Starting Restoration on the '63
 

Well, it looks like I'm getting started on the '63.

May do this one a little differently.

I'm trying to clean up the items as I take them off. Then I'll store them accordingly, until I need the items for assembly.

A few pics of the glovebox I did today. I still need to polish out the center of the door.

And final masking of the grill, so I can bead blast the mounts.


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I don't know what VIN you have (or if you care) but the later 63s inside glove box doors (the piece with the two lame cup holders) is natural, not painted. You can't feel the raised "Corvette Sting Ray" logo on an original door front...its inside the plastic coating (if so DON'T polish) - but again, you may be happy with the door you have.

I also assume you know to use the glove box reinforcing rod added later in the model year to prevent cracks....

The ONE mod I make to factory wiring is to put a bullet connector in the orange wire to the glove box light - its ALWAYS hot and disconnecting it from the light socket means disassembling that finicky socket to remove the glove box. Then you have that bare power lead dangling about. This mod makes removing the glove box later on a breeze.

The male end of the connector should go on the glove box side (the insulated female end on the power source side)..otherwise you need to tape off that connector temporarily while working on other things on the car that require power.

Plus FWIW, the ground path for that glove box light is through the lower support bracket that's bolted to the cross brace. prior to that (early 63) there was a small hole in the cross brace and a short ground wire from brace to glove box frame.

Maybe someone will post a picture of the wire,

I think your parts are going to turn out great.

Looking forward to following your build, Pat.

I can't imagine that it would turn out any less stunning than your '62.:thumbs:

Check heater core while your at it

Hey Frankie,

I probably used the wrong terminology when I said "polish", as I'm just attempting to clean it up. I don't wish to polish it out.

Also, thanks a lot for the heads up on the wiring issue. I'm looking forward to soliciting your expertise and advise on several items as I work on the '63.

The VIN does make this an early car (November '62).

I'm still disappointed that the horns don't appear to be correct!!! I still can't imagine why someone would take out the horns and replace them with other delco horns. Especially, several decades ago as the car has been sitting since '93/'94.

But with a car that's closing in on 55 years old, I'm sure there's a lot of history there that may never be understood! LOL!


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Pat

Yea, it's all coming out. I'm just slowly pulling it apart right now. On many of the items, I'm going to go ahead and clean them up, wrap them in bubble wrap and store them until I get ready to assemble the car again.

My wish is to get it completely pulled apart, and restore the chassis over the winter.

Pat

Andy Cannizzo can make you a set of date-coded 63 one-year-only horns (no cores required)...you'll have to dig pretty deep in your wallet (ugh!). If you find a set of cores then Andy or Joe Perri can make them like new.

Lots of reasons horns got swapped out (crash damage - ask me how I know), they just plain quit working.....or somebody R&R'ed them and installed them incorrectly with the trumpet openings facing skyward collecting water like rain barrels so they eventually failed. The AIM is a bit fanciful showing how they are mounted...when you get to the job I can post pictures of how to do it...

Speaking of Andy, please consider having him restore your center console pieces. When he is finished with them they are a work of art. Plus he is the only one that does these.
Thumbs up for Joe Perri, he restored one of my original horns and sold me a matching one as I had one missing. Keep us informed.
Rene

Andy is making noise about retiring any time now. If ANYbody needs ANYthimg done by him I wouldn’t play around.

Frankie, that inside of the door looks great!

Did you strip the paint from one of the repro doors?

Hi Pat,

I, like most others on the forum, am excited and anxious to follow your restoration. No doubt it will be another "stellar Pat restoration", just like anything you touch.

I have several original horns and if you tell me which numbers you need I will check to see if I can help you out. Don't get your hopes up, but IF I do have some, all I need is your mailing address and they will be heading your way.:thumbs:

Good luck with everything.

Rex

No sir!

I found an original 63 door back, stripped the paint off of that item and glued my original front onto it...

what glue did you use?

Thanks for the kinds comments Rex!

I'm pretty sure the numbers on the horns are 455 & 456.

It looks like these are pretty valuable when and if you do have them. Hopefully you do have a set and we can definitely work out a price for them.

Best wishes to you and the Mrs for a very Merry Christmas. I know the time is valuable to the both of you.

Take care,

Pat

Also, it looks like the way the "rod stops" are attached to the back of the door differ a little bit from the earlier ones as well.

My 63 is a second week November build and the door back looks like the picture Frank posted. It seems as if someone changed the door back plus added the lower support shown in the first post. Is the cross brace just a drilled hole where the support bolts up. Frank's pictures may show a welded nut attached to the cross brace for the support bolts.

Are you going bone stock Pat?....or a little sneaky stuff under the hood.....nudge nudge wink wink....:D

I used some two part epoxy (forget exactly what type) SPARINGLY...it doesn't take much. The picture below shows how little there was on the original door when I separated the front..

1963 Buick Rivera horns look identical to Corvette ones expect for the numbers. I think they sound the same and cost alot less $$$$$ :ack: I paid 50 bucks for working ones.