Body off restoration

Steamoilking

CCCUK Member
Im about to part with the best part of 30k on a c3 advertised as having had a complete body off restoration. My question or fear is regarding the bidcage i read so much about. Would the body off resto likely to include the birdcage??
 

johng

CCCUK Member
For that sort of money you'd hope so. However you can never be sure when buying a second hand car. Does the seller have any evidence of what's been done? I've taken a couple of thousand photos of mine so far, I'd be surprised if whoever did the restoration didn't do the same.
 
N

Norm

Guest
I agree, anyone doing an off frame restoration would want to document each step for posterity and record the job with many photos for authenticity.
 

Daytona Vette

Well-known user
Check the Birdcage in part yourself - remove the side trim kick panels in both footwells, also the interior trim surround to the windscreen
Bestt of Luck
 

Rich

Administrator
I'm not a C3 expert, but I would have thought that anyone who went to the expense of a Body Off would have attended to the birdcage being one of the most vulnerable areas during the process. But, as stated above, the birdcage is an important element which needs checking.

I can't recall if I have sent you a copy of the CCCUK C3 Buyers Guide. It may be of general use to you, so please let me know if you would like a copy.
 
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Daytona Vette

Well-known user
I'm not a C3 expert, but I would have thought that anyone who went to the expense of a Body Off would have attended to the birdcage being one of the most vulnerable areas during the process. But, as stated above, the birdcage is an important element which needs checking.

I can't recall if I have sent you a copy of the CCCUK C3 Buyers Guide. It may be of general use to you, so please let me know if you would like a copy.
 

Daytona Vette

Well-known user
You are buying a car - as in life - Believe Nothing you Hear and only Half of what you See - The Words of the Great Barruccii Gabrielli !
 

Mr. Cricket

Committee Member
Check the Birdcage in part yourself - remove the side trim kick panels in both footwells, also the interior trim surround to the windscreen
Bestt of Luck

If you remove the footwell panels place a white towel or cloth on the body mount pockets and firmly shut the doors a few times and see if any rust or crap falls down onto the towel
 

Steamoilking

CCCUK Member
Thank you all for the sound advice, bit nervous about removing panels at a dealers but I suppose if they’ve nothing to hide! The car is from a classic car dealer who has a big file of the work and money spent, however your all correct buyer beware, 30k isn’t a small sum of money.
 

Mr. Cricket

Committee Member
Thank you all for the sound advice, bit nervous about removing panels at a dealers but I suppose if they’ve nothing to hide! The car is from a classic car dealer who has a big file of the work and money spent, however your all correct buyer beware, 30k isn’t a small sum of money.
No need to be nervous. Where's the car ? There's bound to be someone local'ish if it's over here already that would take a look with you. There's two easy to get at inspection covers in the rear arches that access the rear body mounts which can be another week point. Factory finish is a pea green colour but if it's a full blown body off it'll probably now be black.
 

sublimemike

Well-known user
That address looks familiar?? Dry Doddigton - isn't that Paul's place? If it is he knows about Vettes and is a good guy. Helped me out with a couple of issues.
 

johng

CCCUK Member
Thank you all for the sound advice, bit nervous about removing panels at a dealers but I suppose if they’ve nothing to hide! The car is from a classic car dealer who has a big file of the work and money spent, however your all correct buyer beware, 30k isn’t a small sum of money.
I'd have thought the dealer would be happy to remove the panels for you.
 

Graham Butler

Regular user
That address looks familiar?? Dry Doddigton - isn't that Paul's place? If it is he knows about Vettes and is a good guy. Helped me out with a couple of issues.
Blevoir Classic Cars is next door (almost) to Paul (Lincs Corvettes and Classics) get in touch and ask him to take a look, although knowing Belvoir Classic Cars (Peter Heydon) it's unlikely that it'll be a dog.
 

antijam

CCCUK Member
Is this the car?.....

9840934.jpg

The photos of the underside certainly bear out the 'body off' restoration claim.....

9840944.jpg

I saw a few cars before buying my '71 C3; in every case I insisted on removing the footwell kick panels - don't be shy of asking the seller to do this - it only requires the removal of the door kickplates and a couple of screws. If the birdcage has been attended to the area where it's bolted to the chassis should be free of rust. The car I bought did have rust there but it hadn't been restored and the level of corrosion wasn't serious. Anything that looks like this.....

DSCN0305.JPG

...would be very bad news! If there's significant rust in the screen frame part of the birdcage, this is usually visible through the screen.
 
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