Projects Mid Life Crisis 62 Vette

Congrats on you new venture.
From someone that has worked on many of these car I hope you enjoy it. Not my cup of tea.

 

Good deal! We’re about the same age. I’m pretty sure you’ll have a fuller head of hair and get better looking once your behind the wheel.
I think it a tribal law or something

 

Congratulations Squirrel, mine is definitely not fast but it has a good time trying to be.

 

Hmmm.... altered wheelbase 62 big block Vette??

 

My '61 before and after engine compartment, so far...

 

I’d drive it.

those make nice customs

 

How long before he finds a Mk 1 "mystery motor ' 427 for it?

 

Congrats great looking project can’t wait to follow along. Friend of mine had a 62 in high school. I can still remember the feeling of cruising the hotspots on Saturday nights. But to be honest my 55 sedan was a lot more comfortable and the back seat was a real plus. LOL

 

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thanks for the offer! but it's not quite ready yet....I have to talk with the shop some more, and I'm going out of town for a little bit.

 

Luckily Jim builds quick cars.

 

Just pay attention to where your left knee is before slamming the drivers door after crawling in... best advice a late friend who owned a '62 ever gave me. Just before I drove the boss's Vette.

 

Enjoy the journey Jim ...

 

@squirrel old vettes always look good with dual wcfb’s. This set has been on the 57 and my old 60. It may be available

 

No worries

 

Very Excellent therapy for a crisis! '61-2 always a favorite, looking forward to yr assy thread.

 

Congrats.

 

I love your "after".

 

I am in my "late life crisis" both years and health outlook. If I could have just one car back, hands down it would be my 1959 blue Corvette with soft top and 283. I rebuilt the 283 pretty much stock and rebuilt the cast iron Powerglide. It was no rocket, but damn it was fun on twisty roads and evening runs with the top down after hours of working on our dirt race car.
It was a real decent original in 1970. Just had to have a basket case 63 split window coupe.......stupid....stupid. Have fun and we'll be watching.

 

CONGRATULATIONS SQUIRREL!!!!! Nice purchase, you won't regret it!! Looks like you have a plan, and I know you'll treat it right!!!! I just love the '61-'62 Corvettes, great styling! My "crisis" came along when I was 52, couldn't find a '62, but couldn't pass up a deal on a '61. I'll be following what you do with this one. Go Man, GO!!!!!

 

Very cool! I keep thinking I will end up with a first series vette someday. I grew up with a dad that always had vettes and I have had a few as well including a couple OT ones now. But, I have never had a 53-62. Anyway, congrats!!! I will be following along.

 

Awesome. Had a maroon 340 horse late 70’s. Have fun.

 

I was wondering about that post on the corvette thread. LOL

 

Could this be "Plan II(b)?
Or "Plan62"?

 

Crisis or Corvette?

 

I always wanted a Vette, bought a really nice (but doggy) four speed 78. That pretty much scratched that itch but....if a deal came up on a 61 or 62 I'd probably do exactly what you did, no doubt it will be nice when you get done To show how old I am, a fellow college student had a new white 62 , shaved, fuel injected, four speed car, black wheels, I don't remember a lot from 1962 but I remember that

 

When I was 19 started new pipeline crew job , makin huge $$ for a kid . Went to a used car lot , there was a line probably 20 early Vettes lined up . I picked out a 66 Roadster 427 (?) . Went home called my insurance carrier , he told me “ you have the wrong number and hung up on me “! That was in 1979 , the price was $ 6250.00 . I also found a ‘65 Tiger sitting , $1800.00 , my Dad told me “ I hope it’s roomy because you will be spending a lot of time sleeping in it ,and not here anymore if you buy it . “ He never said a word , about ‘67 Fairlane with 428SCJ Power . Good luck ,
Mr . Squirrel , enjoy your find .

 

As much as I like them on any and everything, in 1962 dual quads were not offered..56 was the first years and 1961 the last.. but that might not stop Jim from using them..

 

Squirrel I think they are beaming something at us from the HAMB! I'll be damned if I don't want an early Vette too now!

 

The 62 was always my favorite, I was just too dumb to buy one when they were reasonably priced. Have fun with it!

 

thanks everyone!

I got a little overwhelmed with figuring out what parts I'm missing, there's a lot of inventorying to do.



So I decided to do a little manual labor, I started cleaning the body and rubbing the paint just a little.



One side of the front is starting to shine, but the paint job is not very good, and it's been beat up by sitting around for decades. I think that's as good as it's gonna get.

I also didn't mention the little problem with the driver side fender. I'll probably just brush on some red primer and maybe a little bit of Roman Red.

Speaking of which, I compared the red on both of my 62 Chevys, it looks the same color, to me. It was called Roman Red in 62, and Riverside Red in 63. code 923. This is the tray from the Vette, laying on the hood of Plan II.



I've also been trying to figure out what color the car was originally, inside and out. It's surprising hard to tell what color the interior was. The outside appears to have been Honduras Maroon, from what's under the windshield and the overspray where the dash pad was, and around the back of the interior where the soft top rests.



But the interior color itself, I don't know. The interior could have been Black, Red, or Fawn with a Maroon exterior. The seats and door panels were recovered apparently at the same time, and there's original looking red trim on the door panels, under the crappy black recovering.

These cars didn't get body tags with all the option codes, that started in 1963. So it's a fun guessing game.