Tips on doing a Frame Off

[72GMC51]

Make sure you plan out what you want as a finished product before you start. I am in the second year of the 6 month updating of my truck. I started my restore to be a daily driver and when I got into it I changed my direction (very bad idea) and now I am in deep and need to redo or settle for less than I believe I will be happy with. I did take pictures prior to disassembly, bought an assembly manual and a service manual and put the bolts in containers and bigger parts in seperate boxes. If you don't think you will be happy with something don't do it because you won't be happy!!!! I also took pictures of the early stages and put them above my work bench so I remember how far I have come, so I don't get discouraged with how far I have to go.

[Stroker]

72CSTC5 Hit the nail on the head.

If I was to do it over again thats exacly the way I would approach mine. Another problem you face when doing everything at once is warranty. Because of the time involved you could easily end up shelling out $10-20K for drivetrain, suspension, and electrical parts and find that the warranty is expired before you ever get the wheels spinning. What do you think the dealer is going to say if you have to call them about a defective part you purchased 2-4 years ago but just used for the first time last week. That part could easily be an expensive item like an engine, tranny or rearend.

Replace, repair or modify a system. Then drive it, and work out all the bugs. Continue to repeat as required. When everything is just the way you want it.

Break it down and make it pretty.

[Shane]

Everything everyone has already said is EXCELLENT advice.

I would add only a copule of things.

1.) Have a plan before starting.
2.) Set timeline goals for yourself with the already mentioned "mini projects."

If you try to do "too much-too fast" you will more than likely be disappointed with the results. Take your time, yet set goals. Once you reach that goal, treat yourself. A new wrench ... a new part ... something small. This will help you to stay positive in your thinking and makes the job seem more like "fun" and not seem like a "job."

I will bet almost everyone here, at some point in their projects, have felt they are in way over their head. I know I sure have. What seemed like a mistake at first ended up being a learning experience. I have learned to tig weld, color sand/buff, and do some MAJOR fabrication that was way beyond my skills when I started. But the fact that I had ZERO bucks to pay someone else to do it forced me to learn to do it myself. What seemed like a "pain in the ass" turned into something that I wouldn't have learned otherwise. When you run up on these sort of obstacles, tTake a break for a day, or even a week, or two. You will be amazed how anxious you will be to get back to work once you are away from it for a little while.

BTW: I am in year 4 of a frame off ... that started as a two-weekend rocker and cab-corner replacement.

Most important is to HAVE FUN! If it isn't fun, then it's a job.

[Shane]

Originally Posted by 72CSTC5

Okay here is my .02 cents. Speaking from a bodyman's perspective and currently being a bodyshop manager and all kinds of access to tools equipment and knowledge and the like. I would first make a game plan on what direction you want to go and stick with it as close as possible. WHILE YOU DRIVE THE TRUCK!!!!! Set up the engine you want, tranny, rear end, and suspension. Do not worry about painting or detailing anything yet. Do all of your gauges, wiring and such. Then get started on all of your bodywork. Align all of the panels first that you are going to use. Do any bodywork a panel at a time. Meanwhile you are driving this thing to shows, cruising it on the weekend because you do not care what it looks like because you are driving one cool 67-72 truck. Okay, bodywork is done, mechanicals are lined out. Blow this thing apart baby!!! Paint it all up and put it back together and then do your interior. Much easier, won't lose as much interest, won't lose as many parts and have fun while you are doing it. I have had my 72 2wd CST Blazer apart for 10 years and have about 18,000.00 dollars in it and NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING FINISHED. You get the point here. Trust me on this one.

AMEN!

I am to the point with my project that I am ready to reassemble (who cares if it is 15 different shades of paint and primer) and just DRIVE THE DAMN THING for a while and have some FUN! I am waaaaay beyond the giddy-excitement of getting a new part delivered by the UPS truck.

I just want to drive my truck and enjoy it!

Gawd, I wish I had read all of this before starting my project. This is really, really good stuff here.

What 72CSTC5 said has been the BEST advice I have read so far.

<rant off>

[Low68]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but the thing that hit me hardest when I was doing the frame up is the bodywork. I don't know if you plan to do your own, but if you do, you HAVE TO BE PATIENT. If you are not patient on your bodywork, it will come out looking like a golf ball with all of those dimples. If you plan to do the body work, read some books or talk to some professionals to get some ideas of techniques and where to start. Bodywork is the part of the project where I got to and started to think about selling my truck. In hindsight, I am very glad I didn't, but wish that I would have taken more time one bodywork and paint.

If I could say one thing, it would be this. Do it right the first time so you don't have to redo it. That is the biggest lesson I learned on the frame up on my truck.

Have fun and take your time.
Low68

[Tx Firefighter]

I've done a few frame offs

Best tool I own?

A dry erase board and markers on the shop wall.

I always make lists. For instance a "need" list. Every time I need a special bolt, or can of paint, or whatever, I write it on the board.

Then, when I make a parts run, I get it all at one time and don't have to make wasted trips.

My board currently has 3 shopping lists on it:
1) Dealer parts needed
2) Chandlers parts needed (my local parts store)
3) Tractor supply stuff needed (they sell grade 8 hardware by the pound)

[Woody]

A lot of great advice by everyone! The only thing I will add is using pieces of cardboard to hold bolts. The baggies work great but there are time when you need certian bolts in certain holes. What I do is draw a picture of the part on the cardboard then punch holes for the bolts and put them in the holes. This works great for theings like water pump bolts or a/c brackets and anything else that has different size/length bolts holding it down.


Good Luck, Woody

[hambone1958]

Take lots of pics before and during the tear down it will help when it's time to put it back together....I know it sure helps me.

