1930 Model A

1950 Fleetline

1955 Corvette

1957 Bel-Air

1961 Impala

1966 Malibu SS

1962 Buick

1970 Charger

1955 Corvette
We’re very excited about this project. She arrived in pretty good shape. The engine fired up and the transmission shifted through all the gears. There are a few missing pieces of trim and a couple of instrumentation components. But otherwise, it’s a very solid car. All of the original chrome is in place and ready for re-chroming.

The current engine is actually a 1957 small-block. However, we have tracked down an appropriate 1955 small-block V-8. This won’t be a matching numbers restoration, but we will be doing our best to preserve all of the existing parts and replace those we have to with matching number items. There were only 700 of these 1955 Corvettes produced so getting it right is worth every penny.

Paint on the fiberglass body has been sanded off by hand. We discovered that the car was originally white, had been painted red and then white again. The fiberglass is in very good shape. There are a couple of small areas that were patched and repaired, at some point in the car’s past, obviously the result of some accident…if these old cars could talk!

The car’s frame has been blasted (we use coal slag) and re-painted. It’s in great shape. We have had the leaf springs and rear differential re-built. Other mechanical components are being examined and evaluated.

Parts for these old Corvettes can command a pretty hefty price tag. This car was missing all four hubcaps. We recently purchased two hubcaps and paid $650 a piece. We’ve seen sets of four “new” hubcaps listed for $5,000. We are also missing a side curtain. Finding a replacement, or a new set, will be another high ticket purchase. But, that’s the restoration business!