Ditto if they don't allow test drives (test drives, not joyrides, there's a keen difference), unless it's being deliberately sold as a parts car, nondriver, etc.
Had my modded supercharged 1976 L82 4 speed f41 blue and diamond metal flake for over 40 years . I worked at small town gm dealership auto body shop as a young teen and college in southern Ontario Canada we have high humidity and dampness which eats stored cars .I learned that the only way to save your frames and Chassis is to spray them in side and out with light oil . My vette gets oiled annually messy but not spec of rust , where there was no access in the frame drilled 1/2 holes and install plastic undercoating plugs . Oiling is only as good as the person applying it and you have to get creative ,when re carpeting the car oiled the floor pan .Also remove the screws in the bird cage and oil the birdcage and windshield frame also spray into the screw holes . If # matching people don’t like it then spend half you life doing a frame off and thousand of hours the car will cost $ 100000.00+ if you add up your time and maybe fetch $35,000 to $ 50000 and it has to be done correctly. I see many c3 for sale some fool took apart and asking stupid prices for a box’s of junk a gouged up body and a half eaten frame they lost interest in it 10 years prior “selling project car “ lolol. The same with boats buying a cheap boat is never cheap it far more expensive (if you factor your time than a good running well kept one )ask me how I know ( redoing a 1977 22foot searay sx220 with a 351w and Omc out drive ) and had to purchase a f150 for towing which needed rockers cab corners and differential front hubs and touchup it never ends lolol
yeah that reminds me of when I was a kid back in the 70s you would actually see people drive Corvettes in the dead of winter and it wasn't out of the norm to see them driving in the snow they were just transportation back then and nobody freaked out when you would see one driving in the winter it was just a car back then that you drove from point a to point b and nothing more and for that 69s frame to look like that that was definitely one of the vettes I seen driving around in the winter back then that Corvette has seen many winters that's for sure.
Corvettes were never just a car. The reason there are so many of them today is because so many people took great care of them because most people couldn't afford one.
@@curtisthomas-eg4th `swully is exactly correct. My 69 z28 I got when I was 16, 1973, and my 72 Corvette I got when I was 18, 1974, and my 1980 Corvette I got in 1982 were all driven in the winter. They were just another car. As a matter of fact, in the Detroit area where I am from, I was a toolmaker, and most of the younger toolmakers, about 15 at my shop all had Corvettes that we drove 12 months a year. We were under 40, then they became collectable. PS. I never drove my 67 Corvette (427) in the winter.
This car is worth saving with a frame swap. Wax / oil coat the replacement frame me inside-out, outside-in which would have prevented this rot in the first place.
Yes, would make a great series, but it's alot of work, and having a lift would make life much easier. The worst part is, by the time you do a Frame swap, you end up doing a total Frame-Off Resto on the car. I know!
@@scdevon Buy a new powder coated frame from Corvette Correction, Schwartz, Art Morrison, Precision, Roadster Shop....there are many to choose from. And get it custom manufactured to fit your needs.
Another great informative video. I would have been scared to even lift that one up. This video should be required watching for people , who really don't know C3 vettes, to watch before buying.
Rusty frame, no problem. Jack the sucker up, disconnect the bumpers, cut/torch the 8 body to frame mounting bolts, disconnect the electrical, and then use the lift to pick up the body. Should be done before you finish a 12 pack of your favorite beverage. The real fun begins when it comes time to fixing the rust that will inevitably be hiding in the lower windshield frame and birdcage. Regardless, it is STILL a 69 vert/4 speed car, and deserves a resurrection. Good job detailing the rust damage.
@@TheCorvetteBen not too bad to deal with when you have 20 years worth of control arms stashed on the shelf. Now when it comes to those trailing arms however..... 😁
@@ivannorberto7247 Can't remember. Do remember the frame I bought was NOS direct from GM and a failed race car project that had sat for years. We were doing so much other stuff at the same time and the paperwork went with the car when we sold it. Frame was not all that much but labor was a lot as I had a Corvette Restoration Shop do the work. Pulling the body off both cars- removal and transfer of parts- $10,000 sort of rings a bell!
Yeh, this car was some place that was high salt. I looked at a 67 that looked great on top, the the frame was absolutely rotted. And he wanted 7 grand for it. Yeh. Naw.
Looks like Northeast car that was driven in the winter. Why anybody would drive a Vette in the winter is beyond me but this was the early 70's. Maybe they did.
That is very bad my friend, So glad you are exposing it. I am 72 years old and I had many hot rods I was so lucky. In my early 20s I had a 1963 split window Corvette
Good Job Ben. If GM paid a few dollars more to put some Nickle in the steel formula this never would have happened. Looking forward to the new sneak peak car!
