Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

I want to know if a full a body off restoration is possible with my setup.

A bit of technical background:

• I live in the PNW where it rains 8 months of the year.
  I (will) have a large single car carport.
  I have a basement shop which has a lot of room, but cannot fit a car. It can easily handle any car parts, but not a body or a frame.

So I will have to keep the frame and body out in the carport. My worry is rust. Since this is all part time work I am worried that when I strip the frame or body, that moisture will get to it before I have had a chance to protect it. I am also unsure if primer can be valid long term moisture protection.

I suppose my other concern is working space for the body/frame. I can probably hang the body from the carport cieling, but maybe I would be better off to make a dlly for it. Roll it out, work on frame. Roll out the frame, work on body kinda thing...

thanks for any suggestions.

I can't help with your decision as to whether you should do your frame off in your car port, I'm in Texas & don't have the rain problem & have a shop, but I thought you might like to see how I supported my frame & body for my frame off.

I used a couple cheap Harbor Freight engine stands to hold the frame I didn't tie the stands together so I could steer them to move the frame around.
The body is light enough that I was able to position it on what is called Baker's Scaffolding. I have an overhead electric hoist that I used to lift the body so I could raise or lower the scaffilding so I could get to whatever I needed on the body.
Peace,
Pat

I'm no expert. That said, there are some primer/sealers that will not allow rust to happen, and some that will absorb moisture so talk to an autobody supply shop. Also, is there room for a separate temporary car garage elsewhere on the Property? I stored a car in sealer/primer for several years in one I got from harbor freight and it worked great. You could put the body in that and have the frame in the carport.

Pat - thanks for the tips - I like the bakers scaffolding - that'll work!

Greg - good to hear about the different primers. I will check it out. I dont have room for a temporary shelter, but I am thinking of a car body bag using dri-z-air - I could put this around the side of the house while working on the frame - thanks!

Can you use plastic sheeting to go from post to post to seal it from weather?

Airflow is the key. If you box it in with a tarp say, the moist air gets trapped inside. Keep it open so the breeze can keep the moisture off, but if you need some rain protection from sideways rain, put something up, but keep some gaps.

A car will rot if stored in a damp garage.