Technical Help from the Solid Axle Corvette Club

*Note:  It has come to my attention that Chip Werstein has passed away.  When we created this page to help
anyone who has a tech question regarding a solid axle Corvette, Chip was right there from the beginning.  His answers helped
many, many people, whether they were club members or not.  Chip, you will be missed!

 

 

 

 

To submit a technical question regarding a 1953 to 1962 Corvette, simply email
sacctech@solidaxle.org

*Note: If you are using an Apple iPhone, you will have to hold down on the blue letters. Then a box comes up and you 
will need to select "New Mail Message".  You should be fine then, your email question will go to it's intended mailbox.

*In the subject box you need to put "sacctech/ (your SACC
membership number)".  Example: sacctech/1234
If you are not a member, your question will not be excluded, however, it won't get priority.

Disclaimer:
Our officers enjoy answering questions about your Corvette. Please keep in mind before asking questions that we are not qualified or certified to diagnose problems you may be experiencing with your Corvette. It is recommended that an A.S.E. (Automotive Service Excellence) certified automotive technician diagnose the vehicle for you. This way you get an accurate diagnoses on the problem and an understanding of the parts necessary to remedy the problem.  The experts render opinions.  Remember, the Solid Axle Corvette Club does not endorse any supplier, manufacturer, or place of repair.

Keep in mind that members enjoy a wealth of information via the SACC quarterly magazine, On Solid Ground.  Here are some of the topics contained in the Spring, 2008 issue:

-Insulate Your Solid Axle

-1956 Goodyear Corvette

-Harmonic Balancer Re-Install

-Six Cylinder Corner

-Will We Need NOS Engine Oil for out Old Cars?

-The Willet Run Garage

-The Marketplace - Member Classified

 

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03/14/2023

 

Hello,

I have a 62 hardtop question.  I would like to replace the hardtop header bar weatherstripping.  The rubber is cracked, hard and brittle.  I have removed some of the rubber.  It seems that GM glued the rubber on, in addition to using the P-Clips and rivets.  Is there an easy way to get this rubber off?   Do I need to remove the header bar from the roof to do this job or can I replace the weather stripping with the header bar on the roof?

Thanks,
Chuck

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  I have simply refurbished C1 tops by refreshing their weatherstripping and I have totally disassembled them.  You do not need to remove the header bar to replace the header weatherstripping.  You have to simply drill out the rivets, then scrape the weatherstrip off (or use a glue release agent).  When replacing the weatherstripping - if you do not have push rivets - you can tap the holes and use shallow head machine screws.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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03/04/2023

 

Does anyone have a diagram showing the correct location for the Under Dash Support Rods. Needed for my 1961 C1.

I am completing a 7 year frame off and have no recollection of their placement.

Thank you,

Archie

 

 

From: Larry Pearon, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Archie:  I am not familiar with the term "under Dash Support Rods".  However the answer to your question should be given in the 1961 Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM).  The AIM for your 1961 Corvette is a collection of engineering drawings that instructed the assembly line on how to build your car.  The AIM for your car is available in the form of a reprint from all of the major Corvette restoration parts suppliers.  I recommend Corvette Central, http://www.corvettecentral.com.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor: 

SEE ATTACHED EXPLOSION OF DASH - FROM CORVETTE ASSEMBLY MANUAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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02/28/2023

 

1960 corvette automatic trans lockout relay 904
Does any rebuild this relay.

I have power going in activating the point but not 12 volts going out to the starter.

 

Thanks

Steve 

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Steve,
If you are looking for the 1960 Neutral Safety Switch, the switch is sold new, made off GM tooling by Paragon Reproductions.
It is their P/N 13287, and all the linkage and brackets are also available.

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

 

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01/13/2023

 

Looking for help,

Just purchased a 1959 Corvette that had a restoration started in 1999, then the owner lost interest after 1 year. It sat for 19 years covered in his barn before I purchased it, know I'm in process of finishing the restoration and am trying to find the correct amount of pads and there placement on the frame. Is this something you can supply me info / pictures of? I've attached a pic of the car how I received it.

Ron 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:Get a copy of Chevrolet's service manual "ST-12" it is a must for anyone restoring an early Corvette.  Your body shims (8) are shown in Fig-103, Pg.1-49

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Ron:  To see the location of the shims (not pads) that were attached to the top of your frame when your Corvette was assembled at the factory, you need to acquire a copy of the 1959 Corvette Assembly Manual (AIM), which can be purchased from all the major Corvette parts and accessories dealers.   The AIM contains a complete set of engineering drawings that illustrate how the 1959 Corvette was assembled at the factory.  Section 1, Sheet 1.00 shows the locations of the shims, which consist of a black rectangular fiber shim, about 1/4 inch thick, and a rectangular steel shim, about 1/16 inch thick.  The number of the steel shims that were placed on top of the fiber shim was determined at the factory, and no procedure is given on how the factory determined how many steel shims were needed.  The correct number of shims was attached to the top of the frame at each location using 1/2 inch masking tape.  This was done prior to the body being set on the frame and bolted in place.

The picture that you show of your car has the body on the frame, and I assume that the body is bolted to the frame with the original shims in place.  If so, you do not need to determine how many shims are needed.  They are already there.  The black fiber shims do not deteriorate.  They are not made of rubber, like was used on the 1963 and later Corvettes, and which can rot.  If you need shims, contact Corvette Central.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, REd River Chapter VP: 

Frame shims are often changed to adjust door gaps, front and rear. 
Don't be surprised if your door gaps are not good and you have to add shims.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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01/29/2023

 

I purchased a pair of roller-bearings a few years back for my 62. I have been trying for 3 years to make these work with no luck. The bearing seals jam against the inner races causing the seals to rotate. and fall out. The company says to only install the seals halfway which does not work. The seals fall out backing out of the garage. The guys at the company say they use them frequently and are no help. I have used 5 different brands of seals, none of which clear the lip sticking out of the inner races. I have received numerous suggestions all of which involve modifying the hubs to make a Chinese bearing work that is obviously made for some other application , not automotive. My car has Moog replacement hubs, last available in the 60's and much heavier than the GM hubs. I purchased a pair of OEM hubs (another suggestion) but the same problems exist. The bearings simply do not fit.
Has anyone made these roller bearings or any other for that matter, work on non-trailer queen cars? These have been far more trouble than the ball bearings were in the past 47 years I have owned the car. 

Thanks,
Gary


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Gary:  Thank you for sharing your experiences with front roller wheel bearings on your C1 with sacctech.

I currently have 13 cars and have owned 5 C1's over the years and currently own a 60, two 62 Corvettes, a 56 Chevy, a 51 and a 53 Oldsmobile and a 55 Cadillac.  All of these cars have ball bearing wheel bearings.  I have never had a ball bearing wheel bearing failure on any car that I have maintained.  Over the years, I purchased a 51 Oldsmobile, the 56 Chevy, and a 62 Corvette that had bad wheel ball bearings, usually one or two for the four, when I acquired them.  It is my opinion that ball bearing wheel bearings will last the life of the car if properly maintained.  Over a ten year period, I used to slalom race (SCCA SOLO 2) one of my 62's and never had a wheel bearing failure.  In my experience, roller bearings are much more tolerant of maintenance neglect, and maybe that is what you are looking for. The early cars require very frequent chassis lubrication, every 1000-2000 miles.  Today's cars are virtually maintenance free, and owners are used to doing nothing other than changing the oil.  You can't do that with a C1.

In my experience, ball wheel bearings are much easier to clean and properly pack with grease than roller bearings, because the inner race can be removed, giving full access to the balls in the cage.  The inner race is permanently attached to the rollers in roller bearings, and it is very difficult for me to properly clean and re-pack them.  But I have never experienced a roller wheel bearing failure.

My advice to you is to go back to ball bearing wheel bearings.  Use an original hub.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

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01/10/2023

 

 

 

I am  a new owner of a 1960 Corvette.  A very nice mostly numbers matching car.  The previous owner put masking tape on the wheel nubs to help keep the original hub caps on.  What is the correct way to make them go on tight?

 

Thanks Bob

 

 

 

From: Don Brittin, Central Regional Representative: 

1st) check if the wheels are correct. 
Must have the 3 small retainer bumps in the inside of the outer part of the wheel.
The tape may not hurt, but is only useful to tighten the fit a bit, but should not be necessary.

Donald J Brittin







From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Reproduction 56-62 wheel covers have a reputation for being loose.  I have never experienced a factory original wheel cover from these years for being in the slightest bit loose.  If masking tape on the nubs works for you, use it.  However, there is another problem with loose wheel covers, and that is the wheel cover will move in such a way as to put pressure on the rubber valve stem, possibly damaging it or breaking it off.  If this happens, the only solution is to install metal valve stems.

You should keep your eye out for a set of original wheel covers.  You should be able to purchase a decent set for around $400.  Many C-1 Corvette owners are installing after market wheels that don't use wheel covers.  When you encounter one of these cars, you should ask the owner if he has the original wheel covers.  He will probably never use them and likely will be happy to sell them to you.  The 1959-62 wheel covers have the slots around the perimeter and are all the same.  The 56-58 Corvette wheel covers did not have slots around the perimeter.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

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01/06/2023

 

 

I want to verify and take pics of my vin number, on the frame. I plan on cutting a hole in the floor. Are there measurements I could use? I've tried the mirror and light under the car, but to no avail. Jim  

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Jim,
Before you cut a hole in your car floor on the outboard of the driver seat, about even with your hip joint, directly above the frame rail, I have three questions.

1) Have you tried taking a picture with your i-phone, with & w/o flash?
     The I-phone should fit even if you have to remove the cover

2) Have you tried transferring the frame number to a piece of paper by rubbing a # 2      pencil lead lightly across it in that area? 

3) Is there some compelling reason why you need to verify that the frame number     matches the VIN tag, or are you just curious?
Why not try a camera on a cable to your i-phone as a solution.
USB Snake Inspection Camera, FANTRONICS USB C Borescope, Scope Camera with 8 LED Lights for (16.4ft) OTG Android Phone, Windows PC, MacBook: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Beats cutting fiberglass if you don't need to.
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC






From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Jim:  I have three C 1's and have never needed to do this.  Do not cut a hole in the floor.  I have seen one frame with the body removed.  The characters are quite large, over 1/4 inch high, and were stamped into the frame top with such force that the frame metal deformed, creating a depression that will allow water and debris to collect, promoting rust where the stamping is.  If your frame has a lot of rust, the stamping may not be readable, no matter what.

The stamping is located under the driver's seat.  The fiberglass floor pan is somewhat flexible in this area.  I suggest that you make up two wedges out of wood and force them between the frame and the floor pan to give you more room to clean off the frame top and view the area with a mirror.  You may have to use a rust removing chemical based on phosphoric acid, like Navel Jelly, to clean the rust off for better viewing.  If you are successful with this, apply grease to the cleaned area to prevent future rusting.

Larry Pearson

















From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  What year is your car? What is the condition of the car (Body-interior intact or disassembled / engine intact or removed - steering column in place or removed).  The location of the VIN stamp is not exact, and there are braces running under the floorboard where the stamp is located.  I don't recommend cutting the floor.  You don't have to totally remove the body - you can remove all mounting bolts and lift the body on one side (driver's).












 

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01/06/2023

 

I have a 1960 Corvette that my Dad has given to me for restoration. Unfortunately the car was disassembled 20+ years ago and I was not involved in the disassembly. I have purchased several restoration books but haven’t seen the detail I’m looking for yet. What is the best reference books hopefully with pictures that show details of how parts are assembled. Thansk

 

Thanks,

Kris 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Kris,
I have disassembled and reassembled several C-1s completely over the years.
I have found the best illustrations for my 1960s in the 1960 GM Assembly Manual.
It has GM P/Ns for components and fasteners plus torque & lube information.

According to a chapter member who was a production line engineer in St Louis starting in 1959, if an installation takes you more than 9 minutes, your assembly process is incorrect. That was production station to station line speed.

The assembly manual and the1953-1962 Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12, both available on-line, should answer 99 % of your questions.

The Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12 can be found at:
 chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/5362csg/

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC




From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Kris:  You need to acquire a copy of the 1960 Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM).  This manual is a collection of official engineering drawings prepared by Chevrolet Motor Division that details the complete assembly of the 1960 Corvette as was done at the Flint, Michigan Corvette plant.  It shows every part used to make the 1960 Corvette, including screws, bolts, nuts, washers, rivets, sealants, and adhesives.  These Assembly Manuals are available as reprints from all the major Corvette parts suppliers.  Also, you should obtain a copy of Corvette Servicing Guide,Chevrolet publication ST-12.  This is the only official Chevrolet shop manual for the 1953-62 Corvettes.  This will help you service your car once you get it assembled.

Larry Pearson




















From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Kris - I agree with Larry a 1960 assembly manual will be invaluable for your project as well as the service manual ST-12.  In addition, log into Paragon Corvette and request a copy of their parts catalog.  In addition to parts you may need their catalog contains numerous illustrations / assembly breakdowns that will help you assemble your Corvette Kit properly.  Good Luck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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01/02/23

 

Hi guys - my 1954 has been fully restored except for top. My quandary is what color because the existing top is black but the frame is tan. As I understand, 1954 tops were tan, but I also understand that supply issues resulted in some issues. How can I find out which color top I need? Attached is build plate. I’ve owned my Corvette since 1967, with frame off restoration ending in 2019 (just before pandemic). 

Thanks, mike
 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  My 54 top is tan. There are a lot of variations undocumented - but - all the tech references I have spec the 54 top to be tan. Also - all reference docs report the tops to match the frames. Since your frame is tan I suspect your original top was tan. All this being said - unless you are going for NCRS judging - it’s your car - put the color top on you want.

 

 

 

 

 


 

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12/20/2022

 

My 1956 radiator core support had a large hole cut in the bottom of it in line with the radiator drain.  Thinking that it looked ugly, I had a welder remove the drain hole section from a later solid axle core support and weld it into my 1956 core support.  I'm thinking that when I did this several years ago, I should have done more research.  I am now thinking from what I see in the assembly manual that the 1956 core support may not have had a drain hole in the bottom.  Is that correct?  
Thank you for all of your help,

Michael

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chaprter Advisor:  Attached is a photo of a core support - supposedly for 53 thru 57 - you can see a drain port where the radiator pitcock is located.  My 54 has the same feature - but i can't swear that a 56 does.  I will contact some 56 owners and get a more definitive answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor: 

Michael,
I think that this e-bay item will answer your question regarding what your core support should look like. It has pictures of an NOS core assembly.

://www.ebay.com/itm/165766070843?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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12/19/2022

 

Hello- My name is Kyle and I have a 61 fuelie corvette.  We just finished putting it back together and after it warms up and the choke comes off it idles too low and putters and sometimes stalls out.  Do you guys know of any ways to get the idle up after it warms up?  

Thanks!
Kyle

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Kyle:  I assume that you have a 7017320 unit on your car.  This unit and all previous units did not have a choke.  The 7017355 and 360 units introduced on the 1962 Corvette had a true electrically heated choke.  The 320 unit had a Cold Enrichment Assembly, which looks like a choke but is not a choke.  However, it does control the fast idle cam on the top of the Air Meter.  It has an internal electric heating element that, through a link to the fast idle cam, moves the fast idle cam.  When fully warmed up, the fast idle cam no longer controls the idle speed.  At that point, it is controlled by the Idle Speed Screw.  That is the large spring loaded screw on the side of the Air Meter.  You need to procure a copy of the Corvette Servicing Guide, Chevrolet publication ST-12 and go to page 6M-7 and review the IDLE SPEED AND FUEL section on that page before adjusting this screw.  ST-12 is available as a reprint from all Corvette supply sources.

If your unit idled just fine and suddenly lost its hot idle, the problem could be with the Air Meter itself, and adjusting the Idle Speed Screw is not the proper solution.  In that case, remove the air meter from the plenum and inspect the area in front of the brass throttle valve.  There are some small openings in the aluminum casting that can get plugged up with the brown sludge that coats the inside of the plenum after a lot of use.  These small slots provide a small vacuum signal to the Fuel Meter to cause it to provide fuel at idle.    The Idle Speed Screw adjusts the amount of this vacuum signal that goes to the Fuel Meter.  If this us the problem, use lacquer thinner and a Q-tip to carefully remove the sludge blocking the openings.  Be careful to not damage the shape of the openings.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

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12/11/2022

 

I am refreshing the motor in my 1956 corvette vin #E56S002002. I saw where early 56 engines were painted red. My biuld date is April 17 so what color is my engine supposed to be? thank you, Samuel

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Samuel:  The 1956 engines were all painted red, including the sedans.  I own an all-original 1956 Bel Air sedan and the engine is painted red.  This engine has the stamped steel rocker arm covers and the word Chevrolet is highlighted in silver paint.  They sell red paint for the 56 engines and the color is correct.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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12/10/2022

 

In March 1954 a 1953 Corvette was parked in a parking lot across the street from the hotel that the owner lived in.  His name was A. J. Noll and he was the owner of the local General Motors dealership here in little old Macon, Missouri, population 4,000.  Me being a nosey senior in highschool I went over to check it out.  Well would't you know the keys were in it.  So what do yoy think I did, yep, I got in , got it started and put it in gear, then I heard this loud crash, that darn Corvette jumped right into that solid brick wall in front of it.  I shut the key off and jumped out and went home.  Someone saw me and ratted me out.  I have the repair service sheet from the shop and also a copy of the payed bill.  In March of 1954 no one in Macon knew anything about fiberglass, the shop foreman made some phone calls and was told to use wood putty to repair the damage, so that means someone out there who thinks he has a pristine Corvette could be in for a surprize.  I wold like to know if you have the knowledge to track down that car, that is if's it's still around.  I have always wondered how a small dealer like A. J. Noll living in Macon, Missouri with a population 4,000, could you be of any help or could you direct me to someone who could help.  Thanks
George 


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 
George,
Without the VIN number you have little or no hope in finding this automobile.
A 1953 Corvette VIN number would be E53F001 _ _ _.
The last three digits will be 001 thru 300.
The repair service sheet & the copy of the paid bill should both contain the VIN number of the vehicle you wrecked,
SACC Member John Hutchins maintained a 53-55 Corvette registry until about 2010 when it was taken over by Brett White.
53-55 info | Corvette Forum : DigitalCorvettes.com Corvette Forums

NCRS maintains a Corvette C-1 Registry.  The Corvette C1 Registry

Hemmings Magazine also has a 53-55 Corvette registry.
Club Detail - 53-54-55 Corvette Registry - Hemmings Motor News

Good luck finding your needle in that haystack.
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC





From: Bruce Fuhrman, Past Club Secretary:  I suggest that you start with  A.J. Noll and see what he delivered (Macon, MO) to in June 1953. Of he is dead, try a deferent dealer. If all fails, try '53-'55 registry. See what was delivered in"53 to Macon, MO. There was only 300 delivered!
You said that I have the "repair service" agreement. Is the S/N on it? They used the block #.
Cheers.
Bruce Fuhrman















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12/08/2022

 

Hi, can someone help for support, I’m looking for.

56-62 corvette Center Floor Support - LEFT – Fiberglass 

56-62 corvette inner Fiberglass rocker panel - Press Molded – LEFT  

Thanks Fred

 

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Check out this Corvette Central link
1953-1962 C1 Corvette Body & Frame Parts | Corvette Central.

If you don't find what you are looking for, go to paragon-C1-corvette-parts-catalog.pdf (paragoncorvette.com) pages 62-67.
If you don't find it there, contact Paragon Corvette Vintage at (800) 882-4688.
They sell original used fiberglass panels from their in-house salvage stock.
Send them a picture of your broken parts needing replacement or the panels around the part you need but don't have.

Good luck in your search.
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC


 

 

 

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1956 Soft top.   The weatherstrip is held / clamped into position with the retainers and screws which attach to the “t nuts” in the header bar. Perhaps there is another method of retaining this weatherstrip onto the header that I am not aware of? The terminologies on the pics certainly imply some type of fastening is used to retain the weatherstrip into position.

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Kim:  I have installed several tops on 1959-62 Corvettes, but not on a 1956.  I was not aware that these T-nuts were a serviceable part.  They always were in the header and could be re-used.  You need one of these T-nuts for every slot in the weatherstrip retainer.  The retainer became a single long part on the later Corvettes.  The retainer also holds the top fabric in place.  As I recall, there is a tacking strip on each end of the header to retain the ends of the top fabric.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi, wondering when top flight inspections are done to a 1962 corvette are frame vin #s checked to see if they match tag?

Dale

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

No NCRS judging sessions look for frame stamped VIN numbers.

All NCRS flight judging are done with the car setting on the ground.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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11/3/2022

 

I put a disc brake conversion on my 59 some 20 years ago.  Just recently I noticed that my right front caliper was dragging.  Since the flex lines were part of the kit, I replaced them with stainless steel flex lines.  This did not resolve the dragging issue, so now my question.
Current brakes conversions still use the same single piston caliper but none of the supply houses sell individual calipers nor do they indicate what type of GM caliper is used.  They appear to resemble the caliper of a 68 Camaro but I can’t find any literature that will definitely confirm this.  I am sure that since these brake conversions have been on the market so long someone must have had to replace parts for them.  So does any tech adviser know what brake caliper is used on the conversion kits?

