Features Corvette hot rods - picture thread

Some very cool cars Jim. Thanks for sharing the photos and story.

 

Jim, I touched the Blue Italian Vette, can't say I really liked it much either. If I remember it is aluminum also. The red one with the toothed grille is a different story. If you buy it I would approve.

 

noboD I understand the feeling and experience of touching and being there in person when these once in a lifetime things occur. I try to seek out these opportunities now whenever I can, Really good story there Jim.

Pat

 

Jim, .....those cars absolutely belong here because of provenance

whereas one of those Miami Vice "Ferrari Daytona Spyder" replicas built on a Corvette frame belong in a scrap heap.

 

anyone remember the Vingali Vette? Italian 63 chassie/motor

 

PBRmeASAP you mean this one.

Pat

 

i believe that's the one. I'd have to dig for the pics i took, but that was up here in WI years back for a friend to fix the FI since it sat at bowling green for so many years. He was the same guy what worked on it when i came here mid 60's after touring the italian shows

 

Pretty hard to top the design of a 63 coupe!

 

Doug I only wish my pockets were deep enough. I really do appreciate the 3 Scaglietti Corvettes, even though they are all different. As much as I like the toothed grill, I am a fan of the Ferrari egg crate grills-maybe moreso. For some reason the 50s Berlinetta Ferraris (coupe versions) seem to capture my imagination and appreciation. I think it may stem from the fact that even though I was around collector cars from birth, the first car that put me over the edge as to ultimate cool was a Berlinetta Ferrari in 1958ish. The owner was a friend of my grandfather and I remember standing around his car waiting for him to start it so I could hear the V12 and the great sound it was making-the sound got me as much as the look.

I don't remember the exact model but I seem drawn to that body style and so maybe it burned a lasting image in my sub conscious. I believe the second image burned in my brain was a red 62 Vette fuelie bought by my neighbor when it was new. He had the off road exhaust and owned the car for years. I ran into him at a car show in the 80s and he said he still owned the car. I think the sound effected me more than the style and thankfully I can afford 62 Vettes a lot easier than Berlinetta Ferraris out of the 50s.

I do remember the Vignale Coupe and it is another great rendition of an Italian Corvette.

I did enjoy the California Spyder on Miami Vice and thought one would be cool but I resisted the temptation. A good friend bought a real Daytona Spyder and I felt much better about owning one when he told me what he spent on normal maintenance-incredible amounts.

And Doug I do really enjoy a stock bodied 63 coupe-as I said a work of art. If I could take my pick thought I would opt for a 67 Coupe over the 63-just something about it.

 

Here's another photo I have of Alan Edwards' Corvette [different paint scheme, but same sponsor]

 

The restored version is beautiful but we have enough stock vettes. Too many awesome modified cars are ruined by restoration.

 

Super Sport

 

On the corvette forum those guys worship 63’s. Personally I would prefer a 65-6 all things considered. Mildly hot rodded of course.
NCRS = No Components Remain Stock !

 

I can imagine the 63 coupe falls under the love it or hate it category, have read the back window visibility issue plays a big part in the hate side of the debate.
I think a big part of my attraction to them is because it's a one year only deal, I'm kind of that way about certain things, but beyond the practicality side there is just something about those dual rear glass panels that make them sooo shexy.
Never owned a Corvette of any year and I'm with you Scotty, I would have no problem with modifying a 63 because I don't have an iota of "investor" DNA in me, especially if I had no intentions of selling it.
Like most first year car models; there are usually things that could be improved on and the one thing I never knew for a long time was the 63's and 64's were drum brake cars so that would probably be a "must do" modification for me.

 

The drums work find as long as they are adjusted correctly

 

That's crazy, I had just read the thread on it last night.

 

Cherry Smash is quite different by today's standards but when put in context of the time that it was customized and exhibited, I think it is a cool custom. I would hope that the next owner would leave it as is but I am not so sure I put any trust in those that think that they have to be factory stock. The upholstery is a bit out there but the body and suspension and driveline is pretty cool.

The price I feel is reasonable for the quality that I can see in a picture (although I realize close inspection may be a different story).

Even though the low mileage is a really cool feature I am afraid I would be guilty of driving it on occasion. The stance and potential performance would be too tempting.

 

The VIN tag on it didn't come from Chevrolet.

 

I noticed that the VIN was in the doorjamb when on a 62 it belongs on the steering column. Since he changed out the steering column maybe the original VIN went missing. As you know there is a vendor up your way that makes this plates and he obviously must sell a few here and there.

As you and others know, it is not unusual for the VIN plates to fall off (just small spot welds from the factory) but with the low mileage I would assume it was lost. If he has the documentation for the car I do not see it as the kiss of death.

 

What makes you think that the VIN tag did not come from GM?
Although the factory spot welded the stainless steel VIN tags on the steering column
in 1962, when column were changed and modified many were
installed on the door jamb.

Sorry, Jim and I posted the same info, but he posted before me.
Dave

 

Dave I would appreciate if Dan could fill us in. I am assuming he knows something particular. There are guys on the Corvette Forum that love these discussions but I am not sure how they go about spotting the good ones from the fakes (I believe most cannot). Even if it is a replacement, as long as the car is what the VIN plate says it is, I do not see it as earth shattering I suppose.

 

For the other article

 

I am well aware that the tags on 1960, with the exception of September into October cars thru 1962 that were spot welded to the engine bay side of the steering column are pron to the spot welds failing. Sometimes resulting in the loss of the original tag. I am also aware of U.S Federal law regarding VINs. Federal law out weighs state law.

I was reluctant to say anything about the tag. I believe any buyer should know before buying rather than find out after. That way the decision is theirs.

This one is easy. The car has a tag with the the vin # debossed. Which means it was stamped from the front making an imprint. Original tags on 1962s were embossed. Meaning the characters stand proud of the surface. The font also differs. I am speaking about 1962s only in this case. This does not apply to all years of C1s.

There are other differences but I am not going to get into the minutia.

 

View attachment 4174981 This is my fathers brothers car with Dads 57 dual WCFB’s installed

 

Could somebody rotate those for me? Please
My comodore 64 phone won’t let me

 

I knew Bob Raines when he owned that car. It was Onyx Black with a black interior before he created "Cherry Smash." From the outside, it looked original. It was a hot rod, though, and the wheels and tires gave a hint to that. Bob was from Montgomery County, MD, which was also home to my car club at the time, "The Injectors of MD." The club wud put on car shows in the local area and Bob had the Onyx Black version in one of them during the mid-'70s. During that show, someone pilfered the passenger side door lock knob from his car. He was pissed, to say the least. In an attempt to diffuse the situation, I went home, retrieved one from the spare parts I had for my '61 and '62, and gave it to him. Cherry Smash has had several owners since Bob's ownership and has undergone several renovations. I'd bet the farm that those low miles are not original, but were reset during one of the renovations.

 

Scotty t's uncles '64 convertible with the 2x4 from his Dad's '57.

 

For those looking for a project: https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/d/crestline-1959-corvette-c1/6805402917.html

Roo