FLYNAVY30

I managed to put just over 100 miles on the car this week....unfortunately that didn't include making it out to the car show in Va Beach tonight as I got tied up helping my buddy with his '54 Chevy pick up we've been building for the past year or so.

As with any "new" old car, especially one that has been sitting as long as this one, some issues quickly became apparent:

The steering box needs to go out for a rebuild ASAP. Its got an easy 20 degrees of dead play from center and has started leaking oil. I plan to pull it next week and send it off to Van Steel for a complete rebuild....$189 well spent.

The factory drum brakes need to be addressed in short order as well. They pull hard to the left in anything beyond moderate braking. My plan is to flush/bleed the entire system and take it out for another test. Then, depending on how badly its pulling, Ill adjust the front shoe tensioners and recheck it. I had a drum car once that I chased this same problem for days with the tensioners, only to find out that the weak side had air in it.

That being said, after I get back from deployment next spring, the drums are coming off and discs are going on...drum brakes work, but this thing is going to see waaayyy too many miles to keep them properly adjusted and effective.

The factory shifter rattles incessantly....so while I'm at it, I'll replace it with a Hurst shifter....my brother-in-law has the same transmission in his '67 Camaro with a Hurst shifter, and its a night and day difference.

The weather stripping on the driver side door has come loose and gets stuck in the door when closed....any recommendation on glue and an application method?

The chrome windshield trim still isn't fully seated on the driver side. I took the car down to an old Corvette mechanic/body man to look at. He gave it a good two hours worth of work (only charged me for one), and made it much better than it was, but the trim still isn't fully seated. He said he gave up messing with removing Corvette windshields to reseat trim years ago...."too close to a stroke to be messing with that stuff" . Still looking for a good solution, but thats not the most pressing issue at the moment. He did recommend Tom at Vette Masters....anyone have any experience with them?

Anyway, thats about it for now. I'm road tripping it up to eastern Maryland this weekend in the Suburban so the Vette will unfortunately be spending the week in storage, but as soon as I get back, the two will be swapped out and Ill get that steering box pulled out and start working on the brakes. The next update should have some progress, and more importantly, some new pics!

One last thing....the factory hub caps have to go! I absolutely hate them! I specifically had Mershons replace the 30 year old, dry rotted, white walls withe BFG Radial T/As with the intent of of replacing the wheels as soon as I got it home. 15x6 American Racing Torque Thrusts are already enroute. Yes they're easy, and over done, but thats only because they look just right on a C2

mikelj

Yes, the TTs are the way to go. Here is my roadster with them on for driving, along with my redline radials. The original wheels, hubcaps, and whitewall Power Cushion bias ply are only for judging........enjoy it!

MarkC

Greg, the cruise in yesterday was really nice. At last count there were close to 200 cars. Mike Mottox was there and he told me about your car. I am sorry he couldn't resolve the issue. I have no experience with Vette Masters but I know folks who have used them and they keep going back. Fantom Works is still another local option. When I got my car 5 years ago, the steering was loose. Instead of spending money on the old box I put in rack and pinion. You may want to consider that route since your going to covert the brakes. Your are welcome to drive my car to try it out. PM sent.

ChattanoogaJSB

My brakes pulled hard as well Greg. For cheap just rebuild all- my fronts had an occluded line AND a leaking wheel cylinder. My big drums work very well now- they are designed for the weight of an Impala after all. I also like discs but if I ever go that route I will do zero offset fronts ONLY and the direct bolt on kit from "mgchevy" on eBay. gets a nod from many here. Uses a big GM late model truck caliper. Is not a four piston original design. your spindle stays put. Rear disks require a trailing arm swap. Not bad but not a great time repacking the shims.

2- don't mess with your windshield trim unless you plan on painting your car. It's a gamble and I agree with the old dude.

3- for weatherstripping DAP contact cement is your buddy. Brown jar at the hardware store. A little on the part and a little on the door face, hold together with painters tape 15 minutes or so. Done. Use some of the little brushes at the plumbing section for pipe that are like .30 each and throw them out after.

4- if you have steel drum brake 5.5 KH rims original To 63/64 corvettes they are pricey and in demand should you decide to separate them from the car.

Enjoy amigo!

FLYNAVY30

Perfect!....I love the Daytona Blue with the Torque Thrusts and red lines

FLYNAVY30

Thanks Mark...I wish I had made it out. I'm really bad about making it to evening shows because by the time the afternoon rolls around, Im neck deep in some sort of project and want to get it finished before calling it a night. My success rate with Cars & Coffee is much higher! Im out of town next weekend but Ill try to make it out the following.

