65VetteVert

I did an intro a few weeks back, thanks to all for the welcomes!


I bought my first Corvette last month, a '65 convertible! This was a stalled project of a friend of mine, who lost his battle with cancer. I hope to finish where he left off. I am semi retired now, with the spare time required. I've built a couple pre war Hot Rods, I think I can handle this.


The car is stripped and ready for paint. Chrome & trim, doors, hood, and deck lid, removed for painting. Mechanically it runs and drives, he added power steering, and rebuilt the brakes and lines.


The car came with a ton of new parts: Carpet, seat covers & foam, door panels, dash pads, visors, and new white top. Under dash and under hood wiring harnesses. New tach, speedo, and gauges. New lights, parking lights, tail lights, and license light. All new emblems and door handles. Stinger hood! Two sets of knock off wheels. I have dug thru his shop several times, only a few minor parts we couldn't find.


I usually spend my internet time on the HAMB, I find myself now here at Corvette Forum more often. I will post updates and pictures as I make progress. I'm looking for a painter.

The first picture is as found, the second is going into my car barn.

ChattanoogaJSB

Excellent! I dig it!

Vet65te

Good luck with the 65. Looking forward to seeing the pics of your progress. I can see the dual Master Cylinder of a PB setup, any other options and what engine/horsepower and color combination did it come with originally?
Mike T - Prescott AZ

66jack

This is going to be a good/cool project for you..

Whats your plan?

Body Off?
Stock/modified?..

morly1963

cool project

Zoomin

What's the plan?

65VetteVert

The plan is to clean it up a little underneath and chassis paint that. Degrease the under hood area and detail it some. I need to rebuild the carb and give it a good tune up. Get it painted red with a black stinger. Install the new black interior, white top and put it all back together.


Then drive the wheels off it!

65VetteVert

I'm not exactly sure what I have here. See the trim tag. Car was red, with black interior, and white top. Since all new replacements came with this car, I will use them! Will keep the stock wheels & spinners.


The engine number plate on the block is blank.?? I don't know why, maybe a replacement, maybe been decked. The casting number on the back of the block is correct for the car. Valve covers say 327/300, but the heads are single pyramid shape on the front, not camel humps. The carb is WCFB. Has a 4 speed. Power brakes std, and power steering he added. This car looks to be mostly original to me.

Tampa Jerry

Looks like a nice "no hit" body. If you have built a few hot rods and are comfortable with big projects, I would consider doing a body off restoration. According to the tach, it appears as if the original engine was a 327/300. Congrats and good luck with whatever you decide to to. Jerry

Vet65te

Maybe it's just the glare off the instrument lenses but that yellow/red line on the tach looks to be a bit lower than a 300/327. If it starts at 5700 then maybe a 350 horse L79? Of course, like so many other things that have been or could have been 'touched', maybe someone added that tach face.
Mike T - Prescott AZ

rene-paul

I think the base engine in 65 was still the 250 HP with the WCFB.... that does not explain the 300 HP valve covers, never know with the deck shaved. Interesting air cleaner. Nice car AND a nice friend. Prayer sent..
Brgds,
Rene

BANG11

It has a L79(350hp) tach, but looks like a L75(300hp) accelerator lever.

Tom Austin

I LOVE that plan!!! . . . especially the last part!!! Best of luck . . . I know I'll be following along!

Tom

65silververt

Nice Project! It's rare to find a project with decent body panels these days! Post what parts you are missing and maybe some of us can help you out! I am about ready to give away half the extra parts that are clogging up my garage

65silververt

I would recommend sanding the rest of the paint and primer off and spraying it with some good epoxy, like southern polyurethanes inc(SPI epoxy) before degreasing the chassis. If that sludge lands on the bare fiberglass and soaks in, you are going to have issues later.

65VetteVert

Thanks for the replies, it really helps!

I would be interested to know what engine this came with, and what is in there now. My friend had it since '98, drove it 5 years, then started restoration. I found the receipt where he bought it from Shaffer Auto in '98, for $17,500. Stacks of parts receipts! This is the engine in it when he bought it. There are no stamped numbers at the front of the block, the rear casting number is 3782870.

The tach is yellow at 5700, red lines at 6000. It looks original, faded like the other gauges.

Do these cars have a build sheet hidden somewhere, or does the VIN tell anything regarding original equipment? What do those numbers on the trim tag (see above) tell us? Any other clues I should look for?

I believe I have found all the parts, except hood latches, male & female. Also the declid center latch and each end latch are no where to be found. I've collected a few catalogs, looks like they repop everything for this car. And I love attending swap meets, will be in Springfield Friday.
Dave

65silververt

That is the correct number for the block. There should also be a build date located on the back side below the ignition shielding brackets, just in front of the bellhousing. No, the trim and VIN tag will not tell anything about the engine, only the build date, plant, and interior color and whether or not it had leather or vinyl.

67 was the first year of the build sheet, which was located on the top of the gas tank.

BANG11

Your in the same boat as myself, but the truth is unless you have some documentation to verify you'll probably never know for sure what hp your car was originally.

65VetteVert

Allright Silververt, you made me look! There is a number on a small pad that was rivetted to the mold, D3 5. What date is this engine?

And what date is on the trim tag (shown above)? Do the two dates coincide that maybe this could be the original engine?
Dave

BANG11

D 3 5 Is April 3 1965. What's the last 5 digits of your VIN?