Wow from this view it looks like it's getting ready to eat the competition. Like a mako shark or something.
Only thing it's currently eating is the money out of my wallet ...lol Thank you I still have it and no plans for it really.
I would be let it go providing it was going to a good home. PM me if interested. Hi Jim. I wish it were that simple. I still have a long list of stuff that needs to be done. Thinking maybe this coming week-end I'll install the radiator, finish the fuel lines from the tank to the pump, and bend up the lines from the pump to the fuel pressure regulator( after making a mount for that) and connect that to the carbs. Maybe the following week find and install the radiator hoses, fan belt, install the gauges (mechanical oil pressure & water temp) and than it is almost ready to start (well , almost.... still need to mount and wire up the MSD box, install the distributor, ignition wires, etc, ) And the list ( and the fun) goes on.
Baron your Corvette is looking better every day. I love the stance and the style of the build. How does it compare to the 57 Corvette that you used to have and what did you improve on this one. Do you have any pictures of the 57 that you used to have?
Thanks. It was very similar in a lot of ways. At 20 years old, I did not have the skills or money to build a real nice car. The car was a lot rougher to begin with than this one was (not that this was any gem). My first one had sat for years in a back yard, and the weather and abuse had taken it toll. And the $750.00 I paid for the car was all the money. The stance was the same with the 4 inch I-beams I made (like I had in this). It had the same Tubular Automotive fenderwell exit headers as this one does ( although small block powered). The first one I ran Cragar SS mags on it, and it looked much like this one as it never got beyond the primer stage on the body. It had a Muncie 4 spd and 4.88 gears, Lakewood bars, and the car went real good. Never made it to the drags with it, so no time slips. My son was born in 1971, and that was the end of the Corvette. Fortunately I do have pictures of a lot of my early cars, but unfortunately, none of the Corvette. The friend of mine whom I traded with ( the owner of the 55 T-Bird gasser above) does not have any pictures of it either (and he sold the Corvette in 72 to buy a living room set for his new wife ...). So, this one is just a continuation of the car I started so many years ago, with a few up-grades and a far more experienced builder.
Baron looks great. Cool that you can relive the old 57 a bit in the not too distant future. I know I am guilty of reliving some of the times past myself. The memories still put a smile on my face when I take em for a ride.
Baron: really nice and finesse job. I read every new post. I've got it as a "watched thread". Question, hope not premature but hood pins? What are your plans? I really don't want to drill my hood for the conventional pins and was brainstorming a under hood slide latch hold down system. Kind of like the gate latches that slide into a barrel then the rod turns 1/4 turn. Thinking of using 1/4 stainless rod into a brass barrel that will be a precise fit. Front and rear latches will be connected. Handle inside and behind the grille on each side.
This has become your most intense build ever I'm thinking. It's going to be a grand day when it moves down the streets of Gloucester & Essex under it's own power. I want to be there that day.
The scoop was made in Seekonk, Massachusetts. He sells them (and a number of other styles, plus other fiberglass products/bodies, etc. on eBay. His eBay name is SC604 Started glassing it to the hood this past week-end.
I am hoping to run the stock latches and I have a set of after-market hinges that work much better than the OEM ones did. If I can not make the stock latches work, than I will run hood pins just on the rear of the hood. I have always loved the sound of the chambered exhaust /side pipes of the 65-67 Corvettes. For me, nothing sounds any better. So I bought a couple chambered mufflers that just fit in the space between the frame and rocker panel and was able to tuck them up high enough so you only see the very bottom of them (other than headers, exhaust should be heard and not seen). Welded a couple of down spouts in front of the rear tires, and the exhaust if finished. Going to be noisy, but it will be "music to my ears".
That is a great idea on the side pipes, I never would have thought of it but it gives you the best of both worlds.
Great progress on your car !! You might want to re think the turn downs on the exhaust while you are still in the building mode. I have them on my red car's side exhaust. I hate them. They throw dirt, grass and stones on any car parked within 20 feet of my car when not parked on any thing other than a clean paved surface. Not cool. ( besides it gets my car dirty) I had to make up " slip on turn ups " to the turn downs to route the exhaust up and away from other cars . I would make the exhaust blow straight out to the side. Jim
Really loving your vette! I haven't posted yet on your thread, but I'd have to agree with vetrod62. Your turn-down's are borderline / you might hate them. Here's a shot of my A gasser exhaust, pointing nearly straight out, for exactly the reason's mentioned.
Both you guys are 100% correct. I cut and changed the angle of the outlets on my Cobra sidepipes for just the same reason(how quickly I forget...). The ones on there now were just left over mandrel bent 2 1/2" pipe I had hanging around the shop. I just orderd a couple of nice 2 3/4" stainless tips that should work out perfect. Thanks for keeping me in check.
Still a ways off. Lots of little ,time consuming jobs that eat up a lot of time, and when done, don't look like I've accomplished much. But all part of the building process. Here are the new exhaust tips.
Keep up the good work Baron, before long you will be making the maiden voyage of a car that hasn't moved under its own power in probably 30 years or more and looks better than it ever did. ( I prefer a gasser to a stocker)
Thanks. With the shop as busy as it is right now, and the nice weather finally here, I have been slacking on my days off and driving my other “hot rods” while the weather is good. Gives me time to go see some of my friends / shops to see what they are building, and catch up, etc. Nice to have the free time to do things such as this. Still hoping to drive it before fall and than get it ready for paint.
September is just about upon us and it is time to get back on this car. This is what happens when it gets neglected for 2 months !!! Heading up to the Hot Rod Reunion this weekend , but than right back to work on this next week-end.
Back to work on the 57. May the fun and games begin. Tomorrow I will start fitting the door posts to the windshield. Once that is behind me I'll mount the stainless trim on the frt fenders.
The Jalopy Journal
