C3 Econo Resto
March 7th, 2000
Details...details
This weekend I have commenced working on the Vettes again. I am going to a car auction tonight to find a truck so I can pull the engine/trans out of the El Camino and put it in the '75. I finished detailing the frame of the '69 and once I purchase a fuel tank I will begin loosening the bolts off the '69 to transplant the bodies. Stay tuned, its gonna get interesting!
March 13th, 2000
My best friend Rusty
Got alot of needed cleanup work done this weekend. I finally unbolted and threw away those old Camaro seats in the '69. I have a set of Corvette seats to install later needing the usual uphostery and buns. Reorganized the parts bin - WOW do I have alot of parts. Its amazing how quickly they gather. I will be removing the '79 fuel tank and sending unit this evening and will be selling it off.
...
How to make a Corvette Rear Window 101
(STEP 1) Buy a piece of smoked lexan (plexiglass) 2 X 4 ft in size for around $12.oo from your local hardware/home improvement store and buy a plexiglass cutting tool - about $3.oo.
(STEP 2) Then have them cut it in half making 2 1X4 sheets.
(STEP 3) Put a piece of roofing felt or cardboard behind the hole where the rear window will go (in the interior of the car) and draw the outline of the window opening onto the cardboard.
(STEP 4) Transfer the shape of the newly made template to the plexiglass by outlining the shape on the plexiglass with masking tape - make sure you put the template in the center of the plexiglass to leave a 1/2 border around the shape or it will be too small.
(STEP 5) Use a straight edge (like a metal level) to scribe 1/2 inch past your outline of the window. Gouge three times to make a deep cut and then bend the plexiglass to break it on the scribe line.
(STEP 6) Repeat until all edges have been cut. Sand edges with DA sander or orbital sander. Test fit and retrim if need be.
Its as simple as that! Cost? $15 bucks total and I don't have to tint it or worry about breaking the glass when its stored. Its lighter than glass and I also have a second sheet of 1 X 4 plexiglass left over that I could use at a later date if this one gets ruined. This is definately the way to go if you are missing your rear window on the '68 - '72 if you are not overly concerned with originality. Why didn't I do this earlier? - pics to follow in a few days.
Started ATTEMPTING to remove the body bolts on the '69. The first bold behind the R/S rear wheel would just spin - the backing plate is worn out. Great! Time for a chizle. The other rear-most bolt broke-off after torking on it. Thats at least better because I wont have to contend with it. I removed the inspection covers in front of the rear wheels and the bolt heads are so rusty on both sides that a driver will not even fit on top of them. GREAT! Time for a sledge hammer and crow-bar. This is going to be real fun. Its not like I didn't expect it as the '79 body bolts were a challenge in themselves and this car has seen more water and abuse and its 10 years older. Anyone have any 'tips' on old, rusty body bolt removal? Any that work I will be posting here for all to see.
March 14th, 2000
My nuts are frozen and its springtime
The nuts on the rear bumpers weren't too bad but the ones on the supports were. Got the rear bumpers removed last night, some of the brackets and the lower rear valance panel. I will be attempting to remove the rest of the rear supports tonight in prep for body removal. I am going to try to lift the body off the frame on the weekend of 25th - if not sooner.
March 20th, 2000
Almost Ready
Got all but 5 body mount bolts removed this weekend. The only things left to remove will be the rag-joint bolts on the steering column and a front bumper bracket. A good friend will be coming over this weekend with a torch to help me cut off the remaining stubborn bolt heads. I hope to start lifting the body on Saturday - if all goes well. Camera will be in hand.
March 27th, 2000
Busted and Freed
Got down to 5 body mount bolts that refused to come-out. A good friend came over and cut them out with a torch. Once the bolts were removed we stated to jack around the frame to make sure it was free - it wasn't! Hmmm. Wonder why? After pondering and prodding for a few minutes, it dawned on me that I had not removed the seat-belts. Removed the belts and up she came. I then began by jacking different parts of the frame a little at a time and supported by jackstands: four jackstands, one in each corner. After a few minutes of jacking a heard the noise of fiberglass shattering! Oh, no! I immediately dropped the body down only to find on inspection that I had forgotten to remove the antenna and the grounding cable. The antenna mount had almost torn clean through the body. Anyway disconnected the antenna and up she came. Dragged the old frame out - what a mess. The frame could be folded in half with your bare hands because it is so rusty. Much worse than I thought. Corvette buyers beware! Spend the remaining days getting the new frame ready for mating to the body. Pics the follow - stay tuned.
April 13th, 2000
Poly wanna attache?
