C1 Body-Off Advice Needed

[Mark P.]

I am a newbie to Corvettes (just 1 year) and am trying to determine if I should do a body off on my 1960. The car spent the first 10 years in Texas then the rest of the time in California. It has about 125K miles and has just some light surface rust on the frame. The car appears to have been garaged most of its life. The only frame repair I think it will need is to repair two 1.5" X 4" sections on the bottom of the rear crossmember. There are a couple of reinforcement plates that size welded to the bottom edge of that crossmember. I figure I could repair that on the car without too much trouble in a few hours.

I saw a few postings recommending not to do a body off unless the frame was pretty bad and only if one had no plans to drive the car after the restoration. I have seen a website where a 1970 frame was restored while on the car and could do that instead.

The car was restored in the 70's and has shiny laquer with lots of clear plus some surface cracking in all the typical places. Aside from the engine, transmission, upholstery and radio it is original but could use a restoration so I can get it Flight judged. My goal is to keep driving the car even between judging events. It is more important to me to be able to drive this car than to win awards.

I was thinking the body off made sense so I can have my painter work on it for 6 months or so while I restore the chassis restoration. With a body off I plan to drop the body on partially assembled like the factory did it. In a month I'll have a correct engine long block back from the rebuilder as well as rebuilt T-10, restored manifold and dual carbs, new AK interior and restored Wonderbar. I have tried to buy original or NOS parts with all the correct dates to make it as original as possible and have followed the JM.

I have no plans to sell the car and could conceivably have it for the next 30 years or so and will probably drive it a few thousand miles a year.

The car has no mechanical problems I know of and drives great. If I don't do a body off then I'll spend the 6 months while it is being painted recovering the seats, restoring the gauges, restoring the hard top, rebuilding the generator and getting the power top system working. I plan to do this work myself. I would then do the frame restoration like was done for the 1970 mentioned above. I have been working on cars on and off over the last 25 years so I feel I can do much of this work myself.

Here are my questions:
1. does a body off makes sense ? If I mark and reinstall all the shims just as they are now will that de-risk this some ?
2. any issues with using one of those Nuair aluminum dollys ? I plan to transport the body on the dolly 100 miles to the painter's house. I like this dolly because I plan to disassemble it after and keep it for a future restoration.
3. if I do the body off does it make sense to send the chassis out for powder coating ? It would be nice to have a newly painted chassis.
4. since I do plan to drive it does a single stage enamel make sense versus bc/cc or acrylic lacquer for Sateen Silver ?
5. if I don't do the body off is it difficult to drop the engine and transmission into a freshly painted car ? I have installed several engines over the years in different cars and never damaged a body.

Thanks,

Mark

[Ted S.]

Re: C1 Body-Off Advice Needed

On the body off if your going to the level you indicate, taking the body off is not that big of a deal and it makes it alot easier to access the other components.

On the other items, the first question is what is your goal for the car?

If it is to create a great driver the bc/cc, powder coating the frame, radial tires, etc add longevity/driveability of the car.

On the other side they equal point deducts on a flight judged car.

Some compromises are acrylic enamel for the frame with the right level of sheen, single stage urethane verse bc/cc, etc. Less deducts generally in flight judging.

On the NuAir dolly, they work great. We used one on my '58

[Mark P.]

Re: C1 Body-Off Advice Needed

I was planning on using medium gloss black powder coat and heard the finish coat deduction for the frame would be 2 points or less which is not significant.

I would like a great 2K a year mile driver that is substantially correct so it can be Top Flighted at a regional level. I doubt I would go for a Duntov award. I would also like to show occasionally at low key car shows with my buddies who have 60's muscle cars. I don't plan to trailer it but could in the first year.

As for the paint, if a single stage urethane will judge OK I will probably go that route. For a metallic paint like Sateen Silver can I get by without a clear coat ?

Any waxes I can use to tone down the sheen for NCRS judging ? I can then use a higher sheen wax for the rest of the time.

[Bert L.]

Re: C1 Body-Off Advice Needed

Just my .02 worth Mark, but I would be inclined to forego a body-off for this car if, as you point out body and frame are straight. Light surface rust would present a cosmetic concern only and in no way would detract from your enjoyment of the car. I had no choice on my 1960; frame was severely corroded and had to be replaced. Best of luck to you whichever course you take.

[Terry D.]

Re: C1 Body-Off Advice Needed

Mark
I agree with Ted, you need to decide what you want from your car. If it is more important to drive and have fun than do a body on. If you are after a top flight than do a body off, but I think you will find that a body off top flight level restoration will take about twice as long and cost twice as much as you think. It sounds as if you haven't quite decided which direction to go and that should be nobodys decision but yours. Here's another approach, it sounds like your car is far from original, why not do a little to restore it each winter while driving it in the summer, than after you have all the pieces you need you can do a top flight restoration if you so desire. You could also get the car judged now so you will know exactly what needs to be done for that top flight. You do state that winning awards is secondary so my 2 cents advice is drive and enjoy the car.
Terry

[Bill M.]

Re: C1 Body-Off Advice Needed

I did a body-on for my '65. If you're going to paint the frame, I would pull the body. Another MI Chapter member who did a body-on agrees; we just compared notes at a Chapter meet.

I would consider just driving it as is; driving it in the rain will get dirt everywhere. I painted the '65 frame in 1978, and I still haven't had the heart to drive it in the rain. That limits the events I will attend with the '65. Maybe that is not a problem in sunny CA!

[Mark P.]

Re: C1 Body-Off Advice Needed

I liked the thread "Top Flight Driver" from July 2007 and is very aligned with what I want to do.

I'm still deciding if I should do a body off. I think if I can repair the rear crossmember and detail the chassis enough to preserve it and improve the appearance then I'll go that route and save the $'s and time and derisk the project.

[Gary C.]

Re: C1 Body-Off Advice Needed

Mark, did a body off on my '64 driver. Sure made everything alot easier to redo frame and suspension wise. Not that big of a job considering what all you plan to do. My vote is to take the body off. Good luck, Gary....