Technical Barn find 57 vette.

Yeh, me being a "Westcoaster" and my wife being a "Cheesehead" I make sure I get my fill of cheese curds and Old Fashioneds when I visit there.
The thing I really want to try are Kents Big Bars that @racer-x talks about.

 

I can only do so much with what i have. Todays work consisted of getting the hood to close and the interior. The previous owner installed hood pins sometime in the 60s. After all it was a race car. He took off all of the hardware under the hood. These vette have a spring loaded hood pop up. It was all gone. I got most of the original pieces in a box. I was short a few small items so i purchased a repro kit. With it all in place the hood wont close enough to put the pins in. I removed the home made gaskets from under the aluminum discs. That gave me a 1/16th. I drilled the pin holes out a little. That gave me enough to finish it off.
The plates on the door panels went on. To get them on for this fall i had to use some over sized screws because the fiberglass was stripped out. I can do a proper repair next spring. The sill plates went in. Two screws were broken off and i could not get them out no matter how i tried. I ended up drilling a hole next to the broken one. Im surprised how good it looks. The corners of the sill plates were hitting the bottom of the door when i closed it. I had to do something.Its all good now. The dash got a good cleaning. I set the seat cushions in just to get a look.
For a car this old car that was neglected for so long i think it looks ok as is. Its not so far gone where it has to come apart just yet. As i look at it i see some parts are worn worse than others. Replacing those parts might make it all look funny like a patched up quilt. The new parts against the old parts will make the old parts look even worse. Where do you start and where do you stop. For right now im leaving things alone. This old girl needs some road time.

 

There's already plenty of over-restored originals out there, but very few preserved survivors like this one, and it looks like it has survived quite well. Unless somethings broken or missing, I see no need to replace it, even if it is worn. That's what makes this car special.

 

I agree.

 

Yep!

 

Looks good to me. I’d drive he wheels off it as is.

 

I can sorta answer the "where does it stop" question. Started on a 65 coupe for a guy a couple of years ago the just wanted to get it running. Well, the body is now back on the frame and reassembly is under way. D

 

Run it.

 

I would seriously pull the body and have that chassis blasted and inspected before you go down the road. I have owned my 59 for over 50 years and did a total body off restoration about 20 years ago. Your 57 looks nice but the unders need quite a bit of attention. JMHO

 

Its solid. Only cosmetics. I have a frame off going on right now with the 66 Chevelle. I dont need another in my life. Maybe someday.

 

Does anyone know how the bottom seat cushion attatch to the frame?
The back rest hooks over the top then two flat pieces of steel fold over holding it in place.
The bottom cushion has a right and left side. The cushion drops down into the frame just fine. I cant find anything to hold it in place. No bolt holes; clips; straps wires nothing. A friend said it might just sit in the frame and the seat back cushion might hold it in place.
Any thoughts?

 

I figured it out. I took it out on sunday for a ride. I didnt have the seat back cushions until today. I sat on one bottom and put the other behind my back. Today i got the last two. If it wasnt raining hard out i would be cruising around. The weekend forecast looks good so far.

 

Run it! Maybe a set of wheels, but you'll never see another like it.

 

I love it, I hope we get enough good weather yet that you can at least get some miles on it and work the bugs out. It looks really good.

 

The brakes pulled hard right front. I put it on the lift for a adjustment. It might take a few tries to get it dialed in.

 

I might put a old set of magnesium five spokes. I would leave them natural. My hands are full polishing the wheels on the coupe.

 

The gray Torque Thrusts would look good on it. As would the black ones. Only have to keep the rim portion polished then...

 

As you figured out, the lower seat cushion just sits into the seat frame. It doesn’t sound secure, but it
Works just fine.

 

If I met that Corvette in a bar and I had a few drinks in me I would definitely try to sweet talk her and I'd be in a heap of trouble with the wife. That car is fine!

 

I got a good ride in today. The brakes are better. It still pulls to the right some. I think i have a bent rim. The steering wheel shakes over 30 mph. The rims will come off and go to a tire shop. Or one of the new tires has a bad belt. Then the push botton on the door handle fell into the door. It has worked perfect until now. The door panel needs to come off for a look inside. The timing seems like its a few degrees retarded. Thats a easy fix. I had the hard top on for the drive. Im surprised how much head room i had. This was the first time driving it with the top on. In the shop it seemed small inside. Over all it was alot of fun. I figured some things would require some additional attention. I will just add them to the list of things to do next year. I will get it out a few more times. Hopefully i can get a chance to drive it with the top off.

 

Fantastic. I actually really like the look with blackwalls and full wheel covers for whatever reason, it suits the car well.

My '57 Chev had an issue with pulling to one side when I first got it on the road. I swapped the front drums from side to side, (did not swap tires side to side) figuring if the pull went the other way it was a drum issue and if the pull stayed on that side it could be a tire issue or a shoe adjustment thing. It stopped dead straight with the drum swapped, as in no hands on the wheel, panic stop from speed no pull whatsoever. Still don't know what happened there but it worked.

 

Just curious if the antennas will stay as they are, or will the one that is angled on the drivers side, be rotated to match the other side ? I know that really isn't important at this stage of the fun ! So cool that you got to take it for a drive to discover more interesting things about it !

 

The antenna is broken. The treaded area inside the trunk has snapped off leaving only one tread left. It wont tighten up. It will be replaced.
If a part regardless of how big or small is removed its saved.

 

I was exited to drive the car to work friday. Its a 20 mile ride each way up to Milwaukee. Some of that is freeway driving. I checked the forecast. Its going to rain. So thats not going to happen. I feel comfortable enough in the car to expand its driving radius from home.

 

Wouldn't a bent rim have been obvious when the tires were balanced?

 

You would think so.

 

Hey Brian, I realize your definition of a high performance street car is a whole lot different to most people and this car will never impress you from an all out performance standpoint but I bet you're still getting a buzz driving a nice little solid lifter/dual quad/4spd around. I'll bet you're grinning from ear to ear when you're behind the wheel.
Enjoy!

 

I am. Its alot of fun. Its more relaxing than the nitro coupe.

 

I'm not usually that sensitive about a car's color or two-tone paint scheme, but there's something different going on with this car. And I don't tend to get all warm and fuzzy about Corvettes compared to a lot of other cars. But there's something different about this Corvette that makes it hard to ignore.

The white with red trim really make this car "pop". Try imagining this same car, showing the same honest wear, age, abuse and neglect, painted blue, silver, turquoise, black or any other color. To my eyes it wouldn't have nearly the same "curb appeal" that makes it almost impossible not to look at and study every inch of it.

 

^^^^ Can’t agree more, have always been a fan of ‘Bombay Ivory’.