Project - Ashes to ...?

[groovyjay]

My project started whopping 10 years ago driving home from a cruise night.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKF9.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

I'll try to document the whole project from ashes to ...? on this topic, it's been a long journey, a real battle if you will, but it's finally almost finished so I decided to make a topic about the build. Helps me remember all the stuff that's been done to it.

Later.

Jay

[Rick D]

Ouch!!!

[jr2226]

Man that sucks. Sorry for your loss

[groovyjay]

Ok, let's continue with the story. So, due to a bad fuel line the car caught fire and it burned down to the ground. After the FD left the scene the sight wasn't very uplifting....

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKPp.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

[Sieg]

This will be interesting as my car was within seconds of looking like yours due to a fuel line failure. I was very fortunate thanks to passer-by's willing and prepared to assist.

Glad to see you're making a comeback! :thumbsup:

[waynieZ]

That brakes my heart!

[WSSix]

I can't think of a car more deserving of the name Phoenix.

[kmdracer]

I can't even tell what kind of car it is. Holy batman!

[groovyjay]

I returned to the sad scene the following morning. A pile of ashes was there to remind you about what had happened the night before.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKrY.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

While I was standing there by the highway I had time to think about what I was going to do next. Of course there was insurance company involved, so I had to wait to their settlement before I could make any final decisions.

So, what car is/was it? It is a 1963 Corvette roadster that I'd bought just few months prior to the fire. It is a car that I remember really well from the mid 90's, because the guy who had it, lived next door to us and fully customized (made it a lot uglier :) ) back then and installed a then-new LT1 and automatic transmission, did a full frame off resto on it.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKry.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Even though it was ugly as hell, I thought it had the right bones to start with, rust free frame and birdcage, EFI, AC etc... I had a plan to turn it into a restomod back in 2004. I bought new set of bumpers for it along with the original headlights etc. So the plan was to keep the LT1, maybe spice it up a little and turn the exterior back to more stock looking, make it handle better with new suspension, brakes and steering. But the fire changed the plans some what...

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKrl.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

After we got to agreement with the insurance company I decided to go ahead and start it all over again. So all the previous plans went out the window, along with the badly damaged LT1. :headspin:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKrT.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

The interior had been restored by the previous owner, not much was left of the Autometer gauges or the newly done seats.
:D

[Rick D]

You are a brave man to take on redoing that!! So how long ago did the fire happen?

[groovyjay]

You are a brave man to take on redoing that!! So how long ago did the fire happen?

It happened 10 years ago... This has been a real struggle to get done. I've done few other cars during this time. I've lost motivation more times that I could count. :lostmarbles: But like I said in the first post, I'm finally getting there, spirit is high again. :knock:

[groovyjay]

So, after I got the car back in the shop I had to remove the body, or what was left of it, off the frame so I could start the rebuild.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKqI.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Since there was not much to lift of the frame, I used my engine picker to remove the bbq'd body.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKqG.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Just looking back, I can't believe what a mess my shop was back then... :hapdance:

[GregWeld]

That brakes my heart!



Yeah my heart almost STOPPED too!


LOL

[Code510]

Kudos to you for restoring it back. I wouldn't have done that! Looks like way too much work.

[groovyjay]

Back in 04 I was lucky to have two of my good friends with Mid Year Vettes doing frame offs on their cars at the same time as I was so we teamed up and did a lot of work together. Everything seemed to go smooth and fast back then... Boy was I wrong. :smiley_smack:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YKbv.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

That's my frame under the pile and that's my birdcage on top. :)

[groovyjay]

After getting the frame and birdcage checked for trueness I had them blasted so I could start working on them.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK6D.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

The birdcage and frame turned out to be 100% rust free, so pretty good starting point.

Just welding the birdcage properly made it a lot more rigid than stock, but I want to get rid of that flimsy z-cross bar. Here's how I fabricated a new one.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK60.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK6t.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK6x.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK6v.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK6o.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Pedal mount.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK6U.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Welded in place. Nice thing about this project is I finally got to learn to weld, I'm still learning, so forgive me the beads. :bigun2:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK6m.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Cross bar done. :headspin:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YK69.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Another first for me was the use of paint gun, here's my birdcage painted with epoxy. :hairpullout:

[groovyjay]

After getting the birdcage done it was time to tackle the frame. All the stock spot welds were taken down and new welds went on all around. Tons of gussets were added to the critical places such as A-arm and engine mounts, crossbar, frame rails etc. Should be a lot more rigid now.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7aV.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7aU.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

One real modification I did was the Guldstrand 5-link rear suspension. This required the trailing arm pockets to be widened to accept the upper trailing arms.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7aX.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Stock trailing arm pocket looked like this. You can also see that the shock mounts will be relocated to inboard to get the clearance for coil overs.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7aD.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

First test fitting to see how much room the Guldstand set up would require.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7at.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

The lower trailing arms needed new mounting tabs, so I decided to make a new backing plate for the mounts.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7ax.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Tabs spot welded in.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7az.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Here you can see the lines showing how much I needed to cut out...

