Tom McCleary’s 550-RWHP Resto-Modded C3
The C3 Corvettes enjoyed the longest production run of any Corvette generation to date. With over 500,000 combined cars rolling out of the St. Louis and Bowling Green factory during the 14-year production run. So it is very safe to say that there were and still are a lot of "Sharks" running around. That said, time and multiple owners have not been kind to many of these cars as most seem to be in need of some TLC. Fortunately, owners such as Tom McCleary are doing a great job of breathing new life back into these classic Corvettes.
A Platform to Build Upon
While there are some extremely nice C3 Corvettes out there in pristine condition, the majority of the C3 cars are battered and bruised from decade’s worth of use. As a result, the third generation Corvettes, especially those from the mid 70's to early 80's, can be had for pennies on the dollar. The bodies may be rough, the interiors worn, and the engine and suspension components in need of some serious attention, but if you take a moment and look past the wear and tear accumulated over the last 35+ years, they can be a pretty great platform to restore and are easily modded for improved performance. Case in point: Tom McCleary's 1977 C3 Corvette.
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A Diamond In The Rough?
Although Tom's 77 Corvette looks like a gem in the photos, he explains that it was actually in pretty rough shape and needed a lot of work when he purchased it. Despite the relatively poor condition of the car, it was all original (sans the engine) and all the pieces were intact making it a perfect candidate for a resto-mod. It has been pointed out that while many of these rundown cars typically remain original, a lack of maintenance is what typically does them in.
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Power Package
As with most muscle car builds, the engine was the first item in need of attention. As you may recall, the mid 70's Corvettes were hit pretty hard with the implementation of new fuel and emissions standards which resulted in pretty anemic performance numbers. To remedy the power shortage, Tom swapped in a built 392 cubic-inch small block fitted with all the goodies such as a Callies stroker kit with strengthened I-beam rods and 10.5:1 forged pistons. He opted for Dart sportsman heads, an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake, and a solid roller camshaft. Fueling is controlled by a 750 cfm Demon double-pumper carburetor. There is also a 1,000 horsepower aluminum BECool radiator to bring the temperature down on the stroker small-block that puts out 550 horsepower to the tires.
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Suspension Refresh
Big changes were completed on the suspension side of things as Tom dumped the factory steel multi-leaf front and rear springs in favor of composite single leaf springs as found on newer model Corvettes. The mono springs are not susceptible to sagging or squeaking like the original springs, and best of all, they weigh only a fraction of the stock springs. Additionally, Tom installed a fresh set of Monroe shocks and replaced all of the worn out bushings located throughout the suspension system. In the name of both safety and performance, the factory disc brake setup was also completely rebuilt.
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Curvaceous Body Cure
McCleary explains that the body of his Corvette was in pretty bad shape and needed some serious help. For the necessary body repairs, Tom sent the car off to David Kaiser Autobody in his home state of Pennsylvania where the car received new fiberglass door skins along with new rear quarter panels and a ducktail rear wing. The car also received a removable rear window conversion as found on the pre-1973 C3 Corvettes. To top it off, the car was sprayed with a beautiful PPG Deltron Candy Burnt Orange finish.
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Comfortable Cockpit
On the interior side of things, Tom opted to cover as many pieces as possible with reproduction buckskin leather to match the new carpeting. He added a modern Pioneer sound system that blows away the less than stellar factory setup. If you notice the B&M Mega Shifter sticking out of the tunnel, that is because McCleary ditched the factory 4-speed in favor of a 700-R4 automatic with a 2,600 rpm stall converter. Tom mentions that he decided to keep the factory 77 steering column as the angle of the wheel allows for easier ingress/egress with the added benefit of a hands out driving position.
>>Join the conversation about Tom McCleary's C3 right here in the Corvette Forum!
Ever Improving
After completing the rebuild of his Corvette, Tom McCleary took the car to the drag strip and ran a 12.53 1/4 mile pass at 113 mph. As with any gear head, Tom has continued to make improvements to refine the car to his liking. While he enjoys the drivability of the car, Tom has made an effort to get the car down the track quicker by adding a 150 shot NOS system, Mickey Thompson Drag Radials, and has been experimenting with different fuel choices. All the while, Tom continues to take his car to cruise nights and car shows for which he has earned a healthy number of plaques and trophies.
>>Join the conversation about Tom McCleary's C3 right here in the Corvette Forum!
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