Tnx
Paul

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Paul:  All disc brake pads "drag" on the rotors, because disc brake systems have no mechanism to lift the pads off the rotors when the brake pedal is released like drum brake systems have with their brake shoes.  Are you saying that your right front caliper does not release its pressure on the pads when the brake pedal is released, resulting in the car pulling to the right all the time?  Some times the flexible rubber hose to a brake cylinder or caliper develops a problem where it blocks the line pressure from releasing when the brake pedal is released.  But you say that you replaced the flexible lines to your calipers, and the problem persists.  The only thing left is the caliper itself.  I have never heard of a disc brake caliper behaving like this. However, if a caliper leaks brake fluid on its pad, the coefficient of friction on the pad changes and the pad will grab when the brakes are applied.  Is this the problem you are having?  If so, you need to rebuild or replace the leaking caliper so it does not leak and replace the pads on both sides so they are the same.

I always advise people replacing drum brakes on their cars with a disk brake system to find out who made the calipers and what pads are needed when they have to be replaced.  I have heard that some disk brake conversions use Ford Pinto calipers and pads on the front.  Where did you buy your disc brake system 20 years ago?  Did you install it yourself?

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

From: Don Brittin, Central Regional Representative: 

Paul, Corvette Central uses the Camaro front disc assembly. CC sent me two left front calipers. I just went to the local Chevy dealer got the exact replacement for the right side. The set up uses dual master cylinders instead of the single circuit that was stock. You MUST have a really good proportioning valve to balance the brake pressure to the calipers.

Likely this is an adjustment issue.

Don

 

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10/31/2022

 


My car was assembled on on April 18, 1960. Car 06443.
What should the stencil date be on the frame. Judging manual really does not mention it. 
Thank you 
Rick

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Rick:  Your frame was manufactured by AO Smith, dip painted with gloss black asphalt based paint and stenciled in red with the AO Smith house part number 707190-XX and the date of manufacture in another line under this part number.  The "XX" is the production batch number.  The first 1953 batch number started out with nothing or -1.  A friend of mine's 55 is -5.  My late 62 is -52.  I own an all original un-restored 1960, #7575, but the car came from New Jersey and the stencil is completely gone, replaced with surface rust.  The stencil appears upside down on the frame under the driver's seat.  They used a paint brush to slop the red paint onto the stencil.  There can be runs in the red paint.

I am surprised that NCRS does not have the information on this for you. They obsess about everything else.   Contact the NCRS Team Leader for 1960 and see if he can help you.  Corvette Central sells some stencils for the 63-67 Corvettes, but nothing for C1's.  I had to make the stencil for my 1962 using a stencil kit from a stationary store.  I did this when I restored my 1962 back in 1974. before anyone knew, or cared, anything about this stencil.  Fortunately, the original stencil marking was still readable.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

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10/30/2022

 

Tech, I have a 1959 vette (member #2448) and am looking for someone who might have a dvd I could rent or borrow to look at the installation of the new top that I need. Thanks for any help. Craig



From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Craig:  Contact Al Knoch Interiors at http://www.alknochinteriors.com or 1.800.880.8080.  They manufacture a convertible top and pads for your Corvette.  They also sell a video that will show you how to install the top and pads.  Installing a convertible top on your top frame is not a simple matter, however, and I suggest that you have a professional do the installation.  You will likely encounter problems with your top frame that you will not be able to fix without help.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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0916/2022

 

 


I did a Frame Off Restoration on my 62 Corvette.  Everything was fine. Then one evening I turned on my Headlights & noticed I Nad NO Dash Lights. I checked Fuses. Replaced Headlight Switch.  
Nothing.  I can't figure it out. If someone can help me. That would be great.  Thanks

 

 

 

From:  Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor: 

The headlight switch knob & shaft has three positions when pulled: 
In) All lights OFF, 
Mid) parking & taillights ON,
Out) headlights & taillights ON.               

The headlight switch knob & shaft also has three positions when rotated:
Full CCW- courtesy light ON regardless of pull position,
First detent CW- Courtesy light OFF but dash & clock lights ON if in Mid or Out position,
Turning the knob further CW, it is a dimmer switch for the dash & clock lights that range from bright to Off as it rotates CW to the last detent or stop position.
                                                                                                                                      If this doesn't fix your issue, look for a broken or disconnected wire in the dash & clock light circuit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Regards,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC                             

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Dash lights are powered from the headlight switch. Simply turning on the headlights will not power the dash lights unless the light switch knob is turned. The light switch has a rheostat to brighten / dim the dash lights as you turn (twist) the light switch knob. Twist the knob ( clockwise and counterclockwise) one direction will exhibit a click at the end of its travel - this is the full bright position. If you still have no dash lights - test the feed off the light switch for 12V. If no voltage pull your light switch and test contacts in the various switch positions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

09/15/2022

 

 

I opened up the fuel filter bowl to clean out the bowl and when I reinstalled it and started the engine the bowl fill completely to the top.  See picture.  This is not typical of how it was before.  In the past the fuel alway seemed to be below the bronze filter.

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Eugene:  The GF 124 filter element you show is not made of bronze.  It is a brown molded paper assembly.  The more recent GF 124 is made of corrugated paper, much like an air filter element.  This design has more surface area to trap dirt, but does not look like the molded brown design.  If your car is being judged by NCRS, the brown element has the correct look.
The element you have is installed by pushing it on a tubular extension on the bottom of the top cover.  That way it will not fall into the glass bowl like you show in your picture.  Use the proper gasket size to seal the glass bowl to the top cover.

When operating, the fuel normally does not fill the bowl to the top.

Larry Pearson














 

**********

09/14/2022

 

Gents,
I have a 1959 C1, purchased  in Fla. and in the process of titling in NC….
“Oh what fun”
Can you tell me the welding Method used in fabricating a frame in 59?
I assume manual MIG or Stick?
Larry
(Member)

 

 

From:  Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter Advisor: 

In those days I would guess it was stick welding.

Why do you ask?

If it has cracks I would weld it with MIG.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

09/09/2022

 

Hello
I had no headlights the other night. Dash lights are working  
Any suggestions. I am not a mechanic but have had he car 42 years
Thank you
Myles

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Myles:  The headlights are not fused.  The headlight switch has an automatically resetting circuit breaker built into it.  If the headlights flash on and off, the circuit breaker is sensing an overload and breaks and re-sets.  But you don't say this is happening.  The headlight switch also had a dimmer rheostat built in that controls the dash lights brightness, which you say works.  There is a large multi-pin connector that plugs into the top of the headlight switch, and maybe that has become dislodged.

You can remove the headlight switch assembly and pry it open to check out the headlight circuit breaker contacts.  To remove the switch, disconnect the battery first.  There is a spring loaded button on the bottom of the switch assembly.  Depress it with your finger while pulling on the headlight knob and the headlight knob and shaft will pull out of the switch.  With the knob removed, the switch assembly retaining hex nut is accessible and can be removed with a socket wrench.  The small short fuse on the top of the switch assembly is for the dash lights only.  If the headlight switch is ok, then the problem is in the wiring to the headlights.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  The High Beam lights are not fused separately from the Low Beam.  The only thing between the two is the dimmer switch.  Power is delivered to the switch - which in the low beam position contacts the Low Beam Bulbs.  When switched to High Beam it simply makes additional contact to the High Beam bulbs (it does not break the contact to the low beams).  I think it would be very unlikely both low beam bulbs burn out at the same time - so I suspect the Dimmer Switch is not making contact with the Low Beams.  It is the 18 GA Tan wire on the dimmer switch.  If you have power at the switch - then you probably have a broken contact elsewhere.  The Tan wire goes directly to the Low Beam Bulb contact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

08/17/2022

 

I am installing two four barrel carb on my 59 corvette and found that the aluminum manifold has a small crack in the center under the metal plate on the underside of the manifold. I put water on the inside and it seeped through. Can this be repaired, and how would I do that.  It’s also in line of the bolt hole, is that a problem? Don’t know if aluminum manifolds can be welded, like other aluminum, or is there some other way to repair it? Sure hope so. I attached some photo’s. Thank you for your valuable information and thank you for the wonderful work you are doing. Your help is invaluable.   Mike




From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Mike,
Your intake could be Heli arced, but you would need to regrind the intake surfaces that mount to the heads afterward. That looks like a stress crack to me, so I think re-grind is important. It should also be pressure tested for other cracks or porosity.

Good luck with your project.
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 


 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 


I agree with Bill, a heliarc/TIG welder can weld aluminum. 

Look for an independent welding shop/job shop. Talk to them about their experience with welding car parts. Different alloy of aluminum from aviation.

After welding the manifold may be warped. It may be warped now causing the crack. An automotive machine shop would be able to true it. 

Good luck.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

**********


08/13/2022

 


  1. The left front hard top pin must be forced into the windshield header.  This causes the rear left rear hardtop pin, that slides into the chrome receiver at the rear edge of the door to not fit.  The windshield has one rubber “spacer” at the rear of the frame.  Only one.  The car has not had its final frame mounting adjustments and It could be that the door opening on that side may need to be “spread open” a bit.  Any thoughts?
  2. This car had a dealer installed radio.   The antenna hole was incorrect.  That was filleed during body work.  What is the correct location of the antenna hole?

Is there a measurement from the chrome edge of the tail light assembly?   Also was the hole centered on the tail light assembly front to back?

  1. As a bit of information:  All 1957 Corvettes in western Washington were sold by GM through a Distributor.  TAD DAVIES CHEVROLET.  One could order a new Corvette from any Dealer, but Tad Davies go a cut.  For that privilege, Tad Davies had to carry 40 or so new Corvettes at all times.   As a result Tad Davies did not order the radios as factory equipped on all the new corvette inventory.  Hence, this one was dealer installed.

 

In those days, cars were available to be “adjusted” to the Buyer.  IE, hardtops were taken off, white walls removed.  Soft top color swaps, etc.

 

I am looking for two Tad Davies license plate frames!!

 

Hope to hear for some of you experts!

 

Bill

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Bill:
1.  Before installing the soft top fabric, the frame must be adjusted to fit the door glass with the door weather stripping installed.  Even before that the door window stops must be adjusted so that the door windows come up to the correct height.  This is best done with a hardtop installed.  If you don't have a hard top, no dimensions are published, so you have to make the measurements from any 56-62 Corvette.  The soft top side frame has slotted holes where it attaches to the header to allow the length to be adjusted, within small limits.  There is no rubber "spacer" on the header from the factory.  Are the door gaps correct?  You cannot "adjust" the door opening.  Was your car in a bad accident and not properly repaired?  I have installed several soft top frames on C1's and they always could be made to fit.

2.  Back in 1957 it was common for dealers to order the sedans for dealer inventory without a radio or heater, because three different radios and three different heaters were available, and it was not known what the potential customer would want.  The correct Corvette radio is the Wonder Bar radio, which a dealer could order and install.  It is a very difficult installation for the dealer, and in my experience, they took short cuts and left parts off.  The parts are:  the radio, a support bracket that supports the radio to the dash board, a ground wire to the right rear engine block rocker arm cover screw, two heavy woven ground straps from the front engine mount bolts to the frame (one on each side), five chrome and stainless steel radio shield components plus chrome plated mounting hardware, four "L" brackets to support the lower radio shields to four exhaust manifold bolts, coaxial antenna cable from the radio to the trunk, a special antenna mast assembly with a woven ground strap that goes to a body to frame bolt (this is to make the frame the necessary ground plane for the antenna to work), static collectors in both front wheel hub grease caps.
To locate the antenna, make measurements from any 56-60 Corvette with a factory antenna install.  The rear fenders were all the same.
If you are planning to have your car judged by NCRS, dealer installed items are not permitted.

Bill:  Five more radio items I left off my list:  radio speaker assembly with radio power supply;  radio noise filter capacitors on the generator, voltage regulator, ignition coil, and the instrument ammeter battery lead. 


Larry Pearson

 

 

**********


Hello.
I just found this site. I have a 62 corvette and would like to install side cove trim and spears like the 61. How do you access the back side of the front of the car?  Especially as it gets close to the door.

Also can you provide the spacing/placement of the spears?

Thank you,
Joe

 

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Joe:  The 1958-61 stainless steel side cove trim cannot be installed on a 1962, because the front fender and door fiberglass shapes were changed to a raised bead where the moldings went.  The 1958-61 panels were flat where the moldings were attached.  If you try to grind the raised beads off, you will completely penetrate the fiberglass and destroy the panels.  You might get by with grinding if you fill in the backside of the beads with fiberglass.

As far as the spears go, the 1961 Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM) shows on page A 13 all the hardware that is involved but not dimensions on where to drill the mounting holes.  To locate the holes you will have to make a template from a 1958-61 with the spears removed.  I have never tried this, but access to the back of the fender is achieved by removing the metal splash shield.  It may be required to remove the inside kick panel to access the rear of the fender area.

Corvette Central sells all the parts you will need.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Larry is absolutely correct on the issue of the cove trim.  I do not advise doing it at all.

I have attached three illustrations showing how the cove trim and spears are attached. 

1) the front portion of the cove molding is attached with clips that are acessed on the back of the fenders, and secured wwith a washer and nut (see detail C sheet4)
2) the section near the door uses a different clip secured by a screw (see detail D sheet 4)  When restoring my 58, however, I used the same clip used on the front sections and accessed it through the interior kick panel.
3) the trim on the door is secured like the front fender sections and accessed thru the door by removing the interior door panel.(see sheet 2)
4) the cove spear spacing - note there is a trim plate that goes inside the cove that will give you the proper spacing of the spears (see sheet 3)




NOTE: the illustrations I have attached are from the Chevrolet Assembly Manual.  These are available from all the Corvette parts suppliers.  If you're going to work on your car - I highly recommend you purchase this manual.  Another excellent reference manual is the Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12. 

 

 

 

**********

 

07/10/2022

 

Hello!! 
Just finished restoring a 1956 corvette with my husband and the help of a few pros!! I am 5’4” tall and 125 pounds and can barely squeeze my legs under the steering wheel. It’s so hard to work the gas and brake without bending my leg sideways. 

To make matters worse, the gas pedal is soooo hard to press down.  It is a 265 dual carb. 

Jim K.  in PA helped restore it with my husband. We are heading to Carlisle in August for its debut from driving it is going to be so hard for me!!

Help!
Thank you!
Liz



From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter President:   Liz - Early C1s are tight.  I am 5'6" & I have a 54 that has a 4-speed.  I had to pull down the seat springs to give me enough room to move my legs to operate the clutch and brake.  Even with the shortened seat cushion I have to operate bow legged.  Some people choose to substitute the standard (17.2 in dia.) steering wheel for an aftermarket one that is only 15 in. dia.  I have attached the cockpit specs for a 56-57 for you to review - make sure you have all the room GM intended.  PS: beautiful car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the specs: 

 

 

 

 

 

Liz - Also...; regarding the gas pedal - check the linkage position and springs on the carbs. Are they set up for progressive throttle ??

 

 

 

**********

 

07/01/2022

 

                I would like to do engine upgrade on 61 Corvette 245HP w/ Dual quads. Would like to install

                Duntov 097 cam, but I don’t want to remove the heads. Please advise

 

                Thanks,

                Glenn

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  You don't have to remove the heads to stab a new cam.  You have to remove the valve covers - loosen the rockers to remove the push rods - remove the intake to reveal the lifter galley and pull the lifters.  Be sure you keep the push rods and lifters in order to replace them in the same locations they came from.  Check your lifters for wear before you re-use them on a new cam.  Use STP or a good engine rebuild lube when putting everything back in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

It is not necessary to remove the heads.

Remove grill, fan shroud, radiator.
Remove oil filter for ease of access to the pan bolts.
Remove pan, balancer, water pump, front cover, distributor, intake manifold, valve covers from engine.
This gives you access to everything you need to swap cams.
Remove spark plugs so the crank shaft is easy to turn.

You will have to back off the rocker arms so you can remove push rods and lifters. You don't need to remove rocker arms unless you are changing them. Check condition of rocker arm pivot balls and socket in the rocker arms.
Check push rod ends for wear.

A friend with experience in working on small block engines will be welcome help and two sets of hands make things go faster.

With all parts, gaskets, tools in hand can easily be done in a day. A half day if things to well.

You will need a puller to get the balancer off the front of the crank.

Verle



**********

 

 

06/29/2022

 

 

Suggestions for Alignment setting?..
Thanks
Larry

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Larry:  The front end alignment specifications for 1953-1962 Corvettes is found on page 14-1 of the Corvette Servicing Guide, Chevrolet publication ST-12.  This is the only official Chevrolet service manual for the 1953-1962 Corvette, and it is a"must have" for all C1 Corvette owners. It is available as a reprint from all the major Corvette parts suppliers. 

The front end alignment specifications for 1953-62 Corvettes are:
    Caster:  2 degrees, plus or minus 1/2 degree.
    Camber:  1/2 degree, plus or minus 1/2 degree
    Toe-In (per wheel):  1/16"-1/8"

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Larry,
The C-1 alignment article was published by Vette Magazine in their June 2002 edition. It was an article by Richard F Newton.
Michigan Chapter has a copy on our website, www.solidaxlecorvettemi.com.  
You may have to get our webmaster's permission on signing in, but that's easy.
The article is a pdf file. https://www.solidaxlecorvettemi.com/_files/ugd/0f0903_dd0ca5b654ea420bbc1d5ff55766753c.pdf
Same alignment works for both bias-ply and radials, but radials give a more stable ride.
I take a copy with me to the alignment shop so the tech will know how.
 
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

06/19/2022

 

How to replace upper eye brow moldings on a 1959 Corvette,

Thank you.
Don





From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Don:  I am assuming that you are referring to the front left and right upper outer grille moldings.  These are chrome plated zinc metal die castings.  Corvette Central sells new replacement moldings.  Each of the four outer grille moldings have three 1/4-20 plated steel mounting studs threaded into them.  They attach to the fiberglass body from inside the fender with 7/16 inch steel hex nuts which thread onto the studs.  These mounting nuts are easily accessible without removing the front wheels if you turn the wheel in. 

It is very possible that your hex nuts are rusted onto the mounting studs, and trying to remove them will either break the mounting studs or cause them to unthread from the moldings.  If the studs break off close to the castings, you will have to drill them out, a very difficult procedure.  New replacement studs can be made from 1/4-20 bolts of an appropriate length by sawing the hex head off.  New 1/4-20 nuts are readily available from hardware stores.  Use 1/4 inch flat and lock washers under the mounting nuts.  Apply grease on the end of the studs before installing the nuts to prevent future rusting.

Larry Pearson






 

 

**********


06/14/2022

I purchased a restomod wonderbar radio for my 1959 corvette. I had a mobile tech come out and install it. Warranty on installation is over. It worked fine for awhile then just recently when I turn off the ignition to lock the radio stays on. The radio company did three bench tests and found nothing wrong with the radio. However, now it won’t turn off. I have to unplug it. Is it in the ignition switch wiring?


-David


 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Probably an ignition switch problem.  The radio itself don't know whether you have the car running or not.  As long as it has power (12V) it will stay on, unless turned off manually with the Vol control knob.  The circuit should be a 14Ga. pink wire off the ign sw - to the fuse panel - 14 Ga Yellow, to the radio connector.  The Gas and Temp gauges are fed from the same Ign Sw terminal.  Does the gas gauge drop to 0 when you turn off the ignition?  If so the radio is wired to an incorrect source (12V).  If NOT the ignition switch is faulty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

David:  locojohns (John Spencer) did an excellent job with his answer.  Additionally, turning the radio Volume control fully counterclockwise until it clicks must turn the radio off, even if the ignition switch won't, and you are saying it doesn't.  If that is the case, the radio on/off switch is defective and needs to be repaired, in addition to the problem with the radio not turning off with the ignition switch, which it should.  You say that the radio worked fine until recently.  It is hard to believe that two separate things went bad at the same time.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

06/10/2022

 

Hi:

Anyone the San Fernando Valley, or L.A do fabulous minor body work and painting?

Joe

Also,  my Electronic Power Assist Steering system has aggravated the cars tendency to wander and reduced its ability to re-center from turns.  I’m told this might be remedied by adding caster to the upper A-arm pivot and installing a second shim.  Can you tell me if adding shims is a time consuming job or a simple one please?

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor:  Joe,
The Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12 shows a clear picture of the 3733477 shims, which are the tapered aluminum spacer that sets caster on C-1's.
They are located between the front frame rail and the front suspension crossmember. After 60 years both shims could be deteriorated due to galvanic action if you live near the ocean.

To replace them, the front crossmember assembly must be unbolted from the frame (8 bolts on each rail) and dropped down far enough to clean & paint the affected areas and reassemble with new shims & fasteners. Be careful of the gas & brake lines if you do this.

However, I suspect that the accumulated backlash/looseness in the steering system may be your biggest issue.
You need to check for looseness in the steering gearbox, the two drag link bushings, third arm bearing, tie-rod ends, kingpins & the wheel bearings all of which are simpler fixes before you opt for the major surgery.

Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

**********

 

06/02/2022


I have 61 Corvette and all four hub caps keeps moving. It will move enough that it would bend the valve stems. I rest all four hub caps take the car out for a ride, come home and have to reset hub caps again..

                       I do have the correct rims for the car with four nubs on them. The wheel cover only two delineated spaces on each hub cap. I was told I need four on each hub cap. Please advise……Glenn

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 


I have had the same problem with four nub wheels.
May need to bend the clips out a (very) little.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Glenn:  Starting in 1966, I have owned one 1960 and three 1962's and never have experienced the problem that you are having.  Except for some minor appearance issues, the 1955-56 Chevy sedan rims are identical to the 1955-62 Corvette rims and, therefore, are not rare.  I suspect that the wheel covers that you are using might be reproductions, and that might be the cause of your problem.  Original wheel covers snap firmly into place and mount tightly against the wheel rim.  Grabbing the spinner, you cannot move them.  If yours are loose it might be possible to bend the areas where the wheel nubs contact the lip on the wheel cover to make them mount tightly on the rim.  Original wheel covers are available, but will cost you at least $400 for a decent set.  To stay with what you have, I suggest that you convert your rubber valve stems to metal ones, which are readily available at tire shops, and you will need a tire shop to install them.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

05/20/2022

 

The drivers side clamp that secures the top needs tightened. Would appreciate your help on how to tighten it on my 62. Thank you.




