- Jul 13, 2006
- 4,782
Corvette Restoration
- Thread starter Kayvan
- Start date
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
I love the looks of the '53-'62's...but, driving 'em for any lenght of time...eeeeh, not so much.
I still remember the moment I saw my 1st '63 split window. I couldn't believe what I was looking at! It was soooooooo radically different from the 'Vettes that had gone before it...not to mention being more radical (looks-wise anyway) than anything else on the planet at the time!
To a lesser degree, the same could be said of the '68's when they came out. But, none of the 'Vettes have rung my chimes quite like the '63's. I suppose the only one that could will likely be the mid-engine car. And the chance I'll live to see that would be what? 'Next to ZERO? Shoot, my grandkids will probably never see it either.
I still remember the moment I saw my 1st '63 split window. I couldn't believe what I was looking at! It was soooooooo radically different from the 'Vettes that had gone before it...not to mention being more radical (looks-wise anyway) than anything else on the planet at the time!
To a lesser degree, the same could be said of the '68's when they came out. But, none of the 'Vettes have rung my chimes quite like the '63's. I suppose the only one that could will likely be the mid-engine car. And the chance I'll live to see that would be what? 'Next to ZERO? Shoot, my grandkids will probably never see it either.
DanielJ
GT Owner
Interesting article. The brakes on the 63 Z06 are metallic and only work well when HOT. Agree too with EP on the driving characteristics on the C-1 Vettes. Although, when driving my 62, an unrestored but refreshed car (original paint & owned by me since 1970) get the same looks and head turns as with the GT. So, I'll take the ride for what it is and love it. As for the 63 Vettes, they are to this day, a beautifully designed car as well as iconic and one that does drive very well. My car is originally from Marion, Indiana and was restored about 14 years ago. Both cars have the 327/340 Hp engines and 4-speed transmissions and both are NCRS Top Flight cars.
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HHGT
Guest
Interesting article. The brakes on the 63 Z06 are metallic and only work well when HOT. Agree too with EP on the driving characteristics on the C-1 Vettes. Although, when driving my 62, an unrestored but refreshed car (original paint & owned by me since 1970) get the same looks and head turns as with the GT. So, I'll take the ride for what it is and love it. As for the 63 Vettes, they are to this day, a beautifully designed car as well as iconic and one that does drive very well. My car is originally from Marion, Indiana and was restored about 14 years ago. Both cars have the 327/340 Hp engines and 4-speed transmissions and both are NCRS Top Flight cars.
Beauties
SteveA
GT Owner/B.O.D
Had a 67' 435 hp L-71 convert, to this day the only car I wish I had never sold. Like the original GT40 a timeless design IMO.
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
You might be a candidate for a CRC "conversion" then. CRC converts C5 'Vettes into '62's. (I've been told they now can do the same with a C6 donor.) I've seen 3-4 of their cars now, and their work is stellar.
I mention this just in case one day you might decide you wanna combine the best of both worlds, so to speak! :biggrin :cheers
Classic Reflection Coachworks
PO Box 99310
Lakewood, WA 98499
Owners: Doug & Carolyn Graf
Telephone: (253) 582-5830
Fax: (253) 582-2870
www.crcoachworks.com
The obligatory disclaimer: I have no connection with this outfit whatsoever. Period.
Edit: BTW, does the 'red' on your '62 look that R-E-D in person??? :eek It's just stunning!
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2112
Blue/white 06'
Daniel, your cars are off the chart. I love that your 62' does not have the white insert on the side.
Do you have modern rubber on them?
I always wanted a 65-67' vert that is not anything special so I can modify it to ride like modern cars ala Detroit speed style.
http://detroitspeed.com/projects/rfricke/rfricke-69-pg-1.html
Do you have modern rubber on them?
I always wanted a 65-67' vert that is not anything special so I can modify it to ride like modern cars ala Detroit speed style.
http://detroitspeed.com/projects/rfricke/rfricke-69-pg-1.html
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HHGT
Guest
My 63 SWC will cruise in comfort at 100 mph all day. An amazing part of US history and gets as many looks as the GT. If you're gonna get one, get a driver and get one now while the prices are low.
