I was just wondering now that I have all 8 bolts out and the body should be free from the frame. Can someone give me some advice what is the best way to get the body free from the frame?
I plan to have about 8 of my friends help me lift it off and set it on a dolly but before I have these guys just come over and start yanking I was wondering what is the best way to get it free without damaging anything.

Thanks,
Jim

Jim,

I think I'm the most recent member to have lifted the body off the Vette, so everything is still fresh in my mind.

First, double check every wire connection for being free. Then, have someone else check it out, nothing like a different perspective. If you have a 4-speed, I suggest completely removing the reverse switch until the entire harness is in your hand. It runs along clips on the undercarriage, and I'm talking from experience here, it will rip out of the connector if you leave it in there.

Have a very large flat prybar handy, once your friends start to take the load off of the suspension, start to pry between the body, and the frame. I'm sure you're allready familiar with that metal lip that runs along the rocker panel area, that is the place to do it. Those mounts might not look like much right now, but I've seen an entire frame levitate from those stubborn mothers.

Hopefully, the gas tank is out, it just makes it easier on your friends, to not have to lift the body too high.

Last, don't get pissed when something rips off, chances are, it probably will. Have your friends go reeeeaaaaaalllllll slow once the load is taken off of the frame, and do a Spider Man crawling around, NOT UNDER!!!, the Vette, and check for anything while they're lifting it. Preferrably a few inches at a time.

Good luck, and have fun. I hope you're paying your friends with a promise to drive your baby when she's finished.

Alan

Alan,

Thanks for the advice. I have pretty much everything off or out of her at the present. I ran through everything today a found a small ground strap that I must have over looked a 100 times. Good advice I will have one of my buddies go over her tomorrow. I plan to lift it off next week I'll let you know how it went.
Thanks again

I would recommend leaving the radiator support bolted to the body. It makes a nice place to add support once the body is removed, and you will want to carefully support the front of the body. The body will not clear the radiator support if it's left bolted to the frame. There is a small ground strap at the rear for the taillights and another small one on the driver's side between the rocker channel and frame. Both those can be easily overlooked. Keep us posted on how the project is going!

I'm back looking for more advice. I was searching for information on the "how to build" a platform dolly to hold the body while I work on the frame. I know I read or saw something on this but I've been looking for a couple of days and still no luck. Would someone be kind enough to tell me where to go (in a good way).

Thanks,
Jim

Glassman69 said: I'm back looking for more advice. I was searching for information on the "how to build" a platform dolly to hold the body while I work on the frame. I know I read or saw something on this but I've been looking for a couple of days and still no luck. Would someone be kind enough to tell me where to go (in a good way). Thanks, Jim

http://www.direclynx.net/~cthulhu/corvette/misc/c3dolly.jpg

this dolly is actually for a c2.. but to make it work for a c3 extend the front/nose support by roughly 12 inches and narrow the main body section by one inch.

|UPDATED|8/4/2004 7:16:56 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Thanks

Can someone direct me where I can go and get the dimensions of the rear wheel well. Before I took the body off the car it really set high off the top of the tire you could actually see the top of the frame. I'm hoping someone before me didn't modify the wheel well to accommodate a larger wheel and tire. I'm hoping once I exchange the shocks rear spring it comes down some.

Thanks,
Jim