From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

I assume that you are referring to the chrome plated clamp on the driver's side that clamps the top front header to the windshield frame being loose.  The procedure to adjust this clamp is outlined in the official Chevrolet Corvette shop manual, "Corvette servicing Guide", publication ST-12, on page 1-29, under the heading "PROBLEM B".  If you don't have a copy of ST-12, it is available as a reprint from all of the major Corvette parts suppliers, and I highly recommend that you acquire a copy if you don't already have one.  

If you don't have a copy of ST-12, the adjustment procedure is a simple one.  Unlatch both right and left clamps and raise the top header off the windshield frame with a piece of 3/4 " wood.  If this is a hard top, you may have to loosen the two front top hold down screws so as not to stress the top assembly.  Loosen the two large chrome plated Phillips head screws that secure the clamp that needs adjusting to the top header, and you will find that the clamp can be adjusted up and down to make it tighter or looser when clamping the top header to the windshield frame.  Adjust as necessary and then tighten the screws. There should be an adequate adjustment range unless the top header weatherstrip is damaged or missing.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

**********

 

05/12/2022

 

New member here # 5130. 1960 model.  I have two assembly manuals. Does anybody or anywhere is there an explanation of the numbers and letters in these books? My Mid America manual pg L71 has a 451247 screw. Is there footnotes for these? Thanks, Jim


 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 


Jim,

I believe the numbers you refer to are GM part numbers. If someone has an old parts book they may be able to look up the number and tell you what the screw is.

Verle

 

 

 

 


 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Jim:  I am assuming that you are referring to the 1960 Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM).  The wonderful thing about the AIM's is that the GM part number for every part, sealant, screw, washer and nut that was used in the assembly of your 1960 Corvette is listed.  However, except for specialty hardware, none of the screws were listed for separate sale in the parts book.  Instead, the parts books state the size and length of the hardware.  For example, SCREW, (1/4-20 x 5/8").  I have a Corvette parts book from 1972 and your 451247 screw is not listed in the part number index.  My AIM for 1960 does not have page numbers like L71, so I cannot determine what particular screw you are talking about.  Almost all hex head bolts used in your car had a head stamping indicating the strength (grade 3,5,or 8) and the manufacturer's trade mark (A,E,U.TR, RBW, for example), and the NCRS judging guides frequently specify these markings.  Corvette Central reproduces and sells some of the hardware specified in the NCRS judging guides.

When I restored my 1962 Corvette in 1974, I cataloged every screw in the car by the head stamping, the length, and the pitch of the thread.  I then cleaned them and had all of them re-cadmium plated and then I put them back where they came from when I re-assembled the car.  My 1962 Corvette has all the original nuts and bolts, and they all look like new!

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  I have an original Chevrolet parts catalog for 1953 through 1973.  I show no reference to any Chevrolet part number 451247.  If you can describe the application, I can probably identify the screw if that's what you're looking for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

05/07-2022

 

Hi - my 54 restoration is complete except for new convertible top. I need a tan(beige) top. Is Al Knoch the only source, or are there other suppliers today?

Thanks,

Mike

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  I put a canvas Al Koch top on my 54 in 2000. I’ve been very pleased with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Mike:  In my experience, go with Al Knoch.  His products are considered to be the best.  The only problem I have had is with the length of his pads that go under the top fabric and act to properly space the bows.  Using his pads on my 1960 and 62, they come pre-cut to length and were at least one inch too short and I had to make compromises to make them work.  This might not be the case with the 53-55 pads.  Local installer Jeff Reade has Al make his pads longer, and they are referred to as the "Jeff Reade" pads.  Call Jeff at 310.570.5554 for more information.
 
One other problem is with the thickness of the top material that all reproduction top makers are currently using.  The original top fabric was very thin and the top folded into the top compartment behind the seats with no effort.  The new material is very thick and stiff and it is very difficult to get the top into the top compartment so the lid can close.  Again, this is for the 56-62 tops.  I have no experience with the 53-55 top material.  Either way, there is nothing that you can do about it.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

05/04/2022

 

 

Hi... I'm trying to find where and which direction a distributor heat shield goes on my car. As you well know, passenger side
bolted to exhaust manifold.
Any information you may lend will be greatly appreciated.  1959 2X4 Carbs.

Best,
Mike

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  The driver side mounts just like the passenger side - two tabs mounted to the inside bolts of the front and rear exhaust manifold mounting bolts. See photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driver's shielding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Front side mount

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rear shielding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corvette Central has a good illustration of the shielding and mounting hardware.  Pg95 - mounting brackets are identified as L-Brackets P/N 471125 (4 required)

 

 

Ffrom: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

The chrome plated shields shown in the pictures are not all of the shields..  They were installed on radio equipped Corvettes to shield the AM radio from spark plug radio interference.  The complete radio shielding on your 1959 Corvette consists of five pieces:  one on each side of the engine as shown in the photos;  two vertical pieces at the rear of the engine going up to the distributor;  and  a large polished stainless steel cover over the distributor and the ignition coil.  Radio delete Corvettes got none of this.  This shielding was necessary because the Corvette fiberglass body offered no shielding to the radio from the engine ignition radio noise.  This shielding was not needed with the metal cars and trucks, where the steel body shields the radio.

There were, however, four separate spark plug wire heat shields installed on all 1958-62 engines.  They protect the spark plug wire boots from exhaust manifold radiant heat that would damage them.  They each attach to the engine block on each side using a short 1/4 inch thread 7/16 hex head bolt with captured external star lock washer,  These heat shields were present on all Corvettes.  If you are using silicone rubber spark plug wires and boots, these heat shields are probably not necessary.

Refer to Corvette Central's catalog under "Ignition Shielding" to see all the parts and hardware needed for a complete radio shielding setup, including the four spark plug wire heat shields, which can be purchased separately.

Larry Pearson




**********

04/08/2022

 

I am trying to find the location for the stamped numbers on the frames of my 1954 and 1962 Corvettes could you please help!

 

Chuck

 

From: Bruce Fuhrman, past Secretary of SACC: 

I had a 1954 (but not a 1962). I had experience in CA in finding the S/N. The S/N is stamped on the frame below the drivers lift cheek (on the bodily rear end). It can not be visable, there is only less than in inch clearance from the body! You can rub the sandpaper on the spot, and put chalk dust and an mirror to observe it.

 

 
Good Luck!
Bruce Fuhrman

 

**********


03/23/2022

 

I am working a 59 frame off and am getting bac to body reassembly. Looking over the grill and eyebrow surrounds and the studs used to affix them to the body. Keen, corvette central and zip along with my original have various sizes of studs. The grill surround appears to use 2 inch long studs on the outer most “circumference” but when installed over 1” of stud is exposed. Is this correct?



From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Ron,
Those vendors you mentioned, and most others supply diecast surrounds & eyebrows from Trim Parts that were cast in GM's original tooling.
The studs are shorter on the ends of the surround.

You have most likely been to car shows and seen C-1s with 1 or more dimples in the upper surround. Beware overtightening the washers & nuts on the studs when you install them. The dimples are re-assembly damage.
 
Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

(Discussion continued)

Thank you Jack, I just joined  SACC this afternoon. What im trying to verify is are the studs , 2 inch long correct.  When installed and hardware on they protrude about 1 inch  and appear too long. The Assembly manual shows same part number for all studs. But I have 3 lengths. Here is a picture of the upper grill surround for my 59 with the studs installed. 

 

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Ronald - I have a 58 whose grill surround is original, and the mounting studs are long like those shown in your photo (approx. 2").

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



**********


03/08/2022


Hi, I Joined the SACC earlier this year #5112 and I’m looking forward to the club activities.  I just purchased a 1957 270 HP corvette this year.  The car was restored over a period of years finishing in about 2011.  After going through the NCRS judging process that concluded in 2013 the car was mostly stored in a climate controlled room and obtained about 130 miles since the restoration.  The car was started on a regular basis during storage.

I am now experiencing a starter issue.  When trying to start the engine i will get a whining noise from the starter.  The starter is not engaging the flywheel just spinning.  This may happen two, three times in a row and then it does engage and the engine will start.

Does this sound like a solenoid problem or could it be the starter drive that is attached to the solenoid.  My thought is since this starter was rebuilt perhaps 12 to 15 years ago and only 130 miles on it perhaps it is dirty or needs lubrication?  Or is it a typical solenoid fault?

Thanks
Eugene

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

I would first check to make sure the starter bolts are tight.

When you turn the key to start position you should hear a metallic click. That would be the starter gear engaging the flywheel.

Since the starter is just spinning the starter is not engaging the flywheel but the solenoid is working enough to provide power to the starter motor.

Get someone to help you turn the engine a little ways. Put the car in high gear and push/bump forward or back a little just to turn the flywheel some. Then, try the starter again. This is a check to see if some ring gear teeth may be missing.

If the starter just spins after that I would remove the starter and investigate the solenoid and the starter gear.

You can bench test the solenoid with a battery and jumper cables. Positive battery to the large top post on the solenoid. Touch the negative to the starter case. The starter must be securely attached to the bench. When you touch the negative cable to the battery it will torque over violently if not fastened down. 

If the starter gear does not extend to engagement position remove the solenoid and check the linkage.

Verle

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  I agree with Verle, however, to get the solenoid to kick in you have to apply 12V to the solenoid terminal marked "S".  This terminal is connected to your ignition switch.  The battery cable attached to the large terminal is always hot.  When the solenoid is energized it connects the Battery cable to the starter and pushes the starter gear (bendix) into the flywheel.  If the starter is spinning then the solenoid is operating.  BUT the solenoid also pushes the bendix gear into the flywheel to roll the engine.  The Bendix gear is a spring loaded and threaded assembly.  Normally the starter gear is on the end of the Bendix assembly (held there by a spring).  When the solenoid is activated the Bendix assembly is pushed into the flywheel, with the gear at it's end, it engages the flywheel.  When the engine starts, the speed of the flywheel is greater than the rotational speed of the starter and the gear is extracted because it is on a threaded shaft that basically unscrews it from the forward position (disengages the flywheel).  Once the starter is rested - a spring pushes the starter gear to the START position (end of the shaft), ready for the next time you need to start the engine. If the spring that normally returns the starter gear is weak or broken the gear does not return to the START position, thus when you engage the starter the gear does not engage the flywheel.  The whole Bendix assembly or the spring itself can be replaced.  I hope this helps - this is not a complicated repair.  Getting the starter off is probably the hardest part of the process.

PS: You can engage the solenoid without suffering the violent torque of the starter by simply applying 12V to the starter terminal (marked "S") without applying 12V to the battery terminal.

 

 

Follow-up:

 

This is a follow up question regarding the starter not engaging the flywheel and just whining.  I pulled the starter and i have it strapped to my bench.  When I put 12 volts to the large top post and ground the starter then put 12 volts to the s terminal the starter gear works fine.  The solenoid shoots out the gear and spins every single time.  It is not
acting like it did when the starter was bolted to the engine.  I looked at the flywheel and all of the ring gears look good.  Could this be due to no load on the starter and not a very robust bench test?  I would hate to crawl back under and install back on the engine and find out it still needs to be rebuilt.

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Eugene - does the drive gear spin freely in one direction and lock up in the other ?  The drive gear is suppose to spin freely in one direction only.  The large hub just behind the gear is a ratchet.  A Bendix assembly (or starter drive assembly) is only about $50 - I might replace it just to see what happens.  Good Luck - John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

The problem you are having is most likely caused by a worn out Overrunning Clutch assembly.  The pinion gear is attached to a cylinder that contains what is known as a sprag.  This is a one-directional clutch device.  When the starter is spinning the pinion gear against the flywheel teeth it fully engages the starter motor shaft to the pinion gear and cranks the engine over.  When the engine starts, the internal sprag device disengages the pinion from the starter shaft to protect the starter armature from being over speeded and destroyed.  The pinion gear then freely spins on the armature shaft until the driver disengages the starter.  When the sprag wears out, it does not reliably connect the pinion gear to the starter output shaft in the cranking direction.

To test the overrunning clutch action the pinion should turn freely in the overrunning direction and must not slip in the cranking direction.  You can check this out with your fingers.  Even if the clutch seems to be working properly, I recommend replacing it if is old and the pinion gear teeth appear to be worn.  Also, check that the spring immediately behind the clutch assembly is in good condition.  If this spring is weak or broken, the pinion gear will not be pushed far enough to engage it with the flywheel teeth.

The Overrunning Clutch assembly is retained on the armature shaft with a snap ring sandwiched between a thrust collar (in front) and a retainer ring on the back side.  Refer to a Chevrolet sedan shop manual to instruct you on how to remove and reinstall the snap ring so that a new Overrunning Clutch can be installed.

Larry Pearson







From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Loose Starter bolts - the bolts would have to be VERY loose to cause the starter to not even try to mesh with the flywheel
Bad Bendix linkage - Possibly.  This, however, is a very simple linkage - i've never seen it fail.  If so check the pivot pin.  if it's missing or not.
Bad Bendix Gear - Probably.  Its a common problem - for the Bendix (not the solenoid) spring to fail.  This will cause the starter gear to "not return" to the start position, thus not engage the flywheel when the starter kicks.
                                    If this is the problem - repeated attempts to start the engine will eventually engage the flywheel because the starter/Bendix shaft is threaded such that a sudden spin of the starter will thrust the gear into the flywheel
Bad flywheel ring gear - Again possibly but not probably.  If the ring gear is bad - repeated attempts will not cause the starter to engage.  You have to bump the engine to a different flywheel position like you describe.

I have attached a photo exposing the Bendix assembly.  Note the spring between the solenoid wishbone yoke and the starter gear.  This is the spring that fails and causes the starter gear to fail to engage the flywheel,  You can also see the thread on the starter drive shaft that causes the gear to retract when spun by the flywheel when the engine starts.
















**********


02/24/2022



Is there a site where I can find some back issues of the club magazine? I used to find some on  EBAY, now I can’t find any. Thanks  Steve

 


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

This should be easy. Join SACC, then order all back issues available from our new National Editor Alan Blay.
Bill Huffman

 

*Joining is easy!  On our website simply click on "Online New Member Application". 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

02/08/2022

 

Looking for a qualified mechanic to service my 54 Corvette. 

I live in downtown Dallas. The car will need to be trailered. 

Contact information. 

Anthony 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  (*Note: Please be aware of the disclaimer above).  DMS Corvette Shop in Garland.  972-494-6900.  I own a 54 and he's the only mechanic I'll allow near it except myself.

PS: highly recommend association with the local chapter of the solid axle club.  Wealth of knowledge and support.

 

 

 

 

 


**********

 

 

From: Bruce Fuhrman, Past Club Secretary: 

Hi Anthony, (I assume you have a stove-bolt 6)
   I do not have a recommend in downtown Dallas, but I do have a recommends on oil! 
Use a 30W conventional oil, not 10/30W oil. Add "ZINC" to the oil, (ZDDP available in auto stores). The reason is; In the late 90's they reduced zinc out of the oil (because every car had  roller cams) and tappets were obsolete. 
Enjoy your "6",
Bruce Fuhrman


 

 

 

 

 

01/20/2022

 

 

Hello, I am trying to figure out if this tach drive unit is a gm part or a repro? If it is a real gm part can you give me an idea of it'svalue?  It cam as extra parts with a 1958 that I bought in 1992. Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  This appears to be a GM unit.  The markings are different than the unit on my 58 but I don't think that is significant.  You can purchase new drive units for approximately $110.00

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

**********

 

12/24/2021

 

Hello,
  Is there an easy way to remove each of the cables from the rear of the dash cluster (to twist off the knurled nuts)?
The way I've tried it get at them is to reach over the steering shaft, but I need baby hands and fingers to grasp the nuts
Is there a better and easier way to reach them without dropping the steering shaft?
Thank you
58 Newbee

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Rex.  I own a 1960 and two 1962's, and I have been under there lots of times, although it is harder now that I am 80.  Lie on the floor on your back with a light and reach up with your right hand and loosen the nuts with your thumb and fore finger.  I do this when I need to lubricate the cables.  If this doesn't work for you, then you will have to remove the instrument housing, which is lots of trouble.  To do this refer to page 1-6 in the Corvette Servicing Guide, Chevrolet publication ST-12.  This is the official Chevrolet shop manual for C-1 Corvettes and is available as a reprint from all of the major Corvette parts suppliers.  This is a "must have" for C-1 Corvette owners who work on their own cars.  You can't drop the steering column enough to do much good.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

12/04/2021

 

Subject: 1958 corvette stock 283 cu in, 290 hp

Hi all,  I’m looking for a approx. 600cfm carb to install on my stock manifold. Is there a good carb out there that won’t need an adapter plate for this application? Cannot seem to find a good rebuilt/rebuildable stock carb. I’m concerned about height/clearance with hood. I had a 600 Holley with adapter and had hood clearance issues when airfilter was installed.....

Jack

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Jack:  You say that you have a stock 283, 290 hp engine in your 1958, and you are looking for a 600 cfm carburetor to go on this engine.  This engine came with fuel injection, not a 600 cfm carburetor,  The only engine in 1958 with a single four barrel was the 230 hp engine with a cast iron intake manifold.  The 245 hp and 270 hp engines had dual Carter carburetors.  This arrangement was continued through 1961, and became 250 hp in 1962.  All these single four barrel engines came with a Carter model WCFB carburetor.  Do you have the 230 hp intake manifold that will fit a WCFB Carburetor on your engine?  The Carter WCFB carburetors once were very plentiful, but now can cost over $900 rebuilt to NCRS judging standards, which you don't need.  You should be able to find a WCFB carburetor online.  Corvette Central offers a rebuilding service.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

12/1/2021

 

I have a question about 57 Corvette cross member bolts and some others on the car.    The Frame was painted separate from the cross member, as I understand it, and thus some of the cross members were painted a more shiny color than the frame and was assembled to the frame as it went along.  With that being said how would the bolts have been painted that hold it on to the frame?  Second there are several parts that were assembled to the frame after it was painted like the axle bumpers rear springs just to mention a few.  So were all these bolts painted or not or just some of them and where would I person find a list of what was and wasn’t painted. 

Thanks a lot for your help.

Kermit

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

I assume this question is raised in anticipation of NCRS judging.

NCRS flight judging does not judge those parts. They do not raise the car and it is too low for most people to get under to see the parts.

I painted my bolts black to go with the cross member and for protection.

If it is related to Bow Tie judging, those cars are placed on a lift so the complete underside of the car can be inspected for originality. As part of that process judges compare patina of various parts and something that has been restored/painted will stand out.

If the car is that original/unmolested I would leave it alone.

Verle

 

 

**********

 

11/26/2021


Hi 

 

I am a UK member looking for a wiper motor cable complete with ratio box , my old cable is approximately 32.5 inches in length, please could you tell me if this item is available and a part number if possible and contact details where I may be able to source this part.

 

 Thanks

 

Malcolm

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Malcolm:  Corvette Central sells rebuilt left and right hand windshield wiper transmissions, complete with cables.  The cost is $109 each side plus a $100 core charge and shipping.  They also used to provide a rebuilding service.  Their catalog numbers are 651080L and R.  They also offer a complete wiper upgrade kit that includes everything needed including the motor.  The car may have to be modified to install it.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

11/23/2021

 

I have a 57 I am doing.  Are the bolts that hold the Front Cross Member and several other parts like the motor mounts painted.  I have never seen a none restored car and know that some of the cross members were painted gloss and some weren’t so they were installed after the frame was painted thus my question about the bolts.  Also stuff like the rear spring mounts to the fame and shackle bolts and nuts just things like that because they were installed after the frame was painted I think or were they?  You know upper/lower A arm bushings and things of that nature that was put on after the frame paint.  I am pretty sure the grease zerks were not painted because I am old enough to remember that as I worked in a gas station and greased them.  Got any ideas?

Thanks,

Kermit

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

Kermit:  If you are restoring your car for NCRS Judging, obtain a copy of the NCRS Judging Guidelines for your year car and follow what they say.  If not, I have made a study of the chassis painting over the years, but not as early as 1957.  I have a collection of photos taken by Motor Trend when they road tested a new fuel injected 1961 Corvette.  They put it on a grease rack and completely photographed the chassis front to back.  Also, there is a book "Birthplace of Legends" that has assembly line photos taken over the years at the St. Louis assembly plant.  Here is what I have come to believe.

The frames were manufactured for Chevrolet by an outside supplier (I forgot the name) and were dip painted with gloss chassis black paint before shipment to the St. Louis assembly plant.  There is a red stencil, upside down, on the frame just under the driver's seat that gives a part number with a manufacturing batch number after it and a manufacturing date below it.  Chassis black paint is identical to radiator paint, and is an inexpensive black tar like coating that is solvent based.  It dries but does not cure like enamels, and is easily removed with any petroleum based solvent like mineral spirits and lacquer thinner. Next the front and rear suspensions were installed, the exhaust system, the brake system including the master cylinder (sticking up in the air by the vertical brake line), the fuel lines, and then, finally the engine/transmission and drive shaft.  Just before the body installation, everything got spray painted with chassis black paint (except the engine):  The front and rear suspensions (including zerk fittings), the brake drums and backing plates and rubber brake hoses, the exhaust system including the mufflers, the left side of the master cylinder and its brake line, the drive shaft, the cast iron transmissions (3 and 4, speed and PG) with black overspray on the bell housing and bottom clutch cover.  The frame was not purposely re-painted, but parts of it obviously did.  The result wasn't pretty, and it wasn't meant to be.  They wanted to rust proof the entire chassis before the body got installed. I have pictures to prove all of this.

