My 63 Vette is finally home!

[pw2006]

I'm so excited... after nearly 5.5 years and 2 shops, my 63 is finally home. When I got the car, it was a 20 footer. I had originally planned to add a 5 speed, replace the the front fiberglass (horrible repairs/mods from years past) and add a good set of brakes. The manual drum brakes did not inspire confidence.

When we started tearing the car apart, we found that the frame had front and rear damage (with poor repairs)... well, if we're going to replace this, then we might as well replace that, and before long my project snowballed to a full blown frame off restomod. I switched shops after 4 years and very little progress. Once I made the switch, I also decided to swap the brand new 383 I bought for the project with an LSX. This required a few more changes to handle the additional power and fuel injection (rear end swap, additional frame bracing, fuel tank swap, rebuild the original gauges, etc).

Here's a list of some of the mods:
Mast Motorsports Black Label LS3 SS (630HP)
TKO-600
Dana 44 rear
GTS rear qtrs
Tucked bumpers
Newman Car Creations Chassis with C4 suspension
Power rack and pinion
C5 brakes
Vintage Air
Stainless center exit exhaust
Sound system
C5 seats

Now on to a few pics...

Here's what it looked like when I bought it. Notice the sweet bubba'd mods (compare to the "front view" pic below)
http://i50.tinypic.com/xmoeae.png

Engine bay- 1978 350 with a cam
http://i50.tinypic.com/2rzopyw.png

Fast forward ~4.5 years later...Fresh clear
http://i46.tinypic.com/2u8jz2e.jpg

Airbrushed emblem
http://i49.tinypic.com/21k08x2.jpg

Undercar (still one of my favorite pics)
http://i45.tinypic.com/9ulykk.jpg

Homecoming!
http://i50.tinypic.com/jkanpz.jpg

Hood up
http://i48.tinypic.com/1zyv38x.jpg

Gratuitous engine shot
http://i47.tinypic.com/1hftqc.jpg

My girls going for a test drive
http://i50.tinypic.com/3yc92.jpg

Front view
http://i49.tinypic.com/16qe75.jpg

Front 3/4 view
http://i46.tinypic.com/o5232t.jpg

Rear deck (partly cloudy on Saturday morning)
http://i50.tinypic.com/2u8dn2f.png

Rear end shot
http://i45.tinypic.com/nvcy35.png

In case I want to listen to music instead of the sweet sound of exhaust...
http://i50.tinypic.com/2vjsx35.jpg

I took it out for a few joy rides this weekend and what a blast! Can't wait to get the car dialed in and try my first autocross! I am creating my punch list for the shop and starting my new mods list (Cold air intake and eventually I'll upgrade the brakes and shocks). In the meantime, I'll just enjoy having it home and taking it out for a spin. Thought you might enjoy a little auto porn. :cheers:

[Andrew]

Very nice choices on everything. It looks incredible.

[intocarss]

That's bitchen Love the color

[SnakeEater]

Car looks great and I can tell that the family was ready for it to be home as well. I can relate to auto shop prison.:yes:

[Rick D]

Very cool love the color and the engine chose!

[Qdiesel]

That blue!!!!! That is a gorgeous color!!!

[g356gear]

Definite improvement on the before and after front end shot comparison. ;) Congrats!

[cencalc6]

Very Nice! :thumbsup:

[Scorpner]

Wow! :wow: Great looking Vette. Nicely done.

[strtcar]

Looks great, love the exhaust exit.

[Bucketlist2012]

Just Beautiful..

Congrats and enjoy your Vette...:hail: :thumbsup:

[RicerwannaB]

Having it locked away for so long, and switching shops looks like it really paid off in the long run, that car is gorgeous!

[glassman]

VERY well done!

[waynieZ]

Thats a Beautiful Car! Awesome Job.

[pw2006]

Thanks guys! I bought this car when our first daughter was born. My wife got a ring for her push gift, I got the 63. :unibrow: Shoot, there for a while I thought my oldest would turn 16 before I got the car back.

