Major restoration help needed, 1963 Ford Galaxie.

[TheFurryCarGuy]

Okay, so as some of you have seen, I've been talking elsewhere about my 1963 Galaxie, and she needs help. I bought the car in September 2012 for a song, running and (yard)driving with no major rust.
Other than the frame.
Originally, the old owner (Who had 30+ Chevrolet muscecars, by the way, and wanted to keep the Galaxie more) was going to put patch panels in, but now that I've had professional welding friends look at it, the frame needs much more than that. Except... We don't know how much it needs.
To find out, I need to get the body off the car. That's a much bigger project than I had expected. I was planning on driving it this summer (Potentially all the way from CT to Florida) but I doubt it will even see the road till next spring now. My issue is this; I haven't the slightest idea of where to go now. I don't have a proper garage for getting the body off, and don't really know anybody that does. I don't want to send it to a shop, because that's not the point. I'm going to do all of this myself (Minus the major welding of course, that's a big deal) and I want a little more power over getting things done.
Anybody have possible input? I'd appreciate it.

[Lgbpop]

Where in CT are you?

[Bull Geek]

My Mom's Dad had a 63 Galaxie convertable back when she was a kid in Atlanta, GA. Saw some pix. Awesome car.

Do you have a garage?

Sounds like you need to separate the body from the frame. Work on one then move to the other. Remove the doors, hood, trunk lid, walk the front nose off of the car after all connections disconnected. With a few friends you should be able to lift the body up, push the frame out and set the bod on some kind of support setup.

[TheFurryCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Lgbpop

Where in CT are you?

To put it simply, dead center!

[TheFurryCarGuy]

Originally Posted by bull geek

My Mom's Dad had a 63 Galaxie convertable back when she was a kid in Atlanta, GA. Saw some pix. Awesome car.

Do you have a garage?

Sounds like you need to separate the body from the frame. Work on one then move to the other. Remove the doors, hood, trunk lid, walk the front nose off of the car after all connections disconnected. With a few friends you should be able to lift the body up, push the frame out and set the bod on some kind of support setup.

Yeah, I've got a garage, but it's a bit cramped (And might I add, borrowed space) so I don't really know if I could get it done in there. I kind of have to find a place, it would be even better if I had a lift I could use. It's just that.. Uhh, those sorts of things don't grow on trees, and I can't expect some stranger to open up shop for a handful of teenagers to work, lol

[Bull Geek]

You're in Northeast USA...so many classics up there going to car shows and what not.

You should look around into renting out a garage or a shop that has some space. I know there are places around the US that do that. Expect to pay a couple hundred bucks a month at minimum.

[JW657]

Originally Posted by TheFurryCarGuy

Okay, so as some of you have seen, I've been talking elsewhere about my 1963 Galaxie, and she needs help. I bought the car in September 2012 for a song, running and (yard)driving with no major rust.
Other than the frame.
Originally, the old owner (Who had 30+ Chevrolet muscecars, by the way, and wanted to keep the Galaxie more) was going to put patch panels in, but now that I've had professional welding friends look at it, the frame needs much more than that. Except... We don't know how much it needs.
To find out, I need to get the body off the car. That's a much bigger project than I had expected. I was planning on driving it this summer (Potentially all the way from CT to Florida) but I doubt it will even see the road till next spring now. My issue is this; I haven't the slightest idea of where to go now. I don't have a proper garage for getting the body off, and don't really know anybody that does. I don't want to send it to a shop, because that's not the point. I'm going to do all of this myself (Minus the major welding of course, that's a big deal) and I want a little more power over getting things done.
Anybody have possible input? I'd appreciate it.

Take the frame off and inspect it. If it is still straight and not distorted then send it off for sand blasting. Once the sand blasting is done, put the frame on a frame jig and start cutting the rot out. Then weld in the new steel. One you're done, you can paint it, send it off for galvanizing or professional painting.

You might get lucky and find a good used frame, that would save you some time.

[TheFurryCarGuy]

Originally Posted by JW657

Take the frame off and inspect it. If it is still straight and not distorted then send it off for sand blasting. Once the sand blasting is done, put the frame on a frame jig and start cutting the rot out. Then weld in the new steel. One you're done, you can paint it, send it off for galvanizing or professional painting.

You might get lucky and find a good used frame, that would save you some time.

You know... I hadn't been thinking of finding a used frame. I just had a look and found a rust-free original for $600. Entirely doable. The car doesn't have to be #'s matching after all, since it's not going to be anything near factory original. Otherwise I think I might do what you and bull geek suggested, renting out a garage and having all of my buddies come in for a mad thrash to get it apart to do it proper. One of my friends went to school for automotive welding, so he'll do the frame for me for a little less than it would cost elsewhere. I want to figure something out though, I've got the itch for big rear wheel drive burnouts that the Tortoise can never truly satisfy

[Lgbpop]

Originally Posted by TheFurryCarGuy

To put it simply, dead center!

Portland? Haddam? I didn't ask for jokes.

[TheFurryCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Lgbpop

Portland? Haddam? I didn't ask for jokes.

Heh, East Haddam/East Hampton/Moodus/Colchester area. Because I'm in all of them on a weekly basis. Why do you ask? Know somebody up this way?