Chassis Restoration Cost

[Steven G.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

I think 15-18 k for restoration parts is a fair estimate doing work yourself, and just add a few more k for those other things like repro. original tires, carb. exaust parts, emissions, ect....10 years ago I restored a 67' s/s chevelle and 56' t-bird and the bill was about 50k each, so if you have a restoration shop today doing a c-3, expect to pay at least 60k on an unwrecked c-3. Steve

[Jordan S.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

I agree with all that been said so far. I like you want to restore AND drive my car. Didn't want to commit to a 2++ year frame off.

My approach is restore in stages. Front suspension first then reassemble onto mostly cleaned up front of frame (Approx $750). Next will be rear suspension.(est $1500 due to rearend/ Diff work). When I'm ready to pull the engine/ tranny for resto, I'll pull the body and remove the restored suspension parts, blast/ coat the frame and reassemble while the engine/ tranny work gets done.

It will take longer this way and may cost a bit more but my car won't be in pieces for 4 years and it's much easier to rationalize the cost in stages.

Make a plan, stick to it and avoid the "WhileImatits".

[Roger D.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Wow!!! Thanks for all the comments and ideas.

I had actually planned to just pull the body, restore the chassis and put the body back on the restored frame, i.e., was only going to do the chassis. The rest of the car looks so good that it won a best in class award at a 300+ car show here in the metroplex this past summer (its a good thing they don't judge the underside at these local car shows).

My brother (he has a '69 coupe) has the "dream" garage including lift and *almost* all the tools known to man. He and I are pretty handy at all things mechanical and thus aren't intimidated by the prospect of doing all the labor. So the only questions are of course the cost and the fact that neither of us have ever restored a Corvette.

Hmmm, one idea to allow me to continue driving while restoring the frame might be to obtain a chassis from another '69 - '72 car and restore it. Then drop my body onto the restored chassis. I'd have to transfer my "correct" (and restored) drive train over to the new chassis. Would that be possible from an NCRS standpoint?

[Steve L.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

You guys havn't even talked about the tools: compressor, sprayer, dryers, welder, acetylene, hand tools, special tools(spring compressor etc. etc, etc. etc.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Wow!!! Thanks for all the comments and ideas.

I had actually planned to just pull the body, restore the chassis and put the body back on the restored frame, i.e., was only going to do the chassis. The rest of the car looks so good that it won a best in class award at a 300+ car show here in the metroplex this past summer (its a good thing they don't judge the underside at these local car shows).

My brother (he has a '69 coupe) has the "dream" garage including lift and *almost* all the tools known to man. He and I are pretty handy at all things mechanical and thus aren't intimidated by the prospect of doing all the labor. So the only questions are of course the cost and the fact that neither of us have ever restored a Corvette.

Hmmm, one idea to allow me to continue driving while restoring the frame might be to obtain a chassis from another '69 - '72 car and restore it. Then drop my body onto the restored chassis. I'd have to transfer my "correct" (and restored) drive train over to the new chassis. Would that be possible from an NCRS standpoint?

Cheaper to buy a low $ car like a 76, 78 or early C4 and sell it when you're done working on yours.

Else what are you going to do with your matching numbers frame that is no longer under your car?

Might as well restamp a block and place it on that frame you bought while you're at it so you can keep driving the original car. Then, you pick up a spare body and....

Slippery slope?

Just sounds like hassle if your original frame is usable. If it was a rusted out mess that you had to replace anyway, that's different but I doubt that's the case.

Patrick

[Roger D.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Oh, I didn't know that the frame was a "matching numbers" item. I looked in my Judging Guide and didn't see anything about that in the frame section, i.e., just a note about stenciling on the passenger's side frame rail recording the part number and date of assembly and that it is not always visible due to it's location. I'm not surprised if I am missing something here. Wife wrinkled her nose at me earlier anyway at the prospect of me buying a donor car to get a frame. I guess if a donor car is good enough to supply a frame then it might also still have some potential as a restoration too though.

[Phil D.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

I'm afraid I've been a bad influence on my brother. I'm the guy who pulls an engine for even the most minor of repairs. Just seems so much easier to work on bolted to a stand at chest height. But of course such behavior puts me at serious risk of "WhileImatits". The thing is that everything that appears to need fixed, my first thought is "Oh wouldn't that be so much easier to get to if the body weren't in the way." Like brake lines and fuel lines.