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7ad.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7a4.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

No turning back now.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7aL.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Patching up that nasty hole. Here you can see how much wider the trailing arm pockets need to be.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7aE.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7ac.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7a7.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

And finally all smoothed out. Now there's enough room for suspension travel.

Thanks for looking.

[groovyjay]

So the Guldstrand 5-link was now fitted and seemed to work. This should really help to correct the original GM design flaws. With the coil overs it will be very adjustable.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7tc.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

So it was time to start working on badly burned body. Only thing worth saving was the tail section, but I wasn't going for the NCRS standards so I decided to take it off and turn it into something more comfortable.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7tK.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7t7.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7tR.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7tN.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7t5.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Anybody want to guess what's it going to be?

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7xa.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Installed original bumpers and tail lights.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7xl.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Made a frame for it, had to convert it to a solid axle. Well you got to give up some performance for the looks...

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7xA.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7xO.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Getting the leather upholstery ready.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7xj.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Bodywork.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7xB.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7x8.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Test fitting everything before paint.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7xT.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Now it sits in my garage, it's nice unit to sit on and houses 2 6-packs under the seat and has cup holders...

[U-turn]

That's sweet!

[69x22]

Man talk about bringing back the dead. I'm anxious to see more updates.

[groovyjay]

After the frame and birdcage were done it was time to start working on the body panels.
http://kuvaton.com/k/Y74Y.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

I got these 2 big boxes to start with, just like a 1:24 scale model cars, it needed to be glued together somehow.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y74y.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

So after the fire I wasn't too keen on restoring the car to original style, so I decided to build a Grand Sport roadster out of it.

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y7w5.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/Y74a.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

It all starts with floor pan and then the firewall that comes in two separate piece.

More to come...:hello:

[Wissing72]

What a project! The G/S will be awesome. Glad you have turned the misfortune into a positive.

[WSSix]

GS roadsters are cool! I'm going to enjoy watching this come together. Good luck!

[groovyjay]

There are few companies that make GS replica bodies but only one which allows you to use stock style frame and bird cage. The local rules and regulations over this side of the pond say that I can't use an aftermarket tubular frame on a street car, so I was stuck using my stock frame and working with it.

So my body came from MAI = Mid America Industries and their body attaches to the stock bird cage just like stock. I've seen few GS replicas build by some other companies and they don't have any inner body support structure and I can tell you some of them have been pretty flimsy just standing still, I can't believe how they will shake rattle and roll at high speed...

Getting the body from MAI was a 2-year battle, because GM was trying to shut down all the GS replica makers at the time. Luckily I finally got mine. Here' are early mock up shots.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YROk.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YROG.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Even though these body panels are press molded and should fit a stock C2 bird cage relatively easy, it was a far cry, none of the panels fit right of way. Every single panel and piece needed work, some more than others. But just seeing that thing shape up gave me a new boost of hope. :weld:

Thanks for looking.:popcorn2:

[GregWeld]

Where's "this side of the pond"???



I love mid year 'Vettes....


Even if you had a factory GM panel -- it wouldn't fit either... they never do.



What's your color scheme?? Blue/white typical GS??

[andreb]

Awesome build! And I love the couch. Tell us more. :popcorn2:

[uxojerry]

Your a brave man to tackle such a challenging project. The Guldstrand 5 link looks very interesting. What are your plans for power?

[groovyjay]

Where's "this side of the pond"???

East side (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland) ;)

I love mid year 'Vettes.... l


Even if you had a factory GM panel -- it wouldn't fit either... they never do.



What's your color scheme?? Blue/white typical GS??

Yeah the fit of stock panels is sometimes piss poor, but this kit was even bigger hurdle. MAI makes their panels 1/3 thickness of the original panels, so they are not as sturdy as stock but they are a lot lighter. :)

[groovyjay]

Your a brave man to tackle such a challenging project. The Guldstrand 5 link looks very interesting. What are your plans for power?

