Marks Hotrod Garage

I got the urge about a month ago to find my old 1966 Vette. Some of you probably saw my thread. Long story longer, found it, agreed on a price, and didn't buy it. I ended up wanting a convertible so I found one close to me in Ft. Myers. The owner had it since 1987 and being in the restoration business painted the car about 12 years ago. You can tell someone spent a lot of time blocking this car and the quality of the paintwork is outstanding. Not looking for a numbers matching car I was pleased to find out it had a 502 in it. WOW. I guess I like big cu in motors.

Here are my questions.

The door panels and the dash are in great shape however the interior carpet and seats are not so good. I think the car spent some time in the sun and the vinyl seats are history and the carpet is a little faded. Do most of you guys recover your own seats and if you do where is a good place to buy seat covers and new foam? Do you go with leather or vinyl?

The car has side mount headers as you can see. The owner liked the free flow exhaust and they do sound awesome. I am not so sure I like those pipes on there........seems like they would belong on the 1970's custom vette.

In your opinion do I

1. leave them on. I can have them ceramic coated black if I kept them.
2. Put factory side pipes on. Will shorty headers allow the use of the factory side pipes and wondering how big of an exhaust pipe will fit in the factory pipes.
3. No side pipes and put the exhaust out the back.

I know the pipes are personal taste but just wanting to get wisdom from vette owners.

It has been some time since I had a vette and wow am I excited to get back into them. I told my wife I may sell my hot rods and buy some more Corvettes

Jebbysan

Wow! That is bad ***!
That 502 must be hairy!

I can't stop enough to tell you my passion for the Hooker side exhaust....it was designed in the early seventies and there is not much to improve upon.....they compliment that 502 well....even in a mild state..a 2 1/2 under car setup is not enough....it is just lot of cubes....don't choke it.

If you can...contact QC Coating in Chesterfield Twp. MI....they have done some of the finest ceramic coating for me and other of my fellow Honda folk.....they are the best you will find.

I love a 67' with all stock features and a nasty drivetrain....
I love my little screamer 331.....but now you have me scratching my head.....if I grenade the #'s match motor I will cry.....but then again...how much power do I need???!!!!

Jebby

Too Slow '90

Great car! If it were mine I would find C5 seats and modify them as many here have done. Much more comfortable and since originality is not a concern no problem. As far as exhaust goes I bought Vettepacks from Classic Chambered and new SS tips from Allens. I bought shorty headers and mandrel bent tubing (for the head pipe so there are no flat spots) and in essence had a custom exhaust. It was pretty loud with my Fastburn 385 so I am sure it would be on yours too but it would sound great. Just sayin'...that's what I would do.

Marks Hotrod Garage

Good idea on the seats as I never thought of that. I would keep the original seats for future. I will check out your exhaust recommendation.

Jebbysan

I am looking in to Classic Chambered pipes for mine as well.....I know I left some power behind with the stock stuff.

But those Hookers just rock.....Keep Em'!!!!

Jebby

nassau66427

Keep the pipes, they go with the hotrod look that the hood paint scheme gives you.

You should only burn your leg 1 time.

Since you are in Florida, you might want to give some thought to switching to a cool, "no stick", White interior.

Bluestripe67

Congrats on a sharp looking car! You have a lot of HP on tap so make sure the brakes are REAL good. Keep the pipes, but think about flipping the white letters in. A white and black interior is as good as it can get. It looks like it's set up for a hardtop. Dennis

62Jeff

I like the car as-is, but all that matters is...What do YOU want the car to be?

Recovering the stock seats with repro foam and covers will, according to those forum members who have done the same, result in seats that you sit on, and not in. Hitch and other members have been through that.

427Hotrod

First off..beautiful car! You're going to have a great time with it!

On the pipes...I gotta say they just don't fit the look of the rest of the car. The wheels etc are more resto looking than hot rod.

Unless the cam is changed...the ZZ502 is done by 5500 rpm or so...so I'd use some 1-7/8" or 2" max headers. Full length is best....but then you're back to rear exit exhaust.

If you want sidepipes you can use McJack's shorty headers from Corvette Central and then run some 3" pipes and mufflers under some stock covers..or have custom headers made (pricy). I've got a set of the McJack's from CC for the twin turbo setup I'm installing on my car and they are very well made.