I agree with what you said at the end of the video. If you know the frame is rusted out don't try to get top dollar for something that you have to put a lot of time and money into. I have no problem with buying a car like this. But I want to know upfront that will play a factor in what I'm going to pay. Anytime I go out and buy a used car from a private sale I crawl all over it before even talking about the asking price and then the final price I'm willing to pay. It's just you have too many shady people out there. You will have them look you dead in the eye and tell you there's nothing wrong. You go ahead and open the glove box and a piece of paper caught my eye and it was from a repair shop listing everything that was wrong with the vehicle. Come to find out this person bought the car took it for inspection and got a bill back what it would cost to fix it just the past inspection. It was three times the amount of what he paid for it. After finding all of this out I just walked away. If he just would have been honest upfront I would have worked something out. I do all my own repairs and all I have to pay for is parts.
That's the backbone of a vehicle. I remember the first time I realized the frame was rusted out on my old truck. I was sick. But some vehicles are not that bad to repair. I know someone that specifically looks for Jeeps with these issues. He fixes them in a day.
Glad mine doesnt look like that!!! There was a little bit of surface rust but mainly cause my dad saved it before it got too rusty, love your videos. I've learned a lot from you.
@@stevedeleon8775 My son bought a Texas Formula Firebird. We pulled the interior and spend days cleaning all the red dust from every nook and cranny inside the car and out. But, I'd rather deal with that than the rust we're so used to in Michigan.
Oh man, what a shame !...They'd have to find a complete frame and swap bodies ?? A lot of work. She looks like a New England Vette. Right side is more rotted because the salt and snow is plowed over to the right ...lol I've seen it many times up here. peace. ( you look tired Ben ) hope you're okay..
25 odd years ago I had a 76’ given to me , left over from an estate sale . I wondered why nobody wanted it and I discovered why when it got to the trailer....notorious.
Being an old GM tech, Chevrolet told us when putting a Corvette on a lift to get underneath it, that we were suppose to open the Doors as in " ajar" . But in this case it does not really matter. Just for future reference. Like your videos. Be safe.
Grew up in the Chicago area in the 70's, this was very common. One of my neighbors had a '72 and 10 years later had the body off so they could repair the rusted-out frame. Few years later met a HAM radio guy that had one in his garage for the same thing. First time I saw someone doing TIG welding, he was a really cool guy.
Not boring! This is a great video to teach buyers that any older car your considering the frame needs to be throughly inspected. Doesn't matter if it's a C3 or a first car for your kid.
Not boring at all, great video. As a former auto mechanic, millwright/machinist, I can attest to how frustrating it can be trying to explain this to people or customers. It's also very annoying to the seller when the potential buyer brings a person like me to inspect the car.
Whomever did the booger welding was a hack! Time to buy a new frame! Not sure if the total cost of swapping the frame & the related parts would be worth it dollar value wise but at least you would know what you have! You would still have an old drivetrain, paint & interior & perhaps fiberglass issues! The most sensible approach for the owner is part it out & get whatever back that you can before you get buried in it!
ICUinthedark my suggestion is pull the car apart your self and inspect it . Find a frame or find a custom frame builder who can legitimately and legally build a frame .
Holy crap. What a rot box. I would probably be too too nervous to stand under it during lift inspection. Looking forward to a video of the 1940's classic parked outside garage.
I’ve worked on more “restored” vehicles than I can count. Literally hundreds! Most were only a few thousand dollars but more than a few were purchased for multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars. Only 2 were actually done properly with the rust removed. One in particular was purchased for $50,000 on the spot at a red light. The new owner was so proud of it. When we installed the $20,000 stereo system you could poke your finger through the floor!
Funnily enough I've just been offered a '68 with a 427, looks tired on the top but clearly checking the frame is critical. Thanks for the video, brought me back down to earth!
Studebaker Avantis and Avanti Motor Corporation Avanti IIs are notorious for rusty torque boxes ( _hog troughs_ ) under the fiberglass body. I had the opportunity to buy a sweet Avanti II with the 400 Corvette engine, four-speed, Borrani wires, power everything, leather and air, but the hog troughs and rear cross member were shot. A few years earlier I saw a Valiant for sale, held together with pop rivets.
Thanks for the heads-up. Living in michigan, rust is our middle name. I remember 10 yrs. back, a guy I worked with offered me a '64 Impala SS that ran...for $200. Said he'd drive it to the house if I wanted it. I bought it and found out the center X member was gone when I jacked up one corner...and both doors popped open, and the windshield had weird diagonal cracks in it. I stripped it and junked it!