I've got the new hot cam LS3 with upgraded T56 in the car, more about the installation later. :computer:

[WSSix]

Holy crap! I didn't know you were in Finland. That makes the build so much cooler do to the logistics of it all.

[groovyjay]

Some more body work pictures. The crucial part about this kind of build is to get all the measurements to be 100% correct, so you don't end up with having few inches longer door on the other side or one corner high up in the air.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRDZ.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRDL.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

When the major body panels were glued on, it was time to start working on the doors. My original doors went up in flames and it was quite a task to get new doors. From where I bought the body kit I also got the outer door panels, which had separate top part for some reason. I couldn't find the door bodies anywhere other than Mongoose, who also manufactures GS replicas. I took the chance and ordered their door bodies and hoped that they would work.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRDF.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

After some massaging I was able to get the new door body to work. I used stock locking mechanisms, just left the locks and inside opening mechanisms out. I have no side windows, so I can just grab the outside handle for exit.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRDr.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

The front end was sticking out way too much, so more cutting was needed. Like everything else in this kind of build everything needs to be custom made... :headspin:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRDq.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRDb.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

After a lot of work the contour on the outer panel was mimicking the inner panel. YOu can see some of the cuts under there, a lot of work, dusty work. :disgusted:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRDE.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Getting there, slowly but surely.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRDe.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRD6.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

I wanted to keep the firewall as smooth as possible. Due to the low windscreen I won't be needing wipers and there for no wiper motor, I decided to use that space to house the ECU.

Thanks for tuning in, will update this shortly.

[groovyjay]

Getting the doors to fit was a real pain in the butt, but also one of the most rewarding.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRLI.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Early mock ups.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRLk.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Everything prepped for some resin and fiberclass.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRLG.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Working with this stuff isn't always so tidy. :lol:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRLu.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Good way to get the gaps just right is to bond the door panel to the body and the make the gaps just the way you like them.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRL2.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRLS.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Getting there... :shakehead: :rolleyes:

[groovyjay]

The original Grand Sports had a trunk with no floor, but a spare tire carrier for the endurance races, which required a spare tire.

I'm not planning on using a spare, but I was planning on using all the spare room to make a usable trunk for this car. I think I managed to get pretty decent size space for some traveling essentials i.e. tooth brush and wallet. :thumbsup:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRLi.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

The body kit came with some sort of pieces for this, but I only ended up using the bit which directs the air out from the rear air holes (that didn't sound right... ;) )

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRLg.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

The whole transmission tunnel was raised and widened for a T56 first and then I made this slot for the handbrake handle to live in.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YRLX.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/):cheers:

[groovyjay]

Finally after all the dusty fiberglass work was done it was time to finally start the assembly. I blasted the frame again and had it powdercoated along with all the suspension stuff. I've done always black frames in my builds, but this time I wanted to do something different.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNy0.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

This is always the fun part, when you have a nice clean frame and tons of new parts that need to go on it. These cars are so simple to put together that you can get a lot done in a day.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNyt.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Front end stuff going in. JMRP tubular A-arms, Home made rack n pinion, custom ordered sway bars and QA1 coil overs, I ended up using only the bare shells of the shock as everything inside was custom made to work better in this car. The guy who does all my shocks is responsible for a lot WRC cars shocks, so if they can jump 100ft in those cars and come down and keep pounding on through the stages, the shocks really need to work well. I plan to keep this car on the ground but still it has made a huge difference in my previous builds, just to tune the shocks.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNyx.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

T56 required the cross member to be modified.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNyC.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Custom made gas tank, it was also relocated from the rear of the car to the center to get even better balance. Capacity is also almost doubled compared to stock tank.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNyU.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

More about the assembly later... :walkingdog:

[Payton King]

Can't wait to see this one come together

[aggie91]

Wow, that's dedication to that car. I like the couch too!

[fleetus macmullitz]

Wow, that's dedication to that car.

X2...you might be more fanatical than some of those F-body owners that start with those roach coaches we see on here. :wow: :D

With this mid '60 Vette Jay...no problem bein' Groovy. ;)

[groovyjay]

Thanks fellas for the :thumbsup:

As seen above, the rear suspension is based on Dick Guldstrand/Bob Riley 5-link set up, which is a vast improvement over the stock trailing arm set up. I have also a custom 6 link in development for this, so I can substitute the half shafts as upper trailing arms. But first I want to drive it with the 5-link only.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNI0.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://www.guldstrand.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=138

Custom ordered sway bar and custom tailored rear coil overs should also play a role in the cars handling.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNIt.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Mid Year vettes have a removable rear exhaust panel, so when you want to remove the body off the frame, you just unbolt that piece and you can lift the body straight up. With the GS's that part is molded into the body and they had shorter tubular frames, so that wasn't a problem. But since I'm using stock frame and fixed rear panel I had to cut my frame and make a removable section for future body offs :) .

