History Saving Dominique - Now with (slow) build thread!

Found another pic in June 1962 Speed and Custom little mag. Top 22 grilles. Top right left page. If you guys find any more pics, please let me know. They're most likely between June 1962 and Feb. 1963. Thanks!

 

I can't believe I just stumbled on to this thread. What a great Vette and it's got to be fate that a guy like you who will return it to glory is the one that got it! It's almost sickening to think how close this piece of kustom history came to being another boring cookie cutter "red with white coves" resto. If there is anything this world absolutely does not need it's more restored Corvettes.

 

Cropped it for a better look. [emoji16]

 

Thanks...it will be slow, but keep watching.

 

Thanks!

 

I've got to say that I was in limbo for the last couple of months...not knowing if I was going to keep it or sell it. At this point I have decided to go for it. I just sold the complete engine on Ebay but because of the coronavirus we're going to sit tight before he comes to get it. No harm and no rush as it's in the garage. Selling off the parts I don't need for the restoration will give me a $$ boost toward getting it back to the 1962 look. I just found out in another thread that it has a (probably) late 50's Olds or Pontiac rear in it. That and the toasty wheels will be going up for sale. Probably not much $, but it all helps!

 

I'm so glad you're buckling down on a plan to bring her back! This is more than just a car at this point!

 

We support your efforts @Barn Hunter...thanks always for sharing at your speed...no pressure...Quality takes time...

 

In a way this reminds me of the Kookie T...several historical makeovers spanning its lengthy journey...quite typical of a survivors journey...

In Kookies case 2-3 remakes were pre 65 and the Current Owner had to make a choice...that has to be challenging.

 

Wow, What a story and what a car!

 

so cool...how nostalgic itll be in mag cover glory! so many of the great customs of that era have been crushed, taken back to stock-ish and lost, or customized so much more that theyre unrecognizable. i have a passion for the history of these things and tend to agree with Moriarty and you, going to be so much more valuable than money when finished. not many of us get a chance to build cars thatre more valuable than money

 

Thanks!

 

It will be slow, but I've got a goal!

 

Do not understand - u selling engine & rear but restoring. What engine rear on restored version?

 

Mike, to me that was the best choice he made getting rid of that 350. It just didn't belong in this car. Now a really nice 283 would be just about perfect.

 

Restoring...back to the 1962 cover version. At that time the car had a 59 fuel injected Corvette engine with pretty much stock running gear. The Olds rear and 350 aren't right for this car.

 

You've got that right. It was built with a 1959 Corvette 283 with fuel injection. Couldn't get much better than that!

 

Close friend, and car club brother, grew up with a Dad obsessed with Bloomington gold perfect Corvette restorations coming out of their family body shop. He loves all these wild customs and could care less about under hood chalk marks. Very sad that he recently had to sell his '67 Big Block Roadster project. Was a 70's time capsule, complete with 3 taillights, fender flares and no front bumper. We all know a wife, a house and a new baby boy can redirect your priorities.
Go Man Go! Thanks for sharing.
JT
Orlando Misfires CC

 

Yeah, I've got a wife and house but my boy is 31!...Thank you.

 

Was going to ask if you wanted to sell the engine...too late!

 

Oh, and I really like it - what a great opportunity to save a very tastefully customized Vette.

I also like this other Vette in the mag article you featured above...

 

I scored some Lincoln bezels on Ebay. These are in much better shape than the ones that came with the car. The bezels are 2 part, the outer wide piece and the piece right around the headlights. Both inner pieces are good and the passenger side outer is good for now. I'll probably look for a better drivers side outer (drivers side on the left). This one has a few more pits in the upper brow than I'd like. Of course eventually I'll have to get them re-chromed.

 

It looks like the actual headlights were mounted to a fiberboard of some kind (maybe not something heavier because it was built for show?). The drivers side has a couple of breaks but the passenger side is intact. I was thinking about making the backers out of metal or finding some original 58 Lincoln mounting brackets to see if they can be adapted to work. Might take a while to find them but in the long run it might save time and work better. Then later I'll get the Lucas lights. Any thoughts?

 

@Moriarity built a few he would have a good idea or two...perhaps glass in the Lincoln backers your suggesting...Maybe that is Hardboard or that may be what your saying it is just by a different name. OEM backing would give you adjustment and of course a more robust mount.

It will not be seen therefore no points off I think...

 

Exactly.

 

I'd be tempted to replace the hardboard with fiberglass piece cut to shape and glassed to inside fender from the back side. reinforce as necessary.

 

That is a possibility. I want to check out an original piece to see how it's done from the factory because the bezel has a bracket at the bottom and 2 screw holes at the top. None of those mounting points still exist. If anyone has a pic of the original headlight brackets, please let me know.

 

^^^ x2

 

I tend to jump around on a project, so while I'm waiting to find original headlight buckets (see above).....I started checking out the dash. Several of the interior pieces were mentioned in the magazines to be gold plated. I have the long metal piece above the gauges with 6 holes for switches (this was gold plated). It was showing way too much patina, so I cleaned it up a bit. It still needs to be re-plated. I also found 2 wooden pieces in the trunk that were painted gold metalflake. Turns out it should have been one piece.

 

Then I test fit the pieces on the dash. Notice the 2 humps on top of a stock Corvette dash have been removed. The wooden pieces go around the gauges but the bottom part has gone missing. I'm hoping to see enough of what should be going on in the magazine spreads to re-make the wood panel. The area below the gauges has been extended down. Originally, the bottom of the dash was higher and followed the bottom curve of the gauges. The six holes were said to be for Jaguar push/pull switches, but I have no idea what they were for.