58 Corvette Restomod

[ricott]

My wife and I have owned a 1958 Corvette since January 1985 - and it has always been the "next" project. It was a Basket Case when we got it. We got it running and driving but it was so hard to steer/stop the wife refused to drive it, so the car mostly sat. I haven't really spent any time on it since we left Dallas 17 years ago. I worked on it for a few months a couple of years ago but got sidetracked working on my 55 Chevy truck. I promised my wife recently that she would drive it around the block by her birthday in late August. I have an aftermarket frame made by Corvette Correction, a relatively low mileage LS1 and Auto out of a 2000 Camaro, and a lot of parts acquired over the years. So here goes. My son and I got it in position and began disassembling the body today. I will post picture later of the days progress.

Ricky

[Kerry P]

Sounds like it's is going to be a fun car.

[Advanced Design]

Great, looking forward to it!

[drewskiren]

Sounds fun, I wanna come see.

[ricott]

I planned to post "current status" pictures yesterday but got distracted, so here goes:

The Corvette Correction frame with the rear section completed. The front end has been assembled, except for new upper ball joints - and the old ones are being very difficult to remove. I hope to get the upper arms installed next weekend.



We got the car back in the garage. It needs a bath, and it looks much better than it really is.



Eric and I made some pretty good progress disassembling the car. Here is where we left it yesterday.

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I am currently preparing the engine to paint. As always, more to come.

Ricky

[midnight rambler]

We did a 58 that had a wrecked front clip back in 1976 pieced it together then painted it metal flake silver with red flames. Still itching from the glass work.

[nuke1]

One of my favorite cars. Would love to have one. Cant wait to see more progress

[ricott]

Thanks everyone for the comments. James (NUKE1) I have enjoyed the 58 truck rebuild, and hoping to see some updates on it.

It was a beautiful afternoon today so I left work early to get my "Krylon" rebuild done. The engine is a LS1 from a 1999 (or 2000 - I can't remember) Camaro that had less than 60,000 when I pulled it. I cleaned and taped the parts off earlier this week, and with rain projected for the next few days I wanted to be able to reassemble the engine. I use Eastwood paint and it really does a good job. Here are the parts cleaned and prepped.



Here are the parts painted:



I'm glad I pulled the heads to paint the engine as the "Dexcool" had gelled and hardened in the small head gasket passages. While I heard the engine run in the car before I pulled it, I've had the engine for 4 years, and had heard about this type of antifreeze gelling when exposed to air.

Next step is to reassemble and install the engine/tranny. I already have ARP Head bolts, GM gaskets and assorted other parts to reassemble the engine, so I'm hoping it goes quickly.As always, there is more to come.

Ricky

[tune_1]

Great to see this here. I will enjoy following along but you will be busy with a short time frame. Enjoyed the 55 build also.
Dwight

[nuke1]

Thanks Ricky, We should be getting back on it soon, I promised the family that it wil be done for next summer, but my goal is to have it done for easter for a car show here in the city. got some work ahead of me, but it will be worth it. Currently I am building the 68 ford farm truck here in alternate tinkerings. And plesae keep the pics and progress coming, I really love these cars.

[ricott]

Originally Posted by drewskiren

Sounds fun, I wanna come see.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I would love for you to come by. We are usually around on the weekends, but give me a call (901) 861-2789 to be sure. I also plan to see your project soon.

Originally Posted by tune_1

Great to see this here. I will enjoy following along but you will be busy with a short time frame. Enjoyed the 55 build also.
Dwight

Thanks Dwight for stopping by. I look at my old truck almost every day and dream.

Originally Posted by nuke1

Thanks Ricky, We should be getting back on it soon, I promised the family that it wil be done for next summer, but my goal is to have it done for easter for a car show here in the city. got some work ahead of me, but it will be worth it. Currently I am building the 68 ford farm truck here in alternate tinkerings. And plesae keep the pics and progress coming, I really love these cars.

James, I don't know how I didn't see you farm truck project. Read through it a few minutes ago. Great looking truck and it brought back memories of driving my dad's old ford truck on our farm growing up. Looking forward to seeing you continue working your magic. You mentioned the farm in your build. Have ya'll moved closer to your wife's parents?

Now for the update:
I got most of the engine assembled Saturday afternoon, but I had two right side Headgaskets, and no left, so that stopped me. I ordered the Left yesterday and picked it up at the dealer this afternoon. The engine is now (mostly) assembled. I have to get a couple of broken exhaust flange studs out before I can bolt on the manifolds, and I need to find the front seal before I can install the Harmonic Balancer. Here is the finished product.





The pretty engine makes the tranny look bad, so I will clean and paint the tranny a gray. The wifey says just bolt it up and install it, but not on this project!

As always there is more to come.

