MONTE CARLO Off Frame Resto, or Not?

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Weldingiron

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Aug 25, 2019
9
9
3
I'm playing with the idea of pulling my '85 off the frame and having the frame powder coated. My other option would be spending hours underneath the car on a lift with a wire brush and rust inhibitor. There are two main questions. Firstly, is it really necessary to pull it off the frame or can you achieve an acceptable level of rust protection and aesthetic with the body still on? The second question is one of time. Ideally, I wouldn't have the car in a non-driving status for more than a month or so. Assuming some prep work before hand like pulling all of the interior besides the driver seat so that it was still driveable as long as possible, is a month an unreasonably short amount of time to get the frame powder coated, replace things that have to have the frame off like body bushings, and get it back to a driveable status? I haven't seen a ballpark figure for the time required.

Thanks in advance!
 

superbon54

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2014
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If you want to be down for only a month you need to leave the body on. Get under there with some wire wheels and por-15 and it will look pretty good. If you’re pulling the body off, plan on years.
 
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Streetbu

Know it all, that doesn't
Supporting Member
May 22, 2011
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Just realize, if you pull the body, the project WILL snowball and grow larger than initially planned. Either from items that you need to replace that you didn't know about, or stuff that you want to replace while you have it off that you hadn't thought about.
When I pulled mine, I had a spare frame all ready to go, painted, new suspension, stainless lines, didn't need anything else. Or so I thought. Figured it would take a month. Ended up spending much more money than I already had, hurt my back unrelated to this, had surgery, recovered, then had to get motivated to start working on it again. Took two years. Be prepared for the worse to happen. If it doesn't, then all is good. If it does, you'll have a plan. JMO
 
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Texas82GP

Just-a-worm
Apr 3, 2015
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Spring, Texas
I'm going to just jack mine up enough to change the mounts and do what I can clean-up wise while I'm at it. If I let my OCD take over and it turns into a full-blown restore the bottom of the car and frame, I'll never drive it again.
 
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Weldingiron

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Aug 25, 2019
9
9
3
I was afraid that might be the case... Other than the body mounts and bushings, is there anything that has to have the body off to replace?
 

Texas82GP

Just-a-worm
Apr 3, 2015
7,981
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Jacking the body off the frame helps with replacing the front to back brake line.
 
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pontiac guy

G-Body Guru
Oct 28, 2016
582
843
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Royse City, TX
I have had one on the rotessiere for 8 years and another for 20.

Once they come apart to that level motivation is really hard to come by. They also take up an incredible amount of room. I can't imagine a normal person could do it in less than a year. Leave it assembled
 
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superbon54

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2014
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I have had one on the rotessiere for 8 years and another for 20.

Once they come apart to that level motivation is really hard to come by. They also take up an incredible amount of room. I can't imagine a normal person could do it in less than a year. Leave it assembled
Spot on on all accounts. My goal is to get my frame off running again under its own power by the 20th anniversary. Once everything’s apart, it’s so easy to say “well since I’m this far.......”
 
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fleming442

Captain Tenneal
Dec 26, 2013
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I have had one on the rotessiere for 8 years and another for 20.

Once they come apart to that level motivation is really hard to come by. They also take up an incredible amount of room. I can't imagine a normal person could do it in less than a year. Leave it assembled
Challenge accepted. It'll be a minute before I start, but I plan on popping the body and bracing/cleaning/painting the frame on my 78. I'll hammer it out.
 
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timo22

G-Body Guru
Sep 10, 2012
550
1,072
93
St. Louis,Mo
Mine started out with me wanting to replace fuel, return and brake lines. Tried taking some mounts off to get the back up enough to switch lines. Saw some rust issues and figured best to yank the body off. Started on it 1/15/18 and drove it out on 5/15/18. Yep 4 months of Saturdays and Sundays. Never had done a frame off before, but I really enjoyed it and learned a lot.
 

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