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62 Corvette rebuild

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KCarGuy

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2009
Messages
2,075
Location
50 miles outside Chicago, illinois
Does this bring back some Memories for me...
Years back, I picked up a 1960 corvette that was a Basket Case.
It was all there...Tons of New Parts still in GM bags and Boxes too.

It was a 283 Fuelie (unit missing), 4 speed, big tank, hardtop only, heater and radio delete Car.

I was Half way done with it (years of work) and sold it to Dale Smith of OEM Glass and a Board Member of Bloomington Gold.

Found out later...It was also a Big Brake, Factory GM Racecar.
1 of 7 Built.

It has been perfectly restored, and in California.
Just think, I was going to Modify it or Modernize it...
Now its a Piece of Corvette History.

Reading and Going through your Build reminded me what Fun it was working on that Old Vette. Thanks.
And Absolute Beautiful work on Your 62!!!
 
OP
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don long

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,842
Location
southern california
Hey buddy,

The exhaust is immaculate!...it will match the rest of the car perfectly. The car looks great and the Zephyr is sweet.

Thanks WW

It's always fun hearing from you and knowing that you check in on me from time to time and your are right the Zephyr is kinda cool.

don

I missed the pics of the pipes side exit. They turned out great.
I have to say you make my head spin with everything you have going on. Very impressive.

Thanks AK

I didn't think you ever missed anything. I can always count on you being there for me I know.
Those pipes were a bit of a pita and I was very nervous cutting the hole in the side But I went for it and I'm glad I did.

As above, just awesome.:bowdown:

Thanks 1/2
I'm surprised that you missed it too

Does this bring back some Memories for me...
Years back, I picked up a 1960 corvette that was a Basket Case.
It was all there...Tons of New Parts still in GM bags and Boxes too.
It was a 283 Fuelie (unit missing), 4 speed, big tank, hardtop only, heater and radio delete Car.
I was Half way done with it (years of work) and sold it to Dale Smith of OEM Glass and a Board Member of Bloomington Gold.
Found out later...It was also a Big Brake, Factory GM Racecar.
1 of 7 Built.
It has been perfectly restored, and in California.
Just think, I was going to Modify it or Modernize it...
Now its a Piece of Corvette History.

Reading and Going through your Build reminded me what Fun it was working on that Old Vette. Thanks.
And Absolute Beautiful work on Your 62!!!

Thanks KCarGuy

for the visit and sharing your bit of history. I am enjoying this build it's the first corvette I've had the privilege of doing.
 
OP
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don long

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,842
Location
southern california
No real progress on the vette in the past month life has been in the way
We are still fighting 3 wiring harnesses in one car but we are getting little wins every couple of days and we are almost over the top on this one.

Thanks for looking in

Don
 

Bears Fan

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Joined
Jan 26, 2012
Messages
3,437
Location
Indiana
15ezhuo.jpg


Wow! That was a lot of work and you have came a long way and it looks awesome :thumbup: Can't wait to see some paint laid down :beer:
 
OP
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don long

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Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,842
Location
southern california
All the best with it Don:thumbup:

Wow! That was a lot of work and you have came a long way and it looks awesome :thumbup: Can't wait to see some paint laid down :beer:

Thanks guys
This project is not dead by any means, just nothing to talk about.
The rewiring has been very challenging. It is 95% complete and today I ran all over town chasing hose fittings for the brakes, A/C and heater hoses.
I spent over $400. on these parts and 3 trips to the store 25 miles away only to find out that there are much cleaner / smoother fittings to use so tomorrow I start over again gathering up fittings for the car
 

Bob Heine

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Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Messages
10,703
Location
Boca Raton, Florida
Thanks guys
...today I ran all over town chasing hose fittings for the brakes, A/C and heater hoses.
I spent over $400. on these parts and 3 trips to the store 25 miles away only to find out that there are much cleaner / smoother fittings to use so tomorrow I start over again gathering up fittings for the car
Don,

Thanks for that description because I do that a lot. Welded AN bungs to the stock power steering tank on my Corvette for braided stainless hydroboost and rack & pinion return lines.
PumpFittings-Final.jpg


It just made a crowded mess at the pump with all the lines criss-crossing. (this picture just reminded me I need to replace that stack of washers with a piece of stainless tubing).
PowerSteeringPumpHoses.jpg


This week I found a remote reservoir conversion for the pump for a little more than $50. All I need now is an $80 tank, an $80 -10AN braided line and fittings and a $24 Koul Tool (only have -4, -6 and -8).
Remote%20conversion_zpslginspgl.jpg
Remote%20Tank_zpsvszvmym0.jpg


Change the pump housing, mount the tank and make up the -10AN line and I should be happy -- until I come across a really good price on a serpentine front drive...:bounce:

Wishing you and Ann and your whole family happiness, good health, a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
 
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don long

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Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,842
Location
southern california
Thanks Bob and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Good luck with that serpentine system.
I've decided that working on cars is a true pita when it comes to making them run.

