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Not being very well versed with the term "survivor", I just bought a '62 'Vette that hadn't been driven since 1978. It has the original 327ci 340hp engine, with original 4sp transmission, and 4.11 rear end. These major parts appear to be numbers correct based on date codes. The paint and upholstery are original though not in the best of shape. The removable hard top may be after market. It seems to be missing a couple of trim pieces running front to back. I bought it with American Racing wheels but I have the original spinner hubcaps. It's missing the rear sway bar and has replacement air shocks. The radiator, master cylinder, starter, generator, window washer tank seem to be original. I have the original distributer shield but missing all the hardware.
I have started to replace parts that are suited to my taste and driving ease. I am rebuilding the whole front and rear suspension. The engine bay will be painted a satin black, everything else will be cleaned and polished.
I am saving all the parts I'm replacing including hardware.
I plan to enter this car in a few shows, but I'm wondering the classification I should put it under. Since survivor cars seem to be a prized commodity, does this car merit any recognition as a survivor? Should it be registered even if I've removed some of the original parts which I've saved?
Bob
Looks like an interesting project and especially if you bought it right. I kinda like the black vinyl roof on the hardtop, which is very late 60's and 70's. I had a green 61 back in 1971 and bought a robin egg blue hardtop a dealer, so I rattle canned it with flat black to look like a vinyl top from a distance. Looked a lot better than blue on green.
Not being very well versed with the term "survivor", I just bought a '62 'Vette that hadn't been driven since 1978. It has the original 327ci 340hp engine, with original 4sp transmission, and 4.11 rear end. These major parts appear to be numbers correct based on date codes. The paint and upholstery are original though not in the best of shape. The removable hard top may be after market. It seems to be missing a couple of trim pieces running front to back. I bought it with American Racing wheels but I have the original spinner hubcaps. It's missing the rear sway bar and has replacement air shocks. The radiator, master cylinder, starter, generator, window washer tank seem to be original. I have the original distributer shield but missing all the hardware.
I have started to replace parts that are suited to my taste and driving ease. I am rebuilding the whole front and rear suspension. The engine bay will be painted a satin black, everything else will be cleaned and polished.
I am saving all the parts I'm replacing including hardware.
I plan to enter this car in a few shows, but I'm wondering the classification I should put it under. Since survivor cars seem to be a prized commodity, does this car merit any recognition as a survivor? Should it be registered even if I've removed some of the original parts which I've saved?
Bob
If you truly believe that you have a "Survivor" car (Bloomington Gold term) or a "Bow Tie" car (NCRS term), you shouldn't do anything to it until it's evaluated..
Anything you do.... aggressive polishing, aggressive cleaning, painting, parts replacement, etc. is detrimental to a survivor type car.
Original paint is key. Maybe somebody here can explain how to prove that. Can the paint depth be measured? You should hold off on painting the engine compartment until you know for sure about the body paint. You should find proper date coded rims, assuming they stamped those in ‘62 like they did in the later ‘60s. Cool car!
It looks like it has or had a soft top too. take the hard top off and store it... Be careful it would have been lacquer paint and watch what you use on it. Find someone who really know about old paint and what use it bring it back. I think old chipped and wore paint is way cooler than a new paint job, even if it is original. Plus, you wont freak out when you drive it worrying about if or when a hip comes. As far as car shows go (in my area) stock includes 2 or 3 minor mods. Mine is all stock but has American thrust wheels. And I won plenty of shows including world of wheels this year for stock c1.
Neat '62. Looks like it will be a fun project to work on. I wouldn't get to caught up in what to call what you do to it - it just great that you are doing it.
That looks like a great find! I know when I visit the Bay Area, I'm constantly on the lookout for old cars and trucks that still remain in some of the old neighborhoods. It's pretty amazing how many old cars are still there sitting alongside an old driveway and such.
We're a couple of hours to the north east a bit, but still have a bit of contact down in San Jose.
Tell us a little bit of history on the car, and how you came to acquiring the Corvette.
1. Nothing survivor about the vinyl on the roof. That is a 70’s kind of thing.
2. If you want to show the car, just a few observations from having taken a few of my cars
a. Local car shows with one to three cars, you will be disappointed.
b. Indoor car shows such as ISCA, there is no chance.
c. An all Corvette show where the participants vote for their choices and maybe as many as 10 cars are selected might be your best chance to win something.
d. NCRS and Bloomington are your best bests.
I have gone to many shows and walked away empty handed....but if you go with the intention of just having a good time and socializing it will be worthwhile.
Too late for the evaluation. The whole bottom is off and being cleaned of all dust, grime, and built up grease. I removed (ground off) some brackets that had been installed to mount some sort of torsion bars. So now the axle housing will be painted. Haven't decided on whether I'll have the brake drums painted after they've been turned. I've ordered the whole front end suspension kit, including springs, so I'm almost sure the drums will get painted.
At this point, I think I'll try and preserve it as a numbers correct car, rather than as a survivor, but I wish now I had let someone do an evaluation just for historical reasons. I'm sure the paint is original. It has a couple of wear spots on the trunk lid, but other than it looks OK, Body has a small hairline crack on the left rear fender.
Bob
Neat car. I would leave the hardtop on, personally. I love the hardtop on my '61. Haven't had it off in over two years. I bought my '61 out of an airplane hangar where it had been sitting for 20+ years with a hurt engine. Not original drivetrain in my car, though. These old cars are just plain fun.....enjoy!
