Mine are unpainted and clear coated on the tubes. I like them like that.

 

I think clear coating the half shafts looks awesome, but I’ll just coat mine black.
My plan is to reinstall the spare tire tub, so they won’t show anyway.

 

So after a couple of starts & delays, I finally got the half-shafts polished the way I want them to look.

• I de-rusted them with evapo-rust, but that dulled the shiny surface
• Tried Eastwood polishing compound, worked but very messy and hard to clean up clay like remains
• Mini air tool sander worked the best. 1000/2000/3000 grit paper

Painted one vs polished. Painting ends and clear coating has commenced.

 

Here is how I coated the bare polished steel half-shafts. NYALIC.

I do not know if anyone else has ever tried this stuff, but it is not a clear coat paint. It is some kind of resin. Developed for NASA for corrosion protection. You get zero corrosion on bare steel. I used it on my polished BBS wheels 30+ years ago and my LT-1 aluminum valve covers after polishing them. I had no corrosion / dulling after 27 years, and they were never touched again. The spray comes out as a very fine mist, it doesn't even smell, and says it only needs one coat. It has no gloss, and you can hardly see it after it is applied.
After checking their site, I may use it on some other bare parts, like the intake. Says 350 degrees is OK.




They even have some C3 corvette parts pictured on their site LOL:
https://www.nyalic.com/Automobiles_c...ml#prettyPhoto



Hmm.. I had a couple of bare bolts get surface rust already just sitting in my garage, guess I know how to fix that now too.

 

Thanks for the Nyalic tip. I've have an application for that stuff. Hope it works.

 

Ok that is the last subassembly. Time to put the suspension (back) on!
(Yeah this is the 2nd time.)

Woo-hoo!

 

Love the polished steel!!

 

Found a BB C3 video this morning for a little restoration inspiration!

Ran my dyno numbers thru Wallace racings online calculators.
My car has mid 11-12 sec 114mph potential!
Gulp!
I'm gonna need bigger tires!

 

Time for an update:
I haven't made too much progress due to work (yuk).
But that will be over in 6 weeks when I retire! Yaay!

Also I am basically one-handed right now, I need more wrist surgery, so that is really slowing me down (yuk)

But good news is I made it to Spring Carlisle.
I spoke with and ordered my radio upgrade.
Here is their info: Retro Radio Restoration
Great folks! I got to listen to one live first and it sounded great.
I am adding Bluetooth, HD Digital radio and USB all added to a OEM stock radio.
Thread here:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...nversions.html

The other thing I did was order a custom T-Shirt. Nobody made one close enough to my car so the kind folks I ran into there made a completely custom one for me.
I just got the art proof today. What do you think? Approve?

They can do line-art from any photograph that you send them.
Here is their info if anyone needs a source:
Turned to Perfection Woodworking and Laser Service
Mechanicsburg, PA
717-713-9960

 

That’s an awesome shirt.
Sorry to hear about your hand, I know what it’s like to be down.

 

Thanks on the T- shirt comment.
It is one of a kind, just like all of our builds will be!
They will be personally customized to suit our own tastes.

Now on my build I just made a big decision today. I had an original goal in mind, and a budget, since I started.
It is far too easy to be tempted by 100 potential "changes" that pop up along the way. Add this, add that, etc. etc.
If the changes keep happening it is hard to get the project done because the end target keeps "moving"

So I have to give credit where credit is due, and OldCarBum gave me the strength to stick to my plan.
I know he was sorely tempted to "screw the budget" and go for the L88 flares. In the end he decided to stick to his orignal plan of stock fenders.

In like mind-confusion I have been sorely tempted by the new upcoming Hotchkiss suspension, and all the improvements in handling it could make to my car. I know I would enjoy it and could appreciate it's nuances. Texting their engineer daily for a week or two and swapping ideas really got me excited. I was looking forward to a marketing video event preview / video / drive / autocross etc etc.

But then reality hit and I had a long talk with my over- competitive self and decided not to pull that trigger. I will stay with my original suspension plan, with a few minor bolt-on handling mods. I was really already too far down that path to unbolt all that stuff, which is already paid for, and completely start over. It would kill both my budget by 5-10K and my completion timetable by at least 6 months. Then that would lead to brakes, wheel, tires, oiling mods. etc. etc.

This will be a FUN cruiser, although very powerful, and I will race it, a couple times, but only for FUN. I just lost a couple months with my hand issue. And this is not the first scare. Things can change so fast.

I want to get this build DONE so I can drive it while I still have the health and before I get too old.
That is why I am retiring in SIX WEEKS rather another 1-2 years, so i can finish this thing, while I still can.

But the restomod 18x10 Ralley wheels are still looking good!!!

