Paint the C3 body on or off the chassis?

[Eric F.]

Okay the time has come and I need your assistance. The question is: Should I paint the body on or off the chassis? There are pros and cons to each way but I'd like to here from those that have actually done a frame off restoration; or even those of you who know someone that have chosen one way over the other.

The car is a 75 convertible that I've braced with steel to hold its shape while it was being moved off of the chassis and sitting on the dolly. The doors, hood, and deck lid have been removed. The car was media blasted and it's awaiting some minor body repair and primer before either being painted on the dolly (which is reinforced wood) or placed back on the chassis to be painted.

Thanks to all that read and respond.

[rick spears]

Re: Paint the C3 body on or off the chassis?

eric, i just now completed a complete frame off resto of my 73 coupe, i chose to bolt the body back in place before final prep and painting. i left the hood and doors off while i painted the car. since all of bumpers, emblems etc had been removed, there was very little taping to do before paint and it came out great. my concern about painting the body before returning it to the chassis was about possibly flexing the fiberglas and stressing the paint during re-postitioning the body back on the frame. hope this helps...rick

[Kurt B.]

Re: Paint the C3 body on or off the chassis?

I just finished restoration of my 68 and the body was painted on the car. IF I were to do it again I would have the body painted seperately off the car. Coincidentally this was also suggested to me after the fact by a well known Corvette restorer when I mentioned that my frame and other parts had lots of overspray and primer overspray and he said that is why the body and frame should always be seperated. It also allows you to get at parts of the body that might not get adequate coverage if painted on the frame. Just my 2 cents, I would seperate, paint, and then reassemble. I wish I had.
Kurt # 26406

[Joe S.]

Re: Paint the C3 body on or off the chassis?

Did mine with the engine/drivetrain and interior out, but put the body back on to take up less space, allow for a rolling body/chassis, and do limit risk associated with reinstalling the body.

We got no overspray on anything. I'd have no problem doing this again. We took the doors off as part of the process.




Joe's 63 FI Convertible

[Stephen L.]

Re: Paint the C3 body on or off the chassis?

The car was originally painted with the body off. If you have it off don't worry about "flex". These bodies are more ridgid than you'd expect. You get a much better job off the frame because you can do a proper blackout etc. just the way GM did it. I just completed my coupe and it turned out perfect. The body sat down easily on the frame with no misshaps, scratches etc. Depending on the color, I'd loosely reassemble the doors hood and headlite buckets, after paint "jamming" to get a job that has no color variation panel to panel.
It takes a little time during the paint process but it is well worth it. The parts only need to be hung during the color coat. They can them be removed for transporting etc. If you have a "convert" just brace your dolly to support the body at all the points, front to rear, to avoid any flexing during painting once complete put your door area bracing back on.....

[Gary #41345]

Re: Paint the C3 body on or off the chassis?

I would suggest removing the light assemblies and I had no problem with my repaint body on.

[Mike G.]

Re: Paint the C3 body on or off the chassis?

If you are concerned about overspray on your chassis, then paint it on the dolly. Overspray is like mice -- can just about get into anywhere. Using HVLP will keep overspray down to a minimum.

If not too picky about the chassis, you can wrap it with that plastic film used for palletized cartons. Industrial strength saran wrap. Then go ahead and paint after body drop. All that's left then is some razor blade work.