Neat car. I would leave the hardtop on, personally. I love the hardtop on my '61. Haven't had it off in over two years. I bought my '61 out of an airplane hangar where it had been sitting for 20+ years with a hurt engine. Not original drivetrain in my car, though. These old cars are just plain fun.....enjoy!
Thanks GTO. We had to remove the top in order to remove the gas tank. The top has a broken driver's side window. I'm leaving it as is for now. It has the original top all in tatters.
Ever attend Good Guys in Pleasanton, or the Classic Car Show in Pismo Beach?
Bob
A couple things. You said the engine is “original” and later said it’s “correct based on date codes.”Correct” vs “original” are 2 different terms. Does the VIN derivative on the block match the VIN of your car? Answer this question and verify.
Secondly, you asked about how to classify because you are considering shows. Know this going in... the rules change at every show. If you are thinking about getting the car Survivor certified at Bloomington Gold, that’s one consideration. If you are looking at entering the car at the Rte 66 Hamburger Stop Show and Shine, thats another whole ball game.
The answers to many of your questions depends on clarifying your term useage and where you are going.
I think your best course of action is try to stay away from as much “spraybomb restoration” as you can right now... that is, painting stuff without knowing if you should just yet. Fix things correctly for safety and driving and have fun with the car at shows or cruises or whatever. But as you get exposed to knowledgeable 1962 people, you will figure out just how correct and unrestored the car really is (or isn’t) and you can make cosmetic decisions from there.
if you haven’t, buy a 1962 NCRS Judging Guide- you can answer many of your own questions about colors, finishes, correctness, numbers, applications, etc.
A couple things. You said the engine is “original” and later said it’s “correct based on date codes.”Correct” vs “original” are 2 different terms. Does the VIN derivative on the block match the VIN of your car? Answer this question and verify.
Secondly, you asked about how to classify because you are considering shows. Know this going in... the rules change at every show. If you are thinking about getting the car Survivor certified at Bloomington Gold, that’s one consideration. If you are looking at entering the car at the Rte 66 Hamburger Stop Show and Shine, thats another whole ball game.
The answers to many of your questions depends on clarifying your term useage and where you are going.
I think your best course of action is try to stay away from as much “spraybomb restoration” as you can right now... that is, painting stuff without knowing if you should just yet. Fix things correctly for safety and driving and have fun with the car at shows or cruises or whatever. But as you get exposed to knowledgeable 1962 people, you will figure out just how correct and unrestored the car really is (or isn’t) and you can make cosmetic decisions from there.
if you haven’t, buy a 1962 NCRS Judging Guide- you can answer many of your own questions about colors, finishes, correctness, numbers, applications, etc.
I am the fourth owner. The third owner bought the car in '66 and knew the previous two owners. The first a doctor and the second a guy that bought it for his wife who had trouble shifting gears. The third owner was a retired manager at a maintenance shop for the Border Patrol in SoCal where he started as a master mechanic. He told me the whole drive train was original. No reason for him to lie as he sold it as is.
Bob
I don't mean to rain on your parade but take this for what it is worth.
After reading this and your other threads regarding your rear end and engine it looks to me as though you ask questions and make statement but often don't like the answers and you don't respond to question like above such as the originality of the engine. Maybe you don't know how to answer or where to look? On the passenger side of the engine just ahead of the cylinder head is a flat pad that will have the engine identification code and a partial V.I.N. it was unpainted from the factory. If it is now painted first wash the pad of any engine grime and then use a chemical paint stripper to remove the paint. Regardless of it being painted or not DO NOT scrap on the pad with anything abrasive as it can damage factory broaching marks that are important in determining originality. Once you have these numbers or better yet high resolution, clear, well lite pictures post them here and you will know for sure what you have.
On another note, from your other thread regarding engine upgrades I can not stress the waste of money it will be for you to use the high dollar roller cam you are talking about putting in this engine based on what your objective of approximately 375 h.p. from this engine. If it is in fact the original engine and you plan to rebuilt it you can likely achieve that with simple pocket porting of the original heads, re-jetting the original carb and using a much less expensive flat tappet cam. You said you don't want to spend a ton of money on this car like others you have done so let this sink in.
I went back and reads your other threads.
Any chance of survivor is long gone. The pic of the empty engine bay and motor at the machine shop guarantees that.
Do whatever you want with the car. I personally wouldn't want a car with faded, peeling or chipped paint even if the paint was original. You may as well do the whole restoration/restorod or what ever. now.
Doug
I hate to say this, but when I joined NCRS I thought survivor was a car that was going to be scrapped and some one decided to keep it alive. In 1971 I bought a 67 435/427 coupe that was going to be parted out. The going value in good shape was 1,700.00. I saved it from death, It had left front damage, and not a trace of rust. (so cal car). I found vettes in the junk yard that were not so lucky, and bought parts off of them.
Well now I know what survivor is. I will say that as mentioned in another post, decide what kind of show! I attended a few shows and every one walked by the car that had bad paint and showed it's age. The owner was asked if he brought it there to sell or was he going to fix it up?
Personally if you want a show piece then make it look better than new which is costly. If you don't want to spend money then leave it look like it is and you will have a different audience.
I can understand all sides of this hobby. I went the restoration route because I like the thumbs up when I drive and people admiring it. Most that are impressed don't know much about a restored car or even what year it is, but the crowd is bigger.
12-15-2018, 01:59 AM
Not Another '62 Survivor
