Hello all,
I have been lurking about for sometime and I should have done this sooner. I'm the proud owner of a white 78. It has the L48 motor, however I do seem to be lucky in that it is a 4 bolt main block. It was my understanding that during assembly, if the line ran short of 3 bolt blocks they would grab 4 bolts. Maybe I'm mistaken. I bought this car in 2000 from a chevrolet dealer in Illinois. I was in the Navy, 20 years old, and home on leave. It had been a dream to own a Vette for a while. I drove the car and everything I owned to my assignement is San Diego. It was my driver for about 3 years when I decided I wanted to put it up and try to do right by the car and make something nice out of it. 2 marriages, 3 children, and a new post Navy job in Indiana later, I am finally taking the first steps of my dream.
My goal for this car is not a trailer queen show car. I want something I can drive and be proud of. At the end of the day it's just another L48 with an auto trans, but it's my car and I'm proud of it. My lovely wife is supportive of my dream so God bless her.

So, here we go with the goodies.

I only have a 2 car garage to work out of so I don't think a body off resteration is logistically fesable, nor do I believe the car needs it. For my last birthday my wife bought me the stage 4 suspension system from ecklers.
http://http://www.ecklerscorvette.co...1963-1979.html
Suspension seems like a logical place to start now. I wish I would have started this thread and takens pics before I started. But I didnt.
Thats 82K on the clock. I started with the right front since thats what I had access to when my wife PITA ponticac was fighting me for attention. I got the control arms and what not powder coated, a perk of my job is having access to powder coating, and new polyurethane bushigs pressed in. I plan to use eastwoods "extreme chassis gloss black" for the frame.

I do look forward to sharing more of this with you as time goes on. I'm sure I will need advice as time goes on. But for cheers from Indiana
Ryan

 

What's the emblem on the nose ?
Is that armrest above the e-brake factory? I like it... Almost want that or something like it...
Nice car dude... How long has she been put up/off the road ?
Did you take the side fender louver out? Or is that a factory thing?
Darn you for having a 140mph speedo... Mine goes to 85 .. Lol. Mines a 81 btw.
Refurbishing the front end of mine is my next step... Take pics along the way... We enjoy sharing your story!

 

Thanks fireball! That is the silver aniversary emblem on the nose. The armrest above the e brake is just a pad. I know ecklers sells them. Here is the link http://http://www.ecklerscorvette.co...logo-1981.html
I'm sure some other places will have them as well.
I parked the car in 2003. It spent several years in a storage unit. Last year I started tinkering with the motor. I had to give it a new starter and distruibtor and radiator but the motor seemed to run very very well for having sat for a decade. I was suprised.
The brake vents are stock. I've not done anything to them.

 

Congrats, and welcome Ryan. We look forward to seeing your progress.

 

Good start! You've got the same amount of room to work as I have.

(Be glad.....Be VERY glad that your wife supports the project...just keep her needs at the top of your list in appreciation of her)

 

Oh believe me I will and do. I'm very greatful that she actually listens and is willing to buy me parts for this project. I do wish I had a bigger garage but then again who doesn't.

 

I finally got full claim on the garage so now I can maybe actually get to work on the car. I got it centered up in the garage and jacked up. I started taking the left front appart.
I have been arguing with myself for some time about if I should take the body off or not. I spent some time looking at the body mounts and fuel lines and came to the conculsion that I probably should. Everything appears to be in pretty decent shape. Surface rust and rotted body cussions is all that I see. I did see an area where the infamous bubba struck on a fuel line splice. At any rate I'm sure I will find more once I lift the body but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I won't be completely happy unless I do a frame off.
I hope everyone has a good weekend!
Ryan

 

I also wanted to share a shot of where I got the frame cleaned up on the right front.

 

Man a lot has happened since I pulled the body off way back in 2014. My wife and I decided to buy a house out in the country. Moving a car in that state was a major pita. She sat all but forgotten in the corner of the garage until late this year. I put up a pole barn with a 2 post lift so now I have a proper place to get some work done.

I've got my frame all cleaned up and painted with POR-15. I rebuilt my own trailing arms, which wasn't as bad I was afraid it would be. I'll be starting to hang suspension soon. I need to clean up my fasteners and figure out what has been lost over the last 8 years. Thankfully I don't think I'm missing much if I can't find the box I'm missing. I have a new Trimic TKX 5 speed and all of the goodies to convert from the old TH-350 as well as a 383 from Blueprint Engines waiting to go in. I have new fuel brake lines and a new fuel tank on order.

Man it feels amazing to finally be taking this project forward​​​​​​​

Gross frame

Looking better

Now we are getting somewhere



New 383

New transmission

 

Welcome back.

 

Just another damn guy showing me up for the unfocused slug that I am! 👍🍻

 

A long time coming.

 

I made some good headway this weekend. New stainless fuel and brake lines ran, a new gas tank is mounted, ​​​​Crossmembers are back in. I even started putting control arms back in.

 

 

At least you didn’t give up and are getting some serious work done on your Vette. Looks awesome so far!

 

I made a little headway tonight. I got the trailing arms in and shimmed as they were when I took the car apart. I also got a used copy of the GM service manual from 1973. Inside the cover was a dealer invoice for a 73 Monte Carlo. It's a pretty cool artifact.

 

Happy new year everyone! Things are moving along well with my build. Front suspension is assembled, rear shocks are mounted. I'll be putting in my steering and working on front wheel hubs tomorrow.

 

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON: 5-22-201405505-22-2014 11:29 AM0
It's good you kept the Dream. Keep us updated!

 

I am so envious of all the room you have!

I am still trying to do my frame off in a cramped 2 car garage!

You're making progress, that's all that counts.

 

I like your idea of having tie downs securing the frame to the lift. Right now I’m doing a 70 L46, 72 L48 and a 72 LS5. The LS5 is a little front end heavy.

Your making great progress.

Bob K.