As far as the front engine mounting to the frame goes, in the beginning it was done as shown in the factory Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM).  The verticals were bolted to the frame and when the engine was installed, the rubber engine mounts were set in place with the steel tube and the engine assembly with the gloss orange painted cross member was set on the rubber mounts and bolted with the lock nut thick flat washer, and radio ground strap on top.  The lock nut, the flat washer and the ground strap have no orange paint on them.  This is how your 1957 was done.

Sometime after 1957, this all changed.  The AIM never got updated to show this.  My un-restored 1960 was done as described here.   The verticals, the rubber engine mounts radio ground strap and the cross member got assembled in some sort of fixture.  This was probably done at the St Louis plant, but could have been done at Flint Engine.  This entire assembly  got installed on the engine.  Just before the engine got painted, they masked off the verticals and the rubber engine mounts.  Then everything else got painted orange, including the lock nut, the large flat washer and the end of the radio ground strap.

This gives you something to think about .  Again, if NCRS is going to judge your car, restore it like they say.  In my experience, NCRS and I do not agree on a lot of things.  The judging people at NCRS are very stubborn and will not correct their publications when proven wrong.  But I can prove what I believe.  They can't.

Larry Pearson

 

 

**********

 

10/30/2021

 

Hello,
>
>
> I have a 62 corvette, 300 hp with a t-10 4 speed trans.  Recently, it started to grind slightly when I shift from 1st to 2nd.  After the car warms up it doesn’t do it.  What do you suggest?  I’m thinking to change the oil to see if that will fix it.  What transmission oil do you recommend?
>
> Thanks,
> Chuck

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Chuck:  The proper lubricant for your transmission is 90 weight gear oil.  This is available in quart bottles at all auto parts stores.  But I don't think that the gear oil is the cause of your transmission grinding.

Check your clutch linkage adjustment.  There should be about one inch free pedal in your clutch pedal before the clutch linkage starts to engage the clutch throughout bearing.  If this free travel is much in excess of one inch, depressing the clutch pedal all the way to the floor may not cause the clutch disc to fully disengage from the flywheel and this may cause a grinding sound when attempting to shift into gear.  But if this were the case, there would be grinding when shifting to all of the gears.  Clutch free travel adjustment instructions are found on page 6R-3 in GM's shop manual for all C-1's, Corvette Servicing Guide, publication ST-12.  Reprints of this manual are available from all the major Corvette parts suppliers.

Your transmission gearshift linkage may need adjustment for second gear engagement.  The adjustment procedure is, unfortunately, not found in the ST-12 shop manual.   It is found in the 1961 Chevrolet Passenger Car Shop Manual on page 12-29.  The 1-2 shift rod is the long one going to the front shift lever on the outside of the T-10 transmission.  With the shifter in the second gear position, make sure that the the transmission lever for 1-2 is all the way forward.

If none of this solves your problem, your transmission may need servicing.  Second gear is a particular problem with the T-10 transmission.  With heavy use, the second gear synchronizers fail to keep second gear engaged, and it will come out of gear, particularily when lifting off the gas pedal.  I seldom use second gear in my three C-1's.  If you look at the gear ratios, the third gear ratio is close to second gear ratio in the 3-speed transmission.  So why bother using second gear?  I shift directly from first to third.  I only use second when stuck in traffic.

Larry Pearson


 

 

**********

10/25/2021

 

Attached is a photo of the hubcaps that were on the '54 Corvette that I recently purchased and I know they are not Corvette hubcaps but wondered if anyone can identify the  year, make and model that these were originally used on? I am guessing a 50's vintage Chevrolet?  Thanks for your help, John

 

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Photos of the first Corvettes off the production line in 53 exhibit a hubcap very close to that in your photo.  They are believed to be that of a 53 Bel Air.  Investigate passenger car (Bel Air) caps around your year.  I have attached an article from "The Real Corvette (pg29)" FYI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 


I’m in the process of restoring my 1961 Corvette as original as possible. I have a restored set of original Seatbelt Hambones which are silver cadmium coated. The vehicle is black with silver coves and I was wondering if you know what color and finish the Hambones should be. I know they do get some over spray on them when painting the body.
Can you please help me out?

Regards 
Dave

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Dave:  I assume that you are referring to the two outboard seat belt support assemblies that attach with four bolts to a reinforcement riveted to the floor pan under the car.  They were in place when the exterior was painted, and you can expect at least some exterior overspray to be on them.  They could actually be completely painted black, but this was not deliberately done, because these supports were not visible with the seats in place.  If you are having your car judged by NCRS, don't worry about the appearance because the judges can't see them.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 


Members,

Does anyone know where I can buy touchup paint for my 1958 sonwcrest white Corvette?

Thanks.

Ed

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Where are you located?  I recently purchased 58 Charcoal acrylic lacquer from English Color in Plano, Texas.  They had to import it from their shop in Houston - but they still supplied it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

I buy from Paintscratch.com
I use Venetian Red in 1 oz and spray cans.

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

09/21/2


I ordered a convertible top front right latch (for my ’61) in July and was told in August that it was backordered, and last week I was told the order was cancelled as they could not get the part from the manufacturer. Every place I look it seems that they are now out of stock even though they are still advertised in most catalogues.  Any suggestions on where to go to get one?

 

Chris

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Chris:  Try Sully's Tops, in Fresno California.  They reproduce the entire top frame and sell individual parts.  Call 559.291.8677, 800.451.8680, http://www.sullystops.com.  Paragon sells used parts.  

Larry Pearson  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

09/14/2021

 

Greetings!
I have a 54 Corvette restomod that I have owned for about 15 years.  I have a 350 sbc in it, although from most perspectives it looks  original until the hood is opened.  The original sway bar is notched, which prevents me from installing a larger and much-needed radiator fan.  Can you offer me a resource to find a sway bar (perhaps straight or notched in the other direction)/that will fulfill my need?  I’ll be most grateful.

I didn’t know this club existed (silly me,). I just joined.

Thanks much!

Richard







From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Richard:  You don't say what type of radiator fan you are using.  If you are using a water pump mounted fan, the notched (forward) sway bar should not be a problem.  It would offer more fan clearance than a straight sway bar would.  But if you are using an electric fan mounted on the radiator, then the forward notch would be a problem.  The forward notched sway bar was necessary due to the considerable length of the six cylinder engine.  When the small block V-8 was introduced, the sway bars were made straight, because this engine is much shorter than the six.  It is interesting to note that the better heat rejection of the V-8 (due to the much shorter path from the exhaust valve to the exhaust port with the new V-8 cylinder head design, resulting in less exhaust heat being transferred to the coolant) allowed Chevrolet to use a smaller radiator for the V-8 in sedans.  The V-8 also weighed less then the six, and cost less to manufacture.  In 1955, I am told that it cost Chevrolet about $65 to manufacture a 265 V-8 engine, exclusive of overhead costs.  They should have charged less for the V-8 than the six, but they didn't,

In answer to your question, any 1956-62 sway bar is straight.  They should be easy to acquire.

Larry Pearson








 

 

**********

 

   Hi, I have a 61 Corvette 283 Engine w/ DUAL Quads 245 HP. What type of gas should I use in this engine.

I have been running a premium fuel w/ Lucas Octane Booster. Can I switch to 87 Octane and run Octane Booster ?

Or is there anything better that you can recommend.

Thanks,

  Glenn

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 
Glenn,
I'm going to assume you mean you are using unleaded Premium 93 Octane 10% ethanol gasoline with octane booster in your car. 
Around home, I use 100% recreational 90 octane unleaded gasoline in my 1960 230HP 283 that has with same compression ratio as yours and it runs fine.
 
Your car's components were not designed to deal with the corrosive effects of ethanol long term.
On long trips like the recent convention trip, I had to use the Premium 93 gas and filled up on the good stuff when we got home. 
 
However, if if your engine has not had hardened valve seats installed in the stock heads, you probably need to add lead substitute as well. 
 
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC








From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:
 Glenn:  I own a 1960 Corvette with the base 230 hp engine, and it is completely original and has never been rebuilt.  This is the exact same engine as the 245 hp engine, except that it has a single 4 barrel carburetor.  Both engines have a 10.5 compression ratio.  I live in California, which has the worst gasoline in the country.  Premium is 91 octane and $5.00+ per gallon.  My 60 runs just fine with the 91 octane gasoline and no octane booster.  Occasionally I add a lead substitute to protect the valve seats, but I don't think that this is necessary for the low performance engines.

If your engine is original or has been rebuilt to original specs and is properly timed, you should have no problem using 91 or better octane pump gasoline.  If it pings when driven hard, retard the timing.  I have a 62 with 11.25 compression and have had no luck with octane boosters.  I have found that 1/2 quart of lead additive per 10 gallons of premium boosts the 91 octane to an acceptable level for this engine.  Lead additive is available on the internet.

Larry Pearson

















From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  You did not say whether your motor runs in a manner that it needs octane booster.  That is important to the question.  The stock configuration was 9.5 compression with flat top pistons.  The combustion chambers were small on the stock heads and 0.016" head gaskets were used.  Do you know whether the configuration is stock or was the motor rebuilt with 0.030 or thicker composite head gaskets? 
If you are getting pinging during acceleration, have you backed off on the timing?
We need more information and I am inclined to say your motor does not need anything special in the fuel.
With ethanol additive gasoline, I would use 1/2 oz. of ATF per gallon of gasoline.






 

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08/29/2021

 

 


I had a tail light pigtail short out and now I have no taillights. Any quick suggestions to look for?


 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Probably a fused wire.  Start at the light switch and work your way back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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08/21/2021

 

Tech Help,  September 2020 and April 2021 posts to your tech team and review of past posts were a valuable source to remove and install the speedo and tach with newly greased bearings on my 59.

Now I think the fuel pump failed.  Paragon no longer stocks the AC 4656 fuel pump as mentioned on this thread.  It seems it is no longer produced.   Does anyone have a source that still has one. I am leery about purchasing a reconditioned original on EBay.  Anyone have experience with rebuilding these pump?

 

Eric

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Eric:  You say that you "think" that your fuel pump has failed.  Did you test it?  Most vacuum gauges will test fuel pump pressure.  Also, you can disconnect the fuel line at the carburetor, hook a rubber hose to it and run the hose to a can or large bottle, start the engine (pouring gas down the carburetor if there is no gas in the carburetor) and see if the pump pumps gas into the bottle.  If it does, your pump is probably good.

Your carburetor either has a built in fuel filter or an external fuel filter.  Remove the external filter or the bronze internal filter element and try to blow through it.  If it is plugged up, that is the problem and replace the element.

If you need to rebuild or replace your old pump, Corvette Central sells rebuilt 4656 pumps or rebuild kits.  The Chevrolet passenger car shop manual for your year tells you exactly how to rebuild your pump from a rebuild kit.  If you decide to rebuild your old pump, do not attempt to replace the rocker arm pivot shaft.  The ends are staked to keep the shaft in place, and it will be very difficult for you to properly stake the ends of the replacement shaft.  I have not encountered a shaft so worn that it needs replacement.

Larry Pearson








From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Also, You can get the car to run for long enough by pouring gas into the area where the metering rods are.  Then start the car and see if there is any flow from the disconnected fuel line.












 

 

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08/16/2021

 

In sorting out parts I need for the restoration of a '54 I recently purchased (stored for over thirty years),  I have a seat frame and adjusting rails for the driver's seat but nothing but a seat bottom and backrest for the passenger seat.  Doesn't the passenger seat require a similar frame?  I was told the passenger seat was fixed (no adjusters) how does it attach?  Is the attached drawing for a '54 drivers seat?
Thanks, John


From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  The passenger seat on a 54 is not mounted to a frame.  The spring sets (bottom and back) mount directly to the floor and bulkhead of the car itself. I don't know of anywhere the brackets (more like clips) are shown.  If you can't find any references to help you - I can take a photo of mine and send it to you.  Good luck - John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Bruce Fuhrman, past club Secretary: 

Your are right, the passenger seat is not adjustable. You are missing the anchor plate (front/rear) I suggest you make from steel? The bolts come from the underside.
Good luck,
Bruce Fuhrman 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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07/23/2021



Rebuilding 62.  All I currently have is a green and yellow wire that was hooked to the old neutral safety switch.  From what I am reading, I should have two purple wires.  I took the tape off the wiring and see that the yellow wire actually is one of the purple wires which leaves now with a green and purple (yellow).  I cannot find anything listing on the wiring diagram for the NSS so am at a lost where or how this is supposed to be connected except it looks like it should go to something on.

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Deb:  The 1962 Aluminum Powerglide transmission is option (RPO) 313.  The 1962 Aluminum Powerglide is a completely new transmission that replaces the cast iron Powerglide used in 1961 and earlier Corvettes.  To find out how the Neutral Safety Switch (NSS) mounts and how the wiring harness is routed, you need to purchase a copy of the 1962 Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM), which is available from all the major Corvette parts suppliers. The RPO 313 section is seven pages long and shows all about the installation of the NSS, but it does not explain or show how the NSS wiring harness connects into the car wiring system.  The purpose of the NSS is to prevent the starter from activating unless the transmission is in Park.  It somehow connects in series with the  purple wire in the car's wiring harness that activates the starter solenoid.  It appears in the passenger car shop manual that there is some kind of adapter on the back of the starter solenoid that the NSS wiring harness connects into.  Contact Lectric Limited at 708.563.0400 to see if they can help you with the NSS wiring harness.  They reproduce all the wiring harnesses for your car.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

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07/15/2021

 

 
I recently became a member and received my member number today.
 
I have enjoyed reading the great advice in the technical help.
 
I tried a search to see if my question was already answered previously to avoid asking the same question over again, but was unable to find anything.
 
I am wondering if anyone has advice on installing the radio antenna on a 1961.  
 
A former owner replaced the original antenna with an antenna from some other vehicle.  I recently purchased a correct antenna and reviewed the instructions in the 1961 service manual.  Though it seems straight forward, the part I am finding a bit tricky is making sure that the bezel that sits on top of the fender is in the correct position.  When I tighten the cap, and check the antenna with a level, it is not straight up and down.  Perhaps it is not supposed to be straight up and down.  I do not know since the car did not have the correct antenna before I changed it.  Another concern is that when I tighten the cap, I would think that it should contact the bezel evenly all around, but in my case it makes full contact on one side, but has a very, very small gap on the opposite side. I have tried refitting it a number of times, but still come up with the very small gap on one side.   From a distance, it all looks great, but if I could find out how to make it even better, I would appreciate it.
 
Thank you for taking the time to consider my question.
 
Bruce

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Bruce,
Welcome to SACC!
If you bought the whole antenna kit, there should have been a strap/clamp that attaches the lower body of the antenna to the wheel well inside the trunk.
 
This attachment determines the antenna angle coming out the top of the rear fender. The chromed bezel just covers a big ugly rubber gasket sealing water out of the trunk.
You, as a guy who really cares, are putting far more thought into its alignment than the assembly operator who originally installed it in 1961.
 
Relax and enjoy your car because none of them were born perfect.
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC







From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Bruce:  You mention a 1961 service manual.  I have never heard of such a thing, except for the passenger cars.  The Chevrolet Corvette Servicing Guide, publication ST-12 is the only official shop manual that Chevrolet produced for the C1 Corvettes, and it attempts to cover the entire 1953-1962 production run.  It is a "must  have" for all C1 Corvette owners who work on their cars.  If you don't have this manual, it is available as a reprint from all Corvette parts suppliers.  The radio antenna installation is covered on page 13-4. Figure 3.  Although this figure is supposed to apply to all C1 Corvettes, it actually is specifically for the 1961-62 Corvettes, which is exactly what you are looking for.

You don't say where you got this "correct" antenna.  What you have may actually be for a 1956-60 Corvette, which installs through a rounded fender top rather than the rather flat sloped fender top of the 1961-62 Corvettes.  The 1956 through 1960 antenna assembly is slightly longer than the 1961-61 because of the longer height in the trunk compartment, but it might work in your 1961 trunk.  Corvette Central sells the fender top hardware if you have the earlier setup.

I assume that your car originally had a radio installed by the factory and, therefore, that the hole in the fender top is in the correct location so everything in the trunk properly lines up.  All vertical mast antennas need a ground plane to work properly.  On metal car bodies, the car body is the ground plane.  On the Corvette, the frame is used as the ground plane, and this connection is provided by a copper strap that connects the antenna housing  to a bolt accessed through an access cover in the trunk that electrically connects to the frame, as shown in Figure 3.  Also the frame must be grounded to the engine block with the two heavy copper ground straps that connect the frame to the engine mounting bracket shown in Figure 6 on page 13-7.  On Corvettes, the engine block is the ground point for all electrical systems on the car.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

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07/06/2021

 

Good Afternoon :
 I acquired a 1954 corvette 10 years ago. The vehicle did not have the original engine or transmission.
After many years of searching. I found an original 54 corvette engine and transmission.  I had the engine and transmission rebuilt.
The question that I am asking is the timing of the engine.  I have the beebee on the flyweight in line with the pointer. The distributor rotor on number 1 cylinder on the cap. When I crank the engine over and check the to see if the distributor rotor in on number 1 again it seems the it is off from the original setting.

Am I doing something wrong.?
Your help would be greatly appreciated
Thank you
Scott




From: Bruce Fuhrman, Past Secretary:  Hi Scott,
 Is the engine running? If not, there is something wrong. Be sure the compression is #1 and not exhaust. Do this by taking the sparkplugs out and checking the compression in #1. It may be the installed the distributor off by a gear?

If running-   I had a '54 and it had the original engine & transmission. During a transmission o'haul they could not locate the proper flywheel (the teeth were worn out) by the starter, so they reversed it! It worked out, BUT, I lost the timing mark! I simply used a Dwell meter to set the points and drove the car till there was no "ping" and used the Dwell meter again when replacing the points. The proper dwell is 40.5-47.5 degrees, and the timing is on the beebee.

Good luck,
Bruce Fuhrman

















From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  1- Rotate the engine until the timing pointer lines up with the BB or circle on the
flywheel.
2- Adjust the points for proper dwell.  Rotate the distributor until the points are on a high point of the distributor cam.  Adjust the points for a 0.16 gap (establishes an approximate setting)
3- Connect a ohm meter between the points feed to the coil and ground (disconnect from the coil).  When the points are closed the ohm meter should read 0 ohms.  Rotate the distributor until the points just open (ohm meter will jump to MAX ohms).  Lock down the Distributor.
4- Note where the distributor rotor is pointing - it should be pointing to No.1 plug terminal.
5- If you need to adjust the dwell you will have to re-adjust the timing.
Addendum to above answer.....

You are not looking for where the distributor rotor aligns with No.1 - you are looking for where the points break associated with No.1   















 

 

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06/26/2021

HELLO EVERYONE, I am putting the finishing touches on my 1960 corvette and I realized I did not know what the orientation of the door lock knobs should be.  I looked at a number of C1s on the internet but saw multiple orientations.  So, in the unlocked position where should the lock “point”; to the right, down,??? Thank you for your time.

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Years ago, I had the good fortune to be able to purchase 8x10 glossy B&W prints of photos that Petersen Publishing took of new Corvettes they did road tests on for 1959, 1961 and 1962.  Most of these were not used in the magazine articles.  They all show the position to be straight down.  If you are having NCRS judge your car, position them the way they tell you to in their judging manual, or they will make deductions.  NCRS is "always" right.  Years ago, I gave up trying to get them to fix their mistakes.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

I tried my in several positions and picked the position that worked best for me.

As Larry said, if you are having it judged, do it like their manual says.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

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06/25/2021

 

Hello folks. My ’58 is a 245hp and T-10 4-speed setup. 
 
Normally, shifting is smooth and secure. But, on very rare occasions the shifter linkages somehow get locked up (happened at parking-type low speed, probably going to reverse but really don’t remember). The immediate correction is crawling under (not always easy) and jiggling linkages. I’ve had this car 20 years; I think it happened twice, but the first time may have been 60 years ago with my first ’58.
 
My question is – any clues as to what to look, for to avoid this kind of lock-up? Thanks, Al
 
This photo was taken under car in 2019 when it had locked-up – hit or miss with cam at arm’s length!

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Al,
I assume you have a stock '58 shifter with the spring as a detent to separate 1st & reverse shift action. In all the efforts to steer/ shift/ brake and the 360 visuals related to having no RH rear view mirror, it gets pretty busy for us in the drivers seat. 
After 63 years, I'll bet that shifter spring isn't as rigorous in its lock-out function as it used to be, allowing both 1st & reverse to try to engage at the same time.
Hello shifter lock-up. 
 
Either refurb or replace the spring, buy another '57-'58 stock shifter or you might want to upgrade to the '59-'62 4 speed shifter w/ reverse lock-out handle.
It just can't shift into reverse unless you actively want it to & pull the T-handle.
 
If you have noticed linkage rattle, it might help to replace the bent cotter keys with the correct GM G-clip.
 
Regards,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

From:  Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter  VP: 

I have experienced shifter lockup in the past. On mine the main problem was it was worn out. 

I rebuilt it with new bushings and shims to reduce/eliminate the slop in the shift levers.

It may also be wear in the transmission side plate, detent spring, detent balls, etc.

Last but not least, the shifter needs to be adjusted so the shift levers are properly aligned. Misalignment can potentially cause the problem.