My 69 stingray is the total opposite; body needs a good amount of work, and so does the suspension, but aside from some patina and a few small dings, my frame is mint!
I recently bought a '70 Corvette 9/20 from a Classic Car dealer in upstate NY and trusted him due to the many pics he sent me of the car. Supposedly the Vette spent it's life in the South but frame has a lot of rust which makes me question that. Paint, interior, and drivetrain was in excellent condition but frame is very rusty but not quite this bad. I live in Georgia but still should have traveled there to inspect before buying. I'm going to try to rust-treat the frame and if not satisfied, plan to replace the frame in the future. This is my second C3 Corvette and learned that I always need to inspect in person before buying.
The definition of “rusty “ varies from state to state. Texas rusty vs NY rusty is a huge difference. Usually NY cars have no rear frame at all so they probably didn’t think it was that bad
@@TheCorvetteBen The frame on my original 1976 AZ Corvette is completely rust free. Of course it has surface rust, it had that while still sitting on the dealer lot back in '76. It has never been treated or undercoated. The metal floor pan is also rust free. Cars just don't rust in AZ.
Hi Ben here in Michigan most cars by the time there are 10 years old look like that unless you don't drive it in the winter here in Michigan I buy my cars from California and Arizona and bring them back
We just replaced the frame on my 1976, I bought knowing frame was bad. Paid $1,500. For car. That Vette is still nice & I would buy & replace the frame myself. As long as the $$$ reflects that. Thanks for the video!
What a great video Ben. Yes, inspect before you buy. I wondered if undercoating could trap water from draining. I love these cars and thank you for helping keep them on the road.
Yes, the "rubberized" undercoating is terrible. The rubber cracks over time, and then moisture and dirt get in behind the coating. The moisture kind of just stays there since it is very difficult to dry back out. The waxy coating is better. There is a video showing it in detail, search UA-cam for something like, "Rubberized Undercoating Will Destroy Your Car"
depends on the car...a real '69 L71 or a '71 LS6, damn right its worth it. a '76 L48, naw. there are aftermarket frames...just need a lift and a lot of time...course you'd want to fix everything else on the car while its apart too.
looks like it was driven on the beach. frame can be replaced...not hard, but labor intensive and a lift is required. but if the birdcage is gone, then that's that. would be interesting to see the #2 body mount behind the kick panels...judging by the shape of the kickups, the #3 mount is probably gone. also under the chrome around the windshield. too bad...a '69 4speed roadster is a super nice car.
My buddy’s 85 Monte Carlo frame disintegrated from storage on a cement floor. It had very low mileage and was a right off from sitting. For those who store cars, make sure it’s either stored on a dirt floor or have a professional car mat that is impermeable like mine is. Also use a breathing car cover and a full tank of gas treated for storage. Always have nose out when parked in your garage.
Nicest parts vette I've seen in a while! Since its a convertible it should be restored though. Great video!, now everyone run out to the garage & pray your frame don't look like this.
I was not aware of C3 frame rust until after I bought a 1975 coupe, I had to replace the frame. I found a nice oem frame totally rebuilt it, now the car drives and handles like new, not hard but a lot of work, just beware when you are buying one.
Love to see any car with no rust! Technically any rust at all makes the claim false. They start rusting within 1 week of leaving the factory. I mean, technically, maybe better words would be very little.....
Oooo, the sneak peak intrigues! Wow, sad so much decay on that frame. But I don't think I could abandon it. Those Stingrays are going to become fewer and fewer, and cars like that got soul!
The '69 Vette was a masterpiece. As long as you expected a restoration project and you didn't pay through the nose for it, I'd say you did pretty good. Of course I've never seen a Corvette with such a rotted frame, but there's a first time for everything. I wonder what a donor frame would cost? If I could find one, that's exactly what I'd do with that body... It looks too perfect. Just a personal taste thing, but I'd also run the original style turbine wheel covers and skinny white or red line tires on it...
Had a 68 vert. as a teen...it was solid,dad a 72 coupe, solid as well... I spent alot of time working on the c3....This car is unsafe to drive... heavy rust in the passenger side and less on the driver's...this car was driven in winter no doubt salt damage.
The C3 Vettes had factory defect frames. Hole in the frame in front of the rear wheels but no drain hole underneath. I've changed a few of those frames.
Found an 80 in the Detroit area several years ago. Nice body and interior, engine bay was super clean with lots of aftermarket parts. When it was put on a lift for inspection you could see indents on the bottom of the frame from previous times it had been on a lift. The frame was so thin that it would have failed eventually. The lady who owned it had purchased the car a few years back and never knew how bad it was. Very sad.
