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continued from Project Car: '55 Bel Air, 2 Door Hardtop)
Project '55 Bel Air: April 2014 Update
Project '55 Bel Air: May 2014 Update
Project '55 Bel Air: July 2014 Update
Now that the body is off the frame, it’s time to strip the frame and get ready for the new suspension!
My relationship with Camaros began in November 1966. My uncle, Bob McKeown, walked into Spielman Chevrolet in Brooklyn, NY, and drove out of the showroom with a new 1967 Camaro– one of the first ones built. At the time, this car was nothing special; just an inline 250 cubic-inch six-cylinder with a 3-speed manual transmission on the column. Not long afterward, he paid me and a neighbor five dollars to wash and wax his new Camaro. We were thrilled, not just because we got $2.50 each (a lot of money for teenagers in 1967) but also because we actually got to go over, under, and around a real Camaro! It didn’t matter to us that it wasn’t an SS, it was a Camaro– and nobody else we knew even had one.
1955 Chevy: The Chameleon. One day while I was driving my ’57 Chevy, a fellow classic Chevy enthusiast driving a ’55 asked me if I would be interested in trading cars. He sweetened the deal with a Wonderbar radio and some cash, and the deal was made.
Since then, the car has gone through a number of phases. Back in 1993 at the Winter Nationals in Orlando, the car, then with candy apple red paint, gray tweed interior, and a smooth firewall, won first place and best engine in the driven modified class.
Two weeks later the car was completely dismantled. I had a lot of ideas and changes I wanted to make. So I started at Holtz Welding with the chassis and suspension. Bill at Holtz fabricated a full cage, custom headers, rear tubs, a full racing suspension, a nine inch rear with a 4:10 Posi gear, and motor plates for a supercharged small block.
An easy-drivin’, head-turnin’ ’66 Corvette turns heads and wins trophies
This ’66 “Coupester” is a complete frame-off resto-mod, powered by an LS7 engine mated to an automatic transmission. It features SSBC disc brakes all around, Bilstein shocks, single mono-leaf carbon fiber transverse springs (front and rear), complete custom interior, console with Auto Meter gauges, vintage A/C, and many more subtle mods, including charcoal graphics.
Never use the brush that comes with the touch-up paint– it will just cause big, nasty globs and end up looking worse than the chip. Use a small artist’s grade brush and gently work your paint into the chip area. Wait for it to dry completely (at least an hour), then apply a little more to “fill the hole”. These steps alone will make your chip look a lot better. If you feel even braver, use a superfine grit sandpaper (1500+), wet, wrapped around a small block. Go over the newly-painted chip very carefully until the “bump” gets minimized.
Of course, Corvettes (of all generations) are wildly popular. It only stands to reason that there are about a gazillion “accessories” for them. I’m not talking about wing kits and carbon fiber scoops, either. I’m talking about the toy industry. Everything from kiddie pedal cars, Power Wheels, model kits, RC cars, ad infinitum…
Apollo 12 astronauts (L-R) Charles 'Pete' Conrad Jr., Richard Francis Gordon Jr., and Alan LaVern Bean with their identical 1969 Corvette Stingray coupes. The coupes features a 390-hp, 427 V8 and black-accented Riverside Gold color scheme designed by Bean. Photo by Ralph Morse / Time & Life Pictures / Getty Images.
Shortly after returning from his historic flight to space in 1961, Alan Shepard got a surprise gift from General Motors -- a dazzling white 1962 Chevrolet Corvette.
The gift would spark a budding relationship between NASA astronauts and the automaker, and experts say the association helped to define the Corvette as the iconic American sports car.
In the instance when purchasing a new ashtray for your classic is just not feasible (not available, price too high, etc.), why not restore your current one? Sure, it may look really ugly, but that can be fixed pretty easily.
Let’s face it, filthy ashtrays not only look bad, they smell bad too. First, clean them thoroughly with soap and water. A toothbrush or small wire brush may be needed to get rid of encrusted buildup. After the parts are completely dry (use a hairdryer if necessary to get into the tighter cavities), it’s time for paint. Spray metal ashtrays with silver (or metal colored) paint to make them look new (Krylon Stainless Steel works great). Spray plastic ashtrays with crystal clear lacquer to make them look unused.
When the enemy is at the gates, you arm yourself and brace for an attack. When you are the enemy, you let loose a fusillade. With high-priced exotics and domestic sports cars alike in its crosshairs, we already knew the 2015 Corvette Z06 was out for blood; our deep dive on the car told us all we needed to know on that count. But official power figures had been kept secret. Now that they’re out, it’s clear that the Chevy is going to be beating down some gates.
As you may have noticed, the auction world is L88-crazy right now. These Corvettes have always been a strong draw with well-heeled collectors, and with the recent jaw-dropping sales of a 1967 model and another L88 headed to Seattle in less than two weeks, enthusiasts are waiting to see if the crazy prices will continue. But this time it’s a C3 version, which have been missing the limelight as of late, so GM Authority thought we’d give this 1969 L88 some consideration.
