Beautiful 1969 Corvette Stingray ROTTEN Underneath! Check Your Frame on Your C3 Vette!!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ค. 2024
- Remember when I said it is important to check the frame of the C3 your wanting to buy before you purchase it? This 1969 Corvette is beautiful on the top side, but not so much on the bottom! Check it out!
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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.
You rock. Saving Corvette enthusiasts from themselves!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Ashes to ashes. Rust to dust
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!
I'LL make sure to check the bottom of the corvette BEFORE i purchase it.Thank you for the HEADS UP
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
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..
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.
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..... 😁
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
Booger Welded... I love expanding my vocabulary. THANKS BEN!!! LOL!!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Taking a big chance having that thing hanging on the lift by a rusty frame. I wouldn’t walk under it. Good video.
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.
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 .
I learned the hard way about this 23 years ago. Man, if I knew then what I know now......
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.
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.
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 ?
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
Just spray some flex-seal on it! The dude claims ya can make a boat with it!
Lmao
OWT#%^*!
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
Great content and thanks for the sneak peek. That looks like fun. 👍☮️
Very interesting. I agree with other folks. Replacing the frame would make a great video series.
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.
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..
more on the birdcage! Thanks!
This video was NOT boring. Very informative
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
Thanks a bunch. I'm shopping for a C3 and this is really gonna help.
Oh the sneak peak will be an awesome series! I can hardly wait!
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!
Cool... sneak peek... looking forward to your next project!...
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
Just subbed, I have a 67 convertible Corvette I love it and I thought my frame was bad, it’s actually very solid compared to this one that’s a damn shame on a nice Vette!! I’ll be watching you from now on!!👍
Wow. This is really sad to see this beauty in that kind of shape.
GREAT VIDEO BEN. NICE JOB ON SHOWING THE RUSTY FRAME. TAKE CARE. LOVE THE C3 VETTES.
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
Good video. Not boring at all. Stick to this helpful format. You’ll do great. Keep it up. God bless your shop.
I bought a 1977 and I knew it needed a frame. So 21000 bucks and 18 months later I have a perfect 1977 corvette just the way I wanted it to be.
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 TH-cam for something like, "Rubberized Undercoating Will Destroy Your Car"
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
I thankyou for this video so much! lolol I want a C3 but just doing some research before I actually buy.
Growing up in New England that is so typical , but the one You're showing is the far extreme....
Thx for Sharing...👍
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
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!
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.
Thank you for a C3 video again.
very very helpful as I shop for a 69-70. well done. thanks.
Big help thank you for the video Ben!!
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!
Looking for a C3 now. Thanks for the tips.
Thank you. I appreciate the education.
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!
not at all boring. fascinating!
Great Video!! Thank You!
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.
I've heard about this on older vettes in general. Probably makes sense to check underpinnings on any older car though.
That is the nicest looking parts car I've ever seen!
looking forward to more and longer vids thanks alot
I had a C3 that was patched like that. When the frame failed it broke the heart of a teenage ( me ) lad !
Thanks for the good information and content!👍🏼😎❤️
Not boring.. Good information if your interested in old Corvettes. 🏴☠️
Excellent job sir! Things you cannot see or determine without a lift.
Depends on your age, flexibility, and how much of a pot belly you have. Back when I was young & thin, I wouldn't think twice about crawling under cars with a flashlight and inspecting key areas of any car's structure. While you can't see everything quite as easily as when it is on a lift, you can get a decent idea. Those terrible patches would be visible without a lift, and the one cross member that was rusty & cracked should be fairly easy to see, too. That should be enough to alert any potential buyer to pass it over unless the car was offered at a serious bargain. Thing is, some people just aren't car people, but they want to enjoy the hobby. They don't have a clue, and sometimes get taken advantage of because it looks good on the surface. Best tools to be armed with when looking at cars yourself is a flashlight, a mirror, and some knowledge about the particular car you are going to look at.
Wow. Great video. Iearned a lot that I didn't know. Thanks
Ooooooo. Sneak peek.
Good advice at the end. Know you may be buying a parts car, even if it looks like a daily driver.
thanks for this VERY helpful as I am looking to get a '68/69
Looking forward to the next video!
That was very helpful! I appreciate you man.
Great video! Very helpful!
excellent video - thank you sir
Thanks for the info, from Auckland, New Zealand ...
I think your videos are awesome need more C4 stuff cheers
Great video! Thanks.
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 had my 1971 frame looked at and it was good thank gosh!
Very helpful video!!!!
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.
Don’t walk away from that Corvette run !
A little J B Weld, good as new!
👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼
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!
Wow!! Can't wait to see the coupe!!
Great video as always,
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!
Thank you that was good to see.