So bad that i ran to the garage and got under mine, thankfully nothing at all like this, still very clean!! Feel bad for the owner of this former beauty :(
My '71 coupe was way worse! Bought from the original Chicago owner. Only paid $4000. Drove it like that for a few years and then parted it out for over $6000! The birdcage was rusted all the way to the windshield. It was still fun while it lasted.
I watched a video about frame coating, and the point was it keeps moisture between the coating and the metal and the rust goes out of control doing the opposite of what it's supposed to be doing, stopping the rust.
I bought a 42K mile 70 350-350 4 sp Corvette back in the late 90s for $4500. It sounded and ran great, body and interior was complete and decent but was stored on a dirt floor and yep, the area just behind the door latches were pretty weak. I was told I'd have to pull the body off the frame and I didn't want such a major project. I ended up detailing the car the best I could and then sold it as good runner but needs future frame work. I think I only got $6000 out of it.
I wonder what the body mount brackets look like, I just replaced all eight body mount and bushing on my 77 C3 and It was really challenging to do when you do it yourself.
soon as a seller says no to a lift inspection , laugh and walk
Ditto if they don't allow test drives (test drives, not joyrides, there's a keen difference), unless it's being deliberately sold as a parts car, nondriver, etc.
Had my modded supercharged 1976 L82 4 speed f41 blue and diamond metal flake for over 40 years . I worked at small town gm dealership auto body shop as a young teen and college in southern Ontario Canada we have high humidity and dampness which eats stored cars .I learned that the only way to save your frames and Chassis is to spray them in side and out with light oil . My vette gets oiled annually messy but not spec of rust , where there was no access in the frame drilled 1/2 holes and install plastic undercoating plugs . Oiling is only as good as the person applying it and you have to get creative ,when re carpeting the car
oiled the floor pan .Also remove the screws in the bird cage and oil the birdcage and windshield frame also spray into the screw holes . If # matching people don’t like it then spend half you life doing a frame off and thousand of hours the car will cost $ 100000.00+ if you add up your time and maybe fetch $35,000 to $ 50000 and it has to be done correctly. I see many c3 for sale some fool took apart and asking stupid prices for a box’s of junk a gouged up body and a half eaten frame they lost interest in it 10 years prior “selling project car “ lolol. The same with boats buying a cheap boat is never cheap it far more expensive (if you factor your time than a good running well kept one )ask me how I know ( redoing a 1977 22foot searay sx220 with a 351w and Omc out drive ) and had to purchase a f150 for towing which needed rockers cab corners and differential front hubs and touchup it never ends lolol
B.O.A.T.= Break..Out..Another..Thousand..
You rock. Saving Corvette enthusiasts from themselves!
yeah that reminds me of when I was a kid back in the 70s you would actually see people drive Corvettes in the dead of winter and it wasn't out of the norm to see them driving in the snow they were just transportation back then and nobody freaked out when you would see one driving in the winter it was just a car back then that you drove from point a to point b and nothing more and for that 69s frame to look like that that was definitely one of the vettes I seen driving around in the winter back then that Corvette has seen many winters that's for sure.
Corvettes were never just a car. The reason there are so many of them today is because so many people took great care of them because most people couldn't afford one.
@@curtisthomas-eg4th `swully is exactly correct. My 69 z28 I got when I was 16, 1973, and my 72 Corvette I got when I was 18, 1974, and my 1980 Corvette I got in 1982 were all driven in the winter. They were just another car. As a matter of fact, in the Detroit area where I am from, I was a toolmaker, and most of the younger toolmakers, about 15 at my shop all had Corvettes that we drove 12 months a year. We were under 40, then they became collectable. PS. I never drove my 67 Corvette (427) in the winter.
Absotootley🎉
You should see the gawks people give seeing a 69 Camaro driven year round in Missouri.
Swapping out the frame would make a great video series.
Is it hard to do ?
This car is worth saving with a frame swap. Wax / oil coat the replacement frame me inside-out, outside-in which would have prevented this rot in the first place.
Yes, would make a great series, but it's alot of work, and having a lift would make life much easier. The worst part is, by the time you do a Frame swap, you end up doing a total Frame-Off Resto on the car. I know!
@@scdevon Buy a new powder coated frame from Corvette Correction, Schwartz, Art Morrison, Precision, Roadster Shop....there are many to choose from. And get it custom manufactured to fit your needs.
@@scdevon Make sure replacement frame has a drain hole by the rear wheels.