JIM

gilbybarr

Looks like a nice car.....just a personal opinion....I agree with the earlier post on the sidepipes....they just dont go with the look. I'd go repro sidepipes or go out the back. Also agree with flipping the white letters inside. If the tires are worn, perhaps some redlines or gold line radials.

bigearl56

That my friend is one Bad Azz ride. The stance is just great.

Earl

Jebbysan

I respectfully reply to 427hotrods post in the fact that yeah....the 502/502 (that is what it is because it has aluminum heads) is all done at 5500....but what one fails to realize is that the overall pumping volume of exhaust is equivalent to a very hot 383 up to that point....maybe even more so given it's 4.370 bore.

The Hooker side exhaust is almost equal length...and ask any old road racer who runs these open (without the can) they make killer
power.....the pipes are almost equal length....and the collector helps scavenge the other cylinders.

I had a friend in 98' who had a 69' with a 468 in it....tunnel ram, two holley 850's...etc. who ran these...I believe they were available in 1 7/8 and 2 inch primary tube....he had the 2".....he ran 9.90's consistently...with a 10" slick....no "can" (sidepipe)

You will not do better for power than with the setup you have now.

Jebby

aafadca

That's a good looking car! Do you know where it came from originally? It looks very much like the one had in the late 80's, minus the side pipes and knockoffs. Last I heard it was in Florida around 2000-2001. The owner found me to somehow and gave me a call. Mine was originally Mosport green but painted red when I had it.

Jebbysan

I'm sorry for being a ***** on this thread.....but it just screams Cobra Killer!!!!! to me.

[IMG][/IMG]

Jebby

Fawndeuce

Cool looking car!
I personally don't care for sidepipese, I like to drive my cars a lot and I find that the noise gets tiring in short order.

I also wouldn't go with C5 seats, I personally have always found that they look silly, and that they absolutely don't look right in a C2, double especially a roadster.



Paul

427Hotrod

Those headers have done pretty well on race cars for years..but they have extremely long primaries and the 4" collector is way too large for all but the most serious race motors.

I believe the 502 has a 4.466 bore. Exhaust calculated for that engine with a peak HP around 5200 ends up with 1-3/4" headers and a 3" collector with 41"+ of primaries

A 500 or so HP 383 will need slightly smaller. and 35" primaries...but you're right they are similar in airflow requirements overall. Just different RPM peaks. That 383 is going to be turning a lot more RPM to make that sort of HP.

That's a long way from 2"-2-1/8 or larger primaries and a 4" collector.

2" will cover a 540 on into the 6500 range. 2-1-8" on into the 7000-7500 range. I tested 2-1/4" on my 540 back when it was in the low 800 HP range and it was down 50 lb ft under 5000 rpm as compared to 2".

But all this aside, I was looking at pure aesthetics more than anything and I truly believe that without a cam change and a lot more RPM..a different set of headers would pick this engine up a lot in performance through the curve. The shorties aren't perfect and not as good as true long tubes...but just a different option than going back to manifolds.

Take a search here and look for 632C2's posts on his latest 680 RWHP C-3 using ported iron manifolds with a solid roller 540" motor!

JIM

Lou64

First of all, sweet car. What a beast!

I think you have to decide whether you want a resto-mod look or original look. Right now you are sitting right on the fence with original looking inside and outside somewhat original looking except for the engine and pipes. Either go with original side pipes or take off the knock-offs, put on Torque Thrusts with offsets to run wider tires and do the C5 seats as others have said.

As for recovering the original seats, I had mine done by Willcox and they did a fantastic job. I was told vinyl lasts longer, but leather looks better when its brand new. I went with vinyl.

Here they are 2 years old.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...-interior.html

Jebbysan

Jim...great commentary....and yes I was thinking 4.366 bore....to round off to 4.370....but yes you are correct...4.466 bore

The primaries are long.....but would this not just enhance the 502's torque characteristics.....ahhh...splitting hairs.

I would be interested to know if these are the 1 7/8" size....

Anyway....no denying that this car is a sick creature.....

Jebby

Marks Hotrod Garage

I believe it to be an Indiana car as the seller is from Indiana and purchased it around 1987. He said it was an Indiana car. I guess I should look farther back into its history before 1987.

Marks Hotrod Garage

thank you. I really was looking to purchase a c2 and take it apart to resto-mod it ........frame, brakes, LS-whatever but I really like this car as it is. I have looked at pictures and I really want to stay the stock seats. As Fawndeuce said the modern seats look a little out of place for me. I am 6'5" so the smaller nature of the original seat suits me fine. Your seats look awesome in your car!!