 

For what its worth......I think you have made the right decision. And you have heard me rant on this. At some point, as people transform the car they have.......the car is no longer what you started with. I propose, and believe, that we should pick the car we own based on the character, performance and appearance that best matches what we want to drive and own. Then.......embrace it, including its weaknesses. I went down a rabbithole on the 77.....and yes, its about as perfect a 77 can be, especially where I am today with it. Its WAY MORE than the 77 Chevy built,.....but in many ways, I did not stray too far. Most of the car is still what Chevy designed.....the basic components are enhanced, but they are still the original design.....example, the M23Z transmission is still the basic design of the Borg T10.....just strengthened.....as opposed to a TKX or T56 which has no commonality with the original transmission. The engine, while a 408 VortecPro masterpiece, it is still as Gen 1 SBC.....and not an LS. Thats my idea.

As you know......on the 69 Convertible......I am pulling back even farther, and am avoiding aftermarket stuff in the VortecPro big block, and allowing Mark Jones to apply his magic to those Chevy parts,....and will accept whatever output it has, and rejoice in knowing that its the best Chevy engine it can be......as a Chevy engine. The rest of the car....same thing. It will be more like back in 69, Chevy built a one off 69 for a guy who wanted the best stuff, tweaked to the max,....but still a Chevy with Chevy parts.

Its my angle on this......and I feel very comfortable about it. In fact,....its like a revelation to come to realize it. Anyways......my two cents.

My 06 Corvette.......its fancy, has all the stuff, LS engine, blah blah blah........but its still a modern car. Has little character at all. Yet so many people try to turn a C3 into a C6. Why?

 

I know how you feel.
There have been several things I’ve wanted to do to mine, like a stacked electronic fuel injection system, a full 1480 12 bolt rear end, expensive billet wheels, and more, but budget and wanting to get this project completed with the best quality components has kept me from doing so.
I think you made the right decision, move forward, don’t look back and know your project will be awesome.

 

Very interesting discussion around “Embrace it”. I totally get that and i can see that being the good choice in certain circumstances.

Take it to another level and “embrace” some of the things that are not exactly what you would have in a perfect world and change those that will improve the experience for you. Don’t boil the ocean.

Everyone is different, some want to update the interior and or paint and are happy with the suspension engine etc. Others want these cars to handle closer to a modern sports car. As I said each to their own.

I can certainly feel the struggle to change things once you find a better option. My shed has more than a few unused Vansteel, vb&p etc suspension parts that I have superseded along the way, some before installing them.

 

Been there, done that.
When I sold off my last Harley, I made thousands of dollars selling new still in the box parts I saved from prior motorcycle builds.

 

Yes well if I had bought this complete and driveable I would have kept improving it a little at a time over the years, while I was enjoying it the rest of the time.

I thought that was what I bought. A running car that needed some updates. But my "running" car very quickly turned into a full frame-off "Rescue", because it had so many issues, and the more I dug, the more I found. It was basically a 20 year old garage find with just a new gas tank and calipers. So down the rabbit hole I went.

So once I get it done, and am having fun with it, I am making a "wish-list" for a possible phase 2!

But I have to keep the end goal in mind. A running video like Rescue Rogers just posted! Go man go!

Thanks for all the support and encouragement guys!

 

So I went and did the wrist surgery. So I can get the use of my hand back and finish the car!
Besides I only have 5 weeks left til retirement, no use working too hard, I may as well spend one or two of them relaxing! LOL

 

I think most wrist surgeries require 4 weeks light duty and constant massages from 3 young nurses.....you should look into it and be sure you dont need a 4rth nurse

 

The important thing is you got it done.
I did all that maintenance stuff after I retired.
I just did my final follow up from my surgeries and everything is good, plus my annual skin cancer exam was all clear.

 

Ok it is about time I get back to work on this car and get er done!
I haven't updated this in a while.
In the meantime I had wrist surgery and I retired!

My science department even gave me a send-off! There is only one "old guy" in this pic. It'll be a while before they have another retirement lunch.

So now I have the time, and two good hands. Well 1-1/2 anyway, it's still very weak.

So back to (car) work! Cleaned up some frame brackets, gas tank bracket and my rear sway bar for painting.
Came out nice after some effort.

This part had quite a bit of rust & scale. Enough to cause cuts. It's all good now. (And that's my "new" left hand actually working without pain!)

So this "little"! sandblaster at my buddies race car shop helped a lot. Someone asked about the equipment so here are a couple of pics.

It's a Titan Model 4040 and big enough to do entire engine blocks. The enormous vacuum centrifuge/filter keeps it almost crystal clear inside.

As big as it is the 48" rear sway bar just barely fit inside!

On slightly smaller parts, like cylinder heads, brackets, etc. we all prefer to use the steel shot blaster cabinet in the background.

It holds stuff up to 36" x 18" and tumbles them and a paddle wheel blasts them with steel shot. Very noisy but does it's job in like 10 minutes when you can use it. Just Push the button and walk away. Much easier and faster than the sandblaster.

With access to tools like these why should I put a little sand blast cabinet in my garage at home? Not yet anyway. It's worth the 40 min drive.

Painting some brackets next!