bosscogo

Hello All,


I am new at posting, this is the first.

I have been enjoying this forum for quite awhile now, and recently have been searching a couple of different forum's, have called Corvette repair specialists and body shops, researched the library, talked with most of the parts houses, and searched the web extensively.

I am looking for some sort of chart which has length and cross measurements for the birdcage on my 66 coupe.
I cannot find anything on this.

I recently went to a friend and Corvette owners (three or four at present) house and he was kind enough to allow me to get a couple of outside measurements, but his is finished and I cannot get what I need for the inside.

What started off as a quick paint job, due to a little rust in the door jamb area, ended up with me cutting off the entire body and removing approx. 24 pieces of individual sheet metal off of the upper part of the birdcage and windsheild area. The bottom portion has a little surface rust, but appears to be in fair shape.

Why a new body, mostley due to the various sins I discoverd upon further inspection of the body, it has been in several fender benders.
I did not want to spend time trying to carefully remove a piece of junk body.

That little bit or rust turned out to be a real mess.

Most of the metal I cleaned, hammered and dollied and re used, but I had to replace several pieces, drip rails (ouch$$$) and such.

It looked like a sand buggy at one point, but is coming back together.

I built a jig on the inside of the car before removing any metal to mark reference points.

Having worked on cars most of my life, autobody repair and restoration, I am comfortable with doing this, but have not done much on these cars, nothing like this endeavor.

I have owned this care for several years now, and want to get it on the road again.
I miss driving it.

It is a 327, 4 speed and I have had a local speed shop rebuild the engine.
Dyno's at near 390 HP and about the same on torque.
Since the dyno, I have added roller rockers, added a high rise intake which they said can't be done, and will be using hooker ceramic headers on re assembly.

Should be up over 400 at that point, but will re dyno.
I rebuilt the trans and will do the same for the seats, dash, chassis and such.
It is red exterior with black interior.
Going to use leather on the inside, and it will be more of a resto mod when complete.
I will leave it looking stock on the outside.
It is a non matching numbers car, but I love it non the less.


Back to my problem, although the doors are mounted and windsheild and dash have been set in, not installed, it looks close.
It is about 75% complete on the welds and the body fits fairly well.

I don't know how forgiving the body assemble will be, and being a detail oriented type, I want to be sure it is as close as possible.
Cross measurements would be fantastic if anyone out there knows where I can find them.
I have the assembly manual, but it has measurements up from the datum, not the cross measurements.

Sorry for the long post, just trying to provide some background.

Please help if you can.

Thanks.

Don

Mike Culpepper

Don,

The assembly manual might have what you are looking for. A quick glance through mine ('67) shows a variety of body checking dimensions as well as dimensions for attaching/welding various parts to one another. Year One has them. I suspect all of the Corvette restoration outfits have them as well.

bosscogo

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your response.
Yes, I have the AIM, and it is full of great information and detail.

The measurements in it are mostly from the datum line, I need measurements from point to point inside and outside the birdcage.

Take care.

Don

JohnZ

You might try Gary Crump, owner of Caledonia Classics in Belding, Michigan, (616) 794-5026; he manufactures all of the birdcage replacement stampings the vendors sell, and may have the dimensions you need.

bosscogo

Hi John,

Thanks for your reply.
I have spoken to Gary a couple of times now.

He says that since GM used a jig to assemble the parts, they had no measurements.

I am thinking that the only way I will get them is if someone will of has measured from one which is tore down like mine.

I was hoping that one of the earlier crash manuals had this for repair persons to use, but cannot find any still.

I will have to punt, and just make it to fit everything.

Yours looks great.

Don

JohnZ

Not mine - that's Gary's checking setup in his shop for his new birdcage replacement windshield frame pieces; I wrote a feature article on the new parts a couple of years ago in "Corvette Enthusiast" magazine.