of your points that is why I am looking for something that will help guide the process to eliminate problems before I start. Can you recommend literature that might help
I don't know of any literature that would take you through a nuts and bolts restoration but I've always said you have to have three things to fix up a car...the time, the money and the place. You need all three at the same time. Two out of three isn't going to get it done. The other thing you must realise is a frame off resto will cost you three times what the car will be worth when finished. And that's if you do most(or all) of the work yourself and can take years to accomplish. I hope you're young with lots of energy. You'll be much older by the time you get to drive it again(if ever). Like I said, I wish you good luck.
This is a fantastic publication (monthly magazine) that I highly recommend, it won't walk you thru the whole process like a normal book would, but you'll get invaluable tips/hints/shortcuts/recommendations in every issue: http://www.autorestorermagazine.com/ar/
I believe most of us who have done true/full restorations have either past or present autobody and/or mechanical experience as a full-time career. There are certainly exceptions, and many non-body people can learn ANYTHING... And many can't. Only you know what you are capable of yourself...
If you have a technical college or high school near you that offers auto-body repair classes to the general public in evenings, having an actual teacher would be invaluable, and taking such a class would be a GREAT idea. Plus it gives you access to their shop and tool stash, for various parts of the project that are often extremely difficult to handle at home. Many such classes encourage people to bring in their own cars to work on. Though you won't get the restoration done there, you WILL get a fantastic forum to bounce off ideas/tips and get some help from.
You mean the foot boards, we are the fools board,,LOL no matter how bad it is we can fix it..
how bad is the body ? just the floor boards ? how about the frame rails. seems like we just went through this ...lol the weakest point of the vert is right where the rear frame rails overlap the rockers. The rockers on a convertible are the back bone of the car. They are made of much heavier steel 4 layers than the coupe. make sure your rockers are in good shape.
Look right where the front of the leaf spring mounts. its actaully in a cup that bolts to the torque box that ties the rockers to the rear frame rail. This must be solid!
The best advise is to search to death how others have done it both on this site and on camaro sites. Use the forums as much as possible to lean from others. Use the archive tools as well.
I did mine all myself. Not sure how I ever finished it.
For what your doing I would cross brace the door jamb areas and get to work on the floors. Get the frame all done and back under the car and get it rolling again
Thanks for the input not worried about doing the work been around sheet metal and mechanical field for years in other areas. Having never done a car trying to be cautious gong forward. I will definitively look at the sources you provided
I need to check my typing better. Yes the floor boards are bad under seats, center humped area and trunk look ok. The body, I saved about 70% of the front end, doors good ( minor patching) close nice and smooth with equal spacing, rear panels are bad from about a inch above the raised line in the panel down, across the trunk all usable. Some pitting on the frame but all bolt holes appear to be good. I looked at the rockers and did some rust removal they are solid and I took a hammer and tapped on the frame rails all the way back they are solid. Where the leafs attached is also solid. The car was parked in a garage in 80 and given to me a couple years ago. I spent a little time on engine to see if it still would run and it does it has 33k for mileage. People much more familiar with than me say it is not to bad. It appears I could lift the body straight up if I have the correct points which looks like where rockers attach and firewall area? Any suggestions would be much appreciated
If the floor is bad in multiple areas, and depending on the level of restoration you want, you might consider a full floor. I am doing mine as others are too. The fit is ok but tweaks can bring it closer, and definitely a two man job.
Be sure to brace the door openings and I also went across the interior as well. Good luck. You will need a good compressor, air tools, and welder if you plan to do any floor or body work.
Came across another publication that might be useful, and here you can actually read and see what you will receive if you buy. Much more project specific. Don't forget these cars are constructed largely identical to Camaro: http://books.google.com/books?id=5APAzrP...aro&f=false
You ask about "lifting the body straight up". Again you're really describing process for a full frame car, which this Firebird is not. so that's not really how you do it on a unibody car, although you CAN. But in reality you can just separate the front subframe from the body and not lift it at all, except for access reasons...essentially you split the car in half at the firewall. This can even be done with engine/trans in place if you want, front suspension in place, rear suspension in place, doors in place...
To give you an idea, here's a link to a photo of a rolled-away, but otherwise assembled subframe (engine is removed in this photo...which is totally optional)
And another photo I found that sort of shows the concept of the process. Note engine/trans/front suspension are removed here (optional again...and this is an aftermarket subframe, not original), but the rear suspension is actually fully installed for this process. I believe that helps illustrate the difference between a full frame and a unibody/subframe car, from a disassembly/construction standpoint: subframe installation photo
Basically to do this first remove hood/fenders/front bumper, disconnect wiring, brakes, cooling hoses, etc. Support the body on jack stands, then it's just 4 big bolts up thru the bottom of the subframe and floor that release the 2 halves. Get these bolts out and you can just roll the front half of the car away from the back half of the car, with almost zero lifting. One guy can do it fairly easily with minimal help and little jacking.
Is this a recommended plan? Frankly it's hard to advise when I have no idea what your ultimate plan is. Are you going to full-rotisserie the unibody, or do you plan to just patch it and fix it while laying on your back? Probably makes a difference in what order you disassemble, and how far you disassemble.
Thanks allot for the advice it is all appreciated. I am getting use to the correct terminology very fast here which is great. It will be a full-rotisserie. Currently I have the front end completely off including suspension. I will be pulling the engine and trans sometimes in the next month. My thought is if I am going to go for this I will do it correctly I know it will be more money and time I am ok with that the car will not be sold. I rode in the car in the early 70s and it is becoming a passion to restore right or wrong. Anything you can suggest is greatly appreciated having never seen it done I want to be cautious. THANK YOU
