I have a 71 coupe on the frame and need to replace the #4 body mount and bracket. How do you get at the rivet in the rear of the bracket? What the best way to raise the body enough to make the change?
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Re: C3 #4 Body mount bracket replacement
Very interested in the "experts" responses as I am doing same on my son's 72 convertible. For us, we are lifting body to do a frame off. I cannot see how you could get by without loosening all the mount bolts all the way to front so that you can raise enough without flexing or forcing the lift to much. Maybe you can. You probably would not need to raise too much once the body spacers are off the mount. As for the rear rivet, I am cutting a small access hole in the rear baffle so we can peen the rivet from the correct side and then glassing back in. Shouldn't take much of a hole.
Things to think about--we broke both #4 mount bolts removing and had to cut one #3 bolt head off. If you don't remove your body or significantly lift to replace reinforcement and you happen to break a #3 or #2 bolt==I think you will be in for lots more work. Seems rust hangs out with rust and the sill area is a great place to collect it too (especially in the rear area and around the seat extensions which you cannot see). Soak those bolts if you have to remove and lots of luck!
Will monitor your thread to see if I am way off course so that I can do it "differently" but I am comfortable with my plan even if it is wrong. More than happy to share any lessons learned with you or anyone. belton, tx -
Re: C3 #4 Body mount bracket replacement
Reread your queston? If you are replacing the #4 frame mount also, I would think you could just cut it off and grind the area down, fit the reinforcement and snug up the new frame mount and weld--watch that gas tank, i hate gas except to drive with. Not good for working around it.Comment
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Re: C3 #4 Body mount bracket replacement
We thinking the same way. I do not want to lift the body off the frame just raise it off the mount enough to change it. I ground off the head of both bolts the caged nuts had rusted loose.I think that I will cut a 2x2 square in that rear pannel and repair the hole after. I put a lift type jack stand under one corner of the battery box with a board under it and got no were trying to lift the body. Maybe 1/16 of a inch. The brackets are rusted preaty bad on the contact surface and have pushed in so that most of the rivets have broken but not the one in the back. I thought of trying to find a pop rivet that looked like the original never used the hammer on type. I,m going to wait a bit before I go further and see if anyone has changed the thing without doing a body off.
HenryComment
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Re: C3 #4 Body mount bracket replacement
I have owned 5-C3's over the years (68 convertible, 69 coupe, 2-79's and this 72 convertible). Each of them was a severe "leaker". If up north, road salts don't help. I live in Texas but this car came from PA. Windshield upper corner and header were rusted out even though the car looked great! We replaced all that and the windshield. Then we found severely rusted seatbelt reinforcements. Then we found small back section of driver side sill channel and the whole lower edge of the extension totally eaten away. The passenger side was fine to include the sill and extension and seatbelt reinforcement. As we moved to the rear, both our deck tower inside lower brackets (the coupe doesn't have the inner bracket issue)and the number #4 reinforcements and cage nut were badly rusted away. The nice part is that the frame does not show signs of the typical rusting and is very solid at the rear extensions. My point is this, if you are going through this much effort check the run out of rusting from front to rear. Sorry, sure you have already done this checking but repairing these type things isn't that big a deal to me if you are pretty crafty and competent. I only say this since your mount is so severely rusted--other forward badly rusted or localized areas must be lurking out there too.
You need to make sure all the rear bumper brackets and things are not binding your lifting. And, for me, I must be over cautious but I would take my tank out. It only takes one explosion or fire to ruin your day.
Finally, why do you even need to lift if you are taking the frame mount off. I should go outside and look at ours but surely you could just cut that mount off and put things back on. Worst case, you will have to lift if you cannot do it this way. Not trying to make big deal out of this for you. I am very interested in your approach and results. billComment
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Re: C3 #4 Body mount bracket replacement
I'm not replacing the frame bracket because its fine. As for rust in other areas and its repaired thats how I noticed the mount bracket. There is nothing under the rear of the car not even the tank or the alarm horn, everything has been removed. Both rail ends have been repaired and the pockets that the trailing arms go into are being done now. The rear rals have been ground down, wire brushed and prep for paint. The only other rust I've found is the radiator support and possibly the cross member under it. When I finish the rear Includig the spring, trailing arms, Diff.,struts and any other bushings the car gets turned around on the lift. The plan is pull the engine rewire, do the fr. susp., and the rad support etc.
This darn brackets got me stumped. I hate to cut the hole or take a chance of cracking the body. Ionly need 1/2 inch to slide the thing in.Comment
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Re: C3 #4 Body mount bracket replacement
In putting the board under the battery box and trying to lift you should not be able to lift the body at #4 position. Reason is that your lifting point is very close to body mount position #3 and this is resticting you lifting the body from your selected lifting point. You will have to remove the access cover from the fenderwell to loosen this mounting bolt. I changed out all the body mounts on my 70 to the 73-up rubber style.Comment
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Re: C3 #4 Body mount bracket replacement
It should be very easy to lift the body on that corner enough to replace a mount cushion. Just pry it up with a pry bar near that location.Comment
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