[muddpile]

When I restored my corvette, I used a piece of styrofoam to thread allof th interior screws into and then painted all the heads black, as they were all the same size. When have unique parts, I usually bag em or attach them to a piece of cardboard and label them. Patience and good tools help a lot too!

I've finally come to the conclusion that my truck can't just have a few problems fixed. It needs new floor pans, rockers, cab corners, fenders, a better box, and I might be doing a cowl hood (more than likely, as its just a drop in the bucket with everything else it needs.....). So basically, I need to do a frame off as well. My question is, what does everyone like to use to clean up the frame? Is POR-15 and then a nice coat of gloss black paint the way to go, or is there another way that I haven't thought of? I figure rather than just do the body, interior and engine compartment and leave the underside looking bad, I might as well do it all right? Also, do you guys reccommend leaving the cab on, or just taking it off with everything else? I assume it is quite a bit more work to remove with the wiring harness and steering column and everything there.

[greenvilledave]

Although you are having work done by someone else I will still share my advice
1. Stay organized in every part of this,money tools, time, parts
2. My son and I really wanted to save time and did not want to always have to work with dirty parts so we took it all apart Rented a large compressor( the kind that runs 2-3 jack hammers) sandblasted the entire frame and everything else we thought would be okay and then used the same compressor w/regulator to power spray gun to prime and paint just to keep things clean. Now we put new parts or good clean used parts together. Alot more enjoyable to work on.

[chevytruckfan]

Originally Posted by greenvilledave

Although you are having work done by someone else I will still share my advice
1. Stay organized in every part of this,money tools, time, parts
2. My son and I really wanted to save time and did not want to always have to work with dirty parts so we took it all apart Rented a large compressor( the kind that runs 2-3 jack hammers) sandblasted the entire frame and everything else we thought would be okay and then used the same compressor w/regulator to power spray gun to prime and paint just to keep things clean. Now we put new parts or good clean used parts together. Alot more enjoyable to work on.

Thats a good idea I have a daily driver and was thinking of doing my frame and suspension parts like this.

Did the rental compressor have a nozzle for sandblasting?
Where did you get the blasting material?
Can this be done under the truck, or did you need to take the clip, cab, bed, and engine/tras out?

[dave3156]

The drive and restore method is a good idea. There is alot you can do before tearing it all apart. That way you can really take your time on everything you do. Your not under pressure to get it back together and you can spend money in small chunks. Also this will give you time to buy parts for the next step. Planning is the key. Mine has rust underheath. To me it seems to make more sense to attack that first since it gets worse pretty quick once it gets to a certain point. What good is a truck with a new drive train that is rusted away? From my experience the body work is where most of the money is anyway and it can be done in parts. Once the vehicle's foundation is secure, go to the interior. Alot can be done there and it will be rewarding because your really notice changes to the interior. Do mechanical systems last and split them up into areas like, engine, transmission, suspension, electrical, exhaust, etc. Finally pull the engine and redo the mechanicals and while its out the engine compartment. Thats what my plan is at least. Having a plan to start with is the most important part.

[el curioso]

What ever way you decide to go, don't go "The I remember route"..

ASK IT LOOKS WORST WHEN ITS WRONG.

[Back in Black]

I am on the 7th month of my 8 month frame off restoration. I just decided that I am not going to try and get it done this summer. Problem is mostly time. I was so pushed to get it done that I have been working on it alot. This resulted in it being more of a job and less fun. I decided to make it more fun and slow down a bit. It is a good time to have a hot rod to work on when you get some free time. I realized that once I get the truck done, I won't have anything to work on anymore.

Currently my truck has a box, cab, fenders, motor, tranny, posi and smoothy tires. I had the frame sand blasted, added all new supension, and painted it with "Chassis Saver", new brakes, air, radiator, built 400 hp 383, TH400, 3.43 posi, ect.

Here are a few pointers that I have learned:

1) Chassis Saver is an excellent product.
2) When stumped, go to the board, someone else has already been down your road.
3) It is nice to have several trucks around. I have three. My black CST which I bought when I was 17, the Arizona truck which I looked for forever and is now stripped, and a rusty camper special which was really stock and complete. When putting my truck back together, the camper special proved valuable to look at, steal screws and bolts, and all around extra parts.
4) Ziploc bags are a must
5) Take pictures, they will be handy later

Have Fun

Jason

[chickenwing]

Somehow missed this thread. Will ad my .02. everyone has covered the "before" documentation. I would like to say the "during documentation" is just as important.

This is primarily directed at the guys that modify their trucks (sorry CPNE). Examples of this are for brake swaps, suspension mods, ANY electrical change. If you added on disc brakes it would be a wise idea to document every changed component for future referance when you or the next owner needs to replace something.

Go ballistic with it too. Document part name, part#, year make and model of donor vehicle. If aftermarket: vendor name, vendor part#. On my wiring changes, I have printed out the wiring diagrams and penned in the deletions, additions and modifications. Try to keep the data on the component mod all-encompassing. There's an amazing amount of do-dads ya gotta keep track of. Like on fans: temp switches, wire gauges, fuse locations, relays...

Keep all of this along with the manufacturers literature in an indexed 3 ring binder and keep it beside your shop manual. As a fail-safe (k so I'm anal about some things) I have written in the preface of each chapter of my shop manual a brief reminder of what has been modded.

Have yet to do a frame off. Mine has been a running daily driver since 3 months after I bought it. Been 2+ years now and it is almost, well allmost allmost done.

[tcoop68]

Just go in with faith in yourself and you can getter done.Just take your time and enjoy,I am on my 10th frame off and I am having just as much fun with this one as the first,by the time you do that many you will be able to put all the bolts in a 5 gallon bucket and can tell by looking at them where they go.Remember take your time and do it so you will be proud of your acomplishment.I am sure if you run in to any problems there is a lot of good talented guys on this site that will help including me.Goodluck