Corz

What do I have to remove, where can I find a birdcage (how much?) and also, how long should this take? :skep:

Tom73

Take a look on The '73 Spot, below, at the Restoration Project. Lots of pics of a 73 body being pulled off and the lower sills of the birdcage being replaced. Might give you an idea of what is involved.

tom...


[Modified by Tom73, 9:18 PM 7/23/2003]

trw

As Tom stated, a Big Pain in the butt.

LAvetteman

I think Tom and NHvette can help you the most.

Corz

:skep: :skep: PLEASE tell me this can be done with the body on the car :cry :cry :cry

Twin_Turbo

depends on where it's rusted, if it's just the window frame then you could do it on the cr but if the window frame is rusted chnces are the rocker channels and the lower pieces of the a pillars are rusted too. Body off time for you :cry

stinky

Need to know what portion of the frame is rusted before we can point you in more directions.

Corz

thats all I can see.. and yes.. the vin is covered for a reason..

anyway I can inspect the rails without doing too much work?

tippi58

Hard to tell looking at the photos.

When I bought my 77 the screen was cracked.:cry:

I took screen out and found there was a rust hole the size of a dime on the lower passengers side which had caused the screen crack. :cry: :cry: :cry:

I had the rust cut out and replaced and rust proofed it heaps. I also poured rust inhibitor and fishoil (deodeurised) down the top channels and sprayed under the dash.

It seems ok as there are no signs of rust or rust flakes falling on the carpet when I bang the door shut.

Sometimes rust around the frame is caused by a windscreen replacement in the past.

The original paint is disturbed when the rubbers are removed and the glass company doesnt give jack s... about fixing the bare metal when they put new glass in. Hence localised rust. :mad:

Hope thats all your is. :thumbs:

:cool: :cool: :cool:

NHvette

Hey - leave me outta this !! J/K :jester

Seriously, you won't know how bad it is until you start removing stuff.
... and then there is no end.

Pop off the kickpanels in the front and inspect your #2 body mounts.
This will tell you much about the condition of the door pilar and front rocker channels.
If it's fairly solid, then the body can stay on.
Also, you can remove the panel (4 screws) in front of the rear tire and look in at the #3 body mounts, revealing the rear door pillar and rear rockerpanel section.

The windshield frame looked rusty - but it's hard to tell how much rot until
you have the windshield removed. I opted to break mine myself. :rolleyes: :eek:

Good luck Corey - hope you're solid on the bottom of the birdcage.
The windshield frame isn't that hard to repair.

Corz

Thanks dave, I'll check out the rear mounts tomorrow.. Keep you guys posted. :cheers:

stinky

Time to strip out the interior window trim moldings, upper center outer windshield moldings, vertical moldings and left/right upper corners (and the exterior windshield trim if you dare risk it), this is the only way to tell how much of the visable windshield frame of the birdcage is involved; otherwise, NH has the rest covered.

Corz

ok, worst case senario.. how much am I looking at, just in parts?

77Dream

Make it a convertible. :D

sb69coupe

Wosrt case? Looks like this if you buy all the parts new from Zip:

68-82 Windshield frame upper header $199.00

68-82 Windshield Frame Upper Corner $75.00 * 2 = $150

68-82 Rocker channel sleeve, center $50.00 * 2 = $100

68-82 Rocker channel insert, front $65.00 * 2 = $135

68-82 Rocker channel insert, rear $29.00 * 2 = $58

$642 less 5% plus shipping, so figure $650 in parts.

Corz

:skep: this aint lookin too good.. :cry