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNIx.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Rear suspension not done at this point, but you'll get the picture.
:cheers:

[Rick D]

Nice!!! Can't wait see the end of this.

[groovyjay]

Couple of you asked for more pics of the couch.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNki.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNkg.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

So that's the only part of the body that survived the fire... :cool:

[groovyjay]

Few shots showing the rolling chassis. Wheels are just temporary at this point.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN3w.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN3F.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN3P.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN3r.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN3q.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

[groovyjay]

After the chassis was all done, it was time to wrap it up and drop the body back on for some final body work before paint.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNvK.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNv7.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNvR.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Here you can see the rear section of the frame removed for the body drop.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNvN.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNv5.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

It's finally back on!:sieg:

[groovyjay]

How is this for awful stance. :confused18:

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNCB.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)
:confused18:

No transmission or engine in the car at this point. Test fitting the seats, I went with Sparco F550's. I was only able to find one, since they discontinued making them 2 years ago. So I found one F550 and one F500, which is a sister model (same frame) and had it upholstered to look the part.

[luismag7]

Wow its really coming together. Can't wait to see more

[groovyjay]

Early stages in the body shop.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNzN.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNz5.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNsa.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)
:stirthepot:

[ChuckDriver]

Nice!

[groovyjay]

Engine bay was the first to get a fresh coat of paint.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN4K.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN47.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

After that we lifted the body and installed the engine and transmission.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN4R.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YN4N.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

And then we dropped the body back on.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNZa.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNZY.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

To be continued...

[groovyjay]

Straight from the paint job. Sunoco Blue, this is the original 1966 sebring colour.

http://kuvaton.com/k/ya2P.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

[GregWeld]

WOW.... Huge project but it's really looking fantastic!


Love the color choice!

[WSSix]

Fantastic! Congrats on getting it in one color. Are you planning the stickers and stripes etc too?

[groovyjay]

There'll be some decals on the car, no stripe. :)

After getting the car back from the paint shop, I wanted to try out the new wheels and tires.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yagn.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

These are true knock off's just like they had back in the day. So a knock off adaptor hub bolts in first.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yagU.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Wheels are made by PSE and they replicate the original Grand Sport style Halibrand wheels. Fronts are 9.5"x17" with 285 wide tires and rears are 11"x17" with 315 wide tires. Getting a wide wheel and tire is always a problem on stock bodied C2 vettes, but with the GS U-haul trailer flares I'm able to run some decent size meat.

[andreb]

The wheels look awesome. I love that you went with the true knock off style.

[groovyjay]

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyQo.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyQL.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyQF.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Getting all the bits and pieces bolted on slowly but surely.

[GregWeld]

Punch it! I know the road!


Looking pretty good.

[groovyjay]

LSX's are known to loose a lot of power from hot air and I wonder why so many running them are choosing to put the air intake/filter usually between the radiator and the engine where it will only suck hot air and therefore loose power. Maybe people with all the retrofitted LSX motors are just taking them to shows and such and not really finding out their performance limits.

I always push my cars hard, so I wanted to make sure that cool air is available at all times.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyV1.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyVn.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Here's an early mock up. Very tricky to get it all lined up, so it will fit in side the hood bulge yet not touch anything and clear the hood structure when opening and closing the hood...

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyVD.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

I opted to do the sidepipes out of 3.5" tube, I was first going with 4" but then decided against it after few mock ups. I'm sure these will be big enough for the LS3... Home made mufflers inside of course. Sound clips to follow.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyVf.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyV3.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Both the intake and the sidepipes will be coated to match the rest of the cars theme.

[raustinss]

Where did you get the braided black and blue hoses that are in the left of the engine bay...overflow
hoses?

QUOTE=groovyjay;535582]http://kuvaton.com/k/yyQo.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyQL.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyQF.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Getting all the bits and pieces bolted on slowly but surely.[/QUOTE]

[groovyjay]

It's Goodridge. I used it on my coolant lines and fuel lines. It's very light weight and won't chew the paint of like the stainless braided hoses do if they lean against something.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyVx.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

[Bowtieracing]

LSX's are known to loose a lot of power from hot air and I wonder why so many running them are choosing to put the air intake/filter usually between the radiator and the engine where it will only suck hot air and therefore loose power. Maybe people with all the retrofitted LSX motors are just taking them to shows and such and not really finding out their performance limits.