Another great informative video. I would have been scared to even lift that one up. This video should be required watching for people , who really don't know C3 vettes, to watch before buying.
how did it not fall apart on the hoist? I wouldnt want to be under that at all
looking at the door gaps its like the front and rear are sagging/ flexing on the lift
Saw that too! I'm glad no one got crushed underneath this thing!
That's the first thing that caught my eye too! Those doors must be difficult to open and close! Looks like a 41 Chevy Business Coupe
@jason9022 True. I learned that back when I had my first one.
Nah,that’s how they come from the factory,it is a Genital motors product ya know
But when it's sitting on the ground, the gaps may be a lot closer. And it's a roadster. Coupes may not flex as much on a lift.
I'LL make sure to check the bottom of the corvette BEFORE i purchase it.Thank you for the HEADS UP
Ashes to ashes. Rust to dust
Taking a big chance having that thing hanging on the lift by a rusty frame. I wouldn’t walk under it. Good video.
Good video. Not boring at all. Stick to this helpful format. You’ll do great. Keep it up. God bless your shop.
Rusty frame, no problem. Jack the sucker up, disconnect the bumpers, cut/torch the 8 body to frame mounting bolts, disconnect the electrical, and then use the lift to pick up the body. Should be done before you finish a 12 pack of your favorite beverage. The real fun begins when it comes time to fixing the rust that will inevitably be hiding in the lower windshield frame and birdcage. Regardless, it is STILL a 69 vert/4 speed car, and deserves a resurrection. Good job detailing the rust damage.
You forgot all the rusty suspension that needs replacing
@@TheCorvetteBen not too bad to deal with when you have 20 years worth of control arms stashed on the shelf. Now when it comes to those trailing arms however..... 😁
Booger Welded... I love expanding my vocabulary. THANKS BEN!!! LOL!!!
Northern car that made it's way South- I replaced the frame in our 1972 and it wasn't that bad!
How much did you spend to change the frame?
@@ivannorberto7247 Can't remember. Do remember the frame I bought was NOS direct from GM and a failed race car project that had sat for years. We were doing so much other stuff at the same time and the paperwork went with the car when we sold it. Frame was not all that much but labor was a lot as I had a Corvette Restoration Shop do the work. Pulling the body off both cars- removal and transfer of parts- $10,000 sort of rings a bell!
Cost?
I've got a 72 conv that looks about the same. Still good for a Sunday drive, but freeway is a no no. I'll leave it for the kids to deal with it!
Yeh, this car was some place that was high salt. I looked at a 67 that looked great on top, the the frame was absolutely rotted. And he wanted 7 grand for it. Yeh. Naw.
Well, it could still be fixed, somehow. I just retired from 16 years of production welding...booger welds luv it!
Knew a john Harris In oregon 30 yrs ago
I watched to the end of the video. I look forward to seeing more about that diamond in the rough, sitting just outside that window.
a co worker had a vette like this. he was driving along when the engine/trans fell out
Omg
wow....
All 4 mounts at once. oh my.
Looks like Northeast car that was driven in the winter. Why anybody would drive a Vette in the winter is beyond me but this was the early 70's. Maybe they did.
Yup. The rear tires send everything into those box frames at the rear of the rocker panels. You'd think the engineers would have thought about that.
@@rollydoucet8909 Engineers? I think you mean the "bean counters" at GM!
Owning a better makes it necessary to have another car. After some buy a better they can’t afford gas and insurance much less a second car.
That is very bad my friend, So glad you are exposing it.
I am 72 years old and I had many hot rods I was so lucky.
In my early 20s I had a 1963 split window Corvette
Good Job Ben. If GM paid a few dollars more to put some Nickle in the steel formula this never would have happened. Looking forward to the new sneak peak car!
GM has too many 'bean counters' trying to CUT costs!
That is the nicest looking parts car I've ever seen!
I agree with what you said at the end of the video. If you know the frame is rusted out don't try to get top dollar for something that you have to put a lot of time and money into. I have no problem with buying a car like this. But I want to know upfront that will play a factor in what I'm going to pay. Anytime I go out and buy a used car from a private sale I crawl all over it before even talking about the asking price and then the final price I'm willing to pay. It's just you have too many shady people out there. You will have them look you dead in the eye and tell you there's nothing wrong. You go ahead and open the glove box and a piece of paper caught my eye and it was from a repair shop listing everything that was wrong with the vehicle. Come to find out this person bought the car took it for inspection and got a bill back what it would cost to fix it just the past inspection. It was three times the amount of what he paid for it. After finding all of this out I just walked away. If he just would have been honest upfront I would have worked something out. I do all my own repairs and all I have to pay for is parts.
Very interesting. I agree with other folks. Replacing the frame would make a great video series.
