Projects Mid Life Crisis 62 Vette

Jim and I discussed steering wheels , he will be able to drive with a stock wheel as he is much more svelt than I I on the other hand require a smaller wheel...And getting in with the top on requires its own special move and I'm 5'10"

 

I get it! Getting in a '56 Belair hard top requires the same special move when you're 6'1"! LOL!!!

 

I've heard more than once that the 68's were a problem year, yes, no?

 

We made it home....time to unwind and get to know my new mill and gearbox.

I did hang the clutch pedal in the car just to make it look like it should....

 

Yes, electrics were funky.

 

But 62s were all thoroughly ironed out, they're great cars!

 

I've expressed why, and don't ever think it reduces my respect for this hangout. This life didn't magically stop mid 60s. In fact for ½ a decade it made an impact on one of the world's biggest industries. But it is what it is (fuck I hate that cliche) so I'm glad we enjoy it.

 

It's cool watching the progress, of this pile of puzzle pieces, come together.

 

For some reason when I read the I could hear Rolling Stone’s music.

 

Everything gm made in 68 was an odd ball of sorts. Lots of one year only parts. Other than that they’re just regular old crappy chevies

 

Lead with your head and right leg, fold yourself up like a pocket knife while standing on your left leg then twist and fall into the seat. Stop and take breath then drag your left leg in. Oh yeah get the keys out of your pocket first

 

Visions of John Cleese come to mind.

 

good thing I don't have a hardtop!

I've been looking over my new transmission (thanks Colin!) looks like an early M20, probably 64-65 vintage. The synchro teeth are not chipped much, and it has what looks like the original lock tabs on the front bearing retainer bolts. It was assembled March 20th of whichever year it was, and the tail and side cover dates match. There's no VIN stamp on it, which is what I would expect, as they didn't do that much except on Corvettes back then.



I also got out a flywheel that I got recently, I'm not sure who made it, but it appears not to be made by Chevy because there are no casting numbers on it, and it has a different look to the front side, with the scallops around it. At some point it was on a 427, judging by the faint writing. And it's dual bolt pattern, so I can use a smaller pressure plate. It appears to have had a 10.4" disc on it, with the larger bolt pattern being used.


I also got my new windshield in the mail while I was gone, I need to finish unwrapping it to make sure it survived. No damage to the box, and it was well packed, so should be ok.

I also got some wiring, I decided to go with stock repro harnesses because I just like having all those neat old connectors on the car. And the glass fuses.

 

The engine. Looks like it had been rebuilt before, with .030" pistons and .010 under crank. The block was bored and honed to .040, and includes a new set of cast flat top pistons. I still need to clean it and install cam bearings and freeze plugs and oil plugs. It has the right date and stampings to be in a different 62 low perf Corvette, but one with a 4 speed. The partial VIN is from very late in the production run, July 1962, while my car is early in the production run, Sept 61. Which is interesting, but doesn't make any difference in how it drives, I don't expect.



The heads were done, new valves, springs, and PC seals, along with screw in studs (which I like). The valves sure are small! since they're power pack 1.72 heads.



Crank was polished, still .010" under. No tapped damper bolt hole in the early 327s apparently!




I think I want some new rod bolts, and resize the big ends.

 

Yeah, that block is from a very late car. About 215 from the end of '62 production. Started life as 250 horse with manual trans. FWIW the solid lifter engines were drilled and tapped for a damper bolt.

 

Just came across this photo on another thread.

 

That was me this morning putting a new temp gauge in my 56 T-Bird.
Only I have better looking legs.

 

Looks like an old school Ansen 2 piece scattershield/bell housing behind the crankshaft.

 

This guy led with his left leg.

 

Yep! The big block cars would overheat in traffic....

 

I like em a lot, I wish I could drive one. I'd have to cut it up and move shit around which doesn't bother me but I don't want one bad enough to put in the effort. And boy howdy did they make bitchin M/P drag cars.

 

I was looking at the rear end in the Vette. It does not have posi, I was wondering if it was original, as very few of these cars were not equipped with posi. It looks like it is indeed original. The round tag which identifies the ratio is still there, and the housing is stamped with the correct letters/numbers for 3.36 open, and the build date is right. Just gotta love rarity that is not worth anything! Oh well.

 

NCRS guys all be like "there is a disturbance in the force"

 

Posi rear ends in vettes is not a given until 1975 I believe. Or at least around there.

 

Interesting, the cars build date is likely July 25. Yet the dif build date is a month after the build of the car August 25. The CA build prefix is appropriate as Detroit axle open 3:36 installed in a Corvette. The 3:36 ratio tag agrees. There is a casting date on the drivers side face below the tag.

 

The car build date is late September 61. The engine number is not the serial number of the car, it's a different engine than came in the car originally.

I'll probably scrape off the casting numbers eventually. I'll also pull it apart and replace the seal and crush sleeve, and the wheel bearings, and inspect the gears and bearings, especially looking for cracks on the pinion teeth.

 

Ah, now it makes sense. Early car late block. When all else fails read the instructions never assume.

 

You are probably already aware, but early Camaro and Nova rears fit like a dream, and provide self adjusting brakes at the same time. I installed the self adjusting stuff on the front of a '61 a while back, but that owner was a strictly hands-off guy. That car has a 12 bolt from a '69 Era donor, the remnants of torched-off slapper bars, and leaf springs with kinks in them from the slapper bars at work. It also now has a working tach and fuel gauge, thanks to my astronaut-type gymnastics.

 

Finding an early Camaro or Nova rear these days isn't so easy, either! I'll stick with the stocker for now, and probably move to a 60 or Olds if I decided to try to go fast with the car. But yeah, if I had one of those 1960s rears laying around still....

 

I cheated