Many years ago I was with a friend in his 62 late one rainy night when the shifter got locked up in one gear. We found a closed gas station with a pay phone booth with light on. We jacked up the driver side of the car and I slid under the car with water running on the pavement to pull the shift rod to get it in neutral. While I was under the car a police car pulled up and wanted to know what we were doing. After an explanation he asked a few more questions and left, while giving us a suspicious look. My friend never did adjust the shifter and had lock up problems more than once. I refused to get under it after the first time.

Verle

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06/22/2021

 


I'm restoring my 60 vette. I noticed something very odd and no one has a good answer. The bulk head between the trunk and the gas tank area is missing . It was cut out very neatly.  It appears it was once part of the body. Why in the world would someone do that?? Any help will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks Bob

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Robert:  I own a 1960 and two 62's, and the differences in the trunk storage between the two models is very significant.  The capacity of the 1960 and earlier Corvettes trunks is quite small compared with the 61 and 62 models.  I suspect that a prior owner was looking for a way to get more trunk space that was accessible from the trunk area and cut this panel out to easily access the additional storage area that is there where the soft top goes.  Of course, if the car has a soft top, it must be in the up position to free up the space.  If your car has a hard top only, access to the soft top storage area is not possible with the hard top in place.  I have used the soft top storage area for additional storage during long trips with my cars.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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06/18/2021

 

  Does anyone make king pin kit with needle bearing instead of bushing.

                Also is a good thing to do ?

                Also on differential fill plug leaks ? Install new plug with gasket, someone total me to use copper gasket .

                Please advise.

 

                Regards,

                Glenn

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Glenn:  I finally got around to see if anyone manufacturers or sells a needle bearing king pin kit, and found nothing.  If it was available, Corvette Central would have it, and they don't.  The bushings will last longer than you will, as long as you grease them.  The factory recommends a 1000 mile interval for greasing all 22 grease fittings on your car's front suspension.  This is unreasonable, and I feel that you can safely go to a 2000 mile interval.  Be sure to grease all four inner fittings on the upper A-arms.  They are hard to see and access, but if you ignore them, the bushings will fail and are very difficult to replace.

The differential fill plug uses a leather gasket.  If you replace it and it still leaks, wrap the plug threads with Teflon tape and that should fix the leak.

Larry Pearson


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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06/17/2021

 

I am Chris and I have a ’61.  Thank you Verle for your suggestion with my tail light issue.  Still working on it.  My fuel gauge reads beyond full and does not change.  I heard from someone that it might mean the gauge is not grounded.  Any thoughts on how to check out my gauge?  Second question, what additive, if any, should I put in my tank when I fill up.  I have put 93 octane in it so far.  It is the original 283 engine.

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

The fuel sending unit in the tank has a wire that should be attached to the frame to ground it. Could be a problem on either end of the wire. Make sure the frame connection is not rusted. Or, it could be a problem with the sending unit its self. 

The following was copied from another source and explains how to check the fuel gauge. 

"The following information is reprinted with the permission of Mr. Fred Aldrich, a.k.a. The Chevelle Engineer. Data presented are the same from his popular website with only minor changes to spelling and overall format. Mr. Aldrich passed away in 2011 and graciously allowed me to use some information from this website before his passing.

1Locate the fuel sender feed wire near the fuel tank. You're looking for a single tan colored wire. With the tan wire disconnected at the fuel tank, the fuel gauge should read past full with the ignition on. Wait a few moments as some fuel gauges take a long time to respond. Touch the tan wire from the body to any convenient ground and the gauge should read empty. If not, you have a wiring problem or a bad gauge.

2) If the gauge responds correctly, the gauge and wiring are OK. Next use a multi-meter to measure resistance to ground of the sender wire connection on the top of the fuel sender or the tan wire from the top of the fuel tank. Measurements should track the fuel in tank.

Full - 84-88 ohms
Half - 40 ohms, give or take
Empty - 0-2 ohms

If this doesn't check, then sender or wiring on top of the tank is bad or the sender not adequately grounded. Senders are typically grounded by a black wire which is welded to the sender and attached to the body with a sheet metal screw.

3) If the sender checks OK but gauge and wiring don't, clean the connections, reconnect the sender wiring and separate the Fisher connector (located just outboard of the fuse block under the dash). The gauge should then read past full. Ground the tan wire in the dash side of the Fisher connector and the gauge should read empty. If not, you probably have a bad gauge or possibly a dash wiring problem. Go to Step 5.

4) If the gauge checks OK, then make the same resistance checks to the tan wire in the body side of the Fisher connector. If the readings are different than those at the sender, body wiring has a problem and requires detailed inspection. If they look OK, then the Fisher connector is probably dirty.

5) Clean and reconnect Fisher connector, pull the connector off the back of the gauge and make the same resistance checks to the tan wire. If they don't check, you have a dash wiring problem. If they check OK, your gauge is bad. Gauges can be bench-checked but this is best left to a specialist.


Note: As noted at the beginning of the page, Mr. Aldrich passed away in 2011 and graciously allowed me to use some information from this website before his passing.

 Ref: your question about gasoline and additives:































What horsepower engine do you have? If high performance, does it have the domed pistons for the higher compression? 

For the lower horsepower engines you can safely run 87 octane. I prefer to use alcohol free gas when I can find it. No additive.

Same thing on high performance engine, use 91 or 93 octane, no additives and no alcohol. 

Alcohol has less power than gasoline. 10% alcohol will reduce gas mileage and horsepower. 

Gasoline has a heat value of 20,400 BTUs while ethanol has a heat value of 12,800 BTUs. This means when compared to gasoline, ethanol will have only 60 percent of the heat value of gasoline

They way racers go faster with alcohol is to build the engine with high compression ratio and increase the mixture to 9.0 instead of the 14.7 for gasoline so they are burning a lot more alcohol to make more horsepower. This requires a special carburetor or other induction system to handle the volume.

Verle






From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Chris:  On the subject of your tail light problem, the 1961 and 1962 Corvettes had their tail lights located low in the trunk where the sockets could be damaged by trunk items coming in contact with them.  In 1962, light gray plastic protective cones were placed over the four tail light plugs to protect them from damage.  These protective cones are reproduced, and I recommend that you purchase a set for your 1961.  

As to the damage that can occur to the in trunk part of the tail lamp assembly, each connector plugs into the tail light assembly and is retained by two plastic pins molded in to the sides of the plug-in socket.  If one of these gets broken off, the socket plug will become cocked in such a way that one of the two spring loaded contacts may not properly contact one of the bulb contacts.  In the worst case, the spring loaded contact may contact the grounded lamp housing, resulting in a blown fuse.  A broken off pin can be repaired without replacing the plug assembly.  You can drill a hole in the socket where the pin is missing and fabricate a plastic pin out of a plastic rod obtainable from hobby stores and use JB Weld to secure it in place.  Drill the hole slightly smaller than the plastic rod diameter to make a tight fit prior to JB Welding it in place.  You can even use a tooth pick.

The gas tank is grounded with a black 18 gauge wire that connects to the tail light ground wire in the rear wiring harness.  The engine block, not the frame, is the ground source for all electrical system in your car.  If this black ground wire somehow is not there or is an open circuit somewhere in the wiring harness, the proper way to ground the gas tank is to run an 18 gauge or larger wire from one of the sender screws down through the rocker panel area and up to the instrument housing where you should attach it to one of the 1/4 inch screws that attach the instrument housing to the metal structure, which is an excellent ground point.  All the electrical systems, the horns, the lighting, clock, and the instruments (except the radio and wiper motor, which have their own ground wires) connect to the engine block via a 12 gauge black with white stripe wire that connects to the driver's side upper rear rocker arm screw.  This ground wire must be in excellent shape and well connected to the rocker arm cover screw, or nothing in the car will operate properly, if at all.

When you finally get your gas gauge working properly using the original black gas tank ground wire, you will likely note that the gas gauge pointer moves to the right when the brakes are applied.  This is a result of a factory screw-up with the 1961 and 62 Corvettes. When they added the two additional tail lights, they neglected to use a larger ground return wire and stayed with the 18 gauge wire, which is inadequate for all those lights and the gas tank sender.  The resulting electrical imbalance results in the gas tank pointer moving when the brakes are applied.  The only way to fix this is to run a separate ground wire from the gas tank to the instrument housing as described above.

Larry Pearson

 

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06/06/2021

 

I am Chris and I just joined the solid axle corvette club.  I recently purchased a 1961 Corvette.  My original program was that the right blinker worked great but when I selected the left blinker, the green arrow on my dash came on but did not blink and the front white left blinker light came on but did not blink.  Same for the left rear lights.  From a blog someone told me that I likely needed to replace my turn signal flasher on my front driver’s side fuse box.  I found out from this blog where that fuse box was located….thank you very much Larry!!!  I bought the replacement flasher, installed it and it solved my blinker and brake light problems which was very helpful, especially in Texas since I have to get the car inspected before I can get my plates (I bought the car from a dealer in Minnesota).  However my new issue is that now the rear, left inside tail light does not come on with the running lights.  I had put a new bulb in it and both filaments look fine.  Any thoughts on my problem?  Thank you for any help.

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

Chris,

First thing, check to see if there is 12 volts in that socket. If you have voltage, check to verify a good ground. The rear lights ground to the frame.

It could be a bad socket or a loose wire on the back of the socket.

Let us know what you find.

Verle

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Check the position of your turn signals.  Make sure it is in the neutral position.  These switches have a bad habit of moving slightly to one side (usually left turn).  It will not be enough to cause the blinker to engage - but it will turn off that tail light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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06/03/2021

 

 

Can you tell me where the fuse box is on a 1961 Corvette?  I need to replace the turn signal flasher.

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Chris:  The fuse box is located on the firewall on the driver's side just in front of the parking brake assembly.  In order for the turn signals to work properly, the parking light and tail light bulbs (all six) must be in working order or it won't flash properly, or at all.  The turn signal flasher operates properly using the current draw from the bulbs.  Also, the turn signal switch must be in good working order.  All the bulbs are two filament bulbs.  One filament, the skinnier one, works the running lights when the headlights are on.  The turn signals in the rear use the same filaments, the thick ones, that the brake lights use.  They work together in the rear.  When the brakes are applied, the brake light filaments are interrupted for the turn signals.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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05/30/2021

 

 

54 vette choke knob

Any tricks to removing choke cables and knob from on a 1954 vette? I plan to have the cables replaced. Thanks, Tex





From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  No trick - Loosen cables from the carbs, the knob attaches to the dash with a large nut on the back of the dash, loosen the nut and slide the choke cable assembly out of the carbs, firewall and dash.











 

 

 

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05/30/2021


G'day 
I have just got a 1959 Corvette

The seats are loose, no holes in floor.
Questions
1/ Do you have any guidance where to locate the seats before drilling the holes?

2/ Are the underbody plates mounted with the nut facing to ground?
If not do you need to cut hole for nut to fit into?

3/ Are the underbody plates bolted on the outside holes or riveted on?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Mike 



From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Look at the assembly manual for how they are mounted.  For a 1957, it is sheet J2.  The nut plates are installed from the bottom, not in the car.  The floor is flat where the nutplates are located.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor: 

1. Below is a illustration of the 59 interior to help you locate your seats properly
2. the mounting plates are oriented with the nuts down.  See mounting illustration
3. The plates should be riveted in place.
Good luck - John

 

Note: if you're having trouble locating your seat rails - slide the seat all the say back on the rails, set the seat frame in the car against the rear bulkhead.  
This gives you a full range of adjustment.  Make sure when slid forward the seat (cushion) does not interfere with the transmission hump.   This is adjusted by the side to side location of the seat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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05/27/2021

 


I’m redoing the front suspension on my 1960 (5034).  My question is should I leave the original inner upper pivot shaft?  
What I have read it is the most important part of the job.  The new cap only goes on a few rotations and bogs down, the 
old caps spin right on.  What I can figure is it is a 3/4 by 11 can’t find a die to clean threads.  Also read where you 
can make the tool to thread new pivot shaft in with old shaft parts but see Paragon part number 10538 is a pivot shaft installer, 
is that for this pivot shaft?  I called their tech line and the guy was what does the catalog say, it doesn’t.  Thanks
 
 
 
From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  
Are the new caps the same thread pitch? Your description suggests wrong thread pitch.

I cannot tell from the picture, are threads damaged? Are they rusty or encrusted with dirt, etc?

You can clean threads with a wire brush without damaging them. If they are damaged on the starting end I have cleaned large threads like that with a triangle file and carefully working to make them match with the good threads.

Verle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  
Examine the threads on the shaft and you should find there is wear.  That is why the new nuts do not fit.  Understand how this works.  As the suspension compresses and the A arm moves, the end nuts rotate.  If they are worn, it may have play.

Getting the new upper inner shaft installed takes a lot of force.  I stood on a breaker bar to get the shaft to turn until equal amounts of thread are showing on both sides.  If the fitting weld lets go, a new one will need to be welded in.

That installation tool is not useful.  I have one that I did not use.   I used the lower outer shaft as a tool.  The bushing and pivot bolt are the same thread as the upper inner shaft.  Put the bushing on the outer shaft threads, screw the pivot bolt into the bushing until it contacts the end of the shaft and you have a tool to screws the shaft in with.






From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  If the old caps (nuts) thread on with no resistance but the new ones do - the new ones are of the wrong thread.  Don't force them.  Have you purchased a new pivot shaft yet - try the new nuts on the new shaft.  If the new shaft threads are different, they will not install in your original equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********


05/01/2021

In 1983 I purchased a garage-fire Corvette which was located just a few blocks from Noland Adam's home in Albany, CA. I really got into rebuilding it at the time, joining the Bay Area chapter of NCRS. My wife and I even hitched a few rides down to the meetings with Noland. Here it is, 2021, and after a stock car racing period, during which time the Vette just sat, I got back to work on my "driver" several years ago. The burned car left me an almost original chassis, engine, T10, and the original hardtop. The car is about 95% complete but one thing that bugs me is that the hardtop lines up with all connection points except for one on the deck lid, it's about 3/8" off and I can see no way to make it fit. The body that we used came from a Corvette wrecking yard in Yuba City, CA. Noland likely remembers it, although it's long gone today. So the body is not the one that the original hardtop was mated to. This could be the main, or the problem. Does SACC have any ideas about this, or heard of any fixes?. I can only think of plugging the hole and drilling a new one. Anything would be appreciated. Thanks,
Joel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

Joel,

Measure the hole locations on both sides on the deck lid. I assume the deck lid is lined up well with the body.

Hard tops will can and will distort if they are not stored with the right supports.

I suspect you can move that part of the hard top over enough to get the bolt in. Make sure the other bolt is not tight and try to push the misaligned part into place. You push and hold while wife starts the bolt. You may have to release the latches on the front to get the back started then latch the front.

Don't ask how I learned about the hard top "warping".

Verle

 


**********

04/25/2012


Any thoughts on Needle bearings on King pins.
 
 Found info on the web. [ A king pin kit with a Torrington needle bearing ]
 
  Replaced Kings Pins years ago, that were frozen in place.
  Had to Heat the H out of the spindle to get the old ones out of  My
 
   1960  C1, serial number 100
 
                JOHN



From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

I installed needle bearings in my 57 about 2001. Over the last 20 years we have driven it over 40,000 miles, most of that on long road tours with no problems. 

I have been diligent in greasing all 22 front suspension zerks about every 1000 miles including on road tours frequently at oil change shops. I have always insisted in going into the pit with the worker so I could point out all the zerks. 

Verle 

 

 

 

 



**********

04/14/2021



Hi,

 I am I the process of fixing my car. I could really use some help applying the dash pad. Any suggests or someone who knows how to do this? 
Frank 



From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Corvette Central and Al Knoch Interiors offer DVDs that show how to do this.  There are also U-Tube videos available, if you search C1 Dashpad Installation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

04/08/2021

 

In September 2020, your officers answered some questions about speedometer cables and bouncing speedometer needles on my 1959.  I also searched your posts for information on removing my speedometer and tachometer.  I have all the wires labeled, bolts removed but can’t figure out how to remove the wiper cable pull knob on the instrument panel.  Please advise.  Thank you.

  Eric

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor: 

Eric,
In order to remove the WSW switch from the cluster, the wiper knob is attached with an allen head set screw to the switch shaft on the under side of the knob, then you will need the a nut removal tool  53-62 Windshield Wiper Nut Removal Tool | Corvette Central  
to release the switch from the cluster housing.
Good luck,
Bill Huffman, Pres. 
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Eric:  Disconnect the battery.  Then you reach up and disconnect the speedometer and tachometer cables.  Remove the 1/4 inch bolts that hold the instrument housing to the dashboard structure.  Pop out the instrument light bulbs in the speedometer and tachometer.  The oil pressure gauge is a mechanical gauge with a copper line connecting it to the engine.  Be careful not to damage it.  You probably will have to remove the screws holding the Ammeter/Oil Pressure gauge from the instrument housing.  Put a thick towel over the steering wheel hub to protect it.  Pull the instrument housing forward as much as possible so you can access the screws holding the tachometer and speedometer to the instrument housing.

The wiper control is a twist knob, not a pull knob.  Loosen the set screw and remove the knob from the control shaft  There is a hex nut holding the wiper control to the instrument panel.  Remove it with a socket and the control comes loose from the instrument housing.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

Addendum from Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Bill Huffman made a good point that I forgot.  I now recall that the wiper control is not held on by a hex nut, but with a round nut with two slots.  You don't need a special tool to remove it, you can improvise by using long nose pliers.  Grind the tips as necessary to fit into the slots, and use the plier's handles to turn the nut.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

03/29/2021


Was wondering if you could tell me if you can “interchange” channel selector “push buttons” from a 59 to a 62 Corvette Wonderbar radio. I have a 62 radio I need to make look like a 59. I understand the push buttons are made differently. Also, are the “Chrome Face Plates” interchangeable?  Thanks.

 Dennis.

 

 

From:  John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Ecklers Corvettes 800-327-4868 sells faceplate/bezel/pushbutton refurbish kits for 58/60 and 61/62 Corvette wonderbar radios.  Contact them to see if they are mechanically interchangeable.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Dennis,
Wonderbar knobs, push buttons & faceplate are different between 1959 and 1962 radios but functionally are all the same. Kits to convert or restore are commercially available from most Corvette vendors.
The link below is from Corvette Central so you can see what's available.
https://www.corvettecentral.com/c1-53-62/radio/radio-rebuild/1959/?count=15
Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Dennis.  The 1958-1960 Corvette Wonder Bart radios are the same and have flat ends on the push buttons,  The 1961 radios are the same as the 58-60 radios, except that the button faces are rounded.  The 1962 Radio was a completely new design.  The case is larger and the large aluminum filter capacitor was moved from the left side to the rear of the unit.  From 1958 - 61, the large aluminum filter capacitor on the left side had a tendency to interfere with the cowl vent actuator mechanism and was easily damaged by it.  The face plate and buttons on the 62 radio have the same appearance as the 1961 radios.  The wonderbar switch on the 62 radio has a different feel to it when actuated.  Instead of the microswitch click-click feel as it is depressed, it has simply a smooth push connection feel when activated.  The face plates of the 1958-62 radios all look the same and are easily removable and are interchangeable, but that is not what you need.  The push button assemblies are integral to the internal tuning mechanism and would be extremely difficult to remove and interchange.  Find a 58-60 radio and do a swap with someone who needs a 62 radio.  I have a 1960 radio and need a 1962 radio.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

03/27/2021

I have a 1962 corvette that to the best of my knowledge has a 1962 block and a1963 transmission.  
I recently had a new clutch and throwout bearing installed.

Since then the car drives differently.  first the clutch pedal has to be depressed to the floor to shift, which was not the case before the work.  The clutch pedal would actually get stuck to the floor if it was depressed that far before the replacement.  

The concerning thing is that the car shakes (jumps) when in gear (all gears) when driving down the road,  It will now when coasting with the clutch pedal pushed or when accelerating.

Is there adjustments to be made?

Greg

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

The clutch to the floor "should" be just an adjustment of the linkage. If that does not cure that problem then who ever installed the new parts needs to make it right.

You say the car shakes in all gears. Does this happen at a certain engine RPM or does it happen at a certain speedometer reading?

If at engine RPM that suggests something related to the engine is out of balance, such as the new clutch that was installed. 

I have had several new pressure plates/clutch disks significantly out of balance. Started having them balanced as a matter of course before installing. I remove flywheel, which is a known good part and have the new clutch balanced on the flywheel.

Verle

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor: The clutch pedal travel is adjusted by lengthening / shortening the clutch push rod (847) that connects the cross shaft (709) to the clutch wishbone.(489K).  This is accomplished by screwing the push rod clevis (883) up or down the rod.  See attached drawing for reference numbers.  The shaking can be several things.  If it didn't shake before you had the work done, it shouldn't shake now.  If the clutch assembly (Disc and/or pressure plate is out of balance that will cause a shutter, but most replacement parts don't require balancing.  The crankshaft where the pilot shaft of the transmission is stabbed has a brass bearing or bushing.  If this was inadvertently removed and not replaced - you will get a violent shaking at all speeds and gears (common oversight).


 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Greg:  You need to consult with section 6R, "Clutch", of the Corvette Servicing Guide, Publication ST-12, which is the only official shop manual for C 1 Corvettes and is a "Must Have" for C1 owners.  If you don't have a copy it can be purchased from any of the major Corvette parts suppliers.  By reading Section 6R, you will learn a lot about how the clutch system works in your car and how to make adjustments.