I always push my cars hard, so I wanted to make sure that cool air is available at all times.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyV1.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yyVn.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Here's an early mock up. Very tricky to get it all lined up, so it will fit in side the hood bulge yet not touch anything and clear the hood structure when opening and closing the hood...
.

That is clever!! Totally something new for a while, and looks really nice!!

And dig the huge an fitting on coolant hoses as well.

[groovyjay]

That is clever!! Totally something new for a while, and looks really nice!!

And dig the huge an fitting on coolant hoses as well.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yywL.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Thanks. I used -20AN for the radiator lines and -10AN for the heater lines.

[Jay Hilliard]

It is turning out great. You have made a lot of progress. LS3 looks at home.

[groovyjay]

I'm pretty sure I updated this space couple of weeks ago and got few replies that have vanished along with my update? Was I only dreaming?

http://kuvaton.com/k/yAKc.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Car turned out even better than I ever dreamed of. It's a race car for the street, power to weight ratio is pretty good with 500hp and 930kg (2050lb). Windshield is so low that it only just prevents the bugs hitting your teeth, you really are exposed to the elements in this car. I still need to play with the rear suspension a little, I'm sure I can get it dialed even better. Ride, handling, steering, braking is spot on. 6-speed was the right call for this project along with the lsx power plant. I'm having the car professionally photographed for an UK based car mag and hoping to get some decent shots to share with you guys soon.

[Payton King]

Cannot wait to see the pictures! Love this car!

[groovyjay]

What would you first do when you finish a 10yr long project?

You might say that the sensible thing would be a cautious first run around the block, just to see that everything works. Stay within 200 yards from the shop, don't even think about getting on the freeway on the first time you get it running. Check for leaks, check this and that and then double check everything again and again.

This might make sense to many, but this is not such a case.

How's this for a sensible scenario; You've been working on an old Corvette project for 10 years, it's been a real struggle to get it finished a real nightmare project to say the least. The whole project started when the car caught fire and burned down to the ground. This should have been a clear indication that this particular Corvette should be left alone, buried under ground and never to be restored again. But I just thought that it would be a nice little project. The car will be featured in one of the big Corvette mags soon, so I'm saving the car introduction for that but this is more about my 1st test drive.

So, I had the car first running around 2am one night some time ago and had to be back at work at 5am, so I was just happy to get the car running. I HAD to get the car running since I was about to do its first test drive right after I got back to the shop from work. I got back to the shop around noon and found out I had a small brake issue, so I had to take care of that. Well that took couple of hours to put everything back together and bleed the brakes again.

It might be a good idea at this point to mention that I had booked a ferry ride from Finland to Sweden along with 10 other Club members months prior to this. I was so confident that the car would be finished way before this trip would take place, but boy was I wrong. Whole idea was to go to Sweden to their clubs 40th anniversary party and do a road trip through Sweden and Denmark while we were at it.

So, back to the first day. Car was still on the lift around 2pm and the ferry would leave at 5pm and we had to be onboard 1hr before. I hadn't had any time to pack for this trip, so I had to go do that and this left me no time to do a test drive. My co-pilot for this trip was flipping out since he was expecting me to be there picking him up around 2pm and we could easily cruise to the ferry way ahead of schedule. So I quickly packed for a 9 day trip, didn't have time even for a quick shower. After I got back to the shop it was 3.30pm and all the other vettes going on this trip had gathered in front of my shop and they were all waiting to go in a hurry so we wouldn't miss our boat.

So I told them to leave before me because I still had to make a de-tour to pick up my co-pilot, who was getting very nervous at this point. :D So, I fired the car up and it seemed to run just fine. First time pressing the clutch, feeling out if it would engage and release, worked fine. Lights on, they all seemed to work. Slowly rolled out of the shop and pressed the brakes, car stopped! So now it looked like I had a car that would go and stop and in my book that is pretty much all you need to get around, right? :lol:

So I went for it, I was running against the clock at this point. No room for any faults or errors if I dreamed on getting on that boat on time.

