My original thought was to have the engine & trans complete including radiator support installed in to the frame before it went to body shop so they could install body and complete the paint work. I was going to wrap the chassis with shrink wrap and plastic before it went there. However, I am having second thoughts about installing my new engine and trans into my restored frame before sending it to the body shop to complete the paint work.

If I don't install the driveline, I will have to bring the car home and install it before they install the painted front sheet metal. I will also have to roll around under the car to get the exhaust on.

Even wrapped in plastic I can't bear the thought of risking body shop debris getting all over the nicely detailed parts. Thoughts?

just ensure it is wrapped tight and everything is covered. You don't have to worry so much about base overspray, it's the clear.

Love the way you phrased the poll questions, made me laugh.

I only have book learnin' on this but there are wrapping products for this purpose.

IMO don't install the engine. You'll be sorry. Too many bad things can happen when it's out of your sight. Worse than dust and overspray too.

The way I built my 67.. I built the enitre chassis and installed the the drivetrain and exhaust into it. I kept the chassis at my house in the garage under a cover until the body work and paint was done. I then took the chassis down and put the body back on after the body work & paint were completed. We used a body cart to paint the body on. Alot less mess. Just my .02 :beers:.

Put the motor, trans, exhaust etc on the chassis. Paint the body/fenders/hood off the chassis, then put it all on the chassis after all the sanding/buffing is complete. You can even finish the interior. I wouldn't have the chassis any where near the body until it's finished. Thats the way it was done at the factory.

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/body_installation_.jpg

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/wrrose/100_2021.jpg

Put the motor, trans, exhaust etc on the chassis. Paint the body/fenders/hood off the chassis, then put it all on the chassis after all the sanding/buffing is complete. You can even finish the interior. I wouldn't have the chassis any where near the body until it's finished. Thats the way it was done at the factory.

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/body_installation_.jpg

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee335/wrrose/100_2021.jpg


How are the cherry pickers in the front hooked to the body?just curious

Hey Bill.....this in your garage or living room??? Curtains on the windows!!! Your garage is cleaner than my house!!! Yikes!!!!

WOW! It was a very close vote. A dead-heat goes to the conservative approach.

Thanks to all who voted and left comments. I have decided to forego taking the completed chassis back to the body shop to mount the body for paint. I've got the materials to build a dolly or body caddy and will take that to them instead.

The right decision IMO. You will probably spend less time building that caddy and mounting the body to it than you would re-doing everything that would get screwed up on the chassis/engine/etc.

How are the cherry pickers in the front hooked to the body?just curious

Sorry, missed this question.

I use to bolt an 8' long- 4x4 to the cowl, using the top fender bolt holes, then hook the hoist chains to heavy duty eyes near the ends of the 4x4. Now I do basically the same thing, except I bolt an 8' long 2x2 square stock steel to the cowl.

Hey Bill.....this in your garage or living room??? Curtains on the windows!!! Your garage is cleaner than my house!!! Yikes!!!!
I guess if you "live" in the garage, it could be called a living room.;)