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
My '68 427 tri-power 'Vette fried my right foot on more than one occasion. Acc pedal got hotter than blue blazes 'cause of the mechanical linkage passing so close to the exhaust manifold.
The main 'issue' with all the earlier 'Vettes ('53-'62) IMO, is their ergonomics...or rather the lack of them.
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MAD IN NC
Proud Owner/ BOD blah bla
my 65 is in primer finally! - took a year for the paint guy to get it there.... Hopefully I'll be in it by spring time...
To HHGT's point - now is the time to buy a older C1/C2 vette - unfortunately
I keep saying no more cars but the next project (if I do it) is a 59-61 Vette with a C5 underpinning:wink
There are a few of us here with older vette's that I know of that I see on corvetteforum.com. C1's had solid axles some same making them feel like a truck - I don't mind it but you can't take a stock old vette on the track and compete in vintage racing. Re heat, I had the heat mat placed under the carpet... dropped the heat transfer by 40-50 degree's.
BTW - Daniel - congrats on the Top FLight award.....
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Having an older late 50s-all 60s Corvette is like having a beautiful gf that isn't worth a darn in bed. Don't get me wrong....I like them for what they are. Very pleasant to the eye and your friends are jealous as heck. Now the Ford GT is the best of both worlds.....a beatiful gf that is incredible in bed.....unmodified or modified. Why not have it all.
SteveA
GT Owner/B.O.D
My '67 got hot inside as well in fact the car wasn't driven on a day with 90+ temps. The coupes do rattle quite a bit as well as mine did with the Convet hard top on however with the top down there wasn't any rattles that could make it over the sound of the 427 and 3 duces. Like all older cars they don't compare even close to the ride of a modern car but IMO that's not why you own or drive and older car.
DanielJ
GT Owner
I've looked at the cars Doug offers and at one point, while at a show at Black Lake in Olympia, Doug took a ton of pictures of my 63 as he was contemplating building a 63 Coupe. Don't know whatever happened to that project. I may opt for one of these cars as I get older. Would be a lot easier to get into and out of than the real 62 with the hard top on. As for the red on the 62, I think it probably pops a little more because of the green trees and the blue of Dungeness Bay. There is more orange in the Roman Red as opposed to the Rally Red offered in later year production Vettes. The 65 is Rally Red. Thanks for your comments. DJ
DanielJ
GT Owner
Thank you Michael! All the cars have an extra set of steel wheels fitted with period correct rubber (biased ply) Firestone, BF Goodrich, Goodyear and with the correct wheel covers. Never really drive the cars with biased ply tires on them..... Cars in the picture are fitted with radial tires. I should post a picture of the OE tire from the 65 Big Block car and that of the GT. Difference is amazing. Know you are a die hard Ford guy, but it is well worth to have a mid-year Vette in the collection.
DanielJ
GT Owner
Like HHGT said, 100 MPH all day long in the C-2's, that is with appropriate gearing. The C-1's require a little more attention to detail when driving, but hey, don't think any of us would be on this forum if paying attention was not important to us. If the car is well maintained, it drives, hauls like crazy, and stops well. Not as good as other modern cars, still respectable for what it is. Find a good one and drive it!
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
Either someone told me, or I read somewhere that his wife, Carolyn, passed away? If that's true, something like that could very easily put the damper on one's drive/ambition, etc., for quite a while, and that could explain why we've not seen that '63 to date.
If he ever were to do a '63 COUPE, Pockets will opt for wunna those immediately. But, one would think getting the proportions right on a coupe would be a real muthur b'ar...so, I'm not holding my breath. (E.g.: At S.E.M.A. couple years back, a small company displayed their 'split window' kit for the C-6 'Vette. They had a car there with one installed [it was outside the main entrance]. It looked pretty good, but it juuuuuuuuuust wasn't quite right.)