Hello Kevin, here.
Since I was a kid the 56/57 vette has been one of my dream cars. So I picked up a 56 C1, Basket case, Barn find – Old Racer. I’ve been watching the forum for over a year now. Just taking it all in. i.e. browsing through all the C1-C2 Archives and studding the ones pertinent to my vehicle.

I have many books.
I have many parts.
And also I have many Questions.

I now feel fairly knowledgeable of the 56/57 breed. And that’s probably an Overstatement.

The car I found was a basket case, I’m assuming used as a race car. With many parts missing, However many parts were there. “It was a tough call”.

What’s there?
Complete body, minus the inner fenders. Complete rolling chassis with drive train, (original shocks, springs, sway bar, leaf springs, brake lines & blocks rebound straps muffler hangers and clamps and the radiator and support.)

The drive train:
265 v8 w/ single 4 brl. All the right #’s on the Block, heads, intake, carb, 3 speed trans w/ bell housing, drive shaft and rear end.

Interior and alike:

I have gas tank & cover, steering column & wheel, seats and frames, seat tracks, emergence brake assembly, Broken windshield and full surround, door post, and misc. original gages, speaker grills, cig lighter, convertible top frame, but no mounting brackets was a power top car. No radio, no heater but a heater control valve. No carpet, no shift tunnel and a BIGGER HOLE cut in the lower fire wall almost to accommodate a big block.

So I took it apart.

Sent the motor out to be assessed. Turns out to be 60 over with the pistons rusted to the cylinder walls. So I had it bored to a 283 and put a Duntov cam in it. Should be done any day.

I striped the complete body to bare glass. Also (trunk, deck lid, hood, gas door & cowl vent). Turns out the front end is just junk. What seems like 20 Bubba type repairs to the front end. There was no question but to replace. So I purchased a one piece front end and two inner fenders and radiator core support with misc. bonding strips.

Meanwhile: I hung the body from the beams in my garage. I striped and repaired the underside of the body. i.e. body mounting areas.
Dropped the body back on the chassis, re hung the doors, and began the surgical removal of the existing original front end. Salvaging right & left inner fender coves, inner windshield bow support and other bonding strips.

So this is where I’m at.
Cleaning and polishing all misc. parts, blasting, buffing, cleaning, polishing and preparing chrome for chrome.

My next step, is, the front end glue up --?

Any pertinent information appreciated.

???????????????????????
Doors on or off?
Body mounting kit on or off?
Shimming? Where, when, why?
What cement did they use for bonding? Hard stuff.
Inner fenders on or off?


Will have many more Questions in the future.


Also looking for a Mike Hunt, expert on early C1’s.
Correspondence info, Email address
If you know him or of him feel free to forward this message

Thanks in advance
Kevin

new forum member, first time poster.
new owner of 56 vette, future proud owner of 56 vette

 

Can't be of any help but welcome to the forum!

 

Cool project. Everyone loves a '56

You've got the hard stuff done already.

Post pics when you get a chance.

 

Welcome aboard. Sounds like you're already making good progress. Wes

 

no early c1 guys out there, any in chicagoland area

 

Ok... I am having my '57 restored at present. My builder and I have been working on restoring the fiberglass top and bottom for months now... we use a very correct jig (rotisserie) that totally dups the frame/body mounts... if you really want to know what to do next call this man... he is good. Dick Miller at 913-2850511. Good luck.