My co-pilot lives 15 minute drive away from me and from there it was another 30minutes drive, so I was still confident. The sun was out, so that has to be a good sign. While driving to pick up my friend I was going through all the stuff on my check list I forgot to do. :lol: One thing was spare parts and tools, yup left those in the shop. Did I even check the oil... pretty sure I did or not... :crazy2:

My friend was already waiting by the side of the road and made a Miami Vice style jump in the car with all his stuff he'd packed. Talk about getting crowded in an old Vette. We nailed it and the car still seemed to make all the right noises and do the right things so I was still feeling pretty good. At this point I might add that I hadn't slept for 3 days, because I had been trying to get the car up and running for this journey. So, we made it to the docks only to hear that everyone in our group had given up on us making it on time. But they seemed to be just as happy as we were when we arrived.

And now after this 45minute test drive I was confident enough to get onboard the boat and head to the unknown, in another country all together.

And here's how the story of our road trip unfolded.

Here's our planned route for this trip, this might give the readers little better understanding on where were are going during the adventure.

http://kuvaton.com/k/YNbp.jpg

I copied the following from another forum:

Hello everybody,

It's always exciting to go on these long trips and this time it was even more exciting for me since I literately finished my Grand Sport 1 hour before we left to Viking Line Ferry!!! This has been a 10 year long project and I did absolutely NO test driving before we left... :mrgreen:

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALI.jpg

That's my car parked along the other vettes on the docks of Helsinki.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALk.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALG.jpg

We had a group of 10 vettes which consisted 6 mid years, 1 C3 and 2 C5's and 1 C6.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AL1.jpg

Here's our group just about to leave Stockholm, the weather was just perfect for driving a roadster. 8)

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALf.jpg

Video

JeesJeesClub on the road !!! - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od8URAakpCM)

On the road again. :arrow:

No real drama on the first day, just easy to cruising from ferry to another ferry. We had booked our first night stay in the Gyllene Uttern and we visited Gränna and Visingsö. Can't say enough how nice that little island is, hot summer night, group of friends enjoying the cruise around the island, good meal and drinks afterwards, doesn't get much better than that.

[groovyjay]

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AL9.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALV.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALd.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALw.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALF.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/ALP.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AL5.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFa.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjKU.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjKz.jpg

So that was DAY 1.

[groovyjay]

DAY 2 started out real nice and sunny but after a healthy breakfast the clouds started gathering and it was getting darker by the minute. Traveling with a car with no roof and not much of windscreen can give you second thoughts about the choice of transportation when the weather gets bad. But that's part of the fun in my opinion. So we got a little wet (soaked :)) on our way to the second night accommodation, which in this case turned out to be one of the highlights of this trip. We got lost only once trying to find our way to the Kronovall vineyard near town of Tomelilla. But it was well worth getting wet on the way there. That place is a paradise. We had booked for wine tasting, 6 course dinner and castle tour. They really took good care of us from the get go. It was a place none of us wanted to leave. But we had to leave the following morning to stay on schedule.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjKo.jpg

Cars parked in front of the castle.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFp.jpg

Afternoon tea was to die for.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFB.jpg

View from my room was spectacular.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFh.jpg

'Glass on Grass. :mrgreen:

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFn.jpg

Sparkling wine tasting in the wine cellar was a nice appetizer.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFJ.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AF2.jpg

Red wine tasting.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFS.jpg

Chef gave us a little pep talk on what to expect on dinner.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFI.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AF3.jpg

Dinner time.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFX.jpg

After hours and hours of shoveling food in our mouths it was time for some sleep.

End of DAY 2

[groovyjay]

3rd day started kind of misty in Kronovall, not sure if it was just the weather or was the 6 course dinner and wine tasting playing a role here as well. :lol: After another hefty breakfast it was time to start the engines and head further down south to Ystad. We sure managed to enjoy the beautiful town of Ystad and the coast line to Trellborg. Nice to see palm trees and having the sun shining it made us feel like we were driving in the French Rivieras.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjRs.jpg

We kept driving south along the coast to the point we couldn't go any further without getting out feet wet. So we decided to stop for some ice cream before leaving to Denmark for the night.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBSK.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AF9.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFV.jpg

So next hurdle was to find our way to Malmö and the little bridge that would take us to Denmark. It quickly became pretty obvious to us that the bridge was not that little... It was huge! The bridge alone made the trip to Denmark worth while.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFo.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AFm.jpg

After surviving the bridge we navigated through Copenhagen and managed to find ourselves a nice hotel along the strandvejen in Skodsborg. This place was an absolute gem. No matter where you looked everything was so picturesque. The bright blue sky on top of the turquoise sea, beautiful beach with drop dead gorgeous houses every where.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjRM.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjR9.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjRm.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjRo.jpg

After checking into the hotel we headed back on the road and drove along the cost up to Helsingör. We went to visit the Kronoborg castle, which is also called the Hamlet castle. Wow, was the first word on everyones mind when we arrived there. Another nice place to visit for those who are thinking about going to Denmark.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yjRd.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBS7.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBSR.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

After the tour in the castle we sat down for a nice dinner in the Helsingör harbor.