Mike got the windshield trim about 60% of the way there, but theres still one clip thats way off. If it holds the way it is, I may not worry about it, but I would like to at least get another opinion. Mike recommended Tom at Vette Masters, and I know Dan at Phantom works is a Corvette guy....I just don't know if they're willing to entertain jobs this small any more.

The steering box rebuild is a temporary fix to get me through the summer. I just want to get the car safe and drivable for now. I've got some ideas that Im kicking around for when I get back from deployment as far as steering/suspension/trailing arms/disc brakes go that would all be best completed at the same time.... that being said, Im basing all of that off how my '68 and '69 handled, and how I wanted them to handle. I don't have enough miles on this car yet to determine what, if anything I want to do/change other than the eventual disc brake swap....a Summer's worth of driving may change my initial feelings completely.

FLYNAVY30

Thanks!....Ill go hunt down some DAP and a few brushes. Any parts that come off this car are going to be documented and carefully stored in my garage in the off chance I ever want to go back to stock. I haven't taken the fronts apart yet, but given that the car was built 300 miles ago, Im guessing everything is in pretty good shape and just needs adjusting, but we'll see next week after I get it up in the air and taken apart.

Next spring Ill start doing more extensive research into the disc swap....I still have some nice Wilwood stuff on the shelf from my aborted 1969 roadster that I punted 18 months ago after finding some pretty rusted body mounts/kick ups/windshield frame.

Right now I just want to get her on the road, steering and braking in a strait line

ChattanoogaJSB

Greg- yes. You may want to manually adjust the drums initially if you don't have an hose or cylinder issues and THEN do the auto adjusters by backing up and stopping sharply. The auto adjusters work great keeping your pedal firm. Make it a part of your driving routine every few trips out.

The DAP contact cement you'll love. Makes weatherstrip a snap.

Tonio

Beautiful car, congrats! I could be wrong, but I believe thats the car I tried to buy while at last year's Corvettes at Carlisle, but someone beat me to it. If thats the same car, its as beautiful as they get.

FLYNAVY30

Thanks!! Wish I could tell you....I've got the full history from Day 1 through the early 80s when it was Bloomington Gold/Top Flight, but after that, the documentation gets spotty. The guys at Mershon's said they bought it in a lot of 6 or 7 Corvettes from a gentlemen that was going through a divorce but thats all the information I've got as to the previous owner.

Easy Rhino

A lot of folks that didn't grow up driving four drum brakes are not innately aware that you have to back up and apply the brakes in order for the auto adjusters to work - that's how they auto adjust.

People that avoided reverse in the olden days had this problem, too.

FLYNAVY30

To be honest, I didn't realize it either until I started reading through the service manual a few weeks ago before we picked the car up.

Redbird

Greg, sent you an email.

John F.

FLYNAVY30

Sent reply, thanks.

FLYNAVY30

Finally going to have a full free weekend to pull the steering box and address the brakes... Whats the best technique for getting these things in the air on 4 jack stands at the same time??

I've got the service manual that obviously depicts where to place the jack stands, but where do you guys place the floor jack in the front/rear to get her in the air....and which end do you start with. I'm sure I could figure it out, but don't want to do any denting of the front cross member on this "way too nice for me" chassis.

Thanks.

Easy Rhino

Greg;

While others may gag at my method, I center my floor jack on one side frame rail and carefully lift one side tilted just enough to get low stands under it, then do the same on the other side. Works for me.

You're right to not dent up your front crossmember.

Kevin

FLYNAVY30

My garage is narrow enough that I can't get my floor jack perpendicular to the frame on either side so I have to go at it from the front or the rear.

MarkC

Drive the car up on 2 x4's, then use a bottle jack. Hockey pucks are great to protect the frame. You can also use ramps from one of the local auto parts stores to get one end up 8 inches. Good luck.

CrossedUp

Love those older Suburbans. I restored a '65 back in the early 90's and we used it daily as our family wagon for ~12 years.

Congrats on the '64, beautiful car.

FLYNAVY30

Thats a sweet '65!!

Funny story...got a call from Corey at Mershons today....apparently one of the previous owners of my car called them looking to buy it. I told him I was only interested in selling it if the buyer was willing to cover the expense of my divorce...