I am about to begin the resto of my 69 L46 coupe. I have the body off the chassis and have a couple of questions. My goal is a concourse type of restoration. What is the best way for stripping the frame? I have read that the original frame was not painted. What is the correct finish then? The frame has a lot of surface pits from rusting. How can this be smoothed out? Is it better to replate my hardware or can I just by new correct hardware? Any help given would be appreciated.
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Re: C3 frame resto
A book available from the NCRS store that covers chassis restoration could be helpful for your restoration. -
Re: C3 frame resto
A book available from the NCRS store that covers chassis restoration could be helpful for your restoration.Comment
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Re: C3 frame resto
Sand blast is most common method and easiest to find.
Frames WERE painted. Any quality black automotive enamel with egg shell or semiflat gloss should be fine for a top coat. I would precede the top coat with one to two coats of epoxy primer directly onto the bare "white metal" sandblasted frame. Pitting can be corrected the same way dings on the body are addressed...body filler; any material structural damage from rust must be repaired.
You will find that you can not simply go out these days and buy new fasteners and other hardware that is correct. Original headstamps and fastener configurations are, for the most part, not available today. Properly plated fasteners must be annealed immediately after plating to prevent internal cracking, weakness, and failure. The ideal restoration will reuse as much as the original car as possible...maximizes originality; generally also minimizes cost.Comment
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Re: C3 frame resto
Sand blast is most common method and easiest to find.
Frames WERE painted. Any quality black automotive enamel with egg shell or semiflat gloss should be fine for a top coat. I would precede the top coat with one to two coats of epoxy primer directly onto the bare "white metal" sandblasted frame. Pitting can be corrected the same way dings on the body are addressed...body filler; any material structural damage from rust must be repaired.
You will find that you can not simply go out these days and buy new fasteners and other hardware that is correct. Original headstamps and fastener configurations are, for the most part, not available today. Properly plated fasteners must be annealed immediately after plating to prevent internal cracking, weakness, and failure. The ideal restoration will reuse as much as the original car as possible...maximizes originality; generally also minimizes cost.Comment
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Re: C3 frame resto
Concours is not the same as NCRS Flight Judging. Best choose which type of resto you're going to do before any work is done.
It is correct to say that the frames were not 'painted' in the strictest sense, however they were coated with an asphalt-based goo. Most people substitute actual paint during a resto.Comment
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Re: C3 frame resto
Concours is not the same as NCRS Flight Judging. Best choose which type of resto you're going to do before any work is done.
It is correct to say that the frames were not 'painted' in the strictest sense, however they were coated with an asphalt-based goo. Most people substitute actual paint during a resto.Comment
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Not C3s, Mikester...
A type of paint was used on C3 frames...it is not readily soluble in mineral spirits (or gasoline) once cured. The asphalt based coating was applied to C2s, and maybe it went back all the way to the 53s, but it wasn't used on C3 frames. The resident GM historians may know the precise year of changeover.Comment
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Not C3s, Mikester...
A type of paint was used on C3 frames...it is not readily soluble in mineral spirits (or gasoline) once cured. The asphalt based coating was applied to C2s, and maybe it went back all the way to the 53s, but it wasn't used on C3 frames. The resident GM historians may know the precise year of changeover.Comment
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Re: C3 frame resto
That's all good advice.
First though I would take LOTS of digital pics!!!
Then as you take it apart look for original finishes whether it be plating or paint and wright it down on the LABELED bag or tag that will stay with the parts.
Then try and clean as much as you can with something like simple green. This may show up factory markings and more accurate indications of what the original finish was. Document or take pics of any markings.
Then you can sandblast away to your hearts content!
Try and save as much of your original hardware as possible because you can often tell a repro from an original. Check this out...
the bolt on the left is a Paragon "repro" and the one on the right is an original. It's easier to see the difference in person but the Paragon one "TR" is thinner, not centered and the top of the "T" and "R" are not aligned. When I find a correct one this one will go in the trash.
This was probably overkill on my frame but I used a metal reinforced body filler on my pits. Then I primed and painted with an epoxy paint that I would have to say was VERY close to the original "gloss". What I have heard of some doing is spraying on an epoxy primer and then the asphaltic coating from Quanta over top. This way the frame is protected and it looks right...until something like oil, gas or brake fluid gets on it...
Take Mike's advice and figure out if you want to go concours OR NCRS in your resto. Keep in mind that the NCRS route is restoring a Corvette to be the way it was and concours is restoring it for a "beauty contest".
WARNING: This is just the beginning so try and have fun. Remember YOU own the car...it doesn't own you!Comment
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Re: C3 frame resto
That's all good advice.
First though I would take LOTS of digital pics!!!
Then as you take it apart look for original finishes whether it be plating or paint and wright it down on the LABELED bag or tag that will stay with the parts.
Then try and clean as much as you can with something like simple green. This may show up factory markings and more accurate indications of what the original finish was. Document or take pics of any markings.
