1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

[Richard M.]

Last night, New Years Eve, I had a little body lift fun in the shop by myself. I work alone 99.9% of the time, so only two eyes to recheck all the pieces before lifting this one off for a complete chassis restoration. It's a late March '67 build, so almost 48 years worth of frame exposure has required a beautiful body to be separated from a marginal skeleton.

During the extraction preparation, several safety issues were discovered, like bad brake hoses, loose hardware, and overall a questionable amount of concerns.

Over the winter months here in warm Florida, I'm planning a lot of work on this one to get it done for early summertime fun back in NH where it came from. I will need to send out some items like trailing arms and differential for rework, engine tear down and cleanup to fix oil leaks and other miscellaneous issues, all new brake and fuel lines, rebuild brakes, steering box, suspensions, etc. etc. I have a media blast shop 10 minutes from home so the frame is going there for sandblasting and prep. I'd like to coat the inner frame channels for future protection as well. I see no major frame issues so far but anticipate some perforation of some rear sections as it's obviously the worst area. Unfortunately, the Tank Sheet is nothing more than a few bits of tattered wood pulp.

I'm planning to update this thread with progress as it continues.


Arrival day....
DSCN1649.jpgDSCN1643.jpg

A tribute photo for my favorite shop helper doggie, Nikki. My wife Cathie taking his tired sore body for one of his last short walks. He was 14 years old in October, and succumbed to old age just last Tuesday. I will dearly miss him and his company in the shop. Farewell my good friend and helper.
DSCN1647.jpg

Getting ready. Lots of bits to take apart.
PB120250.jpg

Some safety issues uncovered....
Front right brake hose twisted for years, rubbing on the upper control arm. Dangerously about to wear through.
PC100022.jpgPC100023.jpgPC100024.jpgPC100025.jpg


The infamous rear body mounts, rusted out probably due to plugged up decklid drains.
PC090002.jpgPC090004.jpgPC090016.jpgPC090020.jpg

Interesting find in this left rear body mount cave....St Louis may have stored a few extra pieces for the build, but forgot they were there when they installed the plate.
PC110106.jpgPC110107.jpgPC110108.jpgPC110117.jpg

Clutch rod wear.
PC110142.jpg

Body lift sequence.
PC310095.jpgPC310096.jpgPC310097.jpg
PC310100.jpgPC310101.jpgPC310102.jpg

All clear now....
PC310103.jpgPC310104.jpg

Oily gunk from leaky intake manifold seals, both front and rear.
PC310077.jpg

Fuel Tank nastiness and neck seal leaking. Rust and sediment inside too.
PC310105.jpgPC310106.jpg

All that's left of the Tank Sheet
PC310108.jpg

Up and away.....
PC310116.jpgPC310118.jpg

Updates to come.....
Rich

[Alan S.]

[Enzo C.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Hi Richard, happy new year
Being a 67 owner I was very interested in your pics....
I look forward to the progress on this wonderful car
Do you restore as a hobby ???
Keep up the good work
Cheeers!!

[Richard M.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Thanks guys,

Enzo, Yes, a hobby of 30 years, turned into the next level several years ago after doing my own cars in the downturn market. Still lots of fun.


So....Where is the frame vin? Lots of rust here...


P1010001.jpgP1010002.jpg

Usually here...
P1010003.jpg


and here, right?
P1010004.jpg

[Alan S.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Hi Richard,
Sometimes the tool used to stamp the info left a SLIGHT depression in the area of the stamp.
You might try feeling for it, or using a light held on an angle to look for it.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

[Don H.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Rich
with your attention to detail, and inclination to take and post lots of pics, this will be a very interesting thread.
thanks for sharing this project, and have a great 2015!

[Donald O.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Richard,
if you have to do frame section replacements, any cost/time benefits to to new frame?
If you get the frame powder coated, can the inside of the frame be done?

Keep posting the pix, my 67 big block delete will be watching.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Hi Richard,
Sometimes the tool used to stamp the info left a SLIGHT depression in the area of the stamp.
You might try feeling for it, or using a light held on an angle to look for it.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

Alan, Yes I spent about 20 minutes sanding and wire-brushing, using a light at angles and no luck. I may have to wait until sandblaster is done to see if it's there.

I was trying to get a approximate location of the typical locations. If anyone has some photos it would help.

Rich
with your attention to detail, and inclination to take and post lots of pics, this will be a very interesting thread.
thanks for sharing this project, and have a great 2015!

Thanks Don, it should be a good one.

Richard,
if you have to do frame section replacements, any cost/time benefits to to new frame?
If you get the frame powder coated, can the inside of the frame be done?

Keep posting the pix, my 67 big block delete will be watching.

It appears that it's sound. I poked and hammered the areas around the kickups and it's pretty solid. Time will tell. I'll likely use the 2 part DP90 Epoxy Primer flattened a bit for a proper sheen.

For inside the frame, I investigated using the Eastwood extension kit with their coating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm7W7Db5vdw

Rich

[Stephen L.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Photos of my 67 frames stamps. I had my framed dipped. Sandblasting tends to alter the surface of the metal and doesn't get inside the frame areas. Numbers were under left door area and left rear body mount. Frame stencil was on right side, upside down. The dipping process didn't completely remove the frame stencil number. It even left welding "slag" in place.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Thanks Stephen, So this area? I thought it was over the arch to the left but maybe I was thinking the 63-65's?

vin_area.jpg

I'm curious so I have to go out there right now and check.

Thnaks.

[Bill W.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

no the vin is on the drivers side just above the rear wheel and about in the front seat/foot well area

[Richard M.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

no the vin is on the drivers side just above the rear wheel and about in the front seat/foot well area

Bill, That's what I thought too, but I just checked and found it just where Stephen said, just ahead of the #4 body mount left side.

I5I62 ("I" for the "1")

P1010005.jpgP1010006.jpgP1010007.jpgP1010009.jpg

[John S.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Richard,
Glad you found it. I looked for mine on Tuesday and found it on the rear kick up in line with the centerline of the tire. This was on my 65. It looked a lot like yours. I could make out all the numbers except the last digit. This was with a scotch brite pad, mirror and flashlight.

[Frank D.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

That Eastwood Internal Chassis coating is what I used on my split window that you worked on Rich. I'm a big fan and I used 6 cans on my car....I soaked every conceivable nook and cranny with double coverage. It converts and encapsulates rust and provides a nice protective coating. I'm gonna do my '61 this spring as well.

One trick is to put some blue painter's tape on the hose about 4" or so on from the nozzle end. So -- when you pull the hose extension out of the frame you have a "flag" to know to get off the button on the can and you can avoid spraying yourself in the face.

Ask me how I know!!

[David K.]

Re: 1967 Body Lift for Chassis & Frame Restoration

Rich,

Great thread and keep the pics coming as you move along in the resto. Is it originally a black car and is it an L71?

Dave