Derrick

Alright everyone, I'm soon going to be stripping my car off the frame and refinishing the frame. I like you guys, so I'm going to take all the advice I can get from you......without using a manual or guide. Strictly YOUR advice. Ok, it's an '81 Vette. You may begin giving instuctions.............NOW! (16 month Iraqi Freedom veteran. Got back 2 weeks ago.)

Chumpzilla

Okay.

First instructions then..... Get an assembly manual.

FeedVaal

...and a digital camera. Photograph everything in place to help with reassembly.

markdtn

Several large, strong friends will help when it's time to actually remove it....

stpman

Sandwich or freezer bags and a small note pad to keep track of what part/bolts are from where. A note book to keep notes to refer back on with the pictures.

Steve

Chumpzilla

Oh yeah..... don't forget beer. You'll need it. Lot's of it.

Twin_Turbo

A cherry picker is a great tool for lifting the body, I do it like that all the time (and I've had mine on and off a lot of times, in fact today I pulled it off again since my birdcage is finished and I need to finish welding the frame)

Easy Mike

Sounds a little naive not to have some reference material on hand.

Twin_Turbo

I don't have one either. I know how to assemble the thing from the top of my head. I didn't keep records either., However, it's not something I'd recommend unless you know what you are doing.

stpman

I did that with a 77 GMC pickup but I wouldn't recommend doing a Vette that way. I found myself looking at the AIM just to see how it was put together before I tried to take it apart.

Steve

Twin_Turbo

I don't have an AIM for my 83 stepper either

checklst

Most important, Sandwich Bags, Black Marker, DIGITAL CAMERA, and Assembly Manual.

Label and bag everything, label all wires, and PHOTO EVERYTHING. The photos will save your back side TRUST ME on this one.

Oh!! Good Luck and thanks for the effort in Iraq

Twin_Turbo

yup...don't do this with your bolts (this is only a small portion, I have 2 very large buckets full of bolts )

76-L82

Document everything to a word document and save it to HTML..
them just post it to a webserver.

That way I can learn from your mistakes..
Just document the PoopSanwich out of it and procure a digital Camera.
So you will know where everything goes..

Derrick

Alrighty, I'll make a webpage out of it. Mind you....it's gonna take a while for me to do this. I'm not starting on it for another month or so. I have the assembly manual, but it's one of those "millineum industry" copies from the original Chevy assembly manual. Some of it is hard to read.

redwingvette

There are a few web sites out there and each one has good info. Do a search here and at http://www.corvettefaq.com/

Mr.Gearhead

TIME & MONEY.... Did I mention MONEY... yeah... oh and a lot of time. Wait.. did I mention MONEY? Expect to pay 3 times your budget... and a lot of time.

Chumpzilla

My final suggestion... is to follow the link below.... read it carefully. It's worth it.

http://www.octm.com/dane/index20.htm

NHvette

A rarely access my AIM - but I'm like Marck - by the seat of my pants.

Tools needed to tear apart a 30 year old car:

Some kind of torch
Can of PB Blaster - or better penetrating oil
4" angle grinder (grinding wheels, cutoff wheels, wire brushes)
Air impact wrench (1/2") and air ratchet (3/8")
4'x4' sections of carpet to place where working/kneeling
Sawzall with good blades
BF hammer
Parts cleaner - or big tub to fill with kerosene
dust masks
safety glasses
duct tape with sharpie (for labelling big stuff)
small tool box (filled with 20s)


That's all I can think of for now.
Oh - you will need at least the space of a 2 car garage - more like 3.

Big Fish

I'm surprised nobody mentioned bandaids. You'll use all kinds, butterfly for the deep ones, (super glue works in a real emergency) Large ones, small ones, and plenty of disinfectant.There is also an article I wrote on doing a frame off restoration right here: http://www.crossedflags.com/nuke/htm...howpage&pid=24

2 more things I would want if I were to do it again: A bead blaster cabinet (you will need a pretty good sized air compressor to run it) and a plating kit to re-plate the original fasteners.