Beggers

Exciting weekend; although I really wasn't looking for another car or project, I found a nice car, not advertised, through a friend this past weekend and bought it yesterday. This 58 build was completed in 2010 and only has 700 miles since then. It has a SR III tube chassis that has been powder coated on a rebuilt C4 suspension.
The engine and trans combination is a Corvette 92 LT1, with a 6 speed.
The body is flawless and straight, the chrome and stainless is all either new or rechromed. The car runs and drives very nicely with power to spare.
I am just about done with my 56 restomod build so I really wasn't looking but I could not pass this one up. My plans for it will solidify over the summer as I think about it and enjoy the 56, but considerations for it include updating the engine to a LS3, upgrading the interior a bit with modern seats and insulation, wheels and a few other improvements.
After building the 56, I couldn't pass this up for the money and I am excited to share this here with my friends here at the forum. Brian

AZDoug

I like it, nobody messed with the body. if they left the original gauges intact, so much the better. i don't care for that Dakota Digital stuff, it just doesn't go with the '50's gauge cluster.

Doug

Beggers

Thanks Doug, funny that you called it on the gauges, I am also not a fan but that's what the car came with. Its on my list of potential changes. I love the old retro gauges that Classic makes for electronic replacements. Brian

gscott

Brian, nice looking ride , sounds like you can't stand clean hands so you need another project .

Frankie the Fink

Dakota Digital offers a new analog-looking gauge set that is quite nice and more in line with the traditional look. But, I have to say - that is a whole lotta blue!
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd806.htm

Beggers

Thanks for weighing in Frankie, I have to agree the new Dakota analog look is much better than this:


At first I didn't like the blue either but I have to admit its growing on me. It really does look great out in the sun, it is actually a 61 corvette jewel blue, I haven't seen many this color as its a one year option color and only 855 were painted with it. She is bluer than blue! Brian

AZDoug

I ain't sold on that either.

But, to each their own.

If I was doing this, i would ahve teh gauges converted to electric by a gauge smith, so they all looked as original. Somebody makes a mech drive gizmo to drive a mech speedo/odo from a electronic trans signal.

I had the gauges on my '37 Ford pickup restored to look exactly as original, but they are all electric.

It wasn't cheap, though

wmf62

unfortunately the analog Dakotas aren't cheap either.... if they were $500 less i might SERIOUSLY consider them
Bill

firstgear

I could like the color but not a fan of the wheels...they would have to go. Also if you were going to change the Gage's consider changing out the dash pod so you can put in a tilt wheel.

In memory of Ron Champe, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Paul Atkins Interior Dash Pod for C1. http://dashworksbypaulatkins.com/Corvette_Parts.html

Marks Hotrod Garage

Brian,

The C1 looks great.....congratulations. I get a pretty good discount from Dakota Digital. If you decide to go with them let me know and I will help you out. I love the new Dakota Digital VHX guages.


Mark

OldKarz

Nice car!

Frankie the Fink

Nobody should pay the web site price for the gauges; even so I wouldn't let $500 separate me from a desireable upgrade on a car that might go in to the 6-digit range if done properly.

False economy. As to the 'look' - well that is individual taste of course. I've seen the VHX gauges in a couple of cars and like them a bunch.

Yeah - not a fan of the wheels. I like the ones Mike Coletta uses a whole lot more. I don't have any pictures and don't know the vendor unfortunately...

Beggers

Thanks for the feed back guys,
First gear, I like that Paul Atkins web site, I have not seen that before, the console looks very nice, as well as the dash pod. Did you use that in yours with tilt?
I like the Daytona style carpet over this style so my thoughts are to pull this out and lay down the Dynamat to quiet this baby down and replace the seats with the wise guys lowered style, change out the gauge pack and maybe add that console form Atkins.


Mark, thanks for the offer on the gauges, I may be calling you. I haven't seen an update on your 58 lately, I hope its coming along well.

Frankie, yes I agree. both would be a good investment in the long term for this car.

Brian.

AZDoug

That looks decent, it looks designed that way, rather than stuffing a single round gauge in a semi circular opening, that looks too, uh, well, half-assed. IMO.


To the OP: The changes you want to make are easy and relatively inexpensive, someone else already did the heavy lifting on your car.

I too, would change the wheels, but again, wheels are easy to swap, and personal pref.

Bill, here are before and after gauge pics, though they weren't concentrated on the gauges.

The gauge guy had to laser cut new faces and get them silk screened, all the gauges used guts from Autometer gauges with the original gauge needles, except the alcohol thermometer (bottom of the multi gauge) was replaced by a dial gauge.

Chromed the outer bezel,and polish the lenses. About $1600... Somebody in Tennessee said he could do it for about $1000, but his backlog was 6-8 months.

Doug

Loren Smith

Flaming River lists a new tilt steering column for 53-62 Corvettes to replace the stock steering column. I'd be curious to see how it fits:

http://www.flamingriver.com/index.ph...rvette/FR21021

wmf62

interesting.... but i don't see how it will fit with "extra room" without cutting the tach pod pad off the cluster.

theirs and my non-tilt column
Bill

Beggers

Thanks Loren, Wow that is new, our C1 crowd has been wanting this product for some time. I am interested in the measurement's of the distance from the base of the bell to the face of the column. Thanks for sharing, Brian

Loren Smith

The link says it is 5-1/2" from the bottom of the dish to the top of the column's shroud. Then add another 2" for the steering wheel adaptor. I'm guessing Bill has the Ididit column, because it sticks out an inch from the tach. Even if the Flaming River column gives you that inch back, you are still looking at tilt section width I'm guessing is 3". So assume you will lose 2-3" of belly room. But the link says you will gain 2" of clearance in the driver's seat, which would be huge, especially as you are trying to rip through the gears.

wmf62

yes, i have the ididit column and could have pushed it closer to the cluster, but belly room wasn't what i was trying to fix, it was leg clearance AND i used a 15" wheel (and PS) for that.
Bill

Brucebodyman

I bought a couple of these columns for a couple of builds I'm doing. When they got here they were to short. Barely made it to firewall. I sent them back and had them make them longer. It's been a while not sure how long they ended up. I shaved the tach housing off and raised column into it and that also allowed me to move it forward. I'm 6'3 and I'm very comfortable in car.