Features Corvette hot rods - picture thread

To find a '57 like that is pure fantasy for me. Damn right I'd clean it up and drive it as is!

 

Good plan.

As for the valve covers, all base engine '56s had stamped steel valve covers. Same with '57 and later. Optional engine '56s had the aluminum 9 fins which were all low script. Very early optional engine '57s had the same 9 fin valve covers. Chevy had to make a change for the coming fuel injection option because of interference between the FI air meter and the valve cover inboard fin. That left valve cover was not coming off without removing the air meter. So Chevy reconfigured the aluminum valve cover with 7 fins. But they still had the low script for a short time. Later the script became more pronounce or taller. All these valve covers were stagger hole. For '59 the heads and valve covers dropped the stagger hole configuration for the straight across format.

 

I have a 427/ 435 hp tri carb engine out of a 69 vette. That would look cool in the 57. My friend in town did something like that around 72 with a blown 396. He said it was a blast to drive.

 

Nice score Brian. There have been a few outfitted with big block Chevy engines back in the 60s and a few lately, as you can imagine. I have a 427 in my 62 and my buddy put a 409 in his 57. They are a bit of a different animal from the small blocks but if you do it be prepared for people to tell you how heavy they are. The truth of the matter is you can make them a bit lighter where there is little different in weight from the way they came from the factory. Both my 427 and my buddies 409 have aluminum heads which saves a bit of weight. Once again cool car you found.

 

I should just stay with the plan and put the 427 in the chevelle. I dont want a crowd of satin jacketed guys crying about ruining two vettes. My friends vette was sold to a guy that couldnt stand seeing it not restored back to original. He said keep your blown engine and mag daisy wheels. My friend still has these parts and they are going on a newer recreation of the old car decades later.

 

I have a modified hot rod '58 that was "done" in the early 70's after being a drag car in the 60's. (built 327, diamond tuck, ghost flames in the coves, too chrome under the hood, mag wheels) I always get asked "When are you going to restore it?" I say... "never, why would I blow apart a very fun car, then spend 40K on it over 3 years and end up with a trailer queen"

I did the NCRS stuff 30 years ago with with an original paint 1962, wasn't all that much fun. I'd rather light 'em up. Speaking of satin jackets, I want one with this...

 

Mark, the W motor 57 is Tony Donnigan's 409/425 HP that ran on Woodward in the 60s. The motor allegedly came out the back door of Chevrolet engineering which was not all that unusual. The guys I raced with before they raced Vettes ran a stock and super stock Pontiac and their dad worked for GM and they got a 421 out the back door and were very competitive. There were half a dozen of so 56/57 with big blocks of one form or another running Woodward. The big three were big on getting their hardware out on Woodward and I am glad I was able to witness some of it-good memories. When I talked to Ron Reader he told me of several including one that had a 427 Z11. Ron at the time was running George DeLorean prepared Pontiacs (both 389 and 421-with special cams from DeLorean) in his 57 Vette. One of the guys that ran a W motor 57 back in the 60s came to one of our club meetings and he was a nice guy with some stories of drag racing. I asked if I could come and see the car but he did not bite.

Jason, the picture you posted is Jim Semersheim's 57(Jim is on the right). I spoke to his niece the other day and her dad who also drove the car. Pretty cool car that Jim started racing in 58. He went into the fiberglass panel business and although Jim is deceased the business is one of the largest and most reputable fiberglass panel manufacturers out there.

 

Wow, anybody have more pictures of this one?????.... Without all the trophies????.....

 

Can you imagine how MANY runs in total with rounds and finals to get that many trophies.

 

Deuces Jim Sermersheim's niece Jessica has posted some pictures of the car on another site. Here is one of them with a little different look.

 

Also thought I would throw up a pic of John Reidenbach's 62 at the Saturday night show at the Glory Days this past weekend. John always puts on a good show and this past weekend was no exception.

 

Thank you James!....

 

Mark, were you feeling ok? Why would you park a Bitchin' car like that next to the cart corral? LOL!

 

That's what I was thinkin'.....

 

HEY, i met the world famous Jim Dillon last weekend! He’s a very nice guy. It was a pleasure to talk with you Jim.

 

Mark as you know Corvettes were the first sport utility vehicles. They will haul all sorts of building material. I’ve done it with a 60 & 57!

 

At Home Depot? Probably looking for a tuff shed and shelving for his next collection . Maybe classic lug nuts?

 

Good meeting and talking to you as well Scotty. Sorry I was not able to make another pass but the car was missing quite badly. Worked on it a bit last night and will continue today. Three of the plug wires made no change when I removed them. In fact I pulled all three from the distributor cap with virtually no change in how it was running. It has MSD wires and they look OK but obviously something is amiss. Weird since it ran good on my second to last run through the 1/8 mile and then went south. Last run it ran terribly but good enough to beat the GTO in the other lane by .0076. Byron is always a good time-this was my 9th year running in the July vintage drags and God willing next year will be the 10th. Still was great weather and great racing all weekend at Byron. Hopefully will talk again in person.

 

This was sitting in the swap meet at our local cruise in. No price was on it I believe that the owner was shopping.

 

Rumblegutz i found another 9 fin valve cover in the trunk. It also is low script. Would these be correct for 57 with two carbs?

 

"correct" is sort of a loaded word. If your going for the stock as built look you can kind of get away with the 9 fins. The 2x4 cars had the aluminum valve covers as did all optional engines. How many fins and if a fin was notched depended on when in the production year the car was built. You can PM me your VIN if you wish to pursue it.