Sluefoot

Some add'l. pit pics! Orientation NOT guaran-damn-teed!

htown81vette

Hey you want to adopt a 48 year old? I can live down in that pit at night (in a sleeping bag) and work on Corvettes during the day.

F22

Yep and that'd also be a great place to hide out from the wife! "Honey, honey, are you out there? Where are you? I've got stuff for you to do..."

htown81vette

exactly

454Luvr

Nice job! These cars handle extremely well with their original factory parts. When I first drove my '72, it was only two years old and about 6K miles. Turbo Porches couldn't keep up.

Sluefoot

Thanx for all the compliments guys....YES, it IS a gr8 place to HIDE...and occasionally get some work done!! I'd be LOST w/o my PIT!!

ronarndt

Nice design on the pit. Like the diamond plate edge on the top. I used pressure treated 2 x 6 since I thought I might want to add something else later and could just attach with nails or screws. Never did add anything. How do you cover it when not in use? I had three 3/4 inch plywood panels glued together and fitting into a ledge around the edge of the pit so if I mis-judged parking the car it would not end up in the pit. First job was always clearing out the spiders and crickets!

Sluefoot

The covers are made of 2x4 screwed together (w/ cross-reinforcing pcs.) to make square easily handled pieces w/ plywood on top.....and covered w/ Diamond Plate. I also have Diamond Plate on my walk-thru door & around the base of 2 of the walls.

I'm attaching a coupla' more pics to give U a better idea of the layout:
I've got knotty pine/double-tongue-and-groove siding w/ grey metal roofing for my ceiling, and I've doubled my R-rating on insulation from the previous setup....complete w/ a great surround sound, fridge w/ COLD beer (& Jaggermeister in the freezer) w/ pool table on heavy casters that I move in & out to work on vehicles when needed!

I did ALL the interior work myself...w/ a laser power miter saw, table saw & all the other misc. tools, it's purdy easy to do!

Sorry they're a tad blurry, but it gives U the idea!

OzBeast

Well done gents, all look amazing.

Can you all say what guides you used to rebuild these? I know some of you have inherent mechanic feng shui, but for the rest of us it would be awesome to know what you referenced, what worked and what didn't.

Cheers!

ronarndt

Very impressive. My garage is functional with finished drywall, insulation, AC and heat, lots of electrical outlets for 110 and 220 volt, shelves everywhere, a 16 foot ceiling with lifting point and about 20 feet of bench space. All done by the guy I bought the house from. I have to walk to the next room shop to get the beer from the fridge. Maybe I should hang some pictures on the wall, but it would still be no where like your setup.

htown81vette

Once you get in there and start pulling things apart it's really pretty self explanatory how it goes back together. Just remember which bolts go where. I think I did have to look up torque specs on everything, but don't remember what I referenced. When you get to the point where you need to get the spring out, I just put a hyd floor jack under the A-arms, and slowly lowered it. I didn't even bothered compressing the spring. I thought it would fly out but was surprised when it just fell out. It is time consuming, and hard work. But it wasn't that hard to figure out what needed to be done. The mechanics quote $800-$1000 for this job in labor. Seems ridiculously high, but after doing the work myself I realized they earn every penny.

rosslato

I love that Pit Sluefoot, just awesome!
I went w/the VBP Aarms and fiberglass spring up front and TRW spring in the rear w/Bilstein shocks all around. It drives and steers awesome, Love it. Had the Steering Box rebuilt. I sandblasted all the parts frt & rear then gave them a coat of por 15 after etching & topcoated w/por 15 Ford Red engine paint. the frame i coated w/por 15 & topcoated w/krylon semi black. also used por 15 to coat the shell & wheelwells. i used dupli color red anodized paint for 1/2shafts & shocks. I’ve now got 165,000 miles on it and still have the Stock Trailing Arms which have never been rebuilt, I use that trailing arm bearing lube tool every 30,000 mi and give it a 10 shot of grease on both sides and I’m still good to go.

htown81vette

I just feel like some good looking woman just lifted her skirt and showd us the promised land. PUUUUURDY!!!

Sluefoot

Rosslato: Thx for the compliment....
I DO hafta return the compliment for your BEAUTIOUS 'Vette....what a work of art!!

The reason I've done what I've done....and I'm far from being done....is the simple fact that this is my 1st 'Vette, and I'm doing things based on the fact that I plan on KEEPING this fun vehicle.....unless someone "made me an offer I couldn't refuse!". I've always done my own wrenching, and I have the facility & knowledge to do these things...although I hafta admit that I've watched a LOT of U-Tube Videos, & taken advise from the very knowledgeable & helpful people on THIS SITE!! (I must admit that having the $$ to do all this really helps....I'm not rich....just "comfortable" ; ^ )

ronarndt

rosslato- superb detailing on your frame and suspension. How do you keep it so clean? I thought I was doing well to paint the frame and suspension black, calipers red and chrome on major engine parts. Yours is show car quality. RA

rosslato

RA, those pics are from when i was assembling all the fresh painted parts back on the vette. I WISH it would all stay that clean forever but thats not real life. I do get under there and give it a good cleaning once a yr and having a Kwiklift helps immensely. I did the front end in 2006 and the rear in 2005 and it still looks pretty fresh. Our work is never done on our vettes, EVER!

rosslato

Thats Funny!

F22

I am very sorry to disparage your C3, but the two Chevrolet Emblems on the half shafts are slightly misaligned and we will have to deduct at least ten 'cool' points for that!

But really, that is one awesome, gorgeous looking underneath. There should be a Corvette **** Category, just for that, Underskirt Shot indeed!


PS: Sluefoot,love, love your pit. I have a lift and I'd still would love to have a pit, just so I can go underneath it, without the hassle! Very cool!

ronarndt

"Our work is never done on our vettes, EVER"
Ain't that the truth. I put the cover on my 93 RX-7 for winter storage before I got the bright idea to replace something that does not need replacing- just to get another 5 hp out of the motor, which already sends the car to 60 mph in 4.1 sec. I'll spend the time on the Vette, which actually needs the work.

jb78L-82

Now you are talking about a car that will handle...I hope that you are running 17/18 Z Rated tires with all that suspension work like on mine which makes the car handle on rails. I have much the same (not so pretty). If you don't have a front spreader bar, GET ONE!!! It will improve the steering, handling, and ride for short money..think speedirect has a sales right now before Xmas for $99....I also have poly upper and lower control arm bushings to eliminate more front end slop along with a GTR1999 custom blueprinted/ rebuilt steering box...steers, handles, and rides like a modern sports car...no comparison to when it came from the factory stock with the gymkhana suspension and 255/60/15 S rated tires...NONE. These cars have loads of handling potential when coupled with the proper modern/upgraded parts....