No this car was local to me. He saw the nitro coupe outside the shop one day as we were ready to fire it up. This old guy sees the car and pulls up the driveway. asking if he could watch as he was a big time drag fan back in the day. I didnt care and we went about starting it up. Go forward three years he continues to stop by if the shop door is open. He would only stay 5-10 minutes for updates on the race car. We develop a frienship during this time. Last fall he mentioned the vette. This spring he tell me about the vette again mentioning its a 57. last week he asked if i could get it running again. i did and took it for a drive. Theres more to the story i cant reveal at this time. Over time more details and a few big surprises will be shared here. This is only the beginning. He said the car could only go to someone that would appreciate it and had the ability to maintain it.
Was this a result of net-working at work or just due to being the local rev-head? Really lusted after one of those as a young 20 year old but a C1 Corvette in Australia in the early 60's was millionaire material, so I built a T-bucket instead.
Brian... get ahold of Matt Sullivan. He just got his 59 Vette on the road. He has the same issue with his soft top. Matt has done a lot of research on C1 Vettes as to how they go together and where to get parts.
Great car.I am in the replace the top camp .I get the " only original once thing" and truly subscribe to that theory, there are some parts in that top latching system that are Fragile.As shrunk as that material is, there is some serious stress on everything.What I remember most was when the top on Kellys' '58 exploded at over 100.Took us across two lanes of traffic,ripped the fabric to shreds, beating us more senseless with the fragments of cloth.The impact was so great, it blew the fiberglass off the gas lid.Fun times with our Guardian Angel...
A perfect find ....it shows that these tucked away cars are still out there.....a mans dream he just never got back to. Now in anothers hands the sparks are flying and the engine has a fresh heartbeat . For a sbc the dual quad 57 Vette engines were a big favorite of mine with the specific 9 fin valve covers. The car is a perfect worn in example of enjoying this hobby . I would look this car over more than a restored 57. There is just something about an ole hot rod brought back to life, congrats.
the car as it stands now is filthy. I spent 20 hrs this weekend cleaning it up. my plan is to get it as clean as possible and make it a road worthy car. it will then be driven as is. I need to learn a lot more about this car before any changes are made. I need to document everything as is for future reference. the car is a fun driver as is so I will enjoy it for what it is while I learn. thanks for every ones interest. I cant wait to bring it to a few shows. it should get some attention. you don't usually see a vette survivor diamond in the rough at a show.
Wow, nice find! I love the plan to get it cleaned up and running and driving it like it is...a true survivor. I'm jealous!!
Enjoy taking the Corvette to the shows as is if possible. Cars are only original once. Us old timers will appreciate your car for what it is. Anybody with money and, or talent can restore one. I bought a 1956 Corvette when I was in my 20's for $ 75.00 as it was hit in the nose, and came with Kellison replacement nose. I sold it a month later for $ 175.00. That was good profit back in the late 1950's.
I think that you can save that top if you spend some time with it. Attach the front bow and then add some extensions to the loop at the back so that you can reach the rear clamps. Close the clamps to put some load on the top material to stretch it. Sunlight or heat gun to warm the material. After a few days, shorten the extensions to put more load on the top material. Eventually the top may stretch enough to go directly to the rear clamps.
The 9 fin valve covers were only used in 1956 and early 1957. The covers were changed to 7 fins to be able to clear the fuel injection when it was introduced in '57.
Nice find! Those tops are always like that from storage. Plus, they are horrible to see out of anyway!
the car is a early 57 so the 9 fins are correct. i just switched out the seven fin on the passenger side. i spoke to matt sullivan about how he stretched his top. patience sounds like the key here. this might be a over the winter kind of project because it will take a long time. i got word that the radiator will be done next week so i can start driving it. in the mean time the carpet will get ordered along with a gas pedal and of course more cleaning. i dont know what got on the inside of the trunk behind the seat and door panels. its some black oily dirt of some kind. it does come off with purple power spray cleaner. i also need to finish buffing it out. its one thing to have a old car with patena and another to have a old filthy car that looks like it just came out of the barn. with some more elbow grease it will be a presentable survivor.
i thought about attatching the top at the windshield then setting up a way to support a weight on the rear. kind of like orthopedic traction. the constant light weight over time could stretch it back to shape. the thought of the windows up with a heater inside the car crossed my mind while the traction was on. i dont want to leave the car outside in the sun for a few months it might get stolen.
Wet the top , inside and outside, put the car in the sun, while the tops still wet it should stretch back out, maybe some upholstery cleanner would help soften it too.
The idea of steam seems reasonable to me for stretching the top. All the upholstery guys on TV seem to use it. Defiantly a two person job.
Heres my barn find. It was sitting under a filthy dilapidated car cover for decades A little lovin and she was good to go .Congratulations on the find, they are a HELL of alot of fun!
I went over to the old guys house to get the roof. I left with a truck load of parts. Starters; generators; exhaust manifolds; bellhousing; windshield; grilles; the cover for the gas tank; water pumps etc. Now i have to figure out what it all is. Some of it has to be for the car.
That water neck fits my 66 chevelle with the L-79 intake. I need to go back and get the extra engine; trans and rear end. Theres probably two truck loads left. The stainless shielding for the plug wires i found in a bushel basket. I have to research how that goes on. I think theres two sets in the pile.
And this story just keeps getting Better! Many years ago the NCRS realized that a lot of Corvette history was being lost when cars like this were restored so they created the “Survivor” class. Have Fun with Yours!
The guy also had a 60 vette for 25 days. He rolled it. What ever was worth saving he did. So some of these parts are off that 60. Im working with a vette expert on sorting this all out. What ever parts are determined to be 57 they will go back on the car. The 60 stuff may be traded for 57 parts or sold later to someone that needs them not just flipping them. Did anyone notice the 70s-80s vette buried under all the junk? The whole place including outside looked like that. **** everywhere.
The Jalopy Journal
