There was an outfit named "Walkers Vettes Only" but they no longer have a web site. It might be worth someones time to see what happened to them, they might have some left over bodies and frames if they went out of business. I believe they made exact replicas of the '58.
The Low Dollar Junkies always tend to thumb their noses at Vettes, but they've always been the ultimate American factory-built hot rods in my eyes! My favorite years being 56, 62, 64, 65, 72, 74, 77, 82, 84 and 85 for various reasons...with 77, 84 and 85 being the only ones I'm ever likely to own someday!! 56 - 265 power, cl***ic C1 styling. 62 - first year for the 327, last for the solid axle, clean styling. 64 - 327 only, carb or fuelie. I'd want a four speed carbureted cruiser! 65 - only year for a 396, but it was a MEAN 396! Gimmie a 425hp coupe! 72 - a 350 four speed driver with the chrome bumpers would rule! 74 - make mine a 454 automatic coupe! 77 - just love this year, put a dark blue one on my list! 82 - Cross Fire Injection, last of the C3s. **** it, I like 'em! 84 - C4 with Cross Fire Injection, I want a red one. 85 - Tuned Port Injection, best daily driver potential! I'd love to do a 62 with a full-boogie 409 four speed in it for a pre-65 era drag car, too!
Boss ,Let me tell you going from corvettes to hot rod is like going from beer to liquor. When my kid come home for chrismas I will have him post some picture of my 61 315 283 car with torque thrusts wheels. I hate to say this but the true americam sport car ain't the corvette it isan A roadster on 32 rails.Flat motor of course.Hope I didn't piss you off.DJ Been on both sides
I couldn't stomach to argue that point... I just love '29 roadsters on deuce rails too much to do so... The idea behind this vette is to be able to drive something that could hang with just about any new car in a straight line or (and especially) the curvy stuff, but still retain a vintage flavor and soul... Something you could go out and spank a new Vette, porsche, or jap offering in but at the same time not feel like a ****ing poser if ya stuck a halibrand sticker on the quarter window. I really think an absolutely amazing car could be built for a "mere" $30k that would outperform ANY new car in that same price range... And I think the coolest platform you could do it on is an early vette.
I've had a love affair with Vettes for years and really have enjoyed this tread and will close by saying...........
I think the 30k would be a tough one to keep under unless you found a rough body and did alot of work like body and paint yourself, but $35kto $40k is doable... At 15k to 20k for a driver, plus $3000 for brake upgrade, add $1500 to $3000 for wheels (have to go large diameter to fit the brakes in).. still need a hot motor ($3500 or more, plus 5 or 6 speed ****** $1500 ?) , more suspension mod, bushings, swaybars, springs etc... it all adds up quickly.. then you will need to upgrade other stuff (brake lines, fuel line, door and gl*** rubber (if yu are going to paint it, you may as well replace that stuff.). I have had to chance to drive many early vettes thanks to my dad love for them.. everything from 57 fuelies to a 86 verts powered by a super hot Lingerfieler (sp?) motor, and everything inbetween... my favorite had to be his 58 or 62. I hope you get a chance to do it.
In a light car on a road course I think you could acomplish your goals with a flattie .Remember old yelllar and the Bren offy at lime rock.I am making about 325 hp with flat motor now,with a torque cruve that flat from 1500 to 5200. .I also hear you can drive, that is the hardest part of the combo to find..Every body would think you were nuts though.
No , not everybody. I wonder how many people would like to wring out their Trad Hot Rod on a Road Race Track... Besides me.
I will be taking my roadster to some Autocross's, that's for sure... Though I have been telling all my friends that aren't into old cars that I'm building a drift car....
My A roadster -as humble as it is,handles well for a 2300 pound early style car. But no way in hell ,is it gonna even be in the same galaxy as a 60's or newer car of any caliber- in handling characteristics. The newer/wider and lower cars would kill it in the corners-and their extra weight is an advantage in the corners too. Most important would be the ratio of front to rear weight- a Roadster is just a little too light in the *** to be any threat on a road course. Mine is sprung too heavy and shocks are too stiff to ride good -will slide before it rolls,BUT it still is a scary ride as compared to the lower centr of gravity that most all cars-from the 60's up posess......
There was a 32 Ford Roadster that participated in the Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca this past August. The entry list named the owner as Mark Van Buskirk but the driver was listed as Max Jamiesson. It finished 26th, ahead of several others. See list below: Ol Blue 26 707 Max Jamiesson, Carmel Valley, CA 1932 Ford 18 Rdst.4686cc 10 laps 27 155 David George, Cochranville, PA 1954 Kurtis 500KK 4343cc 10 28 6 Anatoly Arutunoff, Tulsa, OK 1954 Gl***par Ascot 2780cc 10 29 54 Richard Ravel, San Jose, CA 1954 Corvette 3800cc 9 30 93 Ed Dwyer, Los Angeles, CA1949 Ingalls Special 4700cc 8 31 14* Tom Price, Larkspur, CA 1949 Aston Martin DB2 Proto3000cc 6 DNF 183* Joe Jensen, Berkeley, CA 1952 Jaguar XK-120 3442cc 4 DNF 5* Tom Mittler, Three Rivers, MI 1951 Cunningham C2R 5424cc 2 DNF7* Greg Johnson, Irvine, CA1955 Austin-Healey 100S 2660cc 1
Duntov wanted these cars to compete directly with racers like the Carroll Shelby-Ford AC Cobras that were already on the racing circuit. But doing this right required Duntov and his design team to reduce the factory Corvettes curb weight by some 1100 pounds. In its racing debut early in 1963, the car sported a production 360 HP, 327 CID fuel injected motor and a stock appearance. But when it raced at N***au in the season finale, it had been transformed into a thoroughbred. Externally, the Grand Sport was outfitted with flared fender, hood and body scoops, and wider wheels and tires. But the real changes were under the hood: an all-aluminum 377 CID small block engine fed by 58 mm side draft Weber carburetors. The three Grand Sports won just about everything that week at N***au and let the racing community know that there was a new kid in town. Pics from Monterey again
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