Stripping a car

enjenjo · May 05, 2008, 10:45:33 PM

I think every now and then a rodder should strip a late model car or two just for practice. I just finished stripping an 88 Chevy truck, and with all the GM cars and truck I have worked on, I discovered a few things of interest I had not seen before.

For instance, this was a no air bag truck, and the column had the shift lever at the bottom coming out on the left side. This gives a lot more room on cars in an area that can get busy with brakes, shifter, and throttle all in the same area.

The radio, a factory set up, has a separate head unit that could be installed in a dash that doesn't have much room, it is only about 2" deep, with the rest of the components hidden in other areas. A neat power steering cooler that mounts with two bolts. A cruise setup that is cable operated, with the servo and control system on one component. Electric servo motors on the HVAC that could be used to operate any thing.

The last one I stripped was a Ford car, and I found all sorts of neat stuff on it too. Even foreign cars supply all sorts of neat pieces. Relays, manifolds, switches, you never know what you will find.

Well worth doing just to learn.

Crosley.In.AZ · May 05, 2008, 11:41:57 PM

Sounds like work..

You strip this at the house or a junk yard?

OldSub · May 06, 2008, 01:00:30 AM

Interesting. Next one I plan to strip is an '89 Chevy pickup. Should be very similar.

I plan to use the TBI 454 in something.

chimp koose · May 06, 2008, 01:22:45 AM

I often get students in mechanics class to just strip a car for parts.Reason being, they learn about how to use the best tool for the job ,righty tighty lefty loosey and the like. It is also a stress free way for the kids to become familiar with the tools without worrying about damaging someones car.Now and then a stock car guy will ask if the kids can strip a car for them so they can make a thunder car out of it.We even did all the mounting and balancing of tires for a friend of mines thunder car one season. The kids get a thrill when they see their efforts recognized on the flanks of a race car.

c cab · May 06, 2008, 04:21:14 AM

Hmmmm I just drove a 2008 2500 chevy into the workshop striped it & I mean striped it no dash nothin on the inside friewall front fenders hood well complet front now Im cutting it up all this to put the steering wheel on to the right hand side (not everyday you can cut up a new chevy)

Crosley.In.AZ · May 06, 2008, 08:29:49 AM

Quote from: "c cab"Hmmmm I just drove a 2008 2500 chevy into the workshop striped it & I mean striped it no dash nothin on the inside friewall front fenders hood well complet front now Im cutting it up all this to put the steering wheel on to the right hand side (not everyday you can cut up a new chevy)

I would think the vehicle comes apart a bit easier than an older one.

GPster · May 06, 2008, 09:05:28 AM

Quote from: "Crosley"Sounds like work.. You strip this at the house or a junk yard?

Sounds to me like a good reason for a get-to-gether. BBQ trailer and the whole deal. There are some guys that do this in secret and the brag about how many 454s they have laying around. I have a friend with a junkyard and I could get any piece I needed if I stripped the car and got it ready to be stacked on the crusher pile. Used to go out there just for relaxation and roam around and look at stuff. Don't do it so much now, I'm slower than snakes. GPster

Jbird · May 06, 2008, 12:34:01 PM

Did you notice that the "start" wire to the solenoid has been changed from
purple to yellow? I worked at a dismantler for a couple of years, stripped a bunch of wrecks. Sometimes it's easier to put them together than it is to take them apart. Maybe that's why I enjoy the upullit yards so much.
Jbird

enjenjo · May 06, 2008, 01:19:19 PM

I stripped it here at home, loaded the remains on the trailer for the scrap yard.

Yes I notice that GM is fooling with color codes after near 50 years of them being the same.

HotRodLadyCrusr · May 06, 2008, 04:21:23 PM

Speaking of steering columns Frank. My turn signal indicator broke off on my GM Caddy column and I have a new signal lever but I can't figure out a way to attach it to the spot inside that broke off. Think you could help?

enjenjo · May 06, 2008, 07:26:47 PM

What year caddy column? I should be able to get the old one out, and a new one in. Be more careful next time.

UGLY OLDS · May 06, 2008, 08:00:13 PM

Quotenow Im cutting it up all this to put the steering wheel on to the right hand side (not everyday you can cut up a new chevy)

Isn't that kind of hard to reach while driving :? :?: :?: Who gets to work the pedals :?:

Bob.....

38HAULR · May 06, 2008, 08:13:24 PM

Not a useless past time. My son is a mechanic ,and when he completed his apprenticeship ,he went and worked at a specialist wrecking yard for a while,the comment was "you will not learn anything further doing that". The reality was that he did learn a lot from dismantling which helped him when he went back into the repair side of the job again. He specialises in Jaguars and told me that he found a lot of short cuts which helped do jobs quicker. ......Frank.

Danimal · May 07, 2008, 12:03:41 PM

Court and I did an 88 last year. We saved a ton of stuff from that as well. It had the 4.3 L in it. When it left, it didn't have much on it but it still rolled and the yard was happy to have it back. Tried to tag all that we could when we took it out. Plus we saved as many bolts and filled the glove box. You never know when you'll need that stupid metric fine thread bolt!

Dave · May 07, 2008, 02:22:43 PM

Quote from: "UGLY OLDS"
Quotenow Im cutting it up all this to put the steering wheel on to the right hand side (not everyday you can cut up a new chevy)

Isn't that kind of hard to reach while driving :? :?: :?: Who gets to work the pedals :?:

Bob.....

My hero ............... :ha) );b( :ha) );b( :b-d: :b-d: :b-d:
Dave