Whenever changing a clutch, the clutch free travel must be adjusted.  This procedure is found in page 6R-3 of ST-12.  Normally, clutch free travel is about 1" before the clutch linkage starts to disengage the clutch.  If it is too much, you will have to push the clutch pedal  too far to disengage the clutch.  If it is non-existent or worse, the clutch can slip all the time, and you will burn it up.  Maybe you installed a throwout bearing of the wrong length.  If so, adjustments won't fix it.  Your car originally came with a Borg & Beck style pressure plate.  Maybe someone put in a diaphragm type pressure plate, which your car is not set up for.

Clutch pedal total travel adjustment procedure is given on page 6R-3.  It sounds like this may need adjusting.  Normally, changing a clutch and throwout bearing does not affect this adjustment.

Clutch pedal repositioning adjustment is given on page 6R-3 to 6R-4.  It sounds like this may need to be adjusted.  Normally, changing a clutch and throwout bearing does not affect this adjustment

If you paid a mechanic to do the work, the result you describe is totally unacceptable, and you should take the car back to have it fixed.  Because your mechanic may be totally unfamiliar with vintage Chevys, you should take your ST-12 Manual with you.  Your car is probably older than your mechanic.  Maybe, you too.

Larry Pearson

 

Also from John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Greg - you casually mentioned your clutch would stick when pressed to the floorboard.  This may not have been your major concern, but it is a problem that needs addressing, so here goes.  This can be caused by several things.  See the attached illustration: The return spring (630) on the cross shaft (709) is designed to give resistance to the pedal when you clutch.  As you continue to depress the pedal, this spring crosses the axis of the cross shaft and becomes an assist rather than a resisting force.  This is designed to allow you to relax a little when holding the clutch in at - say - a stop light.  1) If your clutch pressure plate springs are weak they may not overcome the return spring on your cross shaft, however, they would have to be very weak to cause this.  If this is your problem - replacing the clutch should solve this. More likely 2) the clutch return spring (630) attached to your cross shaft (709) is the problem.   Where the spring changes from a resisting force to an assisting force, as you depress the pedal, is adjustable.   The adjustment is made with the bracket (635).  It should never cause the pedal to stick down.  Several things may cause this 1) You have the wrong return spring (630).  This spring should be a 17 coil spring.  2) the return spring (630) attaches to the cross shaft bracket (635) by a link (636) which is about 1" long.  If this link is missing and the return spring (630) is connected directly to the bracket (635) it requires the return spring to be stretched further than it is designed to be, and will significantly increase its tension strength.  When the clutch is depressed to the point the return spring becomes an assist, the increased pull on the spring may become more than the pressure plate springs can overcome, and could cause the clutch to fail to return properly.  Check to verify you have a correct return spring and the attaching link is there.  Good luck - John

 

 

**********

03/25/2021

Hello, I recently placed the body onto a new frame. I did not personally remove the connections under the hood. Can you direct me to a schematic showing the connections and grounding straps for the 1962 corvette.

 Regards Mark

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapteer President: 

Mark:  The schematic for the 1961-62 Corvettes is shown on page 12-14, Figure 19, of the  official Chevrolet service manual for all C-1 Corvettes, Corvette Servicing Guide, publication ST-12.  If you don't have a copy, it is a "must have" for all C-1 Corvette owners, and is available in reprint form from all major Corvette parts suppliers.  You also need a copy of the Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM) for the 1962 Corvette, which tells how the entire car was assembled, and is available from the same sources as ST-12.  Page B 146-147 shows how the wiring is routed under the hood.  By paging through the AIM, most of the questions you might have will be answered.

As far as grounding goes, all electrical systems must be grounded to the engine block, which is connected to the negative side of the battery.  The frame is not a good ground.  Because the fiberglass body does not conduct electricity, every lamp and electrical component in the car must have a separate ground wire that ends up going to the main ground wire for most of the car's electrical systems, which is a 12 gauge black with white stripe wire, which is connected to the driver's side upper rear rocker arm screw.  This must be there, and in good condition, or nothing works.  In addition, the radio has its own ground wire, which connects from the 1/4-20 bolt that connects the radio to the support bracket and goes through the firewall to the passenger side upper rear rocker arm cover screw (see ST-12, page 13-3).  The wiper motor also has a separate ground wire that connects its mounting plate to the same rocker arm cover screw as the radio ground (see ST-12, page 12-5, figure 5).  The voltage regulator case is grounded to the engine block via the woven shield that encompasses the generator field and armature wires.  It connects to a screw on the generator housing, which connects electrically to the engine block.

If your car has a radio, there are two heavy woven copper ground straps that connect each side of the front engine mount to the frame (see ST-12, page 13-7).  This makes the frame a "ground  Plane" for the radio antenna for improved reception, which is also grounded to the frame in the trunk (see ST-12, page 13-4).  There are also filter capacitors on the generator (connects to the armature terminal), the voltage regulator, and the ignition coil, designed to filter out electrical noise in the radio (see ST-12, page 13-5, figure 4).

Larry Pearson


**********

 

03/09/2021

Hi

Thank you for the information on the windshield wiper bracket mount on my 58. I had read that it was in that location for the fuel injection cars but wanted your input to confirm.

My follow up question is did they put the mount/bracket on cars that did not have the wiper sprayer option ? My car has no sign of sprayers but has that bracket with no tank.

Thank you again

Barry

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Barry:  This is very interesting.  The windshield washers were an option in 1958, and maybe your car was ordered to delete that option and the factory mistakenly bonded an inner fender for FI and washers to your car.  That bracket was screwed to the inner fender before the inner fender was bonded to the outer fender, because it was much easier to do it that way.  If you remove it, there is no paint under it.  Either that or someone removed the sprayers and filled the holes.  Look under the dash for evidence of this.  Or maybe your car was wrecked and a FI front end with washers got bonded on.  There are endless possibilities here.

The presence of this bracket does not, in itself, prove that your car is an original FI car.  If it is, there is a rectangular nut plate riveted to the driver's side inner fender for mounting the FI air cleaner.  This was also attached to this inner fender before the inner fender was bonded to the outer fender.

If it turns out that your car is a washer delete and you are restoring it to be judged, you should remove the bracket and fill in the holes.  Also, there was a large cylindrical vacuum storage tank mounted to the inner fender above the battery on washer equipped FI cars.  Is that there?

Larry Pearson

 


**********

03/07/2021


I have a 1959 corvette and am trying to install the rear bow weather strip.  The weather strip has 2 sets of two holes at the latch positions, does the latch fit over the weather strip and the screws go thru it or are the holes in the weather strip just access holes to reach the latch screws.  Also is there a trick to getting the weather strip lip to stay on the rear bow so it can be glued or stapled?



From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Order of assembly - top bow - weatherstrip - latch - mounting screws.  See illustration below.





















 

**********


03/04/2021


Hello, I’m restoring a 1960 barn find.  Finally putting the car back together. However, I need some direction on how to install the new dash pad.

I know that I need to cut the dash but not sure how much too cut and where. If there is any help or a source you can point me to I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Thank You, Bob

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor: 

Bob,
Here is a link to Part 1 of an 18 part YouTube video from Paragon Reproductions that shows the whole process.
1960 Corvette Dash Pad Installation - Part 1 - YouTube
Good luck but remember, measure twice and cut less than you think you should.
You can always trim twice but once cut too short, you buy a new pad.
 
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

03/01/2021

 

 

 

61 corvette fi  yes  but  not  on  car ign switch wont  start  car   head lites  dont  work  battery  good  put  no power  to   ign switch and  head lites  found a  wire  in same  harness  with  the  purple  wire  that  goes  to  sol  had  all coating  burnt  off  cant  tell  what  color  that  wire  was  not  sure  where  it   went  but  all wires  are  on  the  ign  switch   

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Tom, you need a GM 1961 Corvette Assembly Manual that can be bought online. 
 
You are also going to need almost a complete re-wire so he is going to need Paragon Reproductions or Corvette Central where he can also buy an assembly manual to do the repairs.
 
Most of the electrical info & schematics are in their catalogs or with Lectric Limted's wiring harnesses.
 
Bill



















From John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  CAUTION - CAUTION - CAUTION :  Burnt insulation usually means YOU HAVE A SHORT in your wiring.  Electrical shorts and fiberglass Corvettes don't play well together.  Before you go any further - make sure you have a fire extinguisher readily available.  If you don't - Go Get One.  Next thing you need is a volt meter - you don't need an expensive one - just one that will tell you you have 12 volts at test points.  Third - its a good ides to have a helper, operating the ignition switch and testing for voltage in the engine bay or under the dash by yourself is difficult.  I have included a rough layout of the wiring (ignition / lighting circuit) for reference, assuming your car has a stock harness. 

Before you start - loosen the connection to your battery sufficiently - so you can disconnect it immediately if needed.

1) Power comes from the battery - to - the starter solenoid (term B) - to the Ammeter. (SEE DIA FOR WIRE SIZES AND COLORS)
2) From the Ammeter - to - the Ignition Switch..... and..... Lite switch .... Clock, Horn Relay, ACC Fuse, Voltaqge Reg, and Cigarette Lighter Connections  (connections are NOT fused).
3) From the Ignition Sw. - power is returned to the Starter Solenoid (term S) to activate the solenoid and connect the battery to the Starter.

TESTING FOR PROBLEM
1) verify voltage (12V) at the "B" term of the solenoid.  (ignition off)  This is the 6 GA wire off the battery.
2) the Black 12 Ga. wire from that same terminal feeds the Ammeter.  The load side of the Ammeter feeds the Ignition Sw (14 RED) and the Light Sw.(12 / 14 RED) and others.
Since you have noted a burnt wire in your starter harness it is probably the wire running from the solenoid to the ammeter.  This would disconnect power from the ignition and lights.
3) Test for voltage on the Ammeter.  Single wire is feed (probable burnt wire) - multiple wires is load.  Both should have 12V (ignition OFF).
If no voltage - you have verified the main wire from the solenoid to the ammeter is open (burnt).  Note: This is not your problem, however, it is the result of a problem.  Analyze the wire from the burn to the ammeter.  If you don't find an obvious problem - disconnect the battery and run a new wire (12 Ga.) to the ammeter.  It would be a good idea to put a fuse in line with this wire until you have everything working properly. Get a hand full of fuses also. Once the wire is in place - reconnect the battery.  If the temp. wire (fused) to ammeter blows, disconnect all wires from the load side of the ammeter.  Reconnect them one at a time - disconnect battery / connect single load / reconnect battery.   Does one blow your fuse ?  If so that circuit has the short you are looking for.  All these feeds are hot (they do not require the ignition switch to be activated) except the ignition switch feed.  When testing the ignition circuit the "ON" position connects the instruments and radio.  The START position connects the power to the starter solenoid.

Once you have identified what circuit (load) is causing the problem, you simply have to determine if the wire feeding the load is the problem or the load itself.  Good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Tom:  If you understand electricity and know how to use a Multimeter (measures voltage and resistance), you need to consult with the schematic on page 12-14 (Figure 19) in Corvette Servicing Guide, Chevrolet publication ST-12.  This is the only official shop manual for C-1 Corvettes and copies are available from all the major Corvette parts suppliers.

If the wiring harness is burned up, you may have to purchase a new wiring harness for the firewall forward.  This wiring harness connects the battery to all the circuits in the front of the car, including the ignition, headlights, generator, voltage regulator. horn relay, front turn signals, starter solenoid, windshield wiper, and more.  The purple wire goes to the starter solenoid and is part of this wiring harness.  It sounds to me like the large red 12-gauge wire from the starter solenoid may not be properly connected to the large starter lug where the battery cable also connects. This wire provides battery voltage to all the electrical circuits in the car.    Also, the engine block is the ground point for all the electrical circuits in the car, and everything connects to a driver's side upper rear rocker arm cover screw via a 12-gauge black wire with a white stripe.  If this isn't connected, nothing in the car will work.

Without seeing the car, this is all the advice I can give you at this time.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 


**********


02/18/22021


On a 56 Corvette with 2 four carbs, and 1896 heads, Is the generator pulley 3 3/4" or 3 5/8" also are the press marks rectangular or round? my 56 is #1896   Thank You

Wayne

From:  Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Hi Wayne

The correct heads are at that VIN would be 762 and used with the 3 bolt exhaust manifolds.  The 043 generator uses a 3 5/8 pulley.  What are press marks referring to?

Joe


**********


02/18/2021

 

I have a question about door weatherstrip installation. The reproduction weatherstrip that I recently bought for the doors on my 62 has the plastic pins to insert in the holes of the door....so I would like to know is it necessary to use 3m adhesive when the pins and clips might suffice?  Thank you , Garry

 

From: Bill Preston, Red River Chapter President: 

Yes!! Use the 3m adhesive. Put a THIN layer of the adhesive on both surfaces as it is a contact cement. 
Allow dry til it's slightly sticky to the touch before  putting the weatherstrip onto the door surface.

Don't close the doors for at least 24 hours after applying the weatherstrip to the doors.

Bill Preston














**********

02/09/2021


Hello,

My 1956 air cleaners have a lot of scratches and some dents.  Should I have then restored or just buy replacements?  I don't plan to have the car judged, but I always do like to keep the original equipment if I can.  Expense wise I would just purchase new ones if it was going to be real costly to restore the originals.  If I were going to have them restored, is there anyone that you can recommend to me to do that job?

Also some time ago I asked the question of why my two clutch forks that I had put away to use in my 1956 when I finally got to it, were different.  One with a slotted end and one with an oval hole.  You explained the the slotted one was used in a 1957 through 1962.  I think that you went on to say the the adjustable ball, held on with a clip, are hard to find.  I do have the complete unit and I wonder which style you would recommend that I install.

Thank you,
Michael

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter President: 

Michael: I assume that you are referring to the small sealed aluminum air cleaners.   These air cleaners are made up of a thin aluminum stamping.  Once it gets dented, the metal stretches and it can't be simply be pushed out from the inside without leaving an unsightly ripple.  And there is not enough metal thickness to buff out deep scratches.  In other words, they cannot be restored to the original look if they have dents and deep scratches.  This is also true for the 1958-62 large aluminum air cleaner tops.  If you want the original look, you must buy the reproductions.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 


From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Hi Michael

I would use the factory typical configuration for a 1956.  It is easier to get it correct the first time rather than later on.

Joe

 

 

 

 

**********


02/08/2021

Hi,
I recently bought a 62 Corvette the wipers do not work? No hum from the motor cables seems to be in tack how do I tell if it is the transmissions or the motor?
Thankyou
Bob

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Bob,
Welcome to Corvette heaven. I'm guessing you just bought either your first Corvette and or your first C-1.

The tach drive is off your distributor and has nothing to do with your wipers.
If the tachometer is noisy, it's probably your tach cable.
If it's noisy & erratic, it could be either or both of the tachometer or cable.

The electric wiper motor switch is on top of the wiper motor gearbox and is actuated by a pull cable attached to the wiper switch located on lower left of the instrument cluster closest to the steering column.
The problem could be switch cable adjustment or being disconnected, a blown fuse or faulty contact inside the gearbox switch. Use a meter to check for electric current. If you have WS Washers, the coordinator which mounts on the gearbox switch plate could be missing, broken or disconnected. Try buying an original and you'll see why it could be missing.

The wipers don't have "transmissions", they have a mounting Pully-Shaft and are both driven by cables off the wiper motor gearbox.
Buy yourself a 1962 Corvette Assembly Manual and read it before you
accidentally break something that is costly to replace.

Congrats on your new toy,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Bob:  Things to check:
1.  Is the control on the dash actually moving the switch on the top of the motor?  The connection is adjustable with a set screw and washer.  All 62's came with a windshield washer, and the vacuum operated automatic activator is on top of the wiper motor connects to the motor switch and maybe this is keeping the motor from operating.
2.  The motor gets its electrical ground from a brown wire that connects the base through the right mounting screw to the upper rear rocker arm cover screw on the right bank.  The motor needs this ground connection, otherwise it gets its ground through the control cable that goes to the dash, and this is not a good ground connection.  The engine block is the ground point for all electrical systems in the car.  The car body is non-conductive fiberglass and all electrical systems on the car must have their ground connections end up on the engine block.  The frame is not a good ground.
3.  The wiper motor gets its power through the ignition switch brown wire that connects to the ignition ballast resistor on the passenger (right) side.  Is it there, or is it going somewhere else?
4.  If you have an ohmmeter, check the resistance of the power lead to the motor case while moving the switch.  It should read less than one ohm when the switch activates the motor.  If you get an open circuit no matter where the switch is, then the motor needs repair.  Corvette Central has a rebuilding service.  Or you can open up the cover and see if there is a broken wire and maybe fix it yourself. 

Larry Pearson


Bob:  Some additional thoughts on your wiper problem:

1.  The wiper motor circuit is not fused.  It comes directly off of the ignition circuit, which is not fused.  There is a built in circuit breaker that protects the ignition circuit against internal shorts in the Wiper Motor.
2.  Complete servicing information for the windshield wiper motor and system is contained 12-4 through 12-9 in Corvette Servicing Guide, publication ST-12.  This is the only official shop manual for all C-1 Corvettes, and is something you must acquire to help you maintain your 62.  It is available from all Corvette parts suppliers.  Page 12-9 contains a Trouble Shooting guide for the wiper motor.

Larry Pearson

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  First - the wiper motor operation has nothing to do with the wiper transmissions and drive cables.  Don't tear into these unless you have to.  The motor control located in your dash is not electrical - it is connected to the wiper motor via a sleeved cable.  The actual electrical switch that turns the motor on and off and controls its speed is on the motor assembly itself.  1) Make sure you have power to the motor.  The motor feed connects to the ballast resistor in the engine bay on the firewall on the passenger side by the wiper motor.  This is not a fused connection. It feeds directly from the ignition switch. Switch ON = 12V.  With the switch ON you should have 12V at the ballast resistor and wiper motor. 2) Make sure the motor is grounded.  It should be a jumper between the motor mounting plate and the engine valve cover mounting screw.  3) Make sure a twist of the wiper switch on your dash moves the wiper motor actuator slide.  And moves it far enough to activate the motor switch inside the cover plate to which it is attached.  4) If the actuator doesn't move or you are not sure it moves far enough - loosen the clamping screw that holds the cable jacket in place and move the actuator by hand.  If after this you get no motor, you probably have a bad motor.  You can disassemble the motor assembly and remove the cover plate to inspect the switch and speed controls, but I have rarely seen them fail.  Good Luck - John

 

 

 

 

**********

02/07/2021

Hi

Is this a windshield washer tank mount ?


Passenger side wheel well.

Thanks 


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter President: Barry
The passenger side washer jar was used on 58 thru 62 fuel injected cars and your bracket is unique to fi cars. All others used a diffetent bracket mounted on the drivers side splash pan. The fi washer equipment was moved to the passenger side due to air cleaner interference.
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Yes!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Barry:  Yes it is and it is mounted on the passenger side because your car was originally fuel injected.  On 1958-1962  fuel injected cars, the air cleaner assembly blocked access to the left hand location, so it was moved to the passenger side and uses a different type of bracket.  Also, because it is close to the exhaust manifold, a black painted aluminum heat shield was screwed to the inner fender with three screws to protect the washer assembly from the heat.  The drivers side mounting for carburetor engines was mounted low on the fender skirt and therefore was not subjected to exhaust manifold heat,

The windshield washer was and extra cost option until 1962, when it became standard equipment.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

02/02/2021

Restoring a 1960 (5034), I have the doors off and can't find any video or how to on tearing down the doors, removing windows ect.  I have an assembly manual but not very helpful on how to strip everything out.

thanks

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  I have taken Um-teen doors apart and I have to retrain myself every time.  They are kinda like a Chinese Puzzle.  Just take your time and don't get frustrated.  To take the window out you don't have to remove the front post and door guts, a lot of rebuilders do - it just adds to more loose pieces you have to manipulate.  You roll the window up and down to gain access to all the mounting hardware.  1) With the glass (and frame) loose from the regulator (four small screws hold the glass to the track that runs along the bottom of the window unit) - 2) Lower the regulator down out of the way. 3) Rotate the window assembly slightly toward the rear (front up - back down) and it will come out.  If it binds up - don't force it.  Move or remove what is binding.  With the glass out, the remaining pieces come out fairly easily.  When you're re-assembling it - go slow - pay attention to how it came apart.  The glass and frame go in last.  The door glass frame is notorious for catching on everything.  You will think it won't go back together - inspect the back glass frame - it will undetectably catch on the door braces and not allow you to set the window forward enough, thus the window will not roll up and down when assembled.  Note the operation of the window as it rolls down - it rocks back then down.  Good Luck.  Let me know if you invent any new words, I'll add them to my garage dictionary.   -   -John

 

 

**********

1/17/2021

 

My name is Leo.  
I inherited my uncles 58 corvette about 1.5 years ago and I’ll be starting restoration. 
 
First thing first. Fiberglass work.  I already had a fiberglass guy look at my car and seems to be on point with the work needed,
(front end needs the most work).  He looked at the top of the front end, fenders and hood. The fiberglass is solid,
but has fibers exposed. 
My question to you concerns the process only for the top of fenders and hood. I was told to sand and reglass using chop Matt sheets.
I was also told to sand and mix resin with half inch chop strand (the half inch chopped fiberglass that comes in plastic bags-looks
like powder) and brush a new layer over the tops of the fenders and hood.  
Then block sand. Is this something that is done? It was suggested because the car sat out for 10-20 years in a field, and even
though the fiberglass is solid, the top is showing fibers. What’s your thought?
Thanks 
Leo
 
 
 
 
 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Leo - if the glass is sound, and it looks like it is, I would just restore the gel coat. This is a spray on process, it doesn't add significant thickness and it will give you a smooth surface to prime and paint. You will still want to lightly sand the gel coat (300 grit or higher) before priming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

1/5/2021

 

Hi,
 
I have the rear axle strut rods off my 61 and would like to replace the bushings. Does anyone have any experience doing this? I got replacements from Corvette Central, they said just use WD40 or soapy water and just "push them into place". It sounds to easy. 
 
