Greetings! This may seem like an odd questions since I removed my 1980 from its frame...but, are there any "I got yas" when re-mating the body to the frame?  I have plenty of pictures and notes. Still, this is my first time and I dont want to miss something that needs to be accomplished at this stage.  I have all new fuel and Brake lines installed, frame is powder coated and I plan to chase all the body mount threads before the final fit.  If anyone knows of any good hints or some must do items it would be great!  One other question, anybody live in the Los Angeles area?  Once the frame and body are together I want to get the paint done before I re-install the interior and all of the engine and engine bay components.  Thanks again, cant wait to have one whole car instead of the side by side I've been working on........for a long time!!

When I installed the new body mount bolts I put anti-seize on them just in case.

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Corvettes and women are the same...You want to make love to them but they keep breaking down.

I would suggest getting the paint work done before putting the body back on the frame....especially a restored frame. Body/paint shops don't worry too much about getting overspray all over your nice, clean, perfect frame... If you ask them to be careful, they'll make it a point to get extra overspray on it....ax me how I know...go ahead...ax me...


As long as you have several helpers while dropping the body on the frame, watching for stuff that might need to be moved, it's a fairly straight forward ordeal.
Use masking tape to tape all of the body mount shims in place so they don't fall off. (The body bolts will punch right thru the tape when your ready to install the bolts.)
Take your time, be patient, and all should go well.

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks for the tips!  After I posted that note I read some of the other threads about painting the car off the frame.  I never thought about all the overspray that would be produced during the painting.  It would be a shame too, the frame is real pretty now.  My only worry is transporting the body to a paint shop.  I have a home made body stand.  I'm assuming a paint shop would need a real body rotisserie rig for safe transporting and supoort of the structure while painting??  Is it possible to accomplish this without the high priced frame gear?

If you have cajones, anything is possible.

 

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Corvettes and women are the same...You want to make love to them but they keep breaking down.

Thats Some Cajones

If your body jig is on rollers/wheels of some sort, you can roll it onto a trailer(or flatbed wrecker), and transport it to the body shop. You would need to ask them if their facility has the room available to roll the car around once it's there. You shouldn't need to remove the body from your jig and put it onto something else(rotisserie) to paint, unless your set-up is really low to the ground.

Yeah...Dennis' set-up is pretty wild! It got it home tho, didn't it, Dennis.Adams' Apple2009-04-08 19:43:44

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Just be careful with the ratchet straps. They are strong and WILL crack fiberglass!!!

Ax me how I know!!

Good points.  I will have to check with the paint shop (when I find the one I trust) about my set up.  Its about 16 inches from the ground with the wheels on it.  And yes, I will be watching how tight the hold down straps get.  Ive already added a few nicks, cuts and other assorted mishaps while getting to this point.  Man- grinding wheels work fast on fiberglass......

I know a guy who had good luck with a paint job he had done at J&D Corvette in Bellflower, CA. I saw his car, and it was nicely done.

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Tony,

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