Part two of our coverage on our frame off restoration on a 65 GTO hardtop found behind a barn in Ohio. After fifteen to twenty years of being stored 9out in the elements, we are seeing just what it takes to bring this old "rust bucket" back to life.

Disassembly of suspension: Disassembly of the suspension can be a chore. These old components have been together for many years and tend to want to stay that way.

Safety is of course the first and primary issue here. Always wear safety glasses. Gloves can also be useful ,for protection, when trying to free rusted parts.

Inspection of all the components, as they are removed, is a good time to catalogue just what parts are going to need replacing. When doing a frame off restoration, it is well worth your while to replace all suspension parts that are made of rubber or are subject to wear. Aged and/or worn front-end components can make a visually appealing car, unsafe or just a handful to drive.

Inspect all rubber upper and lower control arm bushings. A new bushing holds itself "centered" on the shaft, while a worn out, aged bushing will be visually off center. Dry rot is very apparent by cracking, while leaking fluids will soften the bushings and cause the bushing to deteriorate and "peel off" the outer edge.

Disconnect shocks at the top then the bottom and remove. Next, remove the brake drums or calipers.

Next, remove all cotter pins, then their castle nuts about ½ to ¾ way off. Sharp blows with a hammer on the cast iron area at each tie rod, ball joint, and drag link joint will eventually break the connection. However, a pickle-fork (manual-IE: with hammer), or an air hammer powered fork will speed up the job. When dealing with the lower A frame, it is important to be careful of the coil springs, they are possibly under a great deal of pressure even if there is no engine or body on the frame. After loosening the castle nut to the lower ball joint, we used our pickle fork to help break loose the connection. The loud pop assured us that not only is the connection loose, but that the coil spring is indeed under some pressure. Before taking the nut off, you can use a chain to secure the spring from flying out of its location. We let the A frame rest on the floor and finished loosening the castle nut with a ratchet until the nut came off. The floor and weight of the frame was sufficient to hold the spring in place.

After removing the coil spring, we were free to remove the bolts that hold on the lower "A" frame. During our inspection of the right lower "A" frame, we found that water had sat in the area where the shock bolted on, and would need to be replaced. The metal had rusted to the point of being thin and questionable. If in doubt, replace it! This is the best way to assure safety of the part.

After removing the front suspension, steering box, idler arms, sway bar, shocks and other items (such as brake lines, etc…), you will also need to remove the rear end. On this particular model, the rear end is held in place by four control arms (two upper and two lower). After removing the bolts, we can slide the rear end out from under the frame. The rear end will be taken for blasting before it is sent off to be rebuilt.

Inspect all the control arms, joints and components. Using your catalogue, compile a list of items you want to replace. Remember to examine the metal of the control arms for heavy rusting or damage. Some areas may not be as visible until after sand blasting. Both of our lower control arms for the rear end had excessive rust on the end nearest the rear axle. This was probably due to sitting close to or in the ground all those years. To assure safety, these items will have to be replaced. Two options are available for these items. Fortunately they are reproduced and can be ordered new. We have chosen to find some good originals instead.

Finding parts is a challenge all its own and we will talk more about some different ways in a later issue. In this case, we asked

somebody with the same make and model as the one we are restoring. Marvin Allen (featured in this issues center feature) had some parts laid back from when he restored his car and was happy to help out. This is a great way to locate parts. Speaking with fellow enthusiast from shows or events can many times put you on the right track for those badly needed parts.

Frame: Refinishing the frame is one of the areas where you have numerous options. One of the first areas of concern is the condition of the frame itself. Time, salt and water will have taken its toll. Depending on the area of the country the car has been and its usage, the frame may have pitting, dents or even rust holes that will require repairing or, if in too bad of condition, replacing.

We were fortunate on this frame that it had pitting, but none severe enough to warrant any repairs. Even the typical areas such as the circular areas that the body bushings sit on, were in great shape. This is a common rust area for these type cars and usually need work. Should you have a frame that has trapped water around the body bushings, you will see mild to severe rusting in that area. Many times the area has been rusted away and will have to be repaired. One of the most common solutions to this problem is to weld a large steel washer over or into the damaged area. If done correctly, it will not be noticeable or effect the placement of the bushing. If you have some experience at welding, this should be an easy repair. Steel washers can usually be obtained at local hardware stores. DO NOT get the shiny cadmium plated washers, they do not weld as well.

While the frame is separate and easier to transport, you may want to take it to have the repairs done by an experienced welder (unless you have the equipment and knowledge to do it yourself).

