Hot Rods 54 Corvette Gasser Barn-find(kinda)

I got the rears (15x8)last year from a Camaro restorer friend and the fronts (15x7) were just laying around here. I don't think they have any identifying marks on them.They are all several decades old.

 

I would love to have some 15x6s for my 66 I have 2 Ansen top eliminators on the front of my 61 wagon but I don't know if they will clear my calipers.

 

If they have the relief cut into the back of the spokes they should clear. If not , that's what they make wheel spacers for.(that would be a lot of spacers)

 

Definitely the right stance! I like how the front end was blocked up, some thought and skill went into that, and not just the I-beam so many guys used. It's the little things...............................I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Things don't always go as smooth as planned. With the body done it was time to begin on the powertrain. The engine I had in mind is one I removed a year or so ago from one of my other cars. It was a good runner and should be a simple matter to get it ready for the 54. The short block was still assembled and simply needed the heads installed. So last night I got started. All was going well , the left head was on and torqued in place . The right head was on and all the bolts started. As I'm torquing the 17 head bolts I get to number 14 and it pulls the threads out of the block! In 40 something years I've only had this happen once before. CRAP! Naturally I don't have that size Heli-Coil kit, got all the others , just not that one. It's just after 8 PM so I rush to O'Reilly's and get a kit before they close. I take the head off and start to drill out the hole when the drill catches and breaks the bit off in the block. You've gotta be kiddin me! Fortunately there was enough broken bit sticking out of the block to grab with some pliers and turn it back out. With a new bit I get the hole drilled and the Heli-Coil installed. The head is replaced and I'm tourqing the bolts again. I make it to 14 and all is well, 15..good 16good..17 CRAP!!! NOT AGAIN! Pull the head back off and Heli-Coil that one too. Finally got it done. Of course you don't want a pretty new looking engine in a survivor so it was kind of a challenge to make it look old. Still not sure on an air cleaner and probably will strip the yellow off the valve covers.

 

My favorite valve covers
if you go thru my thread in my signature there is a pic in my garage and I have been collecting these for a while.
I have straight and I have staggered. My son says I am addicted and I say "yeah what's your point).

 

I believe I have added more since then

 

Wow, just found this thread! That little 'vette looks baaad ass!

 

ALSO THAT'S HOW THE VALVE COVERS ON MY WAGON LOOK ALTHOUGH NOT AS NICE.

THE FLASH MAKES THE VALVE COVERS LOOK CORRODED THEY REALLY AREN'T

 

THIS is what I was talkin' about! You nailed it my friend, nailed it!

 

perfect

 

Man if that ain't eye candy I don't know what is. Perfect stance! Subscribed!

 

That thing is way cool. Cute and vicious at the same time.

 

Very cool find. Looking forward to more pics.

 

Three words describe this situation for me: O.M.G.!!!!!!! That car is perfect - the '53-5 Vettes are slowly growing on me.....

 

So, today after lunch , A friend of mine comes to my place and is looking for a water pump pulley for his car. We find one in my junk and as he is leaving he BACKS INTO MY 54 CORVETTE! I hear the "CRACK" and realize right away what has happened and as I get over to the car he is out of his truck looking at the Corvette. I walk up and ask "Did it do any damage?" To which he sincerely replies,"I can't tell". It struck me as funny cause it was true. Good thing about having a beater Vette I guess. Upon close inspection all I could find was a place where it popped the seam a little, no big deal but just goes to show "No good deed goes unpunished"! This is why we can't have nice things

 

That is usually my luck, I can look at my car and scratch it. I am usually not a vett fan but your car is so damn Kool!!!!!!

 

Oh my god, damn and you made my heart skip a beat or two.
So glad no major damage!!

 

Absolutely blows me away the stuff hiding out in garages. And some of it right under your nose. Congrats on a great find and what a cool car & story too. A few posts up you mentioned the upholstery being hard & brittle. There is a company from Tacoma, WA called Griot's. They make a leather restorer that works great. I have used it for years and it really does soften up old leather. It won't be 100% but so much better. You might try it.

 

This thing is Sweeeet! I can see it with the red back window, VHT white fender well headers and maybe a small "Ruff 'n Reddy" in the corner of the decklid! Have fun with this, keep us posted.

 

If they are leather neatsfoot oil will soften them right up. They are probably dry as a bone which you will notice immediately when you hit them with the oil.

 

very cool. i have a 59 with the stock motor mount as shown in one of your pictures. if you have not done it, might want to reinforce it with tabs down to the old school front motor mount bolts. I couldnt keep mine tight, and broke it a few times. I added the tabs and have not had an issue since. I am running a 377" with 7" wide cheaters. tore that mount up quite a few times.

 

I have extracted my revenge, He'll think twice about backing into my car again!

 

So, my dad just showed me this thread and I thought it might be fun to post some of his pictures from when he owned the car. (Yep, he was the original owner) According to him, the picture with him sitting in it was taken when the car still had the Lincoln in it. By the time the picture was taken with my mom sitting on the hood, he had switched out the motor to the Chevy. I know there are a few more pics, I just don't have them scanned in and easily accessed. If I come across them, I'll post them.

 

great story - love the pictures from 1st builder - will follow this one. Trust you going to hit the quarter mile couple times.

 

Very cool! Tell Rick hi for me. He needs to come visit the car sometime. We'll probably see him at some shows this summer. Should be running in a couple of weeks. It's close.

 

I have to amend this. I said he was the original owner, but he wasn't. He was just a previous owner. When he was a teenager his grandpa had seen it in a parking lot by a nearby theater. It was a parking lot where cars for sale were frequently parked. His grandpa told him there was a neat car he needed to see and so they went to check it out. My dad told him how great he thought it was and that was when his grandpa told him he had actually bought the car for him. He them informed him that he would get to pay him back for it. My dad worked for him and $40 of his $50 weekly paycheck was taken out to pay his Pops back, but my dad said it was totally worth it. He did, however, have to get an additional job in order to afford driving it and paying for dates.

 

We may have to make a family event of coming to see. His daughters have always been sad that he sold that car and we'd love to see it again.

 

Some progress, For the first time in over 45 years the Corvette gets an engine between it's fenders again.

 

Really diggin this Vette!
Great story and killer car!
Tony