That's rough! Hope the owner isn't too depressed
Body-off-frame surgery is required! Estimated budget - $10 grand!
He will be be lol. Not funny lol
This video was NOT boring. Very informative
very very helpful as I shop for a 69-70. well done. thanks.
That's the backbone of a vehicle. I remember the first time I realized the frame was rusted out on my old truck. I was sick. But some vehicles are not that bad to repair. I know someone that specifically looks for Jeeps with these issues. He fixes them in a day.
Glad mine doesnt look like that!!! There was a little bit of surface rust but mainly cause my dad saved it before it got too rusty, love your videos. I've learned a lot from you.
I learned the hard way about this 23 years ago. Man, if I knew then what I know now......
Welcome to Wisconsin. That's how they look on the showroom floor up here in Saltland.
Lance U...no wonder you all in the U P area come here to buy our RUST FREE classics in Arizona..New Mexico..Texas..
Racine rocks
AMEN!!!
@@stevedeleon8775 My son bought a Texas Formula Firebird. We pulled the interior and spend days cleaning all the red dust from every nook and cranny inside the car and out. But, I'd rather deal with that than the rust we're so used to in Michigan.
Yup, start rusting a week after leaving the factory line.
Oh man, what a shame !...They'd have to find a complete frame and swap bodies ?? A lot of work. She looks like a New England Vette. Right side is more rotted because the salt and snow is plowed over to the right ...lol I've seen it many times up here. peace. ( you look tired Ben ) hope you're okay..
Needs a frame my friend I have spent 45 years of my professional life restoring Corvettes
"Needs a frame" Really?
Yes and it's not as bad a job as it sounds!
Needs to head to the salvage yard.
I haven't worked on vettes for 45 years and even I know it needs a new frame 🙄
hell, i wish the underside of my daughter's '78 Camaro looked that good.
25 odd years ago I had a 76’ given to me , left over from an estate sale . I wondered why nobody wanted it and I discovered why when it got to the trailer....notorious.
The question is, do you still have the car?
Being an old GM tech, Chevrolet told us when putting a Corvette on a lift to get underneath it, that we were suppose to open the Doors as in " ajar" . But in this case it does not really matter. Just for future reference. Like your videos. Be safe.
Grew up in the Chicago area in the 70's, this was very common. One of my neighbors had a '72 and 10 years later had the body off so they could repair the rusted-out frame. Few years later met a HAM radio guy that had one in his garage for the same thing. First time I saw someone doing TIG welding, he was a really cool guy.
Love the term " Booger Welded" , that and loads of bondo !! What a death trap , must have been from Michigan !!
Not boring.. Good information if your interested in old Corvettes. 🏴☠️
more on the birdcage! Thanks!
Not boring! This is a great video to teach buyers that any older car your considering the frame needs to be throughly inspected. Doesn't matter if it's a C3 or a first car for your kid.
Not boring at all, great video. As a former auto mechanic, millwright/machinist, I can attest to how frustrating it can be trying to explain this to people or customers. It's also very annoying to the seller when the potential buyer brings a person like me to inspect the car.
Very informative. Thanks for sharing Ben. Most people don't think to look up in the sides of the frame like you pointed out. Thanks,
Appreciate everything you do for Corvette owners. Do you have educated me and my friends a great deal.
Whomever did the booger welding was a hack! Time to buy a new frame! Not sure if the total cost of swapping the frame & the related parts would be worth it dollar value wise but at least you would know what you have! You would still have an old drivetrain, paint & interior & perhaps fiberglass issues! The most sensible approach for the owner is part it out & get whatever back that you can before you get buried in it!
This is one that should be condemned, unsafe at any speed !!
HEY! Corvair owner here, I take offence to your comment! Take it back!😁
I hope that someone takes it on for free n can get it put on a new frame n roadworthy n safe again
ICUinthedark my suggestion is pull the car apart your self and inspect it . Find a frame or find a custom frame builder who can legitimately and legally build a frame .
Holy crap. What a rot box. I would probably be too too nervous to stand under it during lift inspection. Looking forward to a video of the 1940's classic parked outside garage.
Great info for prospective buyers! Thanks.
I’ve worked on more “restored” vehicles than I can count. Literally hundreds! Most were only a few thousand dollars but more than a few were purchased for multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars. Only 2 were actually done properly with the rust removed. One in particular was purchased for $50,000 on the spot at a red light. The new owner was so proud of it. When we installed the $20,000 stereo system you could poke your finger through the floor!
Oh the sneak peak will be an awesome series! I can hardly wait!
Funnily enough I've just been offered a '68 with a 427, looks tired on the top but clearly checking the frame is critical. Thanks for the video, brought me back down to earth!