Today we have light on the dash and brake lights working on 3 of the 4 taillites

osv0gh.jpg


294nel4.jpg
 

akdiesel

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Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
2,617
Location
Wasilla, AK
don

Did you say earlier that those gauges were Dakota Digital's? I am thinking of putting the blue color ones in my '82 Silverado.
 

Duker

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Joined
Sep 25, 2010
Messages
10,861
Location
Livingston, TX
Thanks Bob and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Good luck with that serpentine system.

I've decided that working on cars is a true pita when it comes to making them run.



Today we have light on the dash and brake lights working on 3 of the 4 taillites



osv0gh.jpg




294nel4.jpg


Don,

If you ever have a moment of temporary insanity or lack of judgement and decide to sell the car put me down as candidate to join what will be a feeding frenzy of buyers. The car is perfect! I have been lurking in the background but I have enjoyed every step of the build. I am living vicariously through you in this build as this project is something I only dream of doing. Thanks for taking us along in the journey.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

iajonesy

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
2,467
Location
Iowa
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Mrs. Long, Don. Between you and Robert of MPC, I've learned a lot about quality building and am not ashamed to say I've copied some of your ideas.

Can't wait to see that 'vette done and on the road. I love the Zephyr,too.

Mike
 
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don long

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Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,842
Location
southern california
don

Did you say earlier that those gauges were Dakota Digital's? I am thinking of putting the blue color ones in my '82 Silverado.

Thanks for checking in AK

Yes those are Dakota digitals remember back when I couldn't find my gauges and I found the box from Dakota Digital and remembered sending my orig gauges out in 1996

Don,

If you ever have a moment of temporary insanity or lack of judgement and decide to sell the car put me down as candidate to join what will be a feeding frenzy of buyers. The car is perfect! I have been lurking in the background but I have enjoyed every step of the build. I am living vicariously through you in this build as this project is something I only dream of doing. Thanks for taking us along in the journey.

Duker

If you are living vicariously through me, I hope you don't feel all the pain that come with this build lol
Please don't hold your breath waiting on my being weak and selling the monster, My daughter thinks I'm building it for her. It is all for me.

Thank you for those very kind thoughts. I hope you will continue on this journey til it's over

Merry Christmas

PS I want to see this thing in paint too

The digital dash sure looks good.

Simon
You can't know how happy I was when I first saw the blue lights. It has been a 2 month struggle to get this bad boy juiced.


Thanks PugetDude

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Mrs. Long, Don. Between you and Robert of MPC, I've learned a lot about quality building and am not ashamed to say I've copied some of your ideas.

Can't wait to see that 'vette done and on the road. I love the Zephyr,too.

Mike

Hi Mike

Don't feel bad about taking some of my ideas they came to me the same way
from Robert (MPC) i'm sure

Thanks for the nice complements. I am getting excited to see the paint on the car too.
Merry Christmas to you and your family
Thanks for the visit
 
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don long

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Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,842
Location
southern california
This Thread is just over a year old and in review we have made some pretty good progress with all the body mods that have been done to my car.

I took some time off to play with a few of my other toys in the month of December, but this week we are all over it again with the commitment to have it finished by July (my birthday)
So I have painted both doors (just the jambs) and today I managed to get the brake lines formed and the electric power buster plugged in.

x5zj1x.jpg


296nlaa.jpg


fd6avq.jpg
 
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wasfast

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Apr 10, 2014
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874
Location
San Diego CA
Any update on the paint for the Corvette? You realize that the race to final color is still on between you and MP & C on the Chevy.....:)
 
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don long

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Messages
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southern california
Any update on the paint for the Corvette? You realize that the race to final color is still on between you and MP & C on the Chevy.....:)

Had to laugh when I pulled up this thread to find your post because I have 2 reasons to post on my thread tonight.

So I have been playing with this project a little at a time with everything else going on around me.
We have been slowed up a lot by the tricky wiring up of the car with 3 different wire harnesses merging together to get this thing running.
Well we finally got over that hump and the car is ready to fire up.
I also have the water plumbing problems behind me with stainless tubing for the radiator hoses made up so check this out

zxl160.jpg


The pipe connections are temporary so I can take the body off the frame one more time. You can also see the a/c has been plumbed as well
Tonight the car is sitting in the spray booth waiting for me to find the time to get the door jambs painted so we can put the doors on the car.

16a45l0.jpg
 
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dpljmurphy

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Joined
Oct 13, 2015
Messages
200
Location
Near Agnew WA
Don, was really trying to catch up with the thread before posting, but dear dog: this is one beautiful car and photo!