Then you can sandblast away to your hearts content!
Try and save as much of your original hardware as possible because you can often tell a repro from an original. Check this out...
the bolt on the left is a Paragon "repro" and the one on the right is an original. It's easier to see the difference in person but the Paragon one "TR" is thinner, not centered and the top of the "T" and "R" are not aligned. When I find a correct one this one will go in the trash.
This was probably overkill on my frame but I used a metal reinforced body filler on my pits. Then I primed and painted with an epoxy paint that I would have to say was VERY close to the original "gloss". What I have heard of some doing is spraying on an epoxy primer and then the asphaltic coating from Quanta over top. This way the frame is protected and it looks right...until something like oil, gas or brake fluid gets on it...
Take Mike's advice and figure out if you want to go concours OR NCRS in your resto. Keep in mind that the NCRS route is restoring a Corvette to be the way it was and concours is restoring it for a "beauty contest".
WARNING: This is just the beginning so try and have fun. Remember YOU own the car...it doesn't own you!Comment
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Re: Not C3s, Mikester...
Hey Chuck I'm not too sure about that...
I found some of the original paint on my frame (under the gas tank felts so I know it was original) and wanted to see just how crappy this stuff really was.
I took a rag dampened(not soaking) with turpentine and it came right off with one swipe. I then tried some gas and had the same result...one swipe and it was down to bare metal. I don't know about later C3s but as of Jan 69 this asphalt based coating was still being used.
For what it's worth this paint was more of a semi-gloss instead of a semi-flat and it was quite black....not the blackish-dark brownish-charcoal shade that others think it was. Maybe there were variations though...Comment
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Re: Not C3s, Mikester...
Hey Chuck I'm not too sure about that...
I found some of the original paint on my frame (under the gas tank felts so I know it was original) and wanted to see just how crappy this stuff really was.
I took a rag dampened(not soaking) with turpentine and it came right off with one swipe. I then tried some gas and had the same result...one swipe and it was down to bare metal. I don't know about later C3s but as of Jan 69 this asphalt based coating was still being used.
For what it's worth this paint was more of a semi-gloss instead of a semi-flat and it was quite black....not the blackish-dark brownish-charcoal shade that others think it was. Maybe there were variations though...Comment
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Hmmm....(MumbleMumble)...
OK, maybe you're right...at least for a 69. This is how the 70-72 TIM&JG describes that frame finish:
"The original frame color was semi-flat to semi-gloss black with an enamel base. Drips and runs are acceptable, but not all frames have them."
I was going on observations of my 70 frame, and what I have heard about C2 frame paint having an asphalt base. My frame was in good condition with only light surface rust and with at least 50 percent of sound coverage with relatively thin, smooth, black paint.
In a sheltered area above the corner gusset near the RH rear wheel kickup, the paint was in very good condition, and there, it was a low gloss semiflat. Others have said that they had found their frames more of a semigloss...at first I was skeptical. Given the conditions of the painting process as described by others later in my education, I wouldn't be surprised if there was wide variation in gloss level. These gloss observations seem to confirm the description of the 70-72 TIM&JG.
I used mineral spirits to wipe down some areas of the frame, and I can't remember there being any dissolving of the finish like would be expected with an asphalt based product. Gasoline is a more aggressive solvent than mineral spirits, and if the frame finish is thoroughly wetted with gasoline, maybe the paint would curdle, and could be wiped off. Frankly, I didn't try gasoline, but was actually visualizing the likelihood of gasoline melting it like an asphalt based product...I didn't see it happening.Comment
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Hmmm....(MumbleMumble)...
OK, maybe you're right...at least for a 69. This is how the 70-72 TIM&JG describes that frame finish:
"The original frame color was semi-flat to semi-gloss black with an enamel base. Drips and runs are acceptable, but not all frames have them."
I was going on observations of my 70 frame, and what I have heard about C2 frame paint having an asphalt base. My frame was in good condition with only light surface rust and with at least 50 percent of sound coverage with relatively thin, smooth, black paint.
In a sheltered area above the corner gusset near the RH rear wheel kickup, the paint was in very good condition, and there, it was a low gloss semiflat. Others have said that they had found their frames more of a semigloss...at first I was skeptical. Given the conditions of the painting process as described by others later in my education, I wouldn't be surprised if there was wide variation in gloss level. These gloss observations seem to confirm the description of the 70-72 TIM&JG.
I used mineral spirits to wipe down some areas of the frame, and I can't remember there being any dissolving of the finish like would be expected with an asphalt based product. Gasoline is a more aggressive solvent than mineral spirits, and if the frame finish is thoroughly wetted with gasoline, maybe the paint would curdle, and could be wiped off. Frankly, I didn't try gasoline, but was actually visualizing the likelihood of gasoline melting it like an asphalt based product...I didn't see it happening.Comment
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