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64 Vette….Rebuild 2.0

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that was actually on the way to the HotRod Powertour last year, still haven't got the starter fixed, but it will start, but not restart for a day or so....still got a new Powermaster starter sitting on the bench for it too...:doah:

did have a little fun yesterday though....

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April 23, 1964 was the build date for my Vette

today makes it 50...The H23 translates as:
H: 8th month of the build year; the build year started in Sept.63, so 8th month is April.64
23: 23rd day of the month

There were 8304 coupes built in 1964, they are kind of a bastard child after the 1963 split window went away.

The 923AA is the color...Riverside Red
L76 365hp engine...one of about 2700 coupes for 1964
4speed trans...one of about 6600 coupes for 1964
positraction rear diff...one of about 6700 coupes for 1964
Vacuum power brakes...one of about 1700 coupes for 1964

The non-original build sheet contains the items I could confirm, it may have had additional, but I couldn't confirm them.

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here are about 1/10 of the pics I have of the car... when I first got it in 1982 and a trip to the strip soon followed as well as some autocross racing with it.
Best performance was 14.00 at 97mph

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then I noticed the frame was cracked and rusty looking so the snowball began..
you can see the original red overspray that was covered by a quick blackout of the engine compartment before the body drop to the rolling chassis. It was cool to uncover those type of things as I took the car apart.
Notice the original st Louis gas tank stencil.

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the frame was really rusty, I think the body was holding the frame together, when I got the frame completely stripped of parts I broke the rear end section off the main framerails where all that rust is.

Also shown in these pics are the beautiful 70's lacquer paint falling off, and the body build #436...they would start the build number at 1 and go up to 999 then start over...it was just something they did on the assembly plant lines

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I acquired a 65 frame, which was ready to accept a BBC...the difference being in the front crossmember being dished out for the BBC extra length and the harmonic balancer and pulleys needed that clearance that the SBC didn't from 1964.
everything was acid stripped and was like new metal for painting and reassembly.
Also I was planning on making a drag car out of it at the time (mid-late 80's) so I built a L-88 replica engine from an original L-72 (425hp-427-4bolt main) 570/600 lift cam, 12.5:1 forged pistons, etc all the good stuff
When it came time to first fire the engine, it was discovered to have a cracked block....so that set me back to scrapping the BBC idea and going with a warmed up 327 that came w/ the car.
My thinking was the 550hp 427 would end up breaking the rear diff (there wasn't a great alternative at the time for strengthening them like there is now) also with only being able to put a 235 tire under the fender, traction seemed hopeless without cutting the glass and tubbing it also requiring more rear diff work. Remember this is about 1988 when this was going on, tire technology isn't what it is today.
later pics include starting the body work, replacing all 4 flared fenders with new panels...that is my 7 year old daughter helping me (she's 27 now!)

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these pics show the new panels on the car, it being stripped to the original glass, many many cracks and seams repaired, and the body on the rebuilt drivetrain/chassis. the car was completely shelled to do a thorough paint job, every nut and bolt came off the car, it was just the bare body shell.
that last pic is in primer, blocked and ready for final primer coat.

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I need to give my brother in law the credit for final bodywork and paint...he had way more experience than me, and had a paint booth at his place as well....I couldn't be happier with the results.
A few pics of paint and the striping of the hood as well as some on the trailer w/ my 85 C20.

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Your car has a timeless look. If you don't change a thing, it will still look spectacular 50 years from now. :thumb:
 
thanks brothers....I think one of the coolest things about driving it, is driving it...its just a hotrod, but seems nobody drives a midyear anymore, so it always gets a thumbs up when people notice it..:waytogo:
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