I will be picking-up the polyurethane body mounts for the '69 Vette this afternoon. I discovered some small cracks in the front of the '79 frame that need to be welded prior to the mating of the frame and body so on Friday afternoon the plan is to weld the frame and remount the body to the new frame if all goes according to plan. I still need to work out how to adapt the old style fuel tank to the '79 frame. I have been so busy lately but I will try to get some pics - reading is boring sometimes.
April 17th, 2000
Corvette Buyers Beware!
Attached the '69 body to the '79 frame. Easy as pie, no problems. The frame bolted in without a problem.
Here is a pic of the 'roller' now. This is the first time that the '69 has moved in two years.
Here are some pics of the old frame. What a mess!
This last rusty pic shows just how much a rusty frame can be bent with bare hands. Its scary to know that this car was on the road!
Started to rough install one headlight (I still am looking for a passenger side headlight cover for the other side). Here are some pics:
After reading about other Corvette restorers opinions on frames, they all say 'keep your old frame - its cheaper to repair than adapt a different year frame to the same body. I called Mark Uptmor last year on this same issue and his thoughts were to just adapt the new frame. After its all said and done, there is very little differences in the frames. I feel that '63 - '79 Corvette frames can be interchanged with little problems. The only REAL problem is the rear bumper attaching mount points. They ARE different. But if you are not restoring a 'show car' and originality is not that big of an issue, then I feel that more than likely, any of those frames will work. I feel the '69 frame could work for a '79 body but you would have to purchase a fiberglass rear bumper. I prefer those anyway! The next challenge is to change-out the lock mechanism in the steering column and prep the car for a motor/trans. I have a couple of prospects for 454 big blocks that I am waiting to bide my time for a good price....
April 19th, 2000
Big Block and roll
I have found-out that a friend has a 454 and T400 trans that he would like to sell out of his truck for a good price. I have ridden in the truck and the motor runs good. Looks like I will be converting this car to auto if I get it - which looks very likely. Might be getting power to the beast quicker than I thought!...Always wanted a big block muscle car and there is no better way than a 454 Vette! No power steering, no power brakes, no A/C just frame rails, a fiberglass body and pure unadulterated POWER!
April 20th, 2000
Crumbling Columns
For some reason I could not turn the key in my ignition for the past few days. I think over the last year the tumblers may have rusted or something but it would not budge. I bought a new lock mechanism and keys, pulled off the steering wheel and proceded to TRY to remove the lock mechanism. RIGHT! What a PAIN! After a few colorful words, using a drill, hammer, chizel and enlisting my wife's help we were finally able to remove the column and completely disasemble it to get at the lock mechanism. Of course, in the process we discovered other parts broke and since I had already completely disassembled the column I figured I would replace the turn signal switch. I hope to begin reasembly of the column some time this weekend. Pics to follow. Hmmm...Lets see...If I could only remember where that little doodad goes.......
April 23rd, 2000
Some Assembly Requires
Finally got the steering column back together again. The part that gave us such grief in the column was the 'sector gear' or a little plastic gear that sits just behing the lock mechanism. Fun. After putting it back together I sanded and painted it ready for assembly into the Vette dash. Here is a pic:
I figured that while the steering column was out I may as well change-out the brake pedal from the smaller type with the clutch pedal attached to the wider, original automatic brake pedal assembly. I have done this with Camaros before with no problems. ANOTHER PAIN on the Corvette. I have to remove over a dozen rusty bolts, the brake master cylindar, the wiper door assembly, all the dash and other parts under the dash. WOW. I got it out and put all my parts together to make one brake pedal assembly. Here are some pics:
And here is a pic of the interior after the removal of those parts:
HA! Can you say the word 'Nightmare'?
May 15th, 2000
Eyes almost done and ticker on the way
I finaly got the other headlight assembly roughed in. Here is a pic of the front of the car:
I couldn't stand it any more. I had to have a big block. I decided that if ya can't have the original L88 or LS6 why not buy one that can perform like one? I bought a friend's 454 bored .40 over with flat-tops, closed chamber 427 heads, Edelbrock aluminum intake and 750 CFM Edelbrock carb. Has the original (car type) exhaust manifolds. The heads, cam and lifters have less than 1K miles and the bottom end has 10K miles since rebuild/rebore. It also have the factory style chrome valve covers and air cleaner and an HEI module in the points type distributor. The compression is high (around 11 to 1 and needs additives for the fuel tank). I guess that it probably make around 400 HP. I am getting this motor for just over $900.00 so I don't think that's too bad considering that he has almost $2,500 in the motor. If I had bought a 454 truck motor then I would have to have replaced the exhaust manifolds, intake manifold and carb, not to mention that it would have been low compression/low horsepower and probably high miles. I am sure that I will need to buy new springs, a four core radiator, big block hood, etc. to make this big block work but its just one of those occasions where I said that "I just gotta have it!!!!" I just need to locate a 400T trans and I will be making plans to drop it in.