I had my 1971 frame looked at and it was good thank gosh!
Wow. This is really sad to see this beauty in that kind of shape.
Last thing you want is to be driving and your car folds like a taco from hitting a bump
Or the rear suspension rips off the car.😬😨😡
Yes it certainly looks like that would literally happen
Dang, if I discovered that on my car I would cry many tears. Thank goodness my 76's frame is in good shape.
This car definitely spent some years in salty roads, this doesn’t just happen
Thanks for the info, from Auckland, New Zealand ...
Studebaker Avantis and Avanti Motor Corporation Avanti IIs are notorious for rusty torque boxes ( _hog troughs_ ) under the fiberglass body. I had the opportunity to buy a sweet Avanti II with the 400 Corvette engine, four-speed, Borrani wires, power everything, leather and air, but the hog troughs and rear cross member were shot.
A few years earlier I saw a Valiant for sale, held together with pop rivets.
Thanks for the heads-up.
Living in michigan, rust is our middle name.
I remember 10 yrs. back, a guy I worked with offered me a '64 Impala SS that ran...for $200. Said he'd drive it to the house if I wanted it. I bought it and found out the center X member was gone when I jacked up one corner...and both doors popped open, and the windshield had weird diagonal cracks in it.
I stripped it and junked it!
My 69 stingray is the total opposite; body needs a good amount of work, and so does the suspension, but aside from some patina and a few small dings, my frame is mint!
I recently bought a '70 Corvette 9/20 from a Classic Car dealer in upstate NY and trusted him due to the many pics he sent me of the car. Supposedly the Vette spent it's life in the South but frame has a lot of rust which makes me question that.
Paint, interior, and drivetrain was in excellent condition but frame is very rusty but not quite this bad.
I live in Georgia but still should have traveled there to inspect before buying. I'm going to try to rust-treat the frame and if not satisfied, plan to replace the frame in the future. This is my second C3 Corvette and learned that I always need to inspect in person before buying.
The definition of “rusty “ varies from state to state. Texas rusty vs NY rusty is a huge difference. Usually NY cars have no rear frame at all so they probably didn’t think it was that bad
@@TheCorvetteBen The frame on my original 1976 AZ Corvette is completely rust free. Of course it has surface rust, it had that while still sitting on the dealer lot back in '76. It has never been treated or undercoated. The metal floor pan is also rust free. Cars just don't rust in AZ.
Hi Ben here in Michigan most cars by the time there are 10 years old look like that unless you don't drive it in the winter here in Michigan I buy my cars from California and Arizona and bring them back
Thank you for the hard facts. I would be that guy that buys one and have it break in half running down the road. Good stuff.
We just replaced the frame on my 1976, I bought knowing frame was bad. Paid $1,500. For car. That Vette is still nice & I would buy & replace the frame myself. As long as the $$$ reflects that. Thanks for the video!
Don’t walk away from that Corvette run !
What a great video Ben. Yes, inspect before you buy. I wondered if undercoating could trap water from draining.
I love these cars and thank you for helping keep them on the road.
Yes, the "rubberized" undercoating is terrible. The rubber cracks over time, and then moisture and dirt get in behind the coating. The moisture kind of just stays there since it is very difficult to dry back out. The waxy coating is better. There is a video showing it in detail, search UA-cam for something like, "Rubberized Undercoating Will Destroy Your Car"
Is a C3 worth rebuilding onto a new chassis? How much would it cost if you did the work yourself? Can you get an updated chassis for them? Galvanised?
depends on the car...a real '69 L71 or a '71 LS6, damn right its worth it. a '76 L48, naw. there are aftermarket frames...just need a lift and a lot of time...course you'd want to fix everything else on the car while its apart too.
I've heard about this on older vettes in general. Probably makes sense to check underpinnings on any older car though.
looks like it was driven on the beach. frame can be replaced...not hard, but labor intensive and a lift is required. but if the birdcage is gone, then that's that. would be interesting to see the #2 body mount behind the kick panels...judging by the shape of the kickups, the #3 mount is probably gone. also under the chrome around the windshield. too bad...a '69 4speed roadster is a super nice car.
Just spray some flex-seal on it! The dude claims ya can make a boat with it!
Lmao
OWT#%^*!
My buddy’s 85 Monte Carlo frame disintegrated from storage on a cement floor. It had very low mileage and was a right off from sitting. For those who store cars, make sure it’s either stored on a dirt floor or have a professional car mat that is impermeable like mine is. Also use a breathing car cover and a full tank of gas treated for storage. Always have nose out when parked in your garage.
Why nose out ?