[Rybar]

Congrats man, the car looks awesome. Love the shot with your daughters enjoying it. That's a proud shot right there :thumbsup:

[uxojerry]

Beautiful car!! Im doing a 65 Corvette Coupe in similar fashion and hope mine turns out as well as yours. Have fun and dont get facial cramps from smiling too much.

[Frankenstine]

Well done Sir :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[KevinK]

Car looks fantastic, ...all around :)

[pw2006]

Thanks again! Does anyone know someone in the SF Bay Area that can take photos like Scott's (XcYZ) in the link below? That first pic is amazing!


http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=36781

[Jay Hilliard]

That is simply awesome! Very nice...beautiful color! I love the airbrushing also.

[kyle_newman]

Rob the car looks AWESOME! Please let me know if there is anything we can help with on getting the car dialed in, we have come up with some cool stuff in the last few years to improve on ride and handling. We are also close enough that we would really enjoy seeing the car at the auto cross's if your willing!

Again car looks awesome and i think you will find it performs as good as it looks!

[kp.touring]

Rob, Nice ride! Are going to bring it out to Pleasanton this weekend? If so please come by our booth, we'll be set up outside look for a blue 57 Vette. If you come by I can show what Kyle is talking about regarding the handling and ride improvements. Once more way cool ride enjoy it!

Kevin
Campbell Auto Restoration

[69x22]

Beautiful

[pw2006]

Rob the car looks AWESOME! Please let me know if there is anything we can help with on getting the car dialed in, we have come up with some cool stuff in the last few years to improve on ride and handling. We are also close enough that we would really enjoy seeing the car at the auto cross's if your willing!

Again car looks awesome and i think you will find it performs as good as it looks!

Rob, Nice ride! Are going to bring it out to Pleasanton this weekend? If so please come by our booth, we'll be set up outside look for a blue 57 Vette. If you come by I can show what Kyle is talking about regarding the handling and ride improvements. Once more way cool ride enjoy it!

Kevin
Campbell Auto Restoration

Thanks Kyle and Kevin- I'll definitely take you guys up on your offer to help me dial in the car.

Kevin- Funny you responded, I made a note last weekend to give you a call. You are about 10 minutes away from me down San Tomas. I already started my list of future mods. :)

I am planning on heading to Pleasanton on Saturday around noon and I will swing by your booth. I think the vette will stay home this weekend. I still need to detail the car and work out some of the gremlins. Two of them popped up this morning. First the battery was dead (need to figure out if it is just the 5.5 year old battery or if something is drawing it down) and then the power steering line blew off the rack and pinion and spewed royal purple everywhere. :censored:

That is simply awesome! Very nice...beautiful color! I love the airbrushing also.

Thanks Jay, I am really happy with the airbrushing. Besides the emblem, I also had him customize the fuel door and add a little something to the backside of the hood. He incorporated the C6R skull into the flag, which was a cool little touch.

Here's what the original fuel door looks like (mine was pretty faded, so I decided to customize it versus buying a replacement).
http://i45.tinypic.com/3445lqb.jpg

Here's a close up of the new door.
http://i47.tinypic.com/vqrzug.jpg

There was a sea of blue on the backside of the smoothed hood. I thought about painting the stinger stripe on the backside, but then decided on the custom corvette flag. I think it broke up the blue a little without being too over the top.
http://i47.tinypic.com/wi3od3.jpg

[kp.touring]

See you Sat at GG.

[muscle69]

Very Nice! The engine looks great!

[waynieZ]

Nice idea. It looks great.

[kyle_newman]

be sure to stop by the autocross as well, i will be there with our 55 chevy, come take a ride!

[pw2006]

Thanks for the ride Kyle, that was a blast! I hope you make it home in time. :cheers:

[EBMC]

I saw the car on Friday and its very nice! Nothing beats a classic Vette with all the modern technology. Robs gonna have a blast with it!:)

[kp.touring]

Rob,
Glad to meet you this past Sat, looking forward to seeing the car.

