True Connections

This Month we are going to discuss the basics of body mount bushings. We recommend to all of our customers not doing a frame off restoration to at least replace the body and core support bushings. Over the years the original bushings have dried up and start to deteriorate. It is important that they are in good condition since it is your body’s only link to the frame. When the bushings are damaged or missing it leads to excessive body movement and could allow the body to shift to one side of the frame. This problem is most pronounced on convertibles, causing the doors to misalign, and in extreme cases, even causing the front cowl and dash section to wobble while driving.

The trickiest part of replacing body mounts is lifting the body off the frame. So we contacted Joel Hoffman at JH Restorations in Riverside, Ca. to find out how to properly lift the body. After the front clip has been removed, Joel begins by spraying the bolts with a quick penetrant, then removes all the body mount bolts. Next, a pair of portable body lifts are positioned on each side and slowly raised together used to lift the body off the frame. This is the safest way to lift the body, but for you backyard mechanics you can try it in your own garage with 4 jack stands, a floor jack and a 4x4 block of wood approx 12” long. Once you have the frame supported by the jack stands, slide under the car and begin to loosen the body mount bolts with a 5/8” socket. Being under the vehicle, body mounts are susceptible to rust and can seize up. The best thing to do is not to force it, as you can strip the nut inside the body. If that happens the only thing to do is cut it out and weld in a replacement out of a donor vehicle. Before beginning you might want to try to cut away some of the rubber mount and spray the bolt with a penetrating liquid like Screw Loose and let it soak in for a day or so.

On a Coupe and El Camino you will have a total of 12 body mount bushings, not including the 2 core support bushings, but on a convertible there are an extra pair up front for better stability. Once the bolts are loose you can completely remove the bolts from one side only. Then place your floor jack on that side with the block of wood along the outside edge of the body underneath the rocker. Raise the body just enough to remove the old bushing and replace it with the new one. Once you have completed that side, lower the body, install the lower bushing, washer and bolt, but leave them all loose. Repeat this procedure on the other side, then move to the front and replace the core support bushings. If you have a 1964 Chevelle or El Camino you don’t need to worry about the core support as that year never had bushings, it was simply bolted directly to the frame. Before you go through and tighten all of the bolts, you should measure the distance of the rear wheel lip to the tire. Usually over the years the bodies tend to shift to one side or the other, and if so you will need to lower the vehicle to the ground and get your buddy to help you push the body to the other side. Once the body is centered on the frame you can go through and tighten up all the bolts, then check and retighten if needed after a couple thousand miles. Next month we’re changing gears and going top side to discuss the common question of how to install vent window seals.