| I bought this car (basket case) 5 years ago, but did not start on it until the summer of 2001. I had built a drag car almost 20 years earlier, but had not done anything since then. I did not even have a garage at first and now it is only a temporary garage, but at least it is out of the rain and snow. I do have plans for a nicer garage, but it is difficult to build the car and a garage at the same time. I started with a rust free birdcage from California and had the body from a burnt rusty 63 that I put onto this car. The front and rear clip are after market and the tubs are made by me. They will be smoothed out and painted, so there are visible from inside the car( no upholstery on the tubs) I made a body jig out of 2 x 6″s (octo jig) so I could roll the car around and work on it at 45 degree angles. I sent a pic of my better half as she could roll it over. | |
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| Here are a few frame pics | |
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| Frame welding | |
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| Motor and how it fits | |
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| I worked on the body for about a year and then in Jan/Feb of 2004 I sent it to a friends body shop in Wasaga Beach Ontario (B@B restoration) where he did some work and got it into the first stage of primer. This pic was taken when it came home at the end of April. | |
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| Body going down | |
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| Blower | |
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I initially tried to have the front cage tubes go into the frame as this, but was later told from other vette guys with a cage, that I was going to have difficulties getting in and out of the car. To move the front bars up under the dash would present a whole new bunch of problems…but I guess that is all part of it, so I moved the bars.
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| Tire setup | |
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| I am currently modifying the front spindles to accept spindle mount rims. That will narrow the front track width 1.75 inches per side and allow for turning w/o hitting the fenders. | |
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I have a new cross drilled crank, Carrillo rods .400 long, Arias blower pistons .060 over, which have the pin up .250. I have heavily ported D-port aluminum heads with titanium intake and inconel exhaust valves, a BDS competition intake, RCD 14 mm pulleys and snout. I have a few 6-71’s here that I can machine to specs. I still have not picked out a cam or carbs for it and have much machine work to do on it yet.
I have a Holley Annihilator ignition system, twin Holley fuel pumps, new 12 gallon fuel cell etc.
The tires are 19.5 x 33 inch Mickey Thompsons for the street and will use a 14 X 32 inch slick for the strip( I may even try a 10.5 inch slick with a different rim combo for the track)?
I have coil all the way around with a four link rear suspension , wishbone track locater and an anti roll bar on the rear as well.
The rear of the car has been back halfed with a pair of mandrel bent rails from Bear’s performance, who also bent up my custom cage.
I forgot to mention that I have all the ’63 trim (including the elusive and expensive rear wondow), gauges, glove compt., fiberglass flip up headlights( 63 only , 64 -67 was cast aluminum)) crank out vent windows , console etc. Take care. Tom, Beaverton Ontario.
Five years of work in my own backyard for 98% of it. Hopefully next summer I will be out on the street and strip(mostly street).
Thank you Tom for the pictures of your Vette Build. We wish you success in getting your garage done.
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This is actually an earlier picture as the cage is not in yet but shows the tubs and some of the frame work underneath.