Kevin

[firebirddady69]

I just got a boner..lol

[pw2006]

I saw the car on Friday and its very nice! Nothing beats a classic Vette with all the modern technology. Robs gonna have a blast with it!:)

Thanks Steve! Can't wait to see Tenacity!

Rob,
Glad to meet you this past Sat, looking forward to seeing the car.

Kevin

Kevin- it was great meeting you as well, thanks for showing me around your awesome 57! See you at the open house, if not before then for some of those billet links! :lol:

I just got a boner..lol

:rofl:

[bonecrrusher]

We have similar tastes in color and wheels:

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn218/bonecrrusher/Power%20Tour%202012/IMAG2800.jpg

What color blue is on your car exactly?

[pw2006]

Thanks Bonecrusher! The color is Indigo Ink Pearl from Lexus/Toyota (code 8P4). I fell in love with that color combo after seeing this cobra.

http://i55.tinypic.com/ooav7.jpg

[Gandalf]

Awesome car man - looks great! Congrats on getting it home and together. Now enjoy it. Love the color too - after a long list of blues and blacks - the Lexus Indigo ended up only second to the color I went with and only because I decided more black than blue. Seen the Indigo on a '69 vert Camaro - looks stunning.

Again - congrats on the awesome car. Hope to see it in person one day soon.
G.

[TorqDork]

Fabulous Car!!!

I've always wanted to build an early Stingray like that!

Kudos!

[pw2006]

Awesome car man - looks great! Congrats on getting it home and together. Now enjoy it. Love the color too - after a long list of blues and blacks - the Lexus Indigo ended up only second to the color I went with and only because I decided more black than blue. Seen the Indigo on a '69 vert Camaro - looks stunning.

Again - congrats on the awesome car. Hope to see it in person one day soon.
G.

Thanks Gandalf! If you are ever in the Bay Area, let me know. I plan on bringing it to Campbell Auto Restorations open house. Once I get all the kinks worked out, I'll start taking it out to some events.

Fabulous Car!!!

I've always wanted to build an early Stingray like that!

Kudos!

Thank you! :cheers:

[Cread01]

beautiful car. that's always been my favorite body style of vette.

[Flash68]

Rob, it was great meeting you and seeing this car at the CAR open house. You did a fantastic job on the build. Well done and see ya soon hopefully! :thumbsup:

[67rstbkt]

WOW, your car looks great!! Any more details on the brake setup? What booster/master cylinder are you using?

Thanks

[pw2006]

Rob, it was great meeting you and seeing this car at the CAR open house. You did a fantastic job on the build. Well done and see ya soon hopefully! :thumbsup:

It was great meeting you as well, and thanks for the kind comments on the car. That was a cool open house CAR put on. Although, my car sounded really tame after they fired up the Orange Camaro and the PJ Mustang. How cool was that! :cheers:

[pw2006]

WOW, your car looks great!! Any more details on the brake setup? What booster/master cylinder are you using?

Thanks

Thanks, I appreciate the comments. The brakes are a C5 kit from Vette Brakes and Products, the master is from a C4 and I don't recall the specs on the booster. :cheers:

[pw2006]

Here's a few pics I took today on Highway 9. Lot's of people waving and a nice guy in a C5 pulled in to chat while I was taking pics.


http://i47.tinypic.com/1pbceq.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/ndr0pw.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/s2bm7b.jpg


I also learned a few things about the car: 1) the new clutch ratio, rear gears (3.73s) and free action link kit make it a blast to drive through the hills. Note to self- need to practice downshifting smoothly into downhill hairpin turns 2) 2013 Supercharged Mustangs want to race it 3) it drives super smooth in 5th gear at 3,500 rpms. :excited:

[EBMC]

Looks great Rob. Sounds like a fun day, Love hwy 9!

[cam67]

:cheering:

[almcbri]

very nice!