Every Project has to start somewhere, and this one was no exception. Below are some photos I took of the Corvette shortly before starting the restoration project. Overall the Vette was in decent condition, but still needed a fair amount of work throughout to be a safe and reliable ride. Most notably, the car had no brakes and the majority of the suspension components and bushings needed replacement.
Here are some Exterior Photos. The paint looked good from about 20 feet, but from any closer the blemishes became pretty obvious. Additionally, the front and rear valences, as well as the drivers side inner fender well all had moderate damage and/or sloppy repairs.
Now some Interior Photos. The interior was in decent shape with the exception of the carpeting. The seats were in fair to good condition with only a few (repairable) tears. The gauge cluster and instrument panels were in good shape, as was the dash pad and interior trim panels.
Ahhh, yes… The Engine! There’s something great about stuffing 454 cubic inches below the hood of a car – this one is no exception! When I bought the car it ran pretty well but it was in of need of a tune-up. Despite some mild sputtering it still delivered more than enough Ooomph to set you back in your seat!With the help of some top end work, new exhaust, and a splash of chrome, it should get from stop light to stop light pretty quick and look pretty sweet parked with the hood open…
One thing is for certain – this will be a big project. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and starting a full frame off restoration. I’ll be starting by separating the body from the chassis, pulling the engine, and beginning the chassis restoration.