Started a new project this month, a 65 Corvette coupe. Plans are for a LSA engine, but have not had much luck in acquiring a low-mileage salvage vehicle. I have several months before I am against the wall to have a motor, so I will just keep looking. I have built a few C2 Corvettes before, so I really don't need a drivetrain for mock-up. Got the chassis a couple of weeks ago, and mocked up all the suspension pieces, measured for axles, and welded on a few brackets that are car specific.

Blew it all back apart and sandblasted the entire chassis, and rinsed it with phosphate, to prevent rust until powder coat. Hauled the chassis over the the powder coat shop and got it back in 2 days. I had been hauling frames all the way down to San Antonio to get them coated, because of price, but I found a local shop that was willing to get cost-competitive, and they did really nice work. The price was only $400, and was only $50 more than I had been paying in SA, and I don't have the long drive anymore.

I now have the suspension all assembled on the chassis, as well as the brakes. Hopefully, Frank, over at the Driveshaft Shop, will have my axles completed next week.

Here are some pics of the work to date:

http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/...upe/?start=all


The chassis is from SRIII, the front and rear suspension is C5 Corvette, the steering rack is C4 Corvette, and the rear center section is a Winters Quickchange. I was originally going to have a 9" IRS center section built, but I had to move the upper and lower A arm pickup points so far inward, to accommodate the tires that I wanted to fit under the stock quarters, that a 9" would not be able to be removed once the suspension was in place.
Frank is building me some new CV halfshafts, using my original outer CV joints and some Porsche 930 inner joints.

The body is a 65 Corvette Coupe body, and it will be tubbed to accept 345 rear tires and tunnel modified to accept a A6 paddle-shifted trans. Hopefully, the body will leave the trailer next week and I can get it loaded on the rotisserie, to start the fiberglass work. I am running out of space at the house, so I have to juggle cars between the garages before I can make room for the body. I thought I had my 59 Corvette sold and would have some room, but the deal looks like it is dead.

I will keep this thread updated as I progress, but this is probably going to be close to a year-long project. My goal is to have the car complete for the power tour next year.


Regards, John McGraw

 

Can't wait to see more pics of this. FYI i just came across this today:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/280855749138...ewitem&vxp=mtr

 

John, that chassis is way to nice to put a body on, even a '65 coupe body! Keep us posted...

 

So jealous. Love the midyears. Maybe one day I'll be able to pick one up...

 

Yep, I saw that. I am not sure that I want to spend that much on a used drivetrain, even if it is low mileage. That is closing in on what I can buy brand new stuff for, with a discount. Before I spend that much, I will buy a good LS3 pullout and put a Edelbrock supercharger on it.



Regards, John McGraw

 

This is going to be sweet! Can't wait to see more, looks great already.

 

Well, ended up abandoning the LSA plans and just put a new, 480 hp LS3 and 4L70E trans in it. The body work is all done, and the car is jambed. Just waiting for the weather to cool down so I can get the paint on the body. Got the chassis completed and tires and wheels on it. The plan is to be complete in time for the Power Tour in the spring.


http://s1222.photobucket.com/albums/...aw/65%20coupe/


Regards, John McGraw

 

That's some amazing work. It is starting to come together nicely

 

Got my new tank from Rick's today, and I could not be more pleased!
I got tired of trying to get Rock Valley to understand why the flat bottom tank they build, does not fit the cross-member correctly, so I figured I would give Rick's a shot at this tank. It only took about 5 minutes on the phone with Hector at Rick's, before the light came on, and he understood what I was talking about. He welded the pads on the tank in the perfect position, and it fits the cross-member like a glove.











If you look at the cross-member, you will see that the center is depressed, and a flat-bottomed tank will have no support for 80% of the tank. Also, the tank will have no positive lateral location, and can slide sideways on impact. The three forward pads sit in the depression and the two outer ones locate tightly against the sides of the depression, so the tank can't move sideways. The two rear pads bear against the rear edge of the cross-member, and prevent the tank from moving forward in a collision. These two functions are both addressed in the original tank by how the tank is stamped, but on a flat tank, they have to be created. Hector said that he had being building these tanks for years and never had seen a complete original tank mounted on an original cross-member, so he never knew any different. He said he will now include these pads in all his Midyear tanks.

I will glue 1/8" rubber to the bottom of the forward pads for cushioning, and I will be done!

Hector builds a hell of a nice tank, and they are no more than Rock Valley.


Regards, John McGraw

 

Sweet build!

 

super cool build