I am planning on starting a body-off resto on one of my 66 Chevelles soon, and while I have searched through alot of good info here, I still have some questions...

I realized that major body work and panel replacement (just the trunk) should be done before the body is removed from the frame,

BUT, how far should I take the body before removing it from the frame? Should I do all the body work and have it ready for paint, and then separate? Or should I just replace the panels, and leave any filler/surfacer, etc until after the body is back on the cleaned frame (wrap the frame in plastic?)?

Basically I am thinking:
#1) Disassemble the car (interior, front clip, etc)

#2) replace any body/floor panels, as needed

#3)lift body, clean/paint/detail undercarriage, replace fuel/brake lines, wrap frame in plastic or masking paper, reinstall body with new bushings.

#4) Do all external body work, primer/surfacer, paint, color sand/buff.

#5) reassemble rest of car, removing the frame masking...

I guess mainly #3 and #4 is where I am confused...

Also, Is it acceptible to leave the doors, door windows and side 1/4 windows in place when removing the body? I know these will add more weight, but is it necessary to remove them?

By the way, this is for a Hardtop, but info applicable to a convertible will be good for future reference...

Thanks...

Your plan sounds good. Personaly I would do all the body work on the frame. Block sand your finished primer till it's perfect, then remove the body and set it aside while you do the chassis. Then bag or wrap the chassis, add body and check to see if your body work shrunk/moved in any where and paint. I painted mine off the chassis but that's up to you. It controls overspray but you can scratch it up putting it back on the chassis.
Roger

Tony ........my 66 SS is being done in a similar sequeence except all body work done with body on frame up to initial block sanding although my painter is painting the underbody ( cdn car) and all the jambs firewall etc before I put back on frame ......then I bag the frame and it goes back to him for final paint, for my project all glass out doors off only to paint jambs FWIW

Tony,

To add to the above, I finished all bodywork while the body was still on the frame. When I took it off, then I went after the underside, firewall, etc. with the body on a fixture.

I pulled the body off with the most of the interior and all glass still in it. I figured it was easier to store all that "in the body" than try to find yet more shelf and/or rafter space while working on other things. I removing interior and glass, etc, once I had the frame finished and reassembled.

Mark