Sleeper
04-07-2010, 09:22 PM
'lo all...
I've been reading these forums for a while now and finally registered myself so I might be able to add input for others in re-payment for the help I've had from reading these forums.
This is truly a great site with a wealth of real-world, no bs, knowledge.
I'm no expert, but I do all my own mechanical work on my baby, Beatrice, a 1975 L-48 Convertible that has been in my family since 1981.
I got her from my parents when my mom's leg got too tired to push the clutch in anymore in 1987.
Since then, my father and I have rebuilt the motor 2x and gussied her drivetrain up from the dismal stock performance.
Additionally, due to her age of now 35 years old, have been fixing/restoring parts as they fall apart.
Everything we have done has had the mantra of it's going to look stock until you hear and see her run.
Long story short, my parents were owners of a 1962 convertible they purchased brand new.
One day in early 1968, my dad came home from work with $2000 and an ugly pea-green station wagon instead of the sexy red convertible Corvette with the excuse of 'you are pregnant and we need a family car'.
Growing up I always heard about how I'd better be good because she gave up 'her' Corvette for me and would trade me away for another one if I didn't behave, lol.
She had never forgiven him for not getting her 'permission' first and how he sold 'her' baby behind her back (for me).
In 1981, my dad bought a wrecked white 1969 427 convertible and we fixed it up for her without her knowing as a surprise.
(In other words, at age 13, I started working on Chevrolet drivetrains and fell in love with Corvettes.)
She was ecstatic with the surprise until she drove it around the block, got out and 'Casper bit her' ie, burnt the **** out of the back of her leg on the drag pipes.
Casper got sold immediately as she didn't want 'him' and he was a beautiful beast (dad says it was one of the few cars that ever scared him... coming from someone who grew up working on his hot rods and drag racing, that says alot...I never got to drive Casper as I was only 13... probably a good thing, lol).
A little bit of money was made off the endeavor and put into purchasing and re-painting Beatrice, which she adored even though the surprise factor was gone.
Needless to say, she finally forgave him. :thumbsup:
I'll never sell her, she has waaaaaay too much sentimental value.
Last summer, she got:
new paint,
new top,
new interior carpet and upholstery,
all 4x new brake calipers and brake hoses,
all weatherstripping replaced,
q-jet rebuild,
gauge cluster restoration.
It's been warm enough here for about 3 weeks to drive her, err, work on her again and so far I've dropped the gas tank and replaced the fuel lines and next on the plate is a power steering system restoration, sagging door handles and tachometer repair.
*sidenote*
When I was 16, I inherited the family 1980some Mazda Sundowner pickup in which we then replaced the entire drivetrain with chevrolet 307ci, turbomatic 350 and .297 rearend 'to pull the boat'... ha.
At 17, I bought a 1973 240-Z and it recieved a chevrolet 350ci and turbomatic 400.
Both were 'fun', but neither compares to Beatrice, which I inherited at 19.
(yes, my insurance rates were incredible)
At any rate, that's my story and I'll see y'all around. :seeya:
I've been reading these forums for a while now and finally registered myself so I might be able to add input for others in re-payment for the help I've had from reading these forums.
This is truly a great site with a wealth of real-world, no bs, knowledge.
I'm no expert, but I do all my own mechanical work on my baby, Beatrice, a 1975 L-48 Convertible that has been in my family since 1981.
I got her from my parents when my mom's leg got too tired to push the clutch in anymore in 1987.
Since then, my father and I have rebuilt the motor 2x and gussied her drivetrain up from the dismal stock performance.
Additionally, due to her age of now 35 years old, have been fixing/restoring parts as they fall apart.
Everything we have done has had the mantra of it's going to look stock until you hear and see her run.
Long story short, my parents were owners of a 1962 convertible they purchased brand new.
One day in early 1968, my dad came home from work with $2000 and an ugly pea-green station wagon instead of the sexy red convertible Corvette with the excuse of 'you are pregnant and we need a family car'.
Growing up I always heard about how I'd better be good because she gave up 'her' Corvette for me and would trade me away for another one if I didn't behave, lol.
She had never forgiven him for not getting her 'permission' first and how he sold 'her' baby behind her back (for me).
In 1981, my dad bought a wrecked white 1969 427 convertible and we fixed it up for her without her knowing as a surprise.
(In other words, at age 13, I started working on Chevrolet drivetrains and fell in love with Corvettes.)
She was ecstatic with the surprise until she drove it around the block, got out and 'Casper bit her' ie, burnt the **** out of the back of her leg on the drag pipes.
Casper got sold immediately as she didn't want 'him' and he was a beautiful beast (dad says it was one of the few cars that ever scared him... coming from someone who grew up working on his hot rods and drag racing, that says alot...I never got to drive Casper as I was only 13... probably a good thing, lol).
A little bit of money was made off the endeavor and put into purchasing and re-painting Beatrice, which she adored even though the surprise factor was gone.
Needless to say, she finally forgave him. :thumbsup:
I'll never sell her, she has waaaaaay too much sentimental value.
Last summer, she got:
new paint,
new top,
new interior carpet and upholstery,
all 4x new brake calipers and brake hoses,
all weatherstripping replaced,
q-jet rebuild,
gauge cluster restoration.
It's been warm enough here for about 3 weeks to drive her, err, work on her again and so far I've dropped the gas tank and replaced the fuel lines and next on the plate is a power steering system restoration, sagging door handles and tachometer repair.
*sidenote*
When I was 16, I inherited the family 1980some Mazda Sundowner pickup in which we then replaced the entire drivetrain with chevrolet 307ci, turbomatic 350 and .297 rearend 'to pull the boat'... ha.
At 17, I bought a 1973 240-Z and it recieved a chevrolet 350ci and turbomatic 400.
Both were 'fun', but neither compares to Beatrice, which I inherited at 19.
(yes, my insurance rates were incredible)
At any rate, that's my story and I'll see y'all around. :seeya: