My Free 63 and how it happened
 

So this past Sunday I acquired a 1963 corvette convertible, the car as of now is a basket case. Was taken apart 20 years ago for restoration then health problems forced it to stop. After several trips I got all the parts home. Body has some damage from something falling on it, but not bad I'm a body man by trade. I see no rust in the birdcage and after doing an evaluation of what I have I'm not missing to much, major stuff is all here.. I got this car thru a friends dad, it was my friends grandfather that took it apart for resto, he wouldn't take money for the car. I tried to but it but he only wanted to give it to me.. Now the work begins, soon..https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...9584e9b0f.jpeg
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Seriously ... Wow !

Pretty cool that you were able to get that car for free.

Looks like a great project!

Hopefully most all the parts are there, especially for a '63 (as I'm finding out).

Welcome to the forum,

Pat

That's a great friend. Keep us posted on your progress.

I'll see I know there's missing parts, but I seem to have most of it atleast. I'm just going to restore it into a driver. Not going super crazy the original engine is gone and was replaced with a 65 vette engine so it's no numbers matching..

I was told this was a 340hp car but I don't know how to prove that without the original engine anyway

Looks like the car found just the right home.

Very cool. Nice to know that another one will be making its way back to the road.

Doesn't the 6500 rpm redline mean it was a higher hp motor? That's assuming that is the original tach, but still...

With all the threads about restoration and cost, etc etc. it would be a great thread to document your costs and man hours to bring this 63 back on the road.

Congratulations, based on your description of the condition it will be a nice project, the tachometer dictates a 340hp. If you can post some pics of the engine you got it's possible the original top end (heads, etc.) could have been used with a later short block. Any questions about what's correct/original etc. ask first and don't get rid of anything.

Have fun and enjoy :cheers:

It has the high-RPM tach and that supports the 340hp story...it should also NOT have a front steering damper underneath...

At least you're already ahead in value. You got it for free so unless you go crazy you shouldn't be under water with this car.

All my 'friends' seem to do is borrow money...sometimes they pay it back...
I think I got a free push lawn mower once, for repairing a pal's roof...

There are a bunch of ways to go with that car ranging from a 'budget' restoration to driver status to a full blown restomod. You'll need to choose carefully based on your wallet, desires and skill level.

yes, that is the joke around here regarding cost of a full resto of a 63-64 convertible making no sense unless you get the car for free. Well, here you go!
Have fun!

Congrats, keep us posted on your progress.

:thumbs:Good for you, everyone needs a project, and you got one big project, keep us posted on the progress.

Very cool!:thumbs: Can't go wrong at that price! Kudos to your friend's dad for being so generous. Good luck with the build!

Rich

Can't beat that price. It's good that you can handle the body work yourself. Should be a great project. As was said, looks like a 340 horse tach. Trim tag shows Riverside Red as the paint color with a black/Standard interior.

Post some pics as you make progress. Have fun with it.

very cool!


Still your terms of basket case is not used correct because it looks like it was in the middle of a restoration.