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I have been lurking in the forum for a while, thought it was time to join. I have been working on a 76 for a number of years. Have the new engine built, that documentation will go up in another section. How I became a Vette owner is a bit unusual.
A number of years ago I visited my daughter and son-in-law in England and happened to go to the Triumph Spitfire graveyard. The owner happened to make a comment that the world speed record for a Triumph Spitfire was 198 mph. That lodged a thought in my head "What would it take to make a Spitfire go 200?"
So I went back home and started building a Spitfire to reach that goal, including a custom frame and a rover 4.6 aluminum v8. Worked on it for several years actually. As I came in from the garage one day, the wife made the comment, "I am just not comfortable with you trying to go 200mph with something you built in the garage. If you will give that up you can buy whatever you want."
I had the opportunity to buy a 68 Vette years ago and passed it up. But a chrome bumper was not in the budget. Then the 76 came along -- running, driving -- but needing some work. So now I am the owner of a 1976 Corvette. Updates about that journey will follow later.
And yes, I do still have the Spitfire frame on the back wall of my garage. It might make a nice little roadster one day. Just not 200mph. I have a great wife!
I decided I needed to buy something I could put a key in and drive. Have an Olds Cutlass in the garage for 25+ years
I concur. The difference between how long you imagine a project is going to take and the time it actually takes can be considerable. And life always seems to have a curve ball for you.
My current project is enlarging the shed so I can have enough space in the garage to pull the original engine and trans. I hate to loose the ability to drive the Vette but it has to happen at some point. Just hope it doesn't take forever.
Most of the Spitfire project has gone away now. I found a few pictures and posted them in "off topic - other cars - 200 mph Spitfire". I still have the frame, suspension, and transmission. Hope to do something with it someday.
New member, 76 project