Like Roger said, topside is shiny as a new dime. Is there any practicality to lifting the body, doing such repairs as can be afforded or critical in a Phase 1, then setting the body back on and enjoying it for a year or two, then lifting the body again for a Phase 2 later? I've seen some pretty wild videos of corvette body lifts involving six to eight guys and no you wouldn't want to go through that twice, but would you do it in stages assuming you had an extra tall 4-post lift to do the lifting safely and smoothly and the act of lifting more than once costs you nothing but time? Or should a body off be all or nothing?

Phil

My approach is restore in stages. Front suspension first then reassemble onto mostly cleaned up front of frame (Approx $750). Next will be rear suspension.(est $1500 due to rearend/ Diff work). When I'm ready to pull the engine/ tranny for resto, I'll pull the body and remove the restored suspension parts, blast/ coat the frame and reassemble while the engine/ tranny work gets done.

It will take longer this way and may cost a bit more but my car won't be in pieces for 4 years and it's much easier to rationalize the cost in stages.

Make a plan, stick to it and avoid the "WhileImatits".

[Chuck R.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Roger, you have a huge leg up on the battle if the body is in great shape. My ride was/is a basket case. My project included a donor frame as well as body which drove the numbers up on me. One of those things where I had no options for repairing the rott.

Your a lucky dude Roger if your Bro has the shop and assets (not to mention the extra hands) to assist you on your journey

Roger, both sets of "matching numbers will be located on the top driver's side frame rail, one set just in front of the #3 body mount capture nut assembly and the second set next to the #4 mount bracket. These numbers are next to impossible to inspect for judging with the body on.

Sounds like your going to have more of a battle keeping Phil in check than yourself.

But hey, it's only money right? You know.......the banks have some wicked deals on refinancing homes right now

Too bad you couldn't figure a way to get your wife involved even if it's on a superficial scale. Sometimes the Vette bug can bite even the coolest of attitudes.

Best of luck Roger,

Chuck

[Roger D.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Chcuk, thanks for the thoughts. Yep brother Phil is cut out of the same piece of "perfectionist" fabric as I am. I think he might be a little more on the extreme side but he really turns out some very beautiful results when he does something.

My wife....hmmm... well the first ride I gave her in my 'vette was on a very hot day last summer. She insisted on having the windows up and the AC going (which I never do even on the hottest of days!!!). Well everything was fine until we experienced the transmission problem. After sitting in a hot Corvette for a couple of hours that day...well let's say she has not been in it since and has not been to any car shows either.

[Chuck R.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Just a point of thought Roger, I tuned in the Barrett Jackson auction just as a sweet 67 coupe was sold for $97,000.00

Share with her that these beauties we now possess may very well some day hit these ah............. "investment"........"retirement fund" numbers.

Nothing like the acrid smell of burnt clutch plates or tranny fluid to ruin a perfectly good day.

Keep the faith,

Chuck

[Roger D.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Thanks Chuck, yes I should educate her better in the future potential benefits of such a hobby. Perhaps she still can be changed

[Andrew P.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Hi Roger,

The entire thread is correct. If everything was mechanically sound and you don't do that "one last thing", you are between 2500 and 3500. I'm just finishing a frame off on my 64 and the frame+birdcage+engine+suspension cost me about 20k. I'll have 60k in when it's all said and done and I did most of the work myself.

The good news that I only started in October and It'll be rolling again in April...

Best of Luck!!!

-Drew

[Mike M.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

I just did a 63. $9000 for parts and 100 hours labour for the frame. Most bolts were replaced as they were in bad shape and the customer didn't want to pay to have me sand blast and replate the bolts by the hour. Bairs did all the TA and riviting of ball joints, rear end and A- frames. Other then master cyl resleeved everything else was done by me. This does not include engine rebuild customer had that done himself.

[Andrew P.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Hi Mike...

That's exactly right... I had to renew the a-arms due to rust, the frame needed a few new sections, and the forward birdcage was a huge expense.

-Drew in Cali

[Roger D.]

Re: Chassis Restoration Cost

Thanks Mike, Drew. If I could keep it in the $2500 to $3500 range then that would probably be OK. I haven't had the time yet to add up all the potential parts costs. Once I do that then I guess I'll havea better idea.