Of course this was the night that the Football (soccer) world cup started so we arranged a football studio back at the hotel with some drinks and snacks. Talking about being on a vacation. 8)

So that was the end of DAY3

[groovyjay]

DAY 4

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJI.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Noah's Ark in Helsingör might have been a sign of a great flood to come. :lol:

This was one of the most long awaited days of this trip because we would start from Denmark, take a ferry over to Helsingborg, Sweden before heading to Ängelnholm to the Hypercar factory tour at Koenigsegg and heading to Tanum Strand for the night, So a lot was on our plate for the day, not just on our breakfast plates. Sun was out again when we started our cars in Skodsborg, but the sky suddenly started to get dark, really dark on the ferry to Sweden.

As soon as we hit the docks of Helsingborg it started drizzling down, a little drizzle never hurt no one. :wink: Of course it was still early in the morning when we arrived back to Sweden and it was the morning rush hour. And of course it was there and then the rain started pouring. I do mean POURING. After few seconds we were thoroughly soaked from head to toe and we were still stuck in traffic. At this point our car had turned into a bathtub, too bad we forgot the bath bubbles and the rubber duck. It kept raining really heavy all through the traffic but the skies cleared as soon as we got out of town... :roll:

We made a quick pit stop at a gas station before we headed back on the road and headed to Ängelholm. No better way to dry your clothes than driving a roadster on a freeway under the hot sun. When we arrived at the Koenigsegg facility we were greeted by few fellow club members who had made their way to Ängelholm just to see the supercar factory.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/APY.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBAY.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/APQ.jpg

Our tour guide was Mrs. Koenigsegg, her husband was in Malaysia opening a new dealership so we had to settle for the Mrs. :wink:
The tour gave us a step by step insight on how these magnificent cars are build, or handcrafted I should say. Each car truly is an individual masterpiece. The most impressive car currently on their fleet is the new 1:1 which means 1380Kg weight and 1380hp power. There was one being built for a certain hotel heir, all black carbon with pink stripes might give you a clue of who we are talking about. :lol:

We agreed not to take any pics during the factory tour, but we were allowed to take some in the showroom.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBl5.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBAy.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJG.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Very impressive tour ended with champagne and some appetizers before getting back in our cars and heading north to the Corvette Club Sweden's Summer Meet.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/APe.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/Arm.jpg

Sun just kept getting hotter by the hour and when we arrived to the Corvette Meet it felt like the skin on my face was 2 sizes too small for it. That's the price you have to pay I guess, but who's complaining. Making it to Grebbestad was one of the highlights of this trip. Some of our group members had been attending the Swedish Corvette meet in the past and we knew what to expect, but still it was like a hammer in the head how well everything was organized. It all worked like a well oiled machine even with around 1000 participants. The Swedish Corvette club celebrated their 40th anniversary and they really did it with style. The location, the weather, the cars and the people couldn't have been any better.

We were almost ashamed to park our dirty cars next to the shiny Corvettes of the Swedes but still they didn't seem to mind and we got to talk the universal Corvette language with the Swedes all through the weekend and that's the best part of this hobby. No matter where you are in the world, you'll still find a common language when Corvettes are involved. :lol:

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBAQ.jpg

This reminded me of the 56 I build few years ago, one of the many beautiful cars we came across during the weekend.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBAB.jpg

C7's were also present. One of the best things about Corvette is the long and rich history. So much has happened between C1-7.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBA8.jpg

As much as I like all 7 generations the Mid Years still, to me, represents the best car design ever to leave Detroit or anywhere else for that matter. My current project is a 1963 fuelie Split Window and getting up and close with a fully restored example really made my weekend.

Night ended with nice dinner and music late into the night. 8)

End of DAY 4

[groovyjay]

DAY 5

The morning in Tanum Strand started just as sunny as most of the days on our trip. After yet another all-out-breakfast we headed back on the road and did one of those rallies where you drive around the beautiful scenery and you'll need to stop at certain check points for a pop quiz or driving skill test. Great fun, even though the questions made no sense to us. :lol: It was nice to cruise around and see how nice the West coast of Sweden really is.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AP8.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/APT.jpg

After getting the back to Tanum Strand everyone parked their cars in lines organized for each generation. Almost 400 vettes in a nice setting is always good fun in my book. It took the rest of the day just to trying to see each car and having juicy burgers for lunch kept the hunger away until the awards Gala.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/APS.jpg

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJS.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/API.jpg

Awards dinner was just as awesome as everything the CCS does, food was brilliant, drinks were cold, atmosphere hot and the company to share all this with was just perfect. Live music and dancing into the wee-wee hours made sure Mr.Sandman came knocking as soon as we got back to our cabins.