¨ A good at home welder for your workshop can come in handy on any car project. Keep in mind that many welders (although good for frame work and thicker metals) will not work well on sheet metal. A portable wire feed welder from "Lincoln" available at many home improvement centers, works well for these projects and can usually be purchased for around $400. A conversion kit is available for some models that allow you to convert your wire feed welder to MIG welder. A MIG welder uses an inert gas that will give you a cleaner weld.

If you have no knowledge on welding, and don’t know of any one to learn from, there are some courses on basic welding available in certain areas to help you learn the fundamentals. Welding takes practice, but is easier than it looks. It is also great to be able to have that ability around the house. If you think about how useful a glue gun is around the house, consider a welder the equivalent for metal. Many of the portable small welders come with instruction books and video. These help immensely in getting you started. Taking some old metal to practice on works well, before you try it on something important. Experimenting with scrap metal (even on sheet metal) will help you get better at it. Granted your first attempts will be a bit abstract in appearance. But considering the art I’ve seen in some yards, you should be fine if someone sees your creation. Although I think the wife is getting wise to my references to things being "Art" when in reality its….well…I’m not really sure what it is?

You will need to decide the best way to get the frame ready for painting. Now anyone who has enough grit to attack their frame with wire brushes and/or other wire devices to strip the frame clean has my respect or pitty. One of the best ways to clean the frame is "Sand Blasting". If it is available to you, some people have utilized having their frame dipped in acid type solvents that will strip your frame clean inside and out. Although very effective, unless you get 100% of the acid or other substance off the frame, your paint will start to peal or raise in those areas (cracks, seams, etc..).

For our project, we chose to take our frame to a local sand blasting company "Master Blasters" in Brooks, Kentucky. You will want to ask around for a reputable company near you before just going anywhere. Having been to "Master Blasters" before, I was well aware of their quality work. Now I know what your thinking. Let me save you the time and trouble. At one time or another, we get that great idea of saving(?) money and purchasing one of these "at home" sand blasting kits to do the work ourselves. Unless your prepared to purchase a good top of the line unit, and see where you will have use for such equipment in the future, save your time and money and have it done. Otherwise you will be out the price of the blaster kit you bought, sand, and clean up time (not to mention the damage the residue causes in other tools or equipment that are in the shop area), only to end up at the blasting company anyways to have it done.

The smaller kits usually do not have the capabilities to quickly and efficiently clean the parts. It can be compared to trying to paint an entire car with a small air brush.

The owner of Master Blasters, "Leonard Lucas" says he has sold sand or other media to customers who try the "do it yourself" home versions and he doesn’t mind helping them out. He knows it usually won’t be long before they are back to get it done right. I myself have tried this home technique, to end up paying out more than it would have cost me originally. Only to have a home sand blaster that I have misplaced and have no intention of trying to relocate. Plus I had to have it done professionally afterwards.

Sand blasting the entire frame, "A" frame components, rear end, control arms, and sway bar cost usually around $125 to $150 depending on the time it takes or the rates of the company you use. Your frame and parts can usually be done within two hours (once they start on it). The simplicity of having this done makes the expense well worth it.

To save trips back and forth to the sand blaster, take your rear end and assorted suspension parts with you to be blasted also. If you are fortunate enough to have a bead blaster in your garage (or a friends) you can do the smaller items later.

Although sand blastings is not advised for sheet metal areas of your car (can cause warpage from the heat), you can have them sand blasted at a lower pressure and with a finer type median. Such as these camaro fenders done by "Master Blasters".

Getting the frame to the blaster is another challenge. Hopefully you have access to a trailer to haul the frame. A truck bed may be used if nothing else is available, but securing it and using flags to mark the large amount hanging out the rear of the truck bed is important.

Renting a trailer or even a rental van that is large enough to haul the frame inside is an option. Although it may cost you $40 or $50 for a day, it is still well worth the expense versus the do it yourself". Some sandblasting companies are portable and will come to your location to blast the items. However, cost and cleanup are an issue that you will have to deal with.

It is also a good idea to scrape any large amounts of grease from the frame or suspension parts before blasting. Sand will tend to bounce of the old rubber like grease and sludge deposits and will have to be burned off. Save your self the money by scrapping all the areas that have these deposits and cleaning with a quality cleanser if needed.

Re-inspect your frame and suspension components after they are blasted for any wear or damage not readily seen before the blasting.

Removal of ball joints and bushings can be a difficult challenge. Original upper ball joints are held in place by rivets. While replacements are bolted in place. A good solidly mounted vise is necessary to remove any ball joints and control arm bushings. The rivets may be carefully drilled out, or cut off. Then finally pushed out by a punch (manual or air powered), or you can use an air chisel exclusively.

