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Semi-Restoring 70 Devill Conv Frame

Started by Ray Seigle, June 22, 2006, 09:43:32 AM

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Ray Seigle

Folks,

I have a 70 Caddy Deville convertible that I am getting ready for everyday use - but not during winter when the weather is snowy, icy, or ANY SALT ON THE ROAD (..so please no discussion about that....). So I have to do a pretty good job as to rust prevention and repair of what is there already.  The car has pretty much spent its life in Michigan, and has bondo repair on the body, but the floor is not a total replacement suprisingly...but the frame..?  I have found the frame to have some rust through damage on the verticle part of the frame under the drivers floor front - important because the frames verticle portion is the actual load carrying part of the frame obviously.  I can see about weld patching it...but I have the following questions :
-Might the rest of the frame be beyond repair under the rest of the rust that is not yet come through from the inside  ?... considering its history in the rust belt and that it is rusted through along about a 2 foot length off and on along the length ?
-Aside from chemically dipping the frame entirely, is there a reliable way to remove the built up rust from inside the boxed areas of the frame so I can paint it to further protect it ?  (I thought about getting a long threaded rod, thin enough to snake through the curved boxed areas of the frame, and try to scrape the built up rust enough to coat with Zero Rust....???)

The car is not going through a concours type restoration...itll never just be a fun driver (...hopefully everyday...)...your input would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Ray

Jeff Burland #12555

Seems your best bet would be to have a professional welder look at it. If you do it and miss something or havent done it 100 times before, it may be ugly (and Im not talking about the car). The other choice is to slide another 70 or deVille frame under it. Just snip the special conv brackets (side rail stops) from your car.

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

Dont forget that if you decide to use a DeVille Chassis that isnt from a Convertible, you will also need to install all the other sections of stiffening material that is also found only on a Convertible Chassis.

These extra thick pieces are the reason that a Convertible Chassis is heavier than that of a normal car.

Bruce,
The Tassie devil(le),
60 CDV