Unibody??

[Tonz]

So i have a 1962 Plymouth belvedere, and its my understanding that these cars were unibody. Does that mean that a "frame-off restoration" isnt possible? If it is, how should i go about it? And if it isn't, what's a good alternative that'll help my car stand the test of time?

 

[turbine68rt]

Rotisserie

 

[Tonz]

Rotisserie

So just sandblast and coat it? Yeah i guess thatd work.. hope i get it all, thanks for the reply

 

[toolmanmike]

So i have a 1962 Plymouth belvedere, and its my understanding that these cars were unibody. Does that mean that a "frame-off restoration" isnt possible? If it is, how should i go about it? And if it isn't, what's a good alternative that'll help my car stand the test of time?

Right no frame off. No numbers matching either. Or posi rear ends either.

 

[eldubb440]

K frame off .......lol

 

[Tonz]

Right no frame off. No numbers matching either. Or post rear ends either.

Sorry for the dumb question, what's posi rear ends?

 

[67charger383]

Rotisserie

I am using Harbor freight jackstands and 2x4s on a gravel driveway...
POR-15 everything and weld in patches

 

[33 IMP]

Sorry for the dumb question, what's post rear ends?

I believe that is a misspell. I think he meant posi rearend. (Mopars have a suregrip, not a posi!)

 

[MoparLeo]

Use the correct tools and get at least one helper to be safe. Especially if it is your first time.

 

[Tonz]

I am using Harbor freight jackstands and 2x4s on a gravel driveway...
POR-15 everything and weld in patches

Not a bad idea with the stands and 2x4.. i picked up some "dupli color professional rust barrier" to use on the interior and i might just use it for the under side aswell, kinda have the mind set that it doesnt have to be the prettiest as itll be under carpet which is why im not just painting it.. pic is my progress with removing old rust and paint

 

[Kern Dog]

Sorry for the dumb question, what's posi rear ends?

The Moderator was helping to clear the air a bit.
I'll take it a step further.
1)Mopars within our scope of interest here are Unibody cars. This means that the car has no separate frame like a GM car. The frame rails in our cars are welded in place along with the fender aprons and core support. This makes the cars stiffer and lighter than a body on frame design. Some Mopars did still use frames though. The Imperial was a body on frame car and the C body models used a front stub frame similar to what a Nova or Camaro used.
2) No numbers matching applies to the Mopars built before 1968. In 1968, part of the vehicle identification number was stamped onto the engines. Prior to that, there was no absolute way to verify that the engine in a car was the original one.
3)NO Posi rear ends....Posi is a term in reference to "Posi-Traction", a Chevrolet brand name for a rear axle differential design where both tires have equal traction. All manufacturers had their own designs with their own brand names for them. Pontiac had Saf-T-Track, Oldsmobile had Anti-Spin, Ford had a few including Detroit Locker and Traction Lok. Mopars of our interest had the name Sure Grip as a brand name. Most of them shared a similar design but they all had their own brand name for marketing purposes.

 

[moparmarks]

Unibody, lighter yes. Stiffer than a full frame car, no.
I've put my friend's 70 Cuda vert and my customer's 70 GTO vert both on my lift. The Cuda even has fully welded in frame connecters and it still flexed so much more then the GTO. While on the lift the GTO vert acted more like a Mopar hardtop. Pretty much no flex or widening of the door gaps. No problem opening and closing the doors. The Cuda on the other hand flexed a lot and the gaps widened so much I would not open the doors. Don't think I would have been able to close them. I've built a few E boy convertibles I've always had to be careful when lifting them and really don't like using a lift on them.

 

[moparedtn]

What they all said ^^^
I'll add "READ - A LOT - FIRST!"
Feed that noggin of yours with all you can find on those who have gone before you!
This forum, with its' handy SEARCH box in the upper right corner, is one hell of a reference library!
You should form a battle plan of sorts before setting into the work; this is not something
to be undertaken lightly.

Further, there are any number of professional publications out there to guide you as well.
Additionally....Google is your friend! Simple internet searches will turn up vast resources of documentation,
videos galore, all sorts of information on the restoration of these cars.

It will take considerable time, resources and a hell of a lot of determination to do the job right,
but if you're up for the job, the effort is well worth the results.
Good luck!

 

[moparedtn]

I am using Harbor freight jackstands and 2x4s on a gravel driveway...
POR-15 everything and weld in patches

OH holy cow man - boy do I remember those days!
I suppose that means you're a younger fella, eh?

 

[moparedtn]

I believe that is a misspell. I think he meant posi rearend. (Mopars have a suregrip, not a posi!)

 

[toolmanmike]

I believe that is a misspell. I think he meant posi rearend. (Mopars have a suregrip, not a posi!)

Ya, damn phone keyboards!

 

[Dave6T4]

I see descriptions of Chargers, Road Runners,etc. for sale that have had a "body-off" restoration. I always picture a cutting torch being involved.

 

[Kern Dog]

Unibody, lighter yes. Stiffer than a full frame car, no.

Comparing convertibles skews the matter by a large margin. That is one instance where the frame makes up for the much of the loss of the roof structure.

 

[moparmarks]

And see I think it is a great example of how much more ridged a full frame car is. Never see any unibody trucks other than the 60's Ford trucks that I know of. Unibodies have many advantages but being stiff isn't one of them.
Even with fully welded in USCT frame connecters a Mopar convertible with still sag like a set of 80 year old boobies.
That is why Chevelles and Vettes make great drag cars. They are able to hook and launce extremely hard. I 've owned several GM A bodies over the years and the hardtops and wagons are way stiffer than our Mopars.

 

[Sixpactogo]

And see I think it is a great example of how much more ridged a full frame car is. Never see any unibody trucks other than the 60's Ford trucks that I know of. Unibodies have many advantages but being stiff isn't one of them.
Even with fully welded in USCT frame connecters a Mopar convertible with still sag like a set of 80 year old boobies.
That is why Chevelles and Vettes make great drag cars. They are able to hook and launce extremely hard. I 've owned several GM A bodies over the years and the hardtops and wagons are way stiffer than our Mopars.

While I thought about the big red X here since I disagree with just about all of this BS, I decided to just mention that the manufacturers all seem to have graduated to the unibody. Must be they don't like stiffness huh? Also, Chevelles and Vettes make decent drag cars cuz they are light not because they are stiff. Plus they need traction bars to keep them from folding up under heavy launch. My proof is from past experience with a few convertibles. My first car was a 57 Ford Conv. Jack it up to change a tire and try opening a door. Same with a 71 Chevelle. If you do get the door open, you won't be able to close it. My 65 Sport Fury convert is way stiffer than either of the framed cars above. No squeaks or rattles either!