Since I don't think a lot of guys that frequent the General and Tech/Performance area's visit the paint and body area, I thought I'd post a few pics here of my 81 project. It's been about a year since I posted last, work, life, stuff made progress a bit slow, but it's back on the street and I'm really happy with how it's turned out. Here's a basic run down of what I've done (including the body work, though I did have friends who paint for a living do the final blocking and had them shoot the color.). Most of the mechanical stuff I've posted in the Tech/Performance forum, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Engine swap - stock 350 to nicely built BB 402 punched .030, with a serpentine belt system

Trans - to a 2004R

Rear - 71 iron differential mated to the aluminum batwing, 3 1/2 inch half shafts

All suspension bushings replaced (front and rear) , steering cylinder, and valve replaced

Brakes, O-ringed SS sleeved and Hawk pads

Stereo up graded

L-88 hood installed, modified and LOTS of body work.

The front left corner was hit and repaired by some schmucks, the door gaps were a mess and the hood could only line up the right side, front and about half the left side.

So a few before and after pics...

The front corner before





And after:








The Hood before:





After:








And the car. As soon as it gets sunny again, I'll get better full car pics...

 

its fantastic !!! love it !!

 

SWEET !!!!!!!!!!! What did you do for rear speakers ???

 

Hey, I recognize that car! You done good!

 

That is beautiful

 

awesome

 

Looks great! Nice transformation. Lots of work but worth it when you get that type of result.

 

very sweet car!!!

 

 

Thanks for the compliments!! In going back through the pics for the before and after, it reminds me how much work is in the car...a ton!! But I'm very happy with the results. Diehrd, you asked about the speakers, here's what's in the back. I did this because I wanted a sub, and as we all know, there's very limited space and I wanted to keep as much room as possible for trips (one day...). I could have made enclosures for the 6X9's but then the sub box would just kinda be hang'n out there so this is what I did:




Put the amp behind the passenger seat:




Oh, and this is what's under the hood:

 

Nice set up ,, all the way around...And the amp placement well whoda thunk ... Great idea ... Thanks for the pics to bad I ordered that c-3 speaker box I like your set up better .

 

Is there any way that you can buff out..................................... .....

all those reflections------I'm having trouble seeing that great Paint!

Thanks for posting in this forum!

 

Thanks Mark! Gotta tell ya, the advice you and Zwede gave was incredible, thanks very much. I can tell you this, if I ever have to or want to do this again, it won't take nearly as long because of what I learned!! I updated the post in the paint and body section showing a lot of the detail of the repairs that had to be made, and included a post on how I did the hood if you're interested:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/pain...s-of-pics.html

 

Thanks very much and your most certainly welcome!

 

A few last pics on a sunny day....

 

Dave, what a difference. Great job. It looks great. Bet your turning heads with all that shine. The pic of the front with the hood is killer...

 

Great Job!

 

Super-Beautimous!

 

Thanks Rob, how've you been? How's your car? The day before Thanksgiving I busted a rocker arm...just before Turkey Run in Daytona so again, I couldn't go. Went from this:





To these (and they cleared my valve covers with polylocks too), and now the engine is happy, happy, happy too!!!

 

Your car looks great.