Thanks, Mike

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor: 

Mike,
When you're done, the rebuilt strut rod assembly with 2 new bushings needs to look exactly like what you started with except, it will look & function as "new".
That means the bushing steel outer ring & the steel inner ring both need to be centered in the strut rod ends after assembly even though inner & outer are of different length.
 
Whether you use a mechanical press, a hydraulic press or a big vise for assembly, that means you need to use spacers on both sides to apply pressure to the rod end O.D. emboss on one side and to the bushing outer ring on the other side when pressing them together.
The outer bushing is a press fit into the rod end, so lube of some type will be necessary.
 
Good luck,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC 






From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Mike

Bill's explanation is correct but the bushings can still be difficult to press in. To make installation easier i heat the strut rod ends....im in s.cal so just putting them in the sun on a warm day does the job......and put the bushings in the freezer. The rod will expand and the bushing will contract providing a couple thousands extra clearance which will make installation much easier.

Chip Werstein











 

**********

 

Hi 

I have noticed the the attached photograph is different then just about every other 58 Corvette I have seen

Can you identify the difference for me ?

Barry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Joe Lemay, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

It is a vacuum wiper motor.  I had one in a 55 Chevy.  They are a bit of a problem going uphill in a downpour; stopped.

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Barry

As Joe said, you have the wrong wiper motor. Should be electric. Also the ballast resister is in the wrong location.
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hi 

I have read about some tachs but haven't found any comments on redline at 5500 and what it may have been originally attached to 230 hp I am guessing. 

The other redlined higher at 250 and 290

Thanks 

Barry




From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 
Barry,
For 1958 thru 1960, the 5500 RPM tach was used on the low HP engine options which were the 230 HP carbureted, 245 HP dual carbureted & 250 HP w/ FI. 
 
The 6500 RPM tach was specified for higher HP options 275 HP dual carb and 290 HP w/ FI. 
 
Good luck with your restoration project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC













From: John Spencer, Red  River Chapter Advisor: 

This is not a 58 tach.  58 tachs had a rev counter (like spedo has a mileage counter).  This tach appears to be a 60 model. "light green background to 20 - signal green above that.

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Barry

The tach in your photo is from a 60 to 62 low horse car. Normally referred to as a 5300 redline. 58 tach had no color band up to the redline, dots under the numbers and a rev counter. These were used on 230,245 and 250 hp cars.

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 **********

 

12/17/2020


Hello,

I purchased from a friend a harmonic balancer with a riveted on pulley,  which is about 6 13/16 inches across and my water pump pulley is 2 3/4 inches high from the inside to the outside of the pulley.  The pulley is 7 1/8 inches across.  I was taken off his 265 cubic inch engine. I began by installing a new crankshaft spacer recently purchased from Corvette Central.  i put some RTV silicone on the inside of the balancer, (recommended by the machine shop that rebuilt my engine), and installed the balancer.  It slid on 1 1/4 inches, the length of the remaining part of the crankshaft sticking out.  My water pump was also recently purchased from Bill Mock.  My water pump pulley has about 1/8 inch of clearance between it and the balancer pulley, looking at it from the front and from the side it looks like the balancer pulley is slightly behind the water pump pulley.  Does that all seem correct?

The next question is in regards to my core support that came with my car, a basket case without a radiator.  When taking the car apart a few years ago, I found that the core support had a hole cut out in the bottom by a torch.  Most likely for a radiator drain cock. Thinking that it was pretty ugly, I took it and a later solid axle core support to a shop and asked them to cut the drain hole from the later one and weld it into the support from my 1956.  Eventually i found a radiator and when i slid the radiator into the core support, I found that the drain is well above the drain hole that I had installed.  Looking on the 1956 assembly manual it looks like the 1956 core support didn't have  a drain hole in the bottom.  Is that correct?  I guess if it is, I will have to fill in the hole that put in the bottom of mine.

Thanks for all of your help now and over the past months.

Happy holidays,
Michael

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Hi Michael

You have a problem.  If the balancer slid on, do not use it.  It is an interference fit that requires light tapping to install onto the crank.  Even if the crank is tapped, stay away from this balancer unless you have it professionally rebuilt by someone such as Damper Doctor.

There is a small amount of clearance between the two pulleys.  They should exactly line up if you are using the 1956 components or the low horsepower 1957 components.  
First, the spacer is required on the end of the crank to account for the motor support and second gasket that spaces the water pump out.  Are you using a stock motor support for a C1 Corvette?

Second, if you use a higher horsepower water pump pulley it is wider (3/8 vs. 1/2).  From the Judging Manual page 180 "Pump pulley used on 1956 engines and base 220 horsepower 1957 engines has a smooth conical taper from the belt groove to the fan mount; 1957 optional engine fan pulley has a "stepped" taper and 1/2-inch "deep-ride" belt groove."
I know what this looks like.  For my car, the belt stays in place with a 3/8 balancer pulley and 1/2 water pump pulley.

There is a hole in the radiator support on the passenger side.  See the Assembly Manual Section 13, Sheet 3.  There is a nipple, coupling and petcock, that extends the petcock below the core support.

-Joe





From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Michael: The 1956 through 1960 Corvettes used a copper and brass radiator that bolts to the core support used for those years.  The drain cock fitting is located on the front of the passenger side of the bottom tank of the radiator.  You reach through the grille teeth to access this drain cock fitting (if you have fairly skinny arms).  Otherwise, get someone who does, because that is the only way to get to it, unless you remove the hood.  There is no hole in the bottom of the core support for the 1956 through 1960 cars, because the drain cock is not on the bottom of the radiator.

Starting in 1961 an aluminum radiator appeared and the radiator core support was completely redesigned, because the radiator attached to it in a completely different way.  The aluminum radiator mounted to the support with three rubber donuts, two on the bottom and one on top.  A reason for the rubber donuts was to prevent a corrosive galvanic action from forming between the aluminum radiator and the steel radiator support.  Also, this approach made it very easy to remove and replace the radiator.  The drain cock and its extension pipe for this radiator are of all-aluminum construction (to prevent galvanic corrosion) and exits straight down through a flared oval shaped hole on the driver's side of the core support.  The reason for this was because the aluminum radiators were of a cross-flow design and the "tanks" were on both sides, not the bottom and top.  Never use brass fittings on an aluminum radiator.

Larry Pearson















*****************



I have a 1959 corvette that had a differential grease leak into the brake on the right side.  I pulled the axle and found a bearing with 1 o ring and a 1/8 inch spacer.  The bearing called out for the 58 - 62 has 2 o rings and is the same thickness as the old bearing with the 1/8 inch spacer.  However, when installed the bearing with 2 o rings has a slight bit of the bearing that is not seated in the race although I never looked at the positioning on the old bearing prior to pulling the axle.  My 59 has a 57 block so perhaps the rear axle is 57 also as the bearing race measures slightly less than 1”.

So, are the bearings of the 57 interchangeable with the bearings called out for the 58 - 62 and why the spacer on my old bearing.  The 58 - 62 seems to be a better bearing as it is sealed and with double o rings I would think it would give better leak protection.

Jeff







From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Jeff,
Just to reiterate what's in your memo, you have a 1959 Corvette with a defective right rear bearing seal leaking axle lube into your brake components, you think the old bearing is incorrect because it is different from the new replacement that you just bought so now you you think you may have a 1957 engine & rear axle.

Before you buy any more parts,
PLEASE go online to get a copy of the GM 1953-1962 Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12,
then invest in a GM 1959 Assembly Manual plus
buy an NCRS 1953-1967 Corvette Specification book, both of which you can buy from most Corvette parts vendors.

With these you need to get acquainted with the part numbers & date codes of what your 61 year old car has & the assembly manual will tell you what part numbers it should have.
 
I suspect a previous owner put in some similar but not necessarily correct parts because they were cheap or easier to get.
Good luck on your quest,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC




From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Jeff:  All 1957 through 1962 Corvettes used the same axles.  Cars with Positraction got roller type rear axle bearings and non Positraction cars got ball bearings.  All 1957 through 1962 Corvettes used the same axle bearings of both types, as applicable.  The service roller type rear axle bearings have not been available for many years.  They are considered to be heavy duty and were also used in taxi cabs.  In addition to the two "O" rings used to seal the bearing outer race to the axle housing, the bearing also has an inner seal, on the outside only, to keep the differential gear oil from leaking onto the brake components but allowing the gear lubricant to lubricate the balls and rollers..  A failure of either seal will result in a leak. Corvette Central sells new replacement  "O" rings.  The bearing seal is not serviceable.  You have to buy a new bearing.  Usually bearing failure results in a leak.

The bearing is supposed to be pressed onto the axle shaft all the way to the flange.  There is no spacer that I am aware of.  Then a retaining ring is pressed onto the axle shaft to assure that the bearing stays in place.  The retaining ring is wider than 1/8 inch.  This retaining ring is not a spacer and must be there or the axle might start moving out of the bearing.

Larry Pearson










**********

12/14/2020

Hello —I have a 1962 Corvette 327 / 340 hp. I’m in the process of installing new hoses from the expansion tank. I found this cooling system hose routing diagram.
However it doesn’t include the heater core hose connections. Where do those two hoses plumb in?

Thanks.  -Rex


From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Hi Rex

That illustration is taken from the 1962 assembly manual.  You need a copy of that manual.  The routing of the hoses and clips that hold them in place is shown.

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Rex,
It helps to use vendor catalogs from folks who sell C-1 parts.
Try Paragon Reproductions or Corvette Central.
paragon-C1-corvette-parts-catalog.pdf (paragoncorvette.com)
Corvette Central C1 (53-62) Corvette Parts Catalog by Corvette Central - Issuu
 
Both diagrams are borrowed from the GM C-1 Assembly Manual for each particular year. The 1962 GM Assembly Manual is available from most Corvette parts vendors.
Please get one.
 
Bill Huffman, Pres
Michigan Chapter SACC 









From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:   Heater connections go to 1 )intake - 2) waterpump  -  see attached.  good luck - John























From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP: 

The heater hoses do not connect directly to this over flow system. One heater hose connects to the water pump, small connection just above the radiator hose connection. The other heater hose connects to the right front of the intake manifold, not the hole on top of the intake but on the front of the intake..Note the hose connection sticking out upper left in the picture.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Rex:  The routing of the two heater hoses plus the two brackets that hold them and the aluminum tie strap are all pictured in Figure 24 (Heater Connections) on page 1-13 of the official GM shop manual for the C-1 Corvettes:  Corvette Servicing Guide, publication ST-12.  If you don't have this manual, it it a "must have" for C-1 Corvette owners, and is available in reprint from all the major Corvette parts suppliers.

All the fittings and brackets are available from Corvette Central if you need them.  The part numbers are:

451345 Heater hose bracket on inner fender (W shaped)  This screws to the inner fender fiberglass above the battery.
451316 Heater hose bracket on generator support bracket bolt.
451330 Aluminum tie strap (the long one).  The short one ties the two small hoses going to the aluminum expansion tank.
451326 curved fitting going to the right hand side of the water pump.
451327 straight fitting going to the intake manifold.

The heater hoses were originally held on to the fittings with simple "Corbin" spring clamps.  These are self tightening and work fine with your 13 lb system.  If you are going to a higher pressure system you probably should use a screw type or a tower or worm gear type clamp.  These  type clamps are not self tightening and you should re-tighten them shortly after driving the car.  The rubber hoses compress slightly after they thermally cycle a few times.

Larry Pearson

 

**********

12/05/2020

I have a 1961 fuelie. Should this car have the generator with the tach drive or a standard generator
 

Thomas
 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor: 

Thomas,

 

Tach drive on your 1961 fuelie depends on its HP rating.
A 275 HP w/ 7077200 FI and a1010915 distributor with one output that only drives the FI fuel pump needs a tach drive generator.
A 315 HP FI has a dual drive distributor that drives both the tachometer and the FI fuel pump.
If your car has a lower RPM redline it should be the 275.
Have fun investigating,

 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Your car should have a high performance 35 amp generator with cast steel ends and dual ball bearings (front and rear).  The part number should be 1102268.  According to the Delco Remy application catalog, this generator was also used on pickup trucks, so it should be common,  But it is not, and it gets very expensive to buy one.  Your FI distributor should have a tach. drive fitting on it for your tachometer.

 
If you are not having your car judged, any 30 amp generator will work.  If you have a 4:11 or 4:56 rear end or are using low profile tires you should have a dual ball bearing type generator because of the high engine speeds it will encounter.  It should also have a large diameter pulley to reduce generator speed.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have just removed the body off my 1960 corvette.  I have been razor blade stripping the last coat of paint (2nd coat painted over orig in 1970).  What is the best way to strip the original paint and primer, I have read about many options.

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Some enthusiasts don't recommend this method because unless the surfaces are washed very thoroughly you acn leave behind a chemical residue that will ruin a new paint job.  But with care this can be prevented.  I have attached some photos of the process I have used numerous times.  The color coats (repaints) strip easily but I find teh original factory coats to be a little more stubborn.  I use a chemical stripper (bought from your paint supplier - not home depot).  Put on a good pair of rubber gloves and have a bucket of clear water by your side at all times.  Use a paint brush to apply a liberal coat of stripper - wait - let it do its job.  The  paint will bubble up (you may need a second coat/application of stripper)  Use a plastic bondo spreader (not a metal putty knife or razor blade) to scrape off the stripped paint.  This will almost be a liquid.   Scrape the paint off the spreader into a coffee can or other suitable (throw-away) container.  You may need to repeat this step several times.  When you get down to the last coat (primer) scrub the stripper with steel wool to get to bare glass.  Apply one more coat of stripper and scrub it with a clean steel wool pad - only this time, apply running water to the area while you scrub instead of scraping the stripper.  The last step is the critical one.  Apply plenty of water (from a running hose) while you scrub/clean the stripper off.  This removes the chemical residue that will ruin your following paint job.  The result is a clean glass surface that is not gouged up or damaged.  After the glass dries, a light sand job will prep it for the repainting process.  See photos attached.  Good luck !!

 

 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Stephen,


 
I have stripped numerous C-1 Corvettes over the years. I have used a PPG stripper designed for use on fiberglass which will not attack the the fiberglass. It will take off the original lacquer and some factory primer. The remaining primer needs to be wet sanded off using 220 grit paper. It is a long and tedious job. Others my suggest faster and easier methods using stronger stripper etc. but you run the risk of damageing your gelcoat and glass matt. It has been several years since I've tackled a job like that and there may be new/better products available today. I would check with PPG and other major paint manufacturers for advise.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 

**********

 

11/12/2020

 

Hello,

I have a 1954 Vette with a problem that I hope you can help me with.  I've searched for a solution, but with no success. 

 

The ignition switch has four positions (LOCK, OFF, ON, START).  The finger guard of the lock cylinder has one hole on the right side for insertion of the cylinder lock removal tool (AKA paper clip).  My lock has become difficult to get in and out of the LOCK position, so I no longer use the LOCK position. I’d like to replace the lock cylinder.

 

I have seen videos of ignition lock cylinder removal on newer Chevys, but not on the '54.  Newer locks have two holes on the left side of the finger guard; mine has only one hole on the right.  Also, newer locks have an ACCESSORY position all the way to the left; mine has no ACCESSORY position.  For newer locks the instructions say to put the lock in the ACCESSORY position, insert the paper clip into the bottom hole, and pull out the cylinder.  Without more explicit instructions that apply to a ’54 I’m reluctant to move ahead because I don’t want to screw something up.  So here are my questions if you can help.

 

How do I remove the lock cylinder on my '54?  Do I insert the paper clip when in the OFF position or LOCK position?  Or I just leave things alone and learn to live with the problem and not use the LOCK position?

 

Do you have a recommendation for a replacement lock cylinder?  I see that the Standard Motor Products US21L may work.  Another option is the Dorman 989-037, but the finger guard may be too large.  Also, I've seen references to GM 3772085.  I don't know if that's the OEM part number, and I wouldn't know where to find it.  Any suggestions?

 

So that’s the story.  I don't want to get the existing cylinder stuck in the LOCK position, which would render my Corvette undriveable.  If you can provide any guidance, it will be greatly appreciated.  

 

 

  Many thanks.

 

 

John

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

John
Contact Pete Lindahl 505.412.2389. He is the lock guy. He my even have nos ign switches. Nice guy,  quality work.  I have used him for years.

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

11/10/2020

I have a 1962 with a 327 / 340 hp , my garage floor under my tail pipes is full of black soot every time I start her up and it will clear it self after a few minutes.  

Can you help?

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  

Black smoke suggest an over rich fuel mixture.

A cold start will have the choke set so the mixture is richer. After a short time the choke will open reducing the mixture so the black  smoke ends.

The choke may be set too rich.

Verle

 

 

 

 

**********

11/6/2020

As far as I know and can tell, my 1958 never had any windshield washers.  Since I am going to be installing a new one piece front end from the upper dash forward on my 1956, I am wondering whether windshield washers were an option.  I am thinking of leaving it washers delete as my 1958 appears to be.

Thank you,
Michael

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Michael:  According to the NCRS Specifications Guide, the windshield washer on the 1956 was standard equipment until "approximately April of 1956", after which it became FOA 109, a $11.85 option.  If you are planning to have NCRS judge your car and your car is an early one, you might need this.  If you have it, why not install it?

Windshield washers were an extra cost option until 1962, when they became standard on the car.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Hi Michael

In 1956, windshield washers were a required option through March 1956.  All cars were fully optioned with 2X4 barrel, windshield washers, power top, parking brake alarm, and courtesy lights.  If you have an early car, those options were present.  This was covered in a bulletin on April 6, 1956.
BTW, there is no such thing as washer delete, radio delete, heater delete; they were listed as options.

 

 


**********

11/2/2020

What is the correct procedure for installing the harmonic balancer?  I would assume that you get it started and then drive it on by placing a piece of hardwood or a brass cylinder on the center of it and hitting it with a hammer.  I looked in the 1957 Motor's Auto Manual, but it didn't have any description of how to install one.  I just want to make sure that I do it correctly.

Thank you,
Michael

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

If you are removing the motor, have the crank tapped for a retaining bolt.  I believe it was a 7/16-20 X 2 1/2.  It is a safety issue if you have heard from someone who had their balancer fall off.  I know there were no balancer bolts in 56-57, but we learn.
If there is a bolt, install the balancer with a threaded rod.  Screw the rod all the way in, then use a washer and nut to pull the balancer on.  Otherwise the threads can strip on a bolt if the fit is tight.  Then remove the rod and replace with a bolt.

If you do not have a threaded hole, use a rubber mallet to drive the balancer on.

Joe 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Michael:  If your crank snout is threaded, use a grade 8 bolt with a thick washer(s) to pull the balancer onto the crankshaft..  Choose a bolt long enough that it threads at least 1/2 inch into the crankshaft threads before starting the installation  Once the balancer is completely seated on the crankshaft snout, use a bolt and washer as described in the next paragraph to assure that the balancer stays in place. 

If the crankshaft snout is not threaded, you have to pound it on with a heavy steel hammer and a thick block of steel, brass or aluminum. Do not hammer directly on the balancer.   Wood and rubber hammers won't work.  If the balancer is used and goes on easily, it will come off easily, and that is not acceptable.  If you cannot get a balancer that goes on tightly, then you will have to find a way to drill and tap the crankshaft snout.  The thread size should be 7/16x20  and the retaining bolt should be 2 1/4 inches long.  This bolt length is too short to use to pull the balancer on.  The factory washer part number is (was) 3739422.  Corvette Central can supply the bolt and washer.  Also, use a lock washer over the flat washer.

One more thing.  A special round washer type spacer with a notch to clear the key should be on the crankshaft snout to space the balancer out by the thickness of the front cross member engine mount to cause proper belt alignment.  This always ends up missing whenever an engine gets rebuilt.  Once the engine is together, there is no easy way to determine if this spacer is in place.  If you have access to a loose crankshaft, measure the length of the snout and then use a caliper depth gauge to see if your snout is slightly shorter, indicating that the spacer is in place.  The original GM part number for the spacer  was 3734984.  Corvette Central can supply it.

Larry Pearson

 

 

**********

10/18/2020

Wondering if someone has an opinion on new black carpet for a 62

-Garry

 

 

From: Bill. Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor:  

Garry,
Most carpet from Corvette suppliers will be from Al Knoch Interior.
Their stock 1959-1962 black carpet is a black/olive tuxedo carpet intended to be identical to GM original. I'm sure there may be vendors who sell a true black if that's what you want.
It' your car, make yourself happy.
One thing I've learned in 5o + years of owning Corvettes, the next owner will most likely want it in stock condition so they don't need to re-do it.

Hope every mile is a happy memory,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

**********

10/15/2020

Hello — I just bought a 1962 Corvette with the 327 / 340 hp engine, numbers’ matching, a little rough, but it’s all there.  However someone sanded the paint down to the fiberglass.  1) What is the best/safest primer to use for covering this bare surface? 2) How does one safely remove oil spots from the bare fiberglass surface?  3)  What’s the correct color for the rear end housing, the 3rd member ‘pumpkin’, and the backing plates?  4) Can you recommend a written source which provides detailed pictures, restoration info, component colors, hose, line routing, etc.?

