first post and seat removal question

[64coupe]

hi, this is my first post, so here's a little background. i've been into cars for as long as i can remember( i'm only 20) and all i've ever really had to work on is imports. luckily, i found a barn full of classic vettes in irvine KY (yes, an entire BARN FULL of c-1 and c-2 vettes i can give anyone interested in purchasing one his # if you'd like to email me) and my dad decided to buy himself a 65 convert with a 396 and he bought me a 64 coupe project car. his car is all original with the exception of the engine which is a 396 from a different year vette.
right now i'm working on pulling out all the old interior of my car and i cannot get the seats out for anything. i've tried every size wrench i have, and my best guess is that the bolts on the seat rails are 15/32. if anyone has any insight other than telling me to get a 15/32 wrench then please help me out. i'm about to jack it up and plasma torch the bastards off.

any advice or tips on restoring my car would be greatly appreciated. this is my first vette and i've got bigs plans for it, but i'm sure i'll be asking a lot of questions around here.

thanks in advance,
andrew
andrew_1182@hotmail.com

 

[IH2LOSE]

Andrew welcome abourd to the forum hopefully youll get your dad invoulved also.

First and foremost I understand your frustration with your problem but there are allways better ways to describe something with out Vulgarity.

As for getting them out I would suggest wire brushing the ends of the bolts that are sticking out the bottom then liberly spraying the bolts underneith with some penatrating oil.Next the ones in my car were actually 1/2 size wrench but slichtley rusted so they seemed 15/32's purchase a brand new high quailty 6 point socket and it may be enough to get a bite on it ,
(I rarely use 12 point sockets because they seemed to strip tight bolts)

Good luck with your new project!!!
Any way I can help just let me know

 

[WayneC]

Patience, Andrew, patience. In fact, you should probably spend a LOT of time investigating your car before you start "restoring" it, lest you destroy it's originality value in the process... get hold of a copy of "the Complete Corvette Restoraion and Technical Guide, Vol 2" by Noland Adams (expensive, but worth it), and join NCRS to begin the learning process:
http://www.ncrs.org/store/shop.cgi/page=Join_NCRS.html/SID=1052239442.23064

In addition to the tips by IH2LOSE, I'd suggest getting a set of wrenches I purchased recently... unfortunately I'm currently on a trip and don't have access to info on the tools (I'm also having a "senior moment" and can't remember their name) but they are a new design and rather unique: they are narrow open-end stainless steel wrenches with a "movable" spring-loaded jaw on one side that allows the wrench to grip the flats of the bolt or nut (and allows a bit of a range of sizes it can adjust to), and they can be "ratcheted" in that they will slip easily in one direction but clamp tightly in the other direction. In other words, they act rather like a plumber's wrench works on a pipe, except the design closely resembles a double-ended open wrench. I bought mine (set of 3) by mail-order to the maker about a year ago, but I noticed my local parts store carried them last time I was in the store. I think the 3-piece set is priced in the $20 range.

If no one else can come up with the name of the wrenches, email me in a week and I'll check at home for information.

 

[64coupe]

thanks for the advice IH2LOSE, sorry about the language, i tend to sound like a sailor from time to time.

WayneC, thanks for yours as well. i think i will purchase that book. as for the wrenches, i've already got a 10-piece set of them and no luck yet.

thanks guys

 

[IH2LOSE]

I'd suggest getting a set of wrenches I purchased recently

Re these the wrenches you had in mind ?california car covers web site

 

[64coupe]

those are definately not the wrenches i bought. i may invest in a set. i went back over and worked on them for a little while tonight while i finished some body work and got two of them loose with a 12 mm ratchet when i put it on the bolt and "secured" it with a hammer. they were so rusted they just broke off like i thought they would though. i'm going to take some digital pictures this weekend when i wash the cars and i'll be sure to post them if anyone's interested in taking a look.

 

[64coupe]

bought a set of sidepipe heatshields today for $750 for my coupe. i think i got a pretty good deal, one of them is the black fiberglass from a 67 and the other is missing the glass, but they were cheap enough i couldn't say no. can't wait till the weekend to put them on, bleed the breaks, pull the seats, and change all the fluids!!! i'm addicted already, thank god i'm out of school for the summer now.