Planning my 72, Please help!!!

[BORDERBUM]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I again request the knowledge of those who know more than me!

I have a 72 convertible body from the windshield back. the floor is a mess from a small interior fire, it's there, but cracked and broken here and there. The trans tunnel is pretty bad off,

I also have a 76 donor car with a metal floor, the floor is rusted out in several places but the trans tunnel is in excelent shape.

what should I do? Should I patch the metal floor, cut it out and put it in the 72? Should I patch the fiberglass floor and rivit the metal trans tunnel from the 76 onto the fiberglass 72?

this is a pic, bad but it shows the trans tunnel in the 72.

I know its a PROJECT.

I am planning to use the 76 front end, frame, dash panels, steering collum, etc on the 72.

Any ideas would be of great help.

GIT R DONE_________________________BORDERBUM

 

[paintdaddy]

WoW,thats a project alright.Its your car but I wouldnt put the metal floors in it.You could use the trans tunnel but Id just get a new floor or find a good used one.

 

[BORDERBUM]

paintdaddy,

I appreiciate your comment, I would rather find a used fiberglass floor, but will it be as strong putting a new floor in?

I got another question, will I be able to install my firewall from my 76 into the 72. I plan to use the wiper system and the front end of the 76 anyway? This I need to know.

 

[paintdaddy]

Yep the floor will be just as strong ,if it is installed correctly,and its not brain surgery so you should have no problem there.
I am not for sure but I think that the 76 firewall is the same.You might have to make some minor changes due to the wiper door system.
Now ,when you say you want to use the 76 front end,do you mean the front suspension or the front body section?The front suspension is the same ,so you wont have any problems there.The front body section ,as you probably know ,is real different.It should install just the same as the correct one.The only problem you might have will be where the ends of the wiper doors line up with the back edges of the fenders.Starting from the front to back ,the fenders start kicking up in the back sooner than the wiper doors do.The reason for this is due to the later c3s not having a wiper door ,the hoods had to have clearance from the windsheild to allow the wipers to come out.
The reson I know this is that in the early to mid 70s when they made the change to eliminate the wiper door ,alot of people wanted their cars to look like the latest and greatest so they bought the long hood(73- up)and trashed the wiper door and grill and put the new hood on.Then they realized that the hood sticks up in the back to let the wipers out,but the hood dont line up with the fenders on the back edge.I have had to put numerous cars back to the way they were and there is usually a BUNCH of bondo in the back edge of the fenders to make them even with the hood.I hope this helps you and didnt confuse you. :TALK

 

[baseballcorvette]

WOW! WHAT A PROJECT. GOODLUCK KEEP US POSTED LOOKS LIKE A 69MYWAY PROJECT BUT BETTER.

 

[Gary42]

I have a 72 convertible body from the windshield back. the floor is a mess from a small interior fire, it's there, but cracked and broken here and there. The trans tunnel is pretty bad off,

...and here's what you'll have when you're done, my friend. I can tell you that it will be well wroth it...you're building my car!

 

[vigman]

WOW!

You are a braver man than I Gunga-din....

I assume you got this for FREE...

You WILL be putting more money in this than it's worth in the long run.. trust me.

You need to get the title cleared FIRST before sinking dime 1 into this.... and when it comes to this kinda deal you have to get the VIN's verified.

I would HATE to have you go through ALL the pains of rebirth... just to not have the car registered.

But like I say...it's a hobby which has NO cash value..just lots O LOVE.. and LOVE makes you crazy!

In my opinion... you 've gone plum LOCO!

But more power to ya Bro.


Vig~

 

[BORDERBUM]

first to paintdaddy, At this time I am planning to use the whole frame suspension for now of the 76 so the hood and front fiberglass will be 76.

second to gary, and vigman, I am not orriginally from the border, I'm actually from the sticks, but the one good thing about being down here is cheap labor, I have this guy who works at a tractor trailor wreck body shop, and he is great!! he is so meticulas and precise with his work, and he can paint!! He did a wonderful job on some body work and paint on my 77. The only problem is he takes a while, that doesn't bother me so much as the disapearing for a month at a time on drunk bashes does though.

Yes, my parts have been cheap, I found my donor 76 stingray in someones back yard vvvvveeeerrrrrryyyyy cccchhhheeeaaaapp! so cheap, if I sold the hood I would make several hundred $.

vigman you are right, at least with me, it is a hobby and when it takes over your blood your done for.

gary, I will never be in the same class as 69myway, this guy does most his own work!! This is the master, me I use labor so cheap(I PROVIDE THE BEST MATERIALS, SO NO BONDO OF CRAP LIKE THAT) that I can look like I am in the same class as the master! When I am finished my car will have:

VB&p suspension, front and rear
converted to manual
18" torq thrust wheels
vintige air
1998 ls1 motor stock
1994 t-56 6speed trans
frame off resto
bigger brakes of some sort
c-4 seats
tripple black paint
probably a hardtop

when I am close to finishing I will sell my 77 and try to find a black Z06 .
I need projects to relieve my stress, my vettes and ss calm me down, thinkin of the next phase, or weekend project.

 

[BORDERBUM]

paintdaddy,

I will probably end up doing what you said by changing the whole floor out with a good used one, thanks for the info.

 

[69MyWay]

You have more to work with there than meets the eye. The good thing about that donor car is the cowl/windshield/A pillar metal looks good (just surface rust).

Yes, you can put the 77 firewall on the car---no problem. Not all the mounting/rivet holes will line up, but that is no big deal...just drill new ones. It will be bonded with a seam sealer type goop anyway as you rivet it onto the cowl.

Remember, NOBODY ever will see the floor anyway except from a lift. So....buy a couple of gallons of resin and matting, some cardboard, etc. and after the firewall is back on, you can glass in your own floor. In fact, if you run sidepipes, you will have more belly room on the car anyway, so you can customize your floor however you want (drop it a tad lower so you have more head room!

If I was you I would buy a correct complete from clip from ACI, Ecklers, Mid America, etc. so that the chrome bumper look remains, then stick the 77 gauges, dash, door panels, etc. etc. in the convertible.

You need to send us photos of you progress.

Like Vigman said, I hope you have a good title for one or the other, because otherwise you are spinning your wheels.