Lower ball joints can be knocked out with a good size hammer. They should be pressed back in place carefully with a proper sized tool or pipe to avoid damage

The control arm bushings can be very difficult to remove. An air hammer with a curved point chisel will usually give the best results. Careful installation with a driver (or a socket or pipe of correct size) is essential so as to drive the bushing in straight and not crush the control arm.

Removing bushings can be done at some local auto parts store/machine shops. They will either press the bushings out or burn the rubber out of the bushings to better remove the metal portion. Some parts stores rent tools that can press the bushings in or out. However, care must be taken to not crush the rear control arms or upper "A" frame areas when doing so. This usually takes specially sized spacers that are not readily available in a kit. For those at home "do it yourselfers", galvanized nipples (pipe fittings for plumbing) can be cut to size, split and inserted to prevent crushing of areas. Do not have new bushings installed prior to sand blasting! This can cause damage or cosmetic scarring of new parts.

After your frame has been blasted, it is important to remove all the sand from inside the boxed or enclosed areas of the frame. This may require standing the frame on end or even using a shop vacuum to remove.

Painting the frame has its own pitfalls. A bad decision here can leave you touching up rust or peeling areas from this point forward. It is best to choose a durable and long lasting finish for the frame and suspension parts.

Powder coating is one of the best methods available. However, this is also a more expensive way with the coating of the frame alone, costing upwards of $800. To get the best and most durable treatment for our dollar, we chose to use POR15 (Paint Over Rust 15). POR15 has the great ability to be applied directly over rust. In fact, you could actually skip the blasting part and after knocking off the loose rust, you can apply the POR15 directly to the surface. It bonds with the rusted areas to permanently seal the metal. You will still want blast your frame to remove any heavy rust and/or old paint to get the best and smoothest result possible. Nowhere have we seen a more durable product for the price to give our frame and components a "rock hard" finish!

POR15 is available through their local distributors or some parts suppliers. POR15 has grown to provide many different colors and products that will help in your restoration. They have restoration kits for steering wheels, floor and trunk pans, fuel tank repair kits, engine painting kits, and even wax and appearance kits.

Having been sand blasted, our frame is basically free of grease or other contaminants that would interfere with our paint. However, if you have any area that you are in doubt about, it would be a good idea to use the POR15 "marine clean" to clean the surface before painting. Remember that any time you touch bare metal (or any other item) with you bare hand, you will leave oils from your skin. These can also cause paints to not stick or bubble up after being applied.

POR 15 also makes "Metal-Ready" to use on surfaces that are smooth or rusty (not blasted). This product will neutralize rust and mildly etch smooth surfaces for good bonding between paint and metal. Since all of our areas have been blasted free of rust, and there are definitely no shiny smooth metal areas, we did not need the Metal-Ready for this part of our project.

We suspended our frame from the joists in our garage to allow us easy access to all areas. This allows us to paint the entire frame without turning. An eyebolt located at each corner (with washers) allowed us to tie the frame up with a good strong nylon rope. Any areas not painted where the washers are placed, can be easily touched up later. Be sure to place them in a somewhat less noticeable place if possible.

We have the luxury of not having a ceiling on our joists over head, which allowed us to simply loop the rope over each joist. You can use eyebolts that will screw into the bottom of your joists that will hold the frame up.

NOTE: It is important to use a good size bolt, firmly seated in the wood! It is also advisable to do this at your own risk. Obviously drilling too big a hole can be counterproductive and may weaken the joists in your ceiling. Be creative, but not dangerous.

With our frame suspended, we are ready to start painting the first coat. Two separate coats will be required for our frame. POR15 is UV (Ultra violet) sensitive and will turn milky (or discolor) if exposed very long to sunlight. Although the underside of your car doesn’t see much direct sunlight, there are reflective rays from road surfaces that can possibly cause the same effect. The "Chassis coat" is a rock hard topcoat that will give you the finish you want and protects the initial coat of POR15.

One of the great features of POR15 is its "self leveling" abilities that allow you to simply brush the first coat on. More than one coat may be required depending on your frame and/or how well you apply the first one. NOTE: POR15 states clearly that if you get it on your skin and don’t remove it before it dries…It has to wear off. They aren’t kidding! Nothing will take it off once it dries!! Body parts can be hidden, but those specs on your face? Be sure and order a POR15 solvent for clean up. Lacquer thinner is also capable of cleaning up "WET" POR15. If you should happen to have the dry POR15 on your face, it will usually be removed when shaving with a disposable razor, with in the next day or two (one of those things you learn by doing!).

