livin

Hi Everyone,

It's certainly been a long time since I posted anything. Well, many of you old-school Corvette Forum members may remember me and my first body off resto, and some of you newbies might not have a clue.

.....I started this resto on Nov 1st 2005. I took the body off in March of 06 and stripped the paint with a razor blade, stripped the chassis down to the bare frame, even removed all the seam welds. I had the frame re-seam welded & pulled on a computer jigg to within 1mm of factory spec. I had it powdercoated flat black and have had the entire chassis restored and re-assembled. The body went to an amazing painter who is just finishing up his magic on my car. We dropped the body down on 8/27 and hopefully she will be coming home from the body shop painted and ready for interior, electrical, chrome and re-assembly of all the rest...

A body off restoration is NOT to be taken lightly. Plan on spending many lonely nights, or possibly months or years without your car, and about $50,000-$60,000 or more for restoration purposes. Let's not forget my first year or so of progress reports... I have been in charge of the restoration, took the entire car apart, bagged, tagged and shipped, or carried everything out for restoration, and am 100% involved in the re-assembly. You will spend much, much more if you don't get involved!

I imagine all of this hard work will be worth it at the end. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am sorry I am just posting a link for you to enjoy.... I should be working right now and need to get back to my commercial kitchen... no time to deal with photobucket.

Enjoy watching my 57 Vin 1851's body get re-married to its frame, as they have been divorced for over 4 1/2 years!!!

NICE COMMENTS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME!!!!

Cheers,
Jacob
p.s. when the link opens, hit "play slideshow"

http://picasaweb.google.com/Jacoband...mdr52c8PqYlAE#

Geralds57

Beautiful job Jacob. You have the right to be proud. I did my old '56 a few years ago the same way. Same color in fact. I don't own it now, but I know what you're going through. If you're like me, I couldn't hardly bring myself to drive it after all that work. The only comment I have is that your rear springs shackles are upside down. The springs go on top of the rear cross member. Like it is, the body will set up too high in the back. Let us see it when it's done.

livin

Thanks not only for the props, but for noticing a mistake! Everyone was trying to tell me that the rear would eventually settle down, but I wasn't exactly buying it. Reversing the rear spring shackles should help quite a bit, and shouldn't be too difficult.

Thanks again and Best,
Jacob

57AIRBOX

Jacob, Thanks for story and pics. Keep it coming. Charley

claysmoker

Great pics and vid

62Jeff

Looks great Jacob, glad to see you posting again.

livin

Jeff, Claysmoker and Charley... THANKS GUYS!!!

Gerald, I called the body man and told him about the shackles... after scractching his head for a second, he was sure pleased to realize why the rear was sitting to high! Sure glad I got that addressed before he finished lining up all the body gaps. THANKS a ton!

I gotta start posting again more, thanks for noticing Jeff!

Best,
Jacob

prestige6

Beauitful job but you are going to have a problem putting the steering column in with the engine in... Ask me how I know...I had my steering column in the body when I dropped it on the second time..

K2

Great documentation of a very nice project. Well done!! Can't wait to see it finished.

snydes

I remember how happy I was when setting the body back down on the chassis on my first frame of resto, it is a big day when you finally get to do it! Looks great!

P.S. Did you get back to look at that '61 yet??

livin

Thanks for all the compliments and nice thoughts guys! It has definately been a long lesson in patience for me. Lately I am dreaming about the 57 a bunch. I run a catering business and my dreams bounce back and forth from VENETIAN red tomatoes... to a Venetian Red Corvette!

Prestige 6, "How do you know?" (you told me to ask you!)
My painter is putting the column in as soon as it gets painted, and he has the new inner and outer steering column to firewall seals in hand. I am guessing he has done this before... as this is the 12th, or 13th 57 he has painted. HOWEVER, we will take any advice we can get!

Steven, I am still actually working on obtaining the 61. I will keep you posted. I have the owner checking the vin # for me to find out if it's the lucky #43 that your Dad used to own! Thanks for asking, I actually just spoke to the owner Wednesday, as some guys from "OFF ISLAND" have been trying to buy the car out from under me. Luckily the owner is a VERY cool, guy and I clearly have first dibbs on the car. YEAH!!!!

Thanks again, HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYONE!!!
Go get into your Corvette and go vroom, vroom....
CONFUCIOUS SAY(man should never take a corvette apart, without a spare one to drive!!!) o.k. I am lying... Confucious didn't say that.... I did!

JohnZ

Sweet! Pretty soon it'll look like this:

livin

Thanks JohnZ! Great Picture!

Is that your car and do you have any more pics I can drool over!

There are sooo many red/red 56-57's not too many red/beige.

According to the NCRS pocket book there were only 7 actual red/beige/beige Corvettes produced for the 57 model run!

I am super excited to have that car in my garage!!!!

Cheers!
Jacob

bigearl56

Jacob, Glad to see you posting again. I think everyone would love to own a '57 Corvette sometime during their lifetime. I know I sure would! Your car is going to be absolutly beautiful when its done and I know you will be very proud. Could not tell from the pics but, as memory serves it is going to be a 270 horser my personal favorite. I had a 270 HP Nomad several years back and the sound of those solid lifters was shear music. Good luck with the rest of the build and man, keeeeep us posted.

Earl

JohnZ

Yup, that was mine - I sold it in 2002, five years (and 5,000 miles) after I finished the restoration. More photos below, and in a second post.

JohnZ

More '57 photos.

Kerrmudgeon

I've seen this shot often and wondered about the history....now I know. Very nice job Mr. Z. Too bad you had to let it go. It's gorgeous.
The coves and top look beige in this shot, but white in the above ones. Is it just the photos?

mpurton

Jacob, we attached the steering column BEFORE we dropped the body on. Saved alot of work and it went well. Good luck with yours, it looks really great!

JohnZ

Yup, it's just the lighting variations - had Shoreline Beige coves, beige interior, and tan top.

vette54728702

Very sweet 'vettes here, they look GREAT !