Projects '62 Corvette Gasser project barn find

I bought a aftermarket front nose to cut up and replace what was missing on the car.
This is what I ended up with after doing some fiberglassing and body work. Sorry I don't have more pictures in process, but I didn't mess with my camera phone too much while I was itching from the fiberglass.
I also decided to bring my front axle with me to the Meltdown drags and give it to Bill@WAC Customs for an upgrade. I hope that wasn't a mistake, being that I'm still waiting to get it back.

 

I put the rest of the lights/ trim on the front to see how everything fits.
I also put the tail lights in the body.
Parachute mount was next.

 

gonna be awesome!

 

Next, I assembled the rear axle with Strange 35 spline axles/spool and a billet cap and gears from Fabcraft. I used Strange dual caliper rear brakes, with dual lines going to a Wilwood pedal assembly that uses dual master cylinders.
After I finished the brakes, I started on the electrical system. I mounted the battery in the trunk, and used a old shifter cable and fabbed up a internal handle for the battery disconnect switch.

 

Classic hot rod treatment on the grills! You may be missing a pair of taillights, though...LOL

 

Car is looking great It has come a long way since you started. Keep up the great work

 

Looking good for sure. As to any itching, over the years I had over exposure to fiberglass and it started affecting my skin so I backed off on it for years. A few years ago, I started back up with doing fiberglass work on some of my projects and the one thing that made it possible was PR88 Skin Barrier Cream. I use Tyvek overall that I cut the legs off of and make like lab coats out of them and then I use the Barrier Cream on my exposed skin. It really works. There have been a few times that I do just one little thing that involves fiberglass without it and I pay for it. When I use the cream I am amazed at how well it works.

It is pretty reasonable around $20 for one liter I believe. I buy mine from GAMP enterprises but you can google it and probably get it from another source, if you want.

I also like what you did with the rear brakes. I ended up buying two axles housings cut to the proper width for an early Vette and since brake backing plates are so hard to come by for early Pontiac housings I thought about going with the rear disc brake set up as well.

I also like the front treatment that avoids the bumpers. Remember guys doing it back in the day as well. Gives a different look. Great progress.

 

I did heating and air conditioning work for years and had a lot of time making insulated duct work. To keep the fiberglass from getting in our skin we would take cornmeal and wipe it on our skin real heavily and it would clog up out pores till we showered. then we wouldn't have the itchy arms.

 

Great looking job on the Vette! I know they aren't strictly HAMB material but I have to ask, I see an SC Rambler in the background and a primered Rambler with a plexiglass rear window and roll cage. What are those all about?

 

Great tip on the skin cream Jim! I will definitely look into that.
Both of the Ramblers are my friend's cars that we are working on. The Scrambler is a running, driving car. The primered one is a '67 Rogue race car that we're trying to finish this spring. It's equipped with a AMC 401 on nitrous, and is slammed on the ground. Should be a fun ride.

 

Awesome!

 

I mounted all the electrical components under the dash.

I used a ARC switch panel, along with a Stewart Warner shift light, that I mounted up high out of sight.
I also installed a Bosch retro tach by the dash.

 

Next, was finishing the engine assembly and installing it back in the car.
Next, was header fabrication.

 

Baddest car on the Hamb!

 

I decided to make the fenderwell headers first. I'm also going to make a set of zoomies in the near future. After getting both headers fabricated, I decided to add some additional tubing and mount the collectors back instead of down. Hopefully, I'll keep from blowing dust all over the place.
Then, I finished welding both headers completely.

 

I apologize for not being on here very much, but I can't believe it! Your working on an old vette, and you have a S/C Rambler, we must be brothers, haha!

 

Hello Don! The S/C Rambler belongs to my good friend, but I've done some work on it. He's restoring another one at the moment. Great cars!

 

thought I saw it in the background! Here is mine.

 

And my vette project!

 

Awesome cars Don!!

 

Top notch work.
I like the long flow in your header collector.

 

I don't think I will get tired of saying that the work to date is outstanding. Your headers look great. They should sound great where they exit and with the collector. My avatar car is a BBC with headers that exit about the same location and they give you a great sound but ear plugs are pretty much a must. Part of the experience though of these hot rods is the auditory experience as well.

Somewhat funny story is when I finished the red car in 2013 I went across town to a show at GM Powertrain which was about an hour away. I went with some guys in my car club and had these silly little loud mufflers right behind the headers on the side. I went out and bought a little radio with some cancelling headphones to make the trip there and back more enjoyable. The car would give you a headache without some type of ear protection. While I was walking around the show someone reached in and took my radio which was between the seats, so I had to make the ride back home with no ear protection. I pulled up to a light and asked this guy in my club if the car was as obnoxiously loud on the outside as it was on the inside and my friend Don who used to drive a front engine dragster, yelled back "Yes it is". I have since changed the exhaust so it has some turbo mufflers under the car or side cutouts so I can have the best of both worlds.

I always appreciate good work as it acts like a guilty conscience that keeps me from cutting corners when I decide that I should pick up the pace on whatever I am working on. Can't wait to see this car make a pass or two. Great stuff.

 

Don, I wish I could talk you out of that Vette and bring it back home,,,,

 

Next thing I did was mount a mini alternator. I also milled .120" off of the water pump mounting flanges to move it back to allow a little more clearance for the blower belt. Then I ended up making a simple blower belt guard.

 

You do some real nice work.

 

Time for some more updates.
I fabricated a mount to stiffen up the nose, and mount the the radiator to.
I'm using a 4 core radiator for a C-10 pickup. I wanted something big that would have enough capacity to keep it cool. I also made a shroud with two 13" SPAL electric fans.
Then I cut both hose outlets off and welded them back on at the correct angle. Then I fabricated a lower radiator hose out of a 1.75" exhaust tubing J-bend. I also cut off the radiator fill cap and welded the hole shut.

 

Next was welding up a remote fill/radiator cap mount.
I followed that up with a remote transmission cooler mount. I cut the original ends out of an old small beer keg and welded in flat ends and a fill cap and fitting on thr bottom. Then I welded on some mounts, put some expanded aluminum in for a grill, and mounted my tank. I'm going to use it for a radiator overflow.

 

The WAC Customs axle finally showed up, along with the original. I'm glad I upgraded. The original weighs 14 lbs. and is made out of 1.75" thin wall tubing. The replacement weighs 31 lbs. and is made out of 2" .312 wall chrome moly. Bill's craftsmanship is outstanding,! Axle fit like a glove. The next issue I had was the transverse spring was way too soft for my application. I ended up adding three additional heavy leaves to get the spring rate where I wanted it. l also took off the original tires that were on the wheels, and replaced them with new ones. I honestly think the tires that were on there might have been ok even after sitting over 51 years. They were still soft, with no signs of any damage whatsoever.

 

Next was enclosing the radiator with aluminum panels. I followed that up with some aluminum inner fenderwells.

 

Painted the headers with some white VHT, and pulled it outside to see how it looked.
I put some mufflers on it and got it ready for the initial fire up.