VetteThunder1

Here are some pics I took today showing the parking brake.



here is the other side of the parking brake, showing the actuator arm.



Another view,



It's a pretty cool system. eliminates all the extra crap associated with the usual internal shoe systems found on most cars.

VetteThunder1

Got some progress done today.

I managed to razor blade off the paint from the front of the vette today.





Have you ever done something that you realize is stupid the moment AFTER you do it? Yea, that's what I did, I KNEW it was a bad idea to drill out the rivets holding this bracket



in place right AFTER I realized that the rivets were bonded UNDER this cover.



Started removing the cover today, heat gun is an essential tool here. Note, stuff you point the heat gun at gets HOT. I also started cleaning off the tarry goop on the firewall. Anyone remove this cover?

lowrod vette

Damn!!! your car is sick!! It looks like alot of work but its going to be worth it.

RunningMan373

When were all done, we Bay Area C3ers gotta get together. We got some of the sickest 'Vettes on here!

lowrod vette

count me in!!!! I was just in San Mateo at car show the weather in the bay is so much nice then in Sac it`s going to be 100 all week

VetteThunder1

Haven't done much on the Vette yesterday or today, its been a real scorcher yesterday and today upper 90's and probably over 100 in the garage. So I conteded myself with browsing the web and buying stuff Bought the #4 body mounts, the front cross member and some other bits and pieces. Went with the Billet Specialties Tru-Track system for alternator and power steering and water pump etc etc...

GroundPounder

That 's a great idea and I can't wait !! But please no hot summer day, as mine does not have AC and I'll be toast

VetteThunder1

Since my garage doesn't have A/C I haven't been doing much on the vette the last couple of days. I did get the #4 body mounts off though, here is a pic of whats left of them. Yes that really is a ton of mud inside the mount. ewwwww!



The actual fiberglas under the mounts was in horrible shape too, it was all cracked.

I have spent the last couple of days working on getting some problems solved. I have found the engine brackets and headers for that Tall Deck BB of mine. Going to go with Billet Specialties TruTrack system, here is a link. http://www.billetspecialties.com/ite...id=182&pid=704

I have also decided on getting some Stahl headers they come very very highly recomended and they have also made headers for a Tall Deck Merlin before. http://www.stahlheaders.com/

I also ordered a bunch of parts from Paragon Reproductions today. Can't wait for them to get here.

SeeThrees

VT1,

I checked out Paragon, awesome online catalog.

What made you choose them?

Rich

I'm Batman

Paragon has great parts. With ZIP, they are my primary sources of restoration bits.

GroundPounder

Stahl is GREAT. Are you going with sidepipe ?
It may not have shiny look like Hooker, but it has raw, aggresive racing look that I love.
Here is my '69 with Stahl.

68 NJConv 454

Love the frame and drivetrain combo.

SargeZ06

Damn GP... You got anymore pics of that?

VetteThunder1

GP: love the look on your Vette with the side pipes

I am getting side pipes for my Vette. I am planning on getting them ceramic coated in a silver color and going to get some stainless heat shields, maybe from Bangkok Dean (is that his name?)

68 NJConv 454: thanks for the kind words. By the way, I spent about a year doing research into all the different bits before I started ordering the frame and engine.

SeeThrees: I chose Paragon because they have the parts I need and they also have very good pricing and great tech support, they were able to answer all my questions about the differences between some 68 and 69 parts.

lowrod vette: Thanks I have chosen to go for the understated sleeper look, your ride is a bit flashy for my taste but it sure looks good and I know the amount of work you must have put into it to get it looking so good.

Really wish I had A/C in the garage today, its about 10:50AM here and its already 90* Think I will go to the park today and fly my dragon kite

I did manage to remove the rust on some parts yesterday and will be back at it today, gonna rattle can primer and paint these parts later today hopefully.

VetteThunder1

I managed to get a ton done today despite the heat. I was bit annoyed with the lack of progress because it was too hot lately.

This morning at 10:00 AM it was warm.



So I decided to hell with it and I was going to get something done today.

So I grabbed my razor blade and started stripping paint. I pretty much finished stripping the paint from the car today.





I am going to try using that Citris Strip paint stripper for the parts I wasn't able to do with the razor blade. Off to Home Depot tomorrow for some Citris Strip and some plastic scrapers.

GroundPounder

Yeah, it's been really hot lately. Working in heat and sweating help your metabolism

Good work and keep us update.

VetteThunder1

So today, a couple of strippers showed up in the house.....



So I started stripping my vette today, I got some pretty good progress made today once I figured out that I had to do just a small section at a time, about a foot by a foot. Chemical stripping sure makes a mess, and the factory primer is horrible.



It seems that Bubba had made an attempt to fix the famous nose bumps on the vette by using filler putty, what a joy to find under the primer.



The Citrus Strip did a really good job of removing the old paint and primer. It even softened up Bubba's patching attempt as well



The old paint and primer are coming off well but it sure takes a lot of work and time. It also makes a huge mess. The factory primer comes off like melted chocolate or something. Make sure you have tons of paper towels. Once I am done I will be washing down the body to make sure it is very clean so that the repairs and modifications that I have to do will stick to the clean 'glass.

Another pic of my progress. Got most of the passenger front fender done today.



You will note that you can clearly see the bonding strip between the 2 body panels. I like using the Citris Strip but I sure wish it would go faster I am hoping that I can get the rest of the front end completed by tomorrow.

More to come.

68 NJConv 454

Nice job, good stuff.
You going to paint and seal the birdcage while you have some of the body panels off to prevent rust from ever being a worry again?
I POR-15'd as much as I could get to on the birdcage and everywhere else on the car, used some rustolum to spray inside any holes I could find.
Your time and efforts will pay off ten fold in the end.

RunningMan373

this car is gonna kick a$$!!!. Raceframe........ and brakes,, and motor. What color you gonna go with? Could go original, but why??? I like donnybrook green,, a 70 only color... ???
(mines Elkhart Green,, like donnybrook better)

http://www.neo-geo.com/g/70%20corvette.htm

RATT7

Really nice work, this is going be one heck of a setup. The tube frame is something that I sure would like to have. This car is going to fly !!