Ricky

[nuke1]

That engine looks great, there is something about a LS in fresh paint. As for the trans I agree, go the extra bit. Silly wives some days, lol. No we havent moved closer, |I would love to but it will never happen, I just drive the 2 hours to blast stuff. I charge propelrly that I do ok still. |Besides I am trying to open up my own shop right now, really hoping I can do it.

[ricott]

Yesterday afternoon I got home in time to paint the tranny. The wifey was out of town today, so I moved the frame over and installed the engine, and then installed the tranny.








Later in the day I finished cutting the badly rusted heads off of several body to frame bolts and removed a number of other things to prepare for the frame switch. I also marked where the fiberglass cuts to the spare tire carrier need to be made.



My boys have promised to round up some friends move the body over to the new frame when I am ready. The body is completely unbolted right now, but it will be a couple of weeks before I am ready - I still need to run brake lines and complete several other tasks.

On another note, a friend loaned me his aftermarket dash made by Paul Atkin. I think I'm going to go this route so I can install a tilt wheel. My thought is to rework the lower part of this dash to incorporate the AC vent and place the other switches where I want them.



The jury is still out on this idea. I'm headed to Good-Guys Nashville on the 14th (plan to be in the 66 GTO if I can wrestle it away from my son). If anyone plans to attend I would love to try and meet up. As always, more to come.

Ricky

[Advanced Design]

Powertrain looks nice sitting in place. I like the dash and switches idea. Anticipate die hard Corvette purists wouldn't?

[tune_1]

Interesting gauge pod. Would you have the face look like an old gauge or a current trend?
The frame looks like it should be stout. Good work
Dwight

[ricott]

While it has been about two months since my last update, I have been working on the car. I got the front end reassembled and the tires on the frame – it is now a roller!



I also installed the belt driven engine accessories using the Holley brackets. I'm happy with how the system works and looks. I do have an issue with the power steering pulley just clearing the upper control arm – I think it is too tight and will clearance it. This system uses the Corvette power steering parts and a Camaro/Truck type alternator.




I had a long 4th weekend and began wiring the engine management system. Because I want the engine compartment to be as "clean" as possible, I could not just use a truck harness as is. The first step was to completely disassemble one of the two "partial" engine harnesses I have. I threw all harness subparts in the back of my truck, along with the other harness.



I also determined where the computer and fuse block would be located in the corvette, then made a crude wood jig to hold the computer/wiring in place while I wired the engine with the body off the frame.



Years ago I printed off the engine management schematic for a 2001 Chevy truck and a 2000 Camaro – these have been invaluable for every engine wiring project I've done.



On this project I have also made a notebook containing each engine/tranny wiring subsystem and where it terminates. This has made the job so much easier (wish I had thought of this years ago!). Here is my current progress on the wiring front.



I have approximately 35 wires to go to have the engine management system completed. Once that is done, all I need to do is plug in the pickup truck fuse block, connect the power, and hook up 5 wires to hear the engine run.

I'm headed to the Good-Guys PPG Nationals in Columbus Friday and Saturday for car inspiration – it is always a great time, then out to Denver for work next week – so it will be close to the end of July before I finish the engine wiring and hear the engine run.

As always, more to come.

Ricky

[Advanced Design]

Looks good Ricky. Did you buy the entire accessory drive set up with compressor, alternator and ps pump from Holley? Or just the brackets?

[ricott]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Looks good Ricky. Did you buy the entire accessory drive set up with compressor, alternator and ps pump from Holley? Or just the brackets?

I had the Compressor and alternator (it is a truck alternator). I purchased the brackets and the Power Steering parts from Holley.

[ricott]

It is hard to believe it has been 6 months since I last worked on this project. As all know, if it is not your day job, life happens and project time often suffers. On a positive note (at least for me!), my son we built the GTO for graduated from college and went to work for an accounting firm in DC. The GTO came home to Memphis to live at my house for the next couple of years. I have really enjoyed driving that car, and it did take some of the pressure off to get this car running.


This is where the project was last July – about 35 wires needed to be run to get the Basic system done to make the engine run.



In any event, after new year’s I was able to finally run the wires. I use a 1999-2001 Chevy truck fuse block and wire the car around it.



I used the fuel tank I have for my 1955 Chevy pickup project and plumbed it up to supply fuel to the fuel rail. I checked the injectors and 6 were gummed up. I pulled them and “boiled” them in water for about 5 minutes and that freed them up.



When using the truck fuse block, you only have three wires to deal with to make an engine run (assuming you have the Theft off). After a long slumber (several years) the engine roared to life earlier this afternoon.



I hope to work on this project more often this spring/summer, but driving the GTO takes the pressure off. I hope to drive this old vette like the GTO – it will not be as comfortable, but it should be a great ride. I will close with some pictures of a road trip my wife and I took to Yellowstone and the Tetons this fall in the GTO We drove the car over 5000 miles in 12 days and it ran flawlessly.





As always, more to come.

Ricky

[Advanced Design]

Sounds good Ricky! Wondered where you've been. Out touring the West ...a memorable trip!