Aussie79

Assume I have all the right tools for the job and the experience to complete it (I just finished the rear end in 5 days on my own), also assume I will not get stuck with seized ball joints etc.

I am cleaning all parts but not painting or re-plating, just make it look nice but not a show car, this is a daily driver.

Here's what I plan to do, all parts are ready in my garage;

Replace control arm bushings
Replace Shocks
Replace sway bar bushings
Replace upper and lower ball joints
Replace idler arm
Replace engine mounts (while i'm under there)
Replace rubber suspension bumpers

In other words, a complete ZIP front end deluxe kit (all in poly) plus shocks and engine mounts.

I am guessing 4 days (8 hour days)

I will get a full front end alignment done professionally as soon as its rolling again.

Anyone done this and know how long it was off the road for?

Also, any pitfalls I may need to know in advance, I plan on starting it this weekend and finishing hopefully about Tuesday.

Cheers, Dennis.

springer89

now is the perfect time to repaint the control arms.i just did mine and was so glad that i did. how are the springs ? they are cheap to replace. tie rod ends?

Peterbuilt

With all the tools figure about 3 or 4 hours per side.

Aussie79

Sorry, yes, tie rod ends as well.

3-4 hours per side? Wow, maybe I work a bit slower than most, I reckoned 1 day to dismantle, 1 day to clean and tidy everything (yes maybe I will squirt some paint on the control arms seeing as they are easy to do) and at least one day to put back together maybe two depending on how fussy I get.

I knew it was going to be easier than the rear but 4 hours a side?, well that would be great.

I'll let you know what it ends up being by end of next week.

Cheers, Dennis.

Peterbuilt

Contact Lars he has a How to: Rebuild front suspension.
It's a great step by step guide.

terry82

i think your 4 days is a good time .when you work on your own stuff you do things that you might not do for someone else.clean up takes time.i would paint all that you can.i am not trying to think of more for you to do but....does your oil pan leak any .with everything out of the way now would be a good time.take pics and let us know if you like the zip kit.

wombvette

Yea, I agree. I will give you the tools, the lift and the shop, and I`m going to sit back and watch the show. Ain't no way you are going to do that in 4 hours.

Tally Ho

I just finished my 82 changing out bushings. I took my time since the car didn't need to go anywhere. My key piece of advice is to do one side at a time. It always helps to see how everything is supposed to look. The control arm bushings can be a real pain to remove.

Gale Banks 80'

Well,,,,I did mine on both sides in 4 Hrs or less !!! Of coarse I cheated, I was installing a VB&P Monoleaf, So I just Cut the old Springs with a Torch, and the New A-Arms were well new with all the Parts installed. Sometimes projects do go well.

Peterbuilt

OK, how long does it take you in your "Corvette Shop"?

wombvette

It will vary a bunch from car to car, with what you are planning to save, how rusty, how much clean up and painting of parts, you name it. Some are reasonably easy. Some will make you pull your hair out. You are damn good if you can do the bushings, ball joints, stabilizer links, springs and shocks all R&R in 4 hours per side.

Peterbuilt

Your 100% correct the amount of time varies a lot for all the reasons you mentioned. When working on my Vette I clean and paint everything that's getting replaced and a few other things. That slows the job down a lot.
Doing this repair on a customers car, well that's a different story since it doesn't have to be pretty!
Aussie79 figures 5 days and that's fine. What's the rush, you take your time and if it takes 5 weeks that's OK to.

MrJlr

5 weeks.....that's me !

joewill

dont forget the allignment,,,,

Frankenvette

Now this sounds more like my time frame. No matter what something comes up that gets in the way of my getting a project done. I just ordered rebuilt upper and lower control arms from Van Steel along with sway bars and 550lb springs. My other project is installing my T5 tranny "while I'm in there".

Jim

nate99

My restoration saga started with a front end rebuild. My story is not typical, at least I hope that it isn't. It took me four and a half months. To be fair, I probably had two full days to devote to it and did the rest in fits and starts.

I was pretty descriptive about everything that got in my way or took a lot longer than I thought, so maybe my thread linked above will help.

Indiancreek

About a day unless you paint or coat your parts. I powder coat here and it usually works like this. Two to three hours to take it apart. That afternoon bead blast and powder coat the parts and let them cool overnight. Day two six to eight hours to put it all back together taking my time.
Thats with the correct tools. Pickle fork and a torch and a press do wonders. Bench vise can replace the press, just not as easy or fast.
I would at least paint them while that far apart. Little things like cleaning and packing wheel bearings take a little time.

corv58

Assuming everything goes as planned, it should be about a 4 cases of beer job....for 3 helpers...

7T1vette

If you had waited until winter for doing major work, you could take as long as you wanted. But, the kind of tools you have to work with, the cleaning/painting time, and the level of 'care' you take with the disassembly will have big impacts on total time. If you are just swapping out parts and you have great tools, you can do it in a day. If you have the 'average mechanic' set of tools and plan to clean/paint everything to be factory new, you can count on 4-5 days, at least. Heck, it takes a couple of days for paint to dry hard enough so you can work with the parts.

1980 blue L48

The upper ball joints will not wear much, if any