Thanks a bunch. I'm shopping for a C3 and this is really gonna help.
Nicest parts vette I've seen in a while! Since its a convertible it should be restored though. Great video!, now everyone run out to the garage & pray your frame don't look like this.
I was not aware of C3 frame rust until after I bought a 1975 coupe, I had to replace the frame. I found a nice oem frame totally rebuilt it, now the car drives and handles like new, not hard but a lot of work, just beware when you are buying one.
The joys of a convertible!
Growing up in New England that is so typical , but the one You're showing is the far extreme....
Thx for Sharing...👍
I must have looked at about 10 like this before I found a good one. All ads said no rust and one guy tried to convince me it was an easy fix.
Love to see any car with no rust! Technically any rust at all makes the claim false. They start rusting within 1 week of leaving the factory. I mean, technically, maybe better words would be very little.....
That car looks like it was imported from upstate NY or used on the beach in Daytona Beach Fl.
There's a few aftermarket companies that make a chromoly tubular frame for C3s that use the suspension from a C4.
To much work
Oooo, the sneak peak intrigues!
Wow, sad so much decay on that frame. But I don't think I could abandon it. Those Stingrays are going to become fewer and fewer, and cars like that got soul!
The '69 Vette was a masterpiece.
As long as you expected a restoration project and you didn't pay through the nose for it, I'd say you did pretty good.
Of course I've never seen a Corvette with such a rotted frame, but there's a first time for everything.
I wonder what a donor frame would cost?
If I could find one, that's exactly what I'd do with that body... It looks too perfect.
Just a personal taste thing, but I'd also run the original style turbine wheel covers and skinny white or red line tires on it...
Had a 68 vert. as a teen...it was solid,dad a 72 coupe, solid as well... I spent alot of time working on the c3....This car is unsafe to drive... heavy rust in the passenger side and less on the driver's...this car was driven in winter no doubt salt damage.
The C3 Vettes had factory defect frames. Hole in the frame in front of the rear wheels but no drain hole underneath. I've changed a few of those frames.
I really wanted a 1969 but that's one of the reasons I bought a C7 good video I hope people watch it before they buy one
not at all boring. fascinating!
PLEASE do a video on the birdcage of this car, I expect theres nothing left of the windshield surround?
If the frame is this bad the birdcage is gone.
@@craigscott5661 you got that right..
@@peterrivney552 I oil spray in mine also the bird cage by removing sheet metal screws around windshield I don’t care if it drip for weeks lolo
Cool... sneak peek... looking forward to your next project!...
Found an 80 in the Detroit area several years ago. Nice body and interior, engine bay was super clean with lots of aftermarket parts. When it was put on a lift for inspection you could see indents on the bottom of the frame from previous times it had been on a lift. The frame was so thin that it would have failed eventually. The lady who owned it had purchased the car a few years back and never knew how bad it was. Very sad.
So bad that i ran to the garage and got under mine, thankfully nothing at all like this, still very clean!! Feel bad for the owner of this former beauty :(
Great content and thanks for the sneak peek. That looks like fun. 👍☮️
Where I'm from, rust is pretty rare. I'm amazed by the rust I see in some of these videos.
My '71 coupe was way worse! Bought from the original Chicago owner. Only paid $4000. Drove it like that for a few years and then parted it out for over $6000! The birdcage was rusted all the way to the windshield. It was still fun while it lasted.
I watched a video about frame coating, and the point was it keeps moisture between the coating and the metal and the rust goes out of control doing the opposite of what it's supposed to be doing, stopping the rust.
Ooooooo. Sneak peek.
Good advice at the end. Know you may be buying a parts car, even if it looks like a daily driver.
need to do a frame off on my 68, now im really nervous. quick look from the underside doesnt look too bad but i defiantly need a better look.
Be careful under that vehicle!
Hey. Thanks for posting this. I'm about to look at a 72 that's been sitting out, and this really helps me know what to look for.
A little J B Weld, good as new!
👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼
Best candidate for a roadstershop frame...
I bought a 42K mile 70 350-350 4 sp Corvette back in the late 90s for $4500. It sounded and ran great, body and interior was complete and decent but was stored on a dirt floor and yep, the area just behind the door latches were pretty weak. I was told I'd have to pull the body off the frame and I didn't want such a major project. I ended up detailing the car the best I could and then sold it as good runner but needs future frame work. I think I only got $6000 out of it.
I wonder what the body mount brackets look like, I just replaced all eight body mount and bushing on my 77 C3 and It was really challenging to do when you do it yourself.
this was probably mentioned below - but you can see the doors dont line up when closed - they sag - Ive read on forums thats another obvious sign