End of DAY 5

[groovyjay]

DAY 6

Sunday morning started with the usual, monster-of-a-breakfast, sun shine and Corvettes. We were not in a rush to get out of Grebbestad, so we took time to pack the cars and line out to leave our fellow Swedes. We waved for goodbye and headed to our next stop, which would be in Örebro. Before getting there we filled our cars at a local gas station. I think the owner was having a field day, they also gave us premium on the price of regular and piles of Gulf stickers. :wink:

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/APE.jpg

Since we were not in a hurry, just like we hadn't been once on this trip (this was a vacation, not a race ;)) we stopped here and there where we found something nice. Here we stopped just out Åmal by the lake for icecream.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/AP6.jpg

After checking into our hotel it turned out to be another spectacular view from the hotel window.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBAI.jpg

The Örebro castle was right across the street from our hotel. It was already closed when we got there, but that was alright, since we had planned going there the following morning anyway. For the night we had planned a nice stroll along the river, great food at Paco's and more drinks.

http://kuvaton.com/finnshark/APc.jpg

:wink:

DAY 7

Last morning in Sweden started with a drizzle, but since we weren't in a hurry, we enjoyed our last proper breakfast in Sweden, went to see the castle and after the sun came out it was time to get our cars out and headed to Stockholm.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJH.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJi.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJg.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJX.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

[groovyjay]

Trip from Örebro to Stockholm was another nice blast through nice scenery. Here's pictures of our cars.

http://kuvapilvi.com/k/yBJ1.jpg (http://kuvapilvi.com/k/)

Nice 64 coupe with LS3 and 5-speed along with other mods. Never missed a beat on this trip.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJf.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

There's also more than meets the eye done to this awesome C5 that joined us on this trip.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJ3.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

You have to look hard to find any flaws with this C5 Z.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJn.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Nice and original 63 convertible. No worries even with the old school engine and transmission.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJD.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Dream car for many of us. Real 67 Big Block, now with a 5 speed for these longer journeys.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJ0.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

Another Big Block monster. 1972 with 4-speed and ZL1 stripe.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJt.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

This silver/red 65 coupe was restored couple of years ago and has seen a lot of road since.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJx.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

My other car on this trip was my 65 coupe, LSX+5-speed etc. Friend of mine had to settle for this car since his own car broke down just as we were getting ready to go.

http://kuvaton.com/k/yBJv.jpg (http://kuvaton.com/k/)

And here's me giving thumbs up to all our friends in Sweden for having us at their 40th anniversary party.


End of the trip.

PS: It was nice to come back to Finland and get snowed on!!! Yes it was actually snowing heavily when we got back, and mind you that this is mid June!!!

PPS: We didn't have any real problems with any of our cars during this trip so that's another point why people should drive these cars more often, not sure to local shows but take those long road trips.

PPPS: I'm still smiling on how well my car rode and performed. 10 years is a long time, I managed to finish many other corvette projects during the time, but after this first test drive it sure feels like all the pain and struggle to get it done has been well worth it.

Thanks for reading and keep driving those cars people! :thumbs::cheers:

[Al Moreno]

WOW what a great trip! Those memories will last a life time.

[WSSix]

Looks like a lot of fun. Glad to hear the car performed well and that you guys had a great trip. Thanks for the pictures and write up :thumbsup:

[efs69]

You have some great cars there. It was nice to see such contrasting parts of history together. Thanks for sharing.

[Rick D]

Thanks for sharing your trip! Nice way to take your first drive in fresh car!!:trophy-1302:

[groovyjay]

I just took the car out for some autumn cruising, it was 30degrees, no roof... :D

This has been one car that always delivers when I take it out for a spin or a long trip. Next summer it will be a whole new program again, I guess I need to start a new project topic. :D

http://kuvapilvi.fi/k/yWKK.jpg

[groovyjay]

Looks like all my old photos have vanished, due to my service provider moved to new hands... :(

[Payton King]

That is one stunning picture!

[WSSix]

x2 I really like how the car is front and center and in focus while the back ground is not. Makes for a great photo of a great car.