May 25th, 2000
A Big Block and A Long Shaft
I actually paid less for the 454 than I expected (around $800 cash). I went and picked-up a FREE T400 trans last night from a friend. The only drawback is that it is a long shaft type. I figured it will be cheaper to cut my driveshaft with a free tranny than to buy another trans. I may have to buy a T-400 yolk too. I am pretty sure having a shop cut my drive shaft shouldn't cost more than $100 or so. I hope that the trans fits, but there is only one way to find-out....I will be out of town until next weekend so progress will pretty much come to a stop until 3 June. If I can get everything together, I may try to stab in the motor and trans on the 3rd of June, but I will shoot for a suspense date of 10 June. I am getting excited about putting the 454 and the T400 in place.
Heres a kinda dark pic:
I am missing my radiator and I noticed that my core support has 'C' shaped brackets on the bottom not round ones, so it looks like my core support has been replaced at some point with a 70's type support. It looks like I will be shopping for a newer style self-pressurized radiator.
June 10th, 2000
TOO HOT!
Its going to be a long, hot summer. Either I am getting too old or the weather is getting hotter every year. I finnaly decided that I couldn't cope any more and decided to build a two car car-port (pole barn type building) in the back yard. Leaning over these old vettes in the heat is killing me. At least a roof over the cars will not only protect me from the heat but will protect the cars too especially after they have been painted. So, that means that the 'vettes will have to go on the back burner again for a few weeks. I already have the poles in the ground and some supports. I will take some pics of the pole barn too along with an expense report in case you are in the same shape as me - no garage. Guess I am getting soft as I get older. Anyway, thanks to GM! Here is some trivia: A Borg Warner T-10 trans yolk is the same yolk as a T-400. How about that? Looks like I will not have to worry about a yolk after all. Anyone interesting in buying a Corvette BW Super T-10 trans, shifter, linkage, pedals, shifter plate, etc? I will be selling the hole set as a kit once the engine/auto trans is in the '69. I will post some pics of the trans and serial numbers.
July 10th, 2000
TOO HOT 2!
The temp is reaching in the 100s with humidity above 20% all the time. If you go outside, it feels like you are swimming in heat. Anyway, I have completed the framing on my carport - just need to roof it now and then the cars will be rolled-in and I will begin the big block transplant into the 69. I want to make sure the car is covered before I drop it in. I will take some pics of the completed carport.
August 4th, 2000
Bent steel and no money
These past few weeks have really taken a toll on me. I borrowed my wife's car to pick up my sick dog at the vet and a minivan in front of me ran into the car in front of him and then I plowed into the back of the minivan. I bent the hood and the fender of my wife's car. So, in order to stay out of the dog-house I bought her another car so it looks like I will be fixing her old car and putting it up for sale to get some money back - I am completely broke. Que habla no cashola? I have completed the barn and am waiting for a final inspection from the building dept but the first car in the barn is my wife's car, not the Vettes. Funny how things work sometimes....
January 1st, 2001
Another one?
Well, I just bought my Mom's old 1991 Corvette coupe. Its a real nice car. I like it most because I don't have to build it to enjoy it - its already done. Santa was extremely nice to me this Christmas. I got it on Christmas Evening. Here are some pics:
I am still working on the house (sigh). My pole barn is built and I am also building a tool room off the side of the barn which I will enclose before summer. This summer I am determined to finish one of the the vettes either the '75 or the '69. Here are some pics of the barn that I will soon enclosing and the privacy fence I put up to keep things neat.
March 27th, 2001
Me Pipes 'll sound gud lad!
Got a set of factory '69 side pipe covers yesterday. They need a definate re-chroming but I always wanted a '69 Corvette Big Block with side-pipes and now I am another step closer (A BIG thanks to Mike S. for helping make a dream possible)! Seems the honeydo list is getting shorter and I am close to begin to put these cars together. I have most of what I need for the '75. I am still looking for a repo L88 hood and some '69 seats. I also want a '75 or newer tac to replace the old cable driven one - I like HEI. I also need a Performer BB intake. Then, of course, is the soft parts like upholstery, carpet, etc. I will take some pics of the pipe covers and my garage progress with the camera and post soon.
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