Hot Rods Corvette Roadster Barn Find! New Gasser Project

My dad and I picked this up in the spring, but I haven't mentioned it or taken pics until now. It's a '64 roadster, factory fuel injection car, that was hit in the rear in 1982 and put away in a barn until this spring. There is no engine, but the car is otherwise complete and super solid. The 4spd is in it, and the interior, glass, and top are excellent! The rear wheelwells look to have been radiused during the era which looks really cool.

We're thinking a 392 Hemi with 6 deuces on a Weiand Drag Star manifold, with a Fairbanks Drag 727 Torqueflite, cheater slicks in the rear and bias plys up front all mounted on those ET mags, a 289 Cobra roll bar, some old lettering, no front bumper, maybe a push bar in the back...what do you guys think??

-Dean

 

Really cool! Post pics of the build.

 

I always loved that year Vette......hurry and get it fixed!!!

 

aluminum 427 would be way cooler!

 

Maybe, but we have the 392!!
-Dean

 

What, no chalk mark on the firewall with correct paint stripes on the driveshaft, numbers matching right down the factory air in the tires!!!!! Just kidding. Build an L88 427 with aluminum heads and stack injection. Keep the 4 speed! If you decide not to fix it shoot me a pm. Put in a straight axle. What a bitchin gasser it will make. Take pictures of the ncrs boys faces when you take it to a show. It will be priceless.

 

Don't forget the correct numbers matching hose clamps.

 

Still got the trans huh?? you lookin' to sell it??

 

If it was me spending your money I would put the body on an Art Morisson or Newman chassis with an LS motor and a six speed.

 

Cool.....and a factory fuelie car to boot! I don't know about the Hemi idea really, but I'm all for keeping it a Hot Rod 'Vette! If the flares are done nicely, I wouldn't hesitate to keep 'em on the car because it's always been a challenge to fit big tires on these cars and since it already done.....keep it. It's actually probably a good thing that the car is a '64 because any 'Vette person will tell you that 1964 is the "red-headed step-child" of the Corvette world and a great Hot Rod candidate. If it was a '67, people would want to crucify you for not leaving it stock! Have fun with it!

 

I think that was a friend of mines car. Did it spend anytime in New York state? Time frame is right, damage is right, his was a stick too.

 

We like the way you think!

 

what a bitchin find, good luck with project

 

Last paperwork we have it was in CT around 1981/82, I think that is when it was hit. Maybe it was in NY before?? That's interesting though...

I'm doing the work and planning, but it's my dad's car. He may consider trading it, but I know it would have to be for something pretty special.

-Dean

 

Man, that body is in sad shape, poor vette!

I could live the rest of my life without seeing another so-called "gasser."

If it were mine, I would fix the body and flare the front to match the back, shave all the bumpers, give it a duck tail, fill the headlights and relocate...put in a high revving 302 with a 4 speed, disc brakes all around and 15" 5-spokes.

Kinds like thissun!

 

Wow, thought that was the car for a second! Body shouldn't be too hard to fix, just a lot of glue and patience! If things get rough, they make every replacement panel for these cars. The rear wheel wells are staying for sure. We don't build fake gassers to be trendy or anything, infact most of our cars are authentic. I'm just big into setting up cars for the drags just the way I would have in the 60's, nothing else really does it for us
-Dean

 

What is the redline on that tach?

See if you can find the original build sheet. I think it will be below the seat cushion or on top of the gas tank

Cool car

 

Put a big block chevy sell the 392, straight axle nose bleed

 

nailhead

 

AWESOME FIND!!!!! Keep us posted, and keep in mind vettes were Hot Rods too back in the day before the polo-shirt wearin' pricks thought they need to be kept "perfect". Oh yeah, keep the flares, even if you gotta rework'em. You WILL NOT regret it!

 

I like the way your thinking Mr. Anderson

 

Personally,I would try to put an original fuel injection engine in it because they are so cool. But my next choice would be a 409,a 392 is kind of retrograde on a Vette.

 

Just wondering if you could sell a fuelie 'vette to a collector for a premium and build a gasser on a more common example? Seems like you could pick up some quick money on that car.

 

Redline is at 6500 RPM and it has the 80psi oil press gauge. You can see where the holes for the injection emblems were molded over on the fenders long ago.
-Dean

 

That's what I'm thinking too. I would def look for the build sheet. It may have some rare options on it. See if it has a large gas tank or rubber flaps on the inside of the front brake backing plates.

 

In that case, you might start calling it a "Modified Sports Car" instead of a gasser, as thats the class it would have been in without a top.

Sounds like you've got some good ideas for the car. Hop to it!

 

No offense, but that seems like a waste of a Corvette to me. The body wouldn't be hard to fix, and it seems to be a pretty nice car from the pics you posted. Putting a straight axle and an early Hemi in most older cars wold be cool, but this one isn't it. You'd just be ruining a Corvette. At least leave a GM engine in it...its not like a 392 Hemi is going to make it faster than it would have been with a well built small block in it anyway.

 

Has anyone mentioned a straight axle and an L-88? In that case I'd change the rearend out for something that would take the HP. This car sits right on the border.........close enough to stock for a restoration..........damaged (and stock parts missing) enough to let your hot rod genes have their way with her. Keep us posted.

Frank

 

You're exactly right. It's certainly not a car we would butcher, just make a period rod using what's here without going too far. Probably no straight axle either, just stretched out stock suspension. I actually know where there is a true aluminum head L88 427, but we would pay for it.
-Dean

 

build it your way and give the purists fits. you can always pull your parts and sell it if and when you're done havin' fun.