Pour a portion of the POR15 into a separate container (coffee can or other) and immediately reseal the can. Be sure and place a piece of plastic between the lid and can to allow you to be able to remove it once again. Otherwise, if it dries in place, you may never open it again. This stuff is tough!!

The hardest part of painting the frame is getting the enclosed or boxed off areas covered with POR15. I have heard of several methods such as; pouring it into the areas and turning the frame around to let it run through the inside. A wand for paint sprayer is possible and may allow you to reach into the areas to spray. Our solution for this project was to try and blast as much paint as we could into every opening. Plastic was placed on the floor to catch the paint that was about to run out. We set our paint gun to blow as much paint as possible into the areas. Moving the gun in circles and/or holding to spray into the areas until we felt that we had covered as much as possible did result in a lot of paint dripping from the frame. But a check with a flashlight assured us that we did reach every visible area. CLEAN THE PAINT GUN IMMEDIATELY! POR15 will ruin a paint gun quickly if not cleaned right away (that drying and never to be removed thing). Purchasing an inexpensive paint gun is a good idea for this part of the project.

Paintbrushes should be of a decent type to prevent brush hairs appearing in your paint. The cheaper the brush, the more chance of hairs. We don’t buy the top of the line brushes either. They should be considered throwaway types when used with this product.

After we have taken our brushes and wiped all areas that were dripping from the spraying, we then paint the entire frame with POR15. Color at this point is not important since we will be covering it again with a topcoat. We chose to use the same color as our topcoat, just in case any topcoat gets chipped off. After you have painted the frame, it will take a while to dry (depends on humidity, temperature, etc…). After the POR15 has dried we will want to repair any areas or smooth any bad places at this time. POR15 makes an epoxy putty that dries to an incredible hard surface. It is a two-part epoxy based putty that can be mixed together and smoothed into the areas needed, then after drying can be sanded as needed. We had never used "POR Putty" before and mixed up some as a test to see how hard it became. It was vulnerable to breakage, but it required a hammer to do so. We had noticed a few dented areas in our frame and used the POR Putty to repair these areas. POR putty is also easy to use for smoothing rough or pitted areas for that show quality finish.

Sanding is necessary before the topcoat is applied. You can apply the top after applying the base POR 15 when has reached a state of being tacky and not yet completely dry (dry to the touch but still tacky). If it is allowed to dry completely, you will need to lightly sand the POR15 to allow the topcoat to stick properly. Sand only enough to scuff the paint and dull the gloss finish. A quick method is to use a scuff pad (available at outlets for automotive paint supplies). This flexible and durable material is great for reaching all the curved and hard to reach areas.

After we have repaired any areas and scuffed the POR15, we are ready to paint the topcoat "Blackcote" to finish the frame (requires approx. two quarts for the frame and suspension parts). We chose the glossy black finish for our project, but a more satiny semi-gloss is available also ("Chassis Coat Black"). The "Blackcote" can be applied by paintbrush also. It has a good self-leveling quality just like the POR 15. We choose to use our trusty paint gun for the final coat. This requires an area to paint our frame in.

*NOTE: You may want to check with your local EPA or other government agency to determine the guidelines and restrictions for spraying materials at home.

The common at home method, for the adventurous type, is to create your own temporary paint booth right there in your garage.

*We would recommend that you have this done at an approved location that has the proper safety requirements met for ventilation. It is also important to wear the proper protective equipment to avoid inhalation of possibly harmful vapors and avoid contact with the skin of any potentially hazardous substance.

We will have our frame done under these guidelines but, will demonstrate how a "do it yourself" person would attempt it……….!

Tarps are placed up in a make shift paint booth area and all other exposed items covered with a plastic covering. Ventilation in this situation would be essential (fan or exhaust fan) to insure not being overcome by fumes. A good paint mask (face mask or other) would be important to protect your lungs from the vapors.

After your frame has been painted, you will need to paint the suspension components ("A" frame, control arms, etc..) with the same method and paints using a color or colors of your choice. With all of your bushings in place, this will make for a pleasing finish on all your parts.

Hopefully while all this frame and suspension work has been done, you have taken the time to locate a good automotive shop to rebuild your rear end. This can be done at home if you have the tools and experience. We will look at rebuilding rear ends at a later time.

Expense up to this point has been at a minimum. We have used approximately $300 worth of POR products. This added to our sandblasting bill gives us a very nice restored frame for just over $425. This is a mild expense when compared to some other frame techniques. There are cheaper methods (primer and paints methods) that won’t give you that hard durable finish needed to keep a car that will be driven, in top quality shape.