Here is a project we are building for a customer. Thought you guys would dig it. I flew out to Missouri and picked it up off one of the members. We've been waiting on wheels, and other parts before we can really dig in but here is our progress so far.





this is what we brought back. It was kind of a roller (c4 wheels dont owrk on a street shop chassis) but it was good enough to get it back to california.



right away we ordered wheels from CCW-



as you can see it was just a pile of parts in boxes so we are going to mock everything up before we start body work. Most of the chassis and plumbing is done thanks to street shop.

We mocked up the hydrotech brakes and column- really we need the coffman top so we can see how much of these wheel tubs need to hack out to fit it all. The previous owner wasnt planning on running a soft top so they put a huge steel tub in place.

CCW had wheels to our door in 12 days- Cant say enough about these guys and their customer service. We are a wheel dealer for several big name companies and wheels always take 2-6 months.


We ended up deciding on the dakota digital classic cluster and this billet specialties wheel that matches the rims.



Got the exhaust wrapped up for the most part- stil building a single center out tip.

 

keep me updated as to the size of mini tub you can use and keep soft top. I am ready to mini tub my restomod but dont think I can keep the soft top....

I am running an Art Morrison frame with 9"; very similar to street shop frame if ya get the 9"...

 

Dont cut out your stockers- Ive talked to several people that have modified the stock wheel tubs and still retain the soft top. Im not sure what we are going to do since this thing has already been under the knife. Fed ex tried to deliver the top last night after we closed- so it wont be long. this car uses the irs btw

man these exhaust pictures were corupted somehow- they didnt want to load.

 

no one made a stainless muffler that fit in the space street shop gives you so we ordered these magnaflows and chopped them down about 3 inches

 

When Stainless works built my exhaust, they custom made my mufflers....

 

smart move- they sure make some nice stuff- i think thats who fabbed these headers.

SO id like to see who has fit a soft top with a street shop chassis. Ive heard from a half a dozen people that it can be done. The only way I see its going to fit is having a 4x4 vette.

 

Awsome job

 

Can't be done. If you'll fold the top (with the rag/pads installed), you'll see that there is no more than 1/2" to the tub, right in the corner. Can't lift it up, can't move it in. The only wheel/tire combo that will fit correctly, is a 18 x 8.5 WITH a 56mm backspace (6 1/2"). I've made the old Boyds work with a 6 1/4" backspace. I'd like to know who the "several people" are, as I have built lots of C1 restomods, and have never been able to do anything with the wheel tubs to accept a bigger wheel/tire combo, or a different backspace (everybody wants "dish"). To my knowledge, none have been successful. It's not a problem in the trunk area, but rather all in that corner of the top well. Good luck.

Mike Coletta

BTW, you'll have more room in the well on the 61/2 body. I think it's 11 1/2" from the inner fender to the outer lip. The 58-60 cars only have 9 1/2". For that reason, you might find a wider wheel with the correct offset, to set it further under the car.

 

street shop said several have been done- A guy called me from Los Angeles wanting to buy the factory chassis. He has built a few and claimed it can be done as well. Its not happening without some serious mods to the soft top cover panel, the hard top. And i still dont know what it would fit or that I could make it all work.

 

Scotzilla, If Mike Coletta tells you A chicken can pull a plow. "Hook him up". Why play around with something that can take hours and hours, to trying something that a very expierenced builder says will not work. Just my $.02 worth. Good luck with whatever you choose. You are looking real good so far.

Earl

 

Well, good luck. I'm doing a 64 for a customer on a Street Shop chassis. Trey told him that 9 1/2" wheels would work. Not that there is any similarity, but you can see what I had to do. The C1 cars are very tight. If you modify the cover and tank, you still have to cut into the well, which is where the problem is. The top frame on a C1 folds ALL THE WAY to the top of the tank. If you do what I did on the 64, you'll see where you have to go. Just make sure that the top frame is in place with the pads, etc., installed (it's then the correct thickness). You need a minimum of 2" of upward travel in the suspension from static stance (and that's not really enough). It's not really about what you modify, as the physics just aren't there. A C2 has a lot more room than a C1, so I'm able to make it work. The ride height of the car won't be where I like it, but there has to be somewhere for the suspension to go.......and it goes right into the top frame!! All I'm sayin is......fold a top into the well that is fairly lined up (attenuating arms), and look at where the top folds into the well BEFORE you start cutting. I think you'll save yourself a lot of grief. I've built 18 C1 restomods, and been down that road a few times. None of them were on a Street Shop chassis, but physics are physics.
BTW, make sure that you set your toe and camber if you decide to open it up like the pictures below. They don't have to be exact, but it can really trick you up if it's not close.

Mike Coletta

 

If you can't go in, you can go out a little. My experience has shown me you can go about 2 1/2" out without drastically changing the body lines. Here is the inside stretching from 11 1/2" to 14".

 

back from hawaii and colletta you were exactly right. Cant be done. We are looking at just ditching the soft top idea or maybe making some kind of quick release system to take the soft top on and off and trying to store it in the trunk area. The guys at Coffman are going to "get back to me" with who has done it and how it was done.

 

Great Build!!! I look forward to watching the progress!

 

Ac mounted




had to make a relief in the hood to clear the hydraboost




steering done



got all the body blocked out and most of the subtle body mods done around the exhaust and shaving things. There was a little bit or repair here and there but not too much. Waiting on a huge paragon order to fit all the chrome tight against the body and get rid of any gaps.

 

 

Sorry to bust the bubble. My Mini tubbed, 532, blown, injected, 315/35/17 1962 red car, built 17 years ago, and the Soft top still in , and with a roll bar fit. Keep tubs to a minimum. Bump stops. Coil overs. My car sits real low and corners like a go-cart. Never bottomed out in all these years.

Your tubs look like they are for huge drag slicks? Our drag cars have smaller tubs.

 

Hmmm, I didn't know street shop was spitting out c6 chassis 17 years ago. All smart *** comments aside, if you plan on running the wheel and tire combo the chassis was designed for and run it at the ride height the combo was designed for then a factory soft top wont fit. Could you run a 8 inch tire and crank the coil over up to 4x4 status and cram one in there? Probably, but after weighing all the options we are going to opt for no soft top.

I thought the wheel tubs were huge as well, until we got the wheels and tires and cycled the suspension. Ill take pics when it's back on the rack, but it uses every bit of them

 

thanks for the kind words- i decided to try out the black G2, I hear you dont have to use guide coat with it.

 

What is that primer you used?