64mlbk.jpg


Cheers!

David
 

Ohmthis

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Joined
Jan 20, 2013
Messages
3,009
Location
Outside of Louisville KY
A true masterpiece!!! This is where form and function go hand in hand. Very nice. I love how every line, hose, bracket, etc is thought out and laid out perfectly.
 
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don long

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Mar 31, 2012
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southern california
Don, was really trying to catch up with the thread before posting, but dear dog: this is one beautiful car and photo!
Btw, subscribed!

Thanks Dave
I'm glad that you found my Vette thread. This one has become a true project.
Taking way too long, but it will get finished before the end of the year I promise.
Sorry we couldn't make our schedules line up when you were in town
Til the next time:


don
She looks ****. Still watching the progress.

Thanks AK

Sorry I haven't had much to show on this project. I will make some headway this next week for sure.

A true masterpiece!!! This is where form and function go hand in hand. Very nice. I love how every line, hose, bracket, etc is thought out and laid out perfectly.

Ohmthis
Wow Do you think so? Thanks
I looked back at the pic. I posted last and see all those exposed wires that need to go away soon. I'm working on some custom engine covers to hide the ugly on the top of that monster.

Thanks for checking in guys

Don
 

CNGsaves

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Joined
Sep 26, 2012
Messages
13,233
Location
KS and OK
OP . . . . . . . . you are getting so close to PERFECTION . . . . Dayuum !! :thumbup:

I'm simply in LOVE with all you're doing to the '62 Vette. :beer:

. . . . AND . . . . just because . . . you know OCD . . dip stick needs CHROME !! :D
 
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don long

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southern california
I know that's a sealer on the car but I like the color.

Hi Zeke

Nice to hear from you. Lunch???
Yes it is a very high $$$ primer

OP . . . . . . . . you are getting so close to PERFECTION . . . . Dayuum !! :thumbup:

I'm simply in LOVE with all you're doing to the '62 Vette. :beer:

. . . . AND . . . . just because . . . you know OCD . . dip stick needs CHROME !! :D

CNG

Thanks I'm glad you like it
You got me. I had to go back over the pics to see what you had found. You are dead right Chrome It Will Be

Thanks for the visit and pointing that out to me
 

Zeke

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Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
17,176
Location
Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.

Hi Zeke

Nice to hear from you. Lunch???
Yes it is a very high $$$ primer



CNG

Thanks I'm glad you like it
You got me. I had to go back over the pics to see what you had found. You are dead right Chrome It Will Be

Thanks for the visit and pointing that out to me
I don't particularly like billet items for cars but I've seen some trick billet dipsticks. A little CNC work and you could have a custom one with anything from the Corvette logo of the period to something personal. Frankly, I think a miniature highlighted Corvette script would be really cool.
 
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don long

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southern california
Thanks for the suggestion Zeke I'll work on something

Today the vette is in the booth wrapped and ready for a little more color in the door jambs and interior area

e713kg.jpg


ftdp2c.jpg


Since the last pic. the car has been reprimered and sanded with fine scotch bright and 800 grit wet paper where the paint will show. (console and door jambs)
 
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don long

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Mar 31, 2012
Messages
8,842
Location
southern california
Well JB
We're getting closer, I finally sprayed the color in the interior department and door jambs so I can put the doors on the car and finish the electrical. (electric windows, door locks and courtesy lights)

Here is the car tonight

25saedy.jpg
 

TK-421

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Dec 29, 2015
Messages
1,398
Location
Pflugerville, TX
So, this might sound like a stupid question, but how in the hell do you remember what bolts go where, and what bits and bobs go with other bits and bobs?

I mean, I'd love to see about becoming a mechanic, but I've got major memory issues, and there's no way I could remember where every little bit and bolt goes when doing a frame-off restoration.

Glad you can remember though, it's looking great so far.
 
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don long

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Mar 31, 2012
Messages
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southern california
It's not as bad as you might think.
There are different groups of nut and bolts. Body bolts are much different from fender bolts and engine bolts are different still and door hinge bolts have a shape of there own so you can know by looking where each bolt goes.
I also have divider boxes that I mark and put all fastners from the grille in one section and fender molding nuts in another.
 

jbmatth

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Jun 3, 2013
Messages
5,681
Location
Northern Ok.
Once again Don it is looking woderful, I'm one bolt away from getting my car back in running condition, I can't wait. :3gears: A side note for TK-421, what I've always done is toss everything in a big box, on the bench, or just let it fall on the ground and hope for the best... Okay no never do that I'm kidding. Whenever I take something off I try to reinstall the bolts back on the part where they belong. If you can't do that then put them in a bag and label it. So far everything had gone back together just fine. Occasionally I misplace a bag and look for it for 10-20 hours, but it shows up. :lol_hitti
JB
 
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