Thanks.  -Rex

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River chapter VP:  

The best source is the National Corvette Restoration Society. 

https://www.ncrs.org/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=215

Scroll down to the 61-62 manual. This is a 364 page manual with detailed information.

If you want a correct/original restoration I suggest you join NCRS. There are chapters across the country. 

Many of us in SACC are also NCRS members.

Don't be afraid to ask questions here.

Verle

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Rex:  On questions #1 & #2, you need to contact a Corvette body shop in your area that has an excellent reputation for painting Corvettes.  The car was originally painted with Acrylic Lacquer and this material has been banned by the EPA in most areas of the country.  Major paint manufacturers like Ditzler no longer make all the toners that are required to make the correct colors.   Also the primer originally used is no longer available.  The cars were not clear coated.  Don't plan on painting a Corvette yourself or having a general purpose body shop paint it.  Properly painting a Corvette can take six months and costs lots of money.  At least your car has already been stripped down to bare fiberglass, and this saves you lots of money.  Now it will be easy to determine if any bodywork is required.  On the assembly line, it took about four hours to primer and paint the car, and the resulting finish had lots of orange peel and was not even close to being show quality.

On questions #3, the entire chassis including the brake lines and backing plates, brake drums, one side of the brake master cylinder and the line going up to it, the front and rear suspensions including the springs and shock absorbers and rear axle assembly, the rear axle rebound straps and even the exhaust system (most of it) was painted with chassis blackout paint.  Prior to 1962, the cast iron transmissions were painted with chassis blackout paint.  The 1962 cast iron three speed transmission was probably painted chassis black, but not the 4-speed and Powerglide transmissions, which were aluminum.  This final blackout painting was done just prior to the body being mounted on the frame.  This paint was an inexpensive petroleum based material, that is referred to as "tar"paint and quickly deteriorates.  I recommend using black enamel, and originally the finish was glossy when new. The rear axle rebound straps don't look painted because the paint they used absorbed into the material.  I have road test photos and assembly line photos of new Corvettes that prove all of this.  

On question #4, if you are going to have NCRS judge your car, you need to join the organization and obtain their judging manual and do everything it tells you to do.  This manual is a "cook book" that judges use down to the letter.  In SACC, we do not judge Corvettes.  We maintain and enjoy them.  Doing everything in the NCRS judging manual gets very expensive.  If you are not going the NCRS route, the Corvette Assembly Information Manual (A.I.M.) should tell you everything you need to know about how the car was assembled,  The A.I.M. for the 1962 Corvette is available as a reprint from most Corvette parts suppliers.

Larry Pearson

 

**********

10/06/2020

 

My 62 starts and idles great.  When I take off it starts to miss on 1st 2nd and third, not as bad on fourth.   I replaced plug wires, cap and rotor, and rebuilt the carb but nothing is working.
-Adnan



From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Adnan:  Make sure that your timing is properly set.  The timing mark on your harmonic balancer (damper) may have shifted due to deterioration of the rubber in its construction.  To verify that the timing mark is correct, you will have to determine the actual top dead center.  You can do this by removing the #1 spark plug and carefully turning to engine over with a screwdriver in the spark plug hole to determine when the piston is at the top of travel.  If your balancer is retained by a bolt, you can slowly turn the engine over using a 1/2 inch ratchet.  If not, remove all of the spark plugs and turn the engine over using the fan blades, if it is rigid (no fan clutch).  If none of the above, you will have to turn the engine with a screwdriver on the teeth of the flywheel and with the use of a helper.

Once you have determined top dead center, mark it with a Sharpie on the edge of the balancer is it is different from the factory mark.  Then replace the balancer as soon as you can, because it is defective.

If the timing is correct, try a new coil.  Check the spark plug wires for continuity with an ohm meter and insulation breakdown by looking for sparking in the dark.  If the wires are of the radio suppression type, the resistance should be about 1000 ohms (I think).  Ten thousand ohms or higher is too much.  Check the ballast resistor for continuity with an ohm meter.  It should be between 0.5 ohms and 1.5 ohms.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 


From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  
Adnan - Larry is correct to suspect timing, but I would suspect the distributor advance more than a change in the harmonic balancer.  You can check this with a timing light.  Hook up the timing light and watch the timing mark on the timing chain cover and its relation to the mark on the balancer as you goose (highly technical term meaning open rapidly) the throttle.  You should see the timing mark move in relation with the timing chain cover tab.  If it don't you have a vacuum advance problem (usually presented as a faltering of the engine during acceleration) or a mechanical advance problem (more typical of what you're describing).  When you first crack your throttle you should see the timing drop (vacuum advance function) then advance with RPMs (mechanical advance function).  Otherwise it sounds like you've addressed the other suspects.  Good luck - John

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

09/29/2020

I have been restoring my ’59 for 30+ years. I’m on the downhill side of this project. But, I’ve run into a problem of how to adjust the door hinges & align the doors. Every source I’ve found only shows the locations of the hinge bolts which control the alignment & some mentions possibly using shims. However, I’ve found no info on what procedure or order to follow. My efforts so far have been less that acceptable.  Can you suggest where I can find such info? Thanks for your time & any guidance or help you might offer.
Lewis


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Lewis:  The procedure is found in the only official GM shop manual for C-1 Corvettes:  Corvette Servicing Guide, Publication ST-12.  Reproductions of this manual are available from all the major Corvette parts supply sources.

The explanation is found on page 1-19, DOOR HINGES and refers to figure 31 on page 1-17.  The door is held to the upper and lower door hinges by three bolts per hinge.  The bolt access holes were originally covered with round black felt covers to keep rain water out of the area behind the door panel.  If you loosen (don't remove) these three upper and lower bolts, the door can be shifted up and down and back and forth to a small degree.  As you adjust the doors as necessary for proper alignment with the body exterior, just tighten one bolt of the three until you have the the door in proper alignment and then tighten the other two bolts.  If the door needs to move outward, you will have to add round steel washers between the hinge and the door.  If the door needs to move inward, you will have to remove any shims that are already in place.  If there are no shims in place, you might have to take your car to an experienced Corvette body shop for help on this.

There are two large Phillips head screws that hold the hinges to the body.  There is no adjustment here, so leave them alone.  Be sure to lubricate the flat friction springs in the body part of the hinge assemblies.  Use Lubriplate light white grease.  There is an upper and lower flat spring in each door hinge.  These are to keep the door fully open with their friction so the door doesn't close on you when you want it to stay open.

After you have the door properly adjusted, be sure to replace the round seals using an adhesive.  If there were no seals, use a couple layers of masking tape over each of the six holes.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Lewis,  
I had the same problem with two different full restorations, this is how I did it.
Work carefully, this is not the time to scratch the paint.

Attach  the hinges to the body "close but very loose"  then mount the door on the open position hinges.

Attach the hinge bolts to the door "close but very adjustable".

Measuring from the floor, lift & support the door level as close to final position as possible then tighten the body screws to finger tight adjustable.  

Cut 8 or 10 cardboard shims measuring 4" x 8". Tape them equally spaced around the door opening, lengthwise across the sill to protect the paint. 

Close & latch the door. The fit / door gap  should be uniform all around.
If it is, Tighten the all door attachment bolts securely. If it's not, adjust the latch on the body & try again.

Open the door carefully without  applying any extra load and tighten the hinge to body screws.

You should be done,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

**********

09/26/2020

I just bought a 1959 corvette that has Fuel Injection emblems on it and I am trying to locate the build information to determine if it was actually built as a fuel injected car.  The original engine is long gone and just getting started with the job of replacing tired parts.


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Jeff,
The bad news is that there is no data base that contains the information you're looking for regarding 1953-1962 Corvettes.
The paint & engine code plate under the hood wasn't added till 1963 production start.

The good news is that with publications such as the Corvette Black Book, the NCRS 1953-1967 Corvette Specifications Guide and the GM 1959 Assembly Instruction Manual, by comparing your car against the standard configuration of the 4 optional engines, three transmission options, plus the numerous RPO's, the car will tell you what it was.
Just remember, owner modifications over the last 61 years may give you conflicting testimony. You are it's archivist, historian & conservator. Take pictures.

If your car is a fuel injection car with the engine changed, all the various components or their previousmounting located under the hood will be where the AIM required them to be.

Good luck in your investigation
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter

 

**********

09/23/2020


Hi

I have a 1958 Corvette 283  w/4 bbl. & 3 speed.

It has been taking a break in my barn since 1970ish

I just started cleaning up parts that I took off in 1976 and seeing what I have.

I have a few questions.
 
Did GM / Chevrolet put 1957 intakes on the 1958 cars on the assembly line ?
 
I also have the 7 fin valve covers which from what I understand is put on "optioned" engines.
 
Also on passenger side fender there is a red/white/blue emblem bar where the fuel injection emblem would go on a fuelie.
 
Attached is a picture of each.
 
Mine is definitely a 1958 with all the fixings ( hood louvers, trunk Spears, etc ) correct vin for that year.
 
Any input on this would be helpful ?
 
Thank you

Barry

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Barry,
In the 25 years before this rough cut gem started it's break in your barn, ANYTHING is possible.
If you really want the real story, you are going to have to let the car itself tell its own story, part by part, assembly by assembly, using date codes, casting numbers and GM part numbers. You will need a 1958 GM Assembly Manual to determine location of windshield washer reservoir & vacuum cannister, washer tubing, tachometer drive, tach RPM Redline, engine block and a host of other components to determine whether or not it could possibly be the rare FI car you are hoping for.
I would guess  that this car was run hard, abused badly & put away wet long before you two met. It likely needs EVERYTHING, and there is no cheap easy solution here.

Sorry to be a wet blanket but somebody had to say it. Might as well be me.
I resurrected a 1960 ex drag race car from a barn 20 years ago.
I still have it. I still love it.

Best of luck with your dream car.
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  To my knowledge no 57 intake was used on a 58, even early production models.  The intake shown is a 57.  The correct casting for a 58 is 3746829.  The valve covers are 7 fin covers used on 58s, but not the 230HP.  The emblem shown is interesting - it looks like the FI plate used on the 65 model but that emblem had a "fuel injection" script on it.  What is your engine and head casting numbers and car serial number?  It appears you have a car that has been kept alive using parts from several cars - if you are pursuing an NCRS numbers matching car - get out your checkbook.  If however you just want to restore your car to a period correct car (correct CI engine, paint color, interior, etc) it opens up a wide variety less expensive options.  I have a 58 that I am very proud of, I restored it in 1980.  It does not have a Duntov award, but it has been viewed and blessed by Mr. Dontov personally (in 1984).  The SACC Tech panel is the best source for info I know.  If I can be of any help, don't hesitate to call.  -  John

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  

The date code on the intake appears to be "G"  so that would be July of 57. It is possible that it could have been installed on an early 58.

I am pretty sure the emblem is not something that would be installed on an early Corvette, it looks similar to the 65 Corvette FI emblem.

Is your 58 an early car?

Verle

 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Barry

Your intake is a 57. Note the casting date is c 12 57.....march 12 1957. 58 cast number is 3746829.

Your valve covers are 1959. Off set holes with high script corvette. 58 is the same but with low script.

F I emblem bar appears to be from a 65 corvette.

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

**********

09/21/2020


I installed a Jim Meyer Racing IFS on my 60 and now they are out of business and I need Upper and lower control arm bushings. I was hoping someone in your club might have some info on these.

Signed, Desperate in WI


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Ned,
Corvette Central in Sawyer, MI has been selling this C-1 suspension upgrade for several years. I'd give them a call at 800-345-4122 and see if they can help you with this.
Good luck,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC.

 

 

 

 

 


**********

09/20/2020

I own a 1959 that has speedometer and tachometer cables that do not rotate smoothly.  I lubed both cables by rubbing dry graphite along their length, less the last inch or more.  It helped the speedometer until I sped to 55-60 mph, the speedo needle really bounced and before I pulled to the side, the needle dropped and stopped working.  The tach needle also bounces periodically.  I have disconnected both and now have a project ahead of me to remove them and send them for repair.
Searching speedometer on this Technical Help page really helped.  A nice company in Colorado made a 18” test cable I used to spin the speedo.  Under finger twisting speed, I heard the same bearing squeal emitted when the speedometer needle dropped.
Now to the question:  Under an age old topic, does one dry lube or grease lube speedo/tachometer cables?  The gentleman who made my test cable said that graphite will inevitably work its way to the end of the cable and get in the speedometer.  I just did what my father taught me and used graphite powder.
 
Eric




From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Hi Eric
 
I had the same issue.  Tried repeatedly to lube and clean the cable.  There was no change.
A local speedometer shop inspected it and replaced the bearings and all was good.  There were no issues with the cable.  Hopefully, the speedo did not break the last time it was connected.

Joe

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Eric:  Sorry that this response is late. I have 12 cars and have had speedometer problems like you describe many times.  I normally am able to fix the problem myself.  I will tell you how I do it.

The speedometer and tachometer cables must be lubricated with a light weight grease.   Graphite is not a proper lubricant for speedometer cables.  Years ago, the AC division of General Motors sold ST-640 Speedometer Cable Lubricant.  It comes in a metal toothpaste type tube and is white and is very soft.  I recently asked a speedometer repair show what to use, and they said to use a light weight general purpose grease.  Use Lubriplate grease if you can find it.

To lubricate it, pull the cable from the casing and inspect it for damage.  Then use your fingers to apply the grease to the cable as you push it back into the casing.

Now for your other problem.  The squealing is caused by the speedometer or tachometer bearings being dry.  In my experience, you can lubricate these bearings yourself.  Check the bearings for excess wear by turning the shaft end with your fingers and check for up and down movement, indicating excess wear that will require a rebuild.  If there is no evidence of excess wear, drill a small hole, around 1/16", in the top of the casing just at the end of the threads where the cable nut threads on.  There are two bronze bushings that support the speedometer shaft, and this will put you at about the middle between them.  Inject a small amount of oil into this hole.  I use a hypodermic needle.  Use 50 weight engine oil or 90 weight gear oil.  Originally, these bushings were greased, but it is hard to get grease into this hole and to where the bushings are using this method.  Rock the speedometer back and forth to get the oil to the bearings. Spin the shaft with your fingers to make sure it is free.  When in operation, the cable spins at 1000 rpm at 60 mph, so good lubrication is a must.  The tachometer cable spins at half engine speed, because the distributor/generator adapter operates at half engine speed.  If you have a shop rebuild the tachometer, make sure that they calibrate it to read twice shaft speed.

Whenever you hear the speedometer or tachometer make a squealing sound, immediately pull over and disconnect the cable .  This vibration can greatly damage the inner workings of the speedometer in very short order.  It sounds like your speedometer has suffered internal damage and lubrication will not help it.  With the speedometer or tachometer, if you spin the shaft in the correct direction with your fingers and the pointer does not move, you will have to have the unit rebuilt.  You can make a test adapter out of a nail.  Pound the end square with an hammer and use an electric drill to spin the shaft at varying speeds to make sure that the pointer moves smoothly.  If not, you will have to have it rebuilt to fix this.

Corvette Central offers a rebuilding service.  Mechanical speedometers and tachometers with a cable have not been manufactured for many years.  Everything is electronic today, and it is hard to find someone locally who has the parts and knowledge to properly rebuild and calibrate your units.

Larry Pearson

 

**********

09/19/2020

Do you have any hints on replacing rear shocks on a 1962? I have a customer with a very nice  black/red 250HP/PG. The problem is very little access to the top bolts. Fortunately, the left shock broke off at the top and removal won’t be a problem. My thought for the right one is to remove the muffler for access and use a zizz wheel to cut through the shock at the bottom rubber.
 
Tightening will also be a problem. There isn’t room for turning the nut with a wrench. You could hold the nut from turning and turn the shock but it would be hard to get it tight. Is it possible to get access to the top nut with a hole through the body? What am I missing?
 
Thank you.
 
BTW, by father had a new Corvette in ’57 and traded it for a new one in ’59. I had a ’66 coupe I bought for $2100 in 1972 and put a 370HP 350 in it. Had to sell it for $12K in 1984 when I started a family.
 
Spencer

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Hi Spencer

You need a copy of the AIM Section J Sheet 3.  Look at View A on that page.
In the folding top compartment behind the gas tank cover, there is an access hole that allows a socket or wrench to be put on top of the shock.
Joe

Update:  The access hole is correct for a 1957.  Later C1s at some point eliminated the access hole.  One can still assemble the shock from below by twisting it to tighten the bolt.

 

 

**********

I am hoping that you would have help/instructions for removing the horn button on a 1962 Corvette.

-Charlie

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

 Charlie,
The horn button is retained inside a split spring steel stamping that also acts as the horn contact by three equally spaced retainer detents under the button face.
Insert a flat tool that won't scratch the steering wheel on both  sides of the button and pry up. It should pop off.

Good luck,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

**********

09/08/2020

I just recently purchased a 3 speed transmission mount bracket from Corvette Central.  When I went to install it I discovered that the bolt holes in the bracket were about 2 or possibly 2 1/8 inches on center, and my transmission mount holes are 3 1/4 inches on center.  I believe that is the measurements of a 4 speed transmission mount bracket.  My transmission main case has a casting number of 3845122 and is dated G 9 56.  The side cover is 3731911. but the tail shaft housing is cast 3855710 and is dated D 28 5.  I assume that I have the wrong tail shaft housing, but what do I have?  Is it from a 1955 Corvette?  Would I be able to use a 4 speed transmission mount bracket, or should I try to find a 1956 tail shaft housing?

Thanks,
Michael

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Hi Michael


You have a few different items.  The main case is a 56, but cast in Tonawanda and was never used in a Corvette.  The 3855710 tail was used on 1965 Corvettes.  I do not know about that tail mounting arrangement.  The correct 3 speed will mount to the C1 tailhousing.  I am using a early 3 speed shifter with a later C1 tailhousing.  You should be able to acquire a later C1 tailhousing.  The 1956 3722946 tail may be pricey.

The 3 speed shifters mount to the transmission tail without a bracket.  The shifter is arranged with holes to match the tailhousing.  Check the AIM and you will see that.

The bracket at the bottom of the transmission is different for a Muncie 318 3 speed and a BW T-10.  The height is greater for a BW but the spacing is the same.  That bracket you purchased may be the plate that allows using a Muncie M-20 with a C1 transmission crossmember.  You would need to describe if it is a flat plate with four holes in it.

 

**********

09/05/2020

Hello guys,
I have had a 58 Corvette for many years. When I bought the car it had an aftermarket scissor jack and never really did anything with it. I have recently found an original Jack correct for my car. The bad news is the jack (the block thaty the screw goes into) is stripped. The screw is fine and I think has Acme threads? Any idea how to repair or who might be able to help?
Thanks!

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Fred - I too have a 58 (great choice) and an original scissor jack.  Although my jack is in mint condition - I would never use it.  A scissor jack is a very dangerous tool.  If you need to raise your 58 for any service, use a hydraulic floor jack.  Use the scissor jack for show only.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Fred:  I own a 60 Corvette that I purchased from the original owner.  It had the original jack and it had probably been used only once and it had completely fallen apart.  The original jacks that came with these cars are dangerous to use and are recommended for show judging only.  Even the reproductions of this jack are not recommended to jack up the car, only for NCRS judging.  My 62 came with a far superior jack of a different and better construction.  The aftermarket jack that your car came with is undoubtedly a much better and safer jack to use for everyday driving.   I question that the jack you have is a correct original one because for the threads to strip, it would have been used many times, and that is not possible with the original jacks.

If you are having your car NCRS judged, and if, indeed, your jack and jack handle are correct looking and will pass a visual check, leave it the way it is.  NCRS judging does not check the jack operation, only the look.  You shouldn't be able to see that the internal threads are stripped by looking at the jack.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

 Fred,
Over the years of owning a C-1, I have learned that a good aftermarket scissor jack is:
 1) visually undisguisable from an original if you remove limiter
    tubes over the Acme screw,
 2) they are unsafe to use for anything more than car show browny
    points
 3) most guys carry an small aluminum floor jack for emergencies.

The Acme nut in your aftermarket would most likely fit the original screw but tearing down both jacks to swap parts means reassembling the original and which will still be unsafe to use.

My advise, use the modified aftermarket jack or put the original jack in the spare tire well under the 6.70-15 bias ply spare for show or points. I've never seen an owner asked to actually jack-up the car with it.
Keep a real floor jack for emergencies.

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

**********

09/02/2020

Does anyone sell the drain plugs below the fuel tank on a 1959 corvette

Thanks

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:    The only openings I know of under the tank are for ventilation - no plugs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

08/29/2020

Hello,

 

    I am building a 327 340hp engine for my ’62 Corvette.  It has a NOM 283 dressed to look like a 300hp 327 engine currently and it originally a 300hp car.

  I figured it would be nice to have a correct, though not #s matching 327 340hp style engine in my car.  Things are progressing pretty well except for the issue with the oil pan.  I sourced a 6qt trap door SHP oil pan w/windage tray; though now my engine builder is stating it won’t clear the ’62 suspension/steering.  Apparently, this pan is actually from a 1963 engine and while it will be fine on the engine itself, it won’t work in the car.

Are the ’62 and earlier SHP pans specific enough that a ’63 and up SHP pan will not fit (IE interfere with the car)?  Do I need to try and find a ’62 and earlier pan?  It took me a long time just to find this one.  Thanks for any help on this!

 Greg

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Greg
62 corvette pans are 5 guart. Engines hold 6 quarts....5 in pan, 1 in filter. All 62 pans are the same 2 step configuration but the 340 and 360 pans have the trap door. They were also used in eariler cars. Dont think 63 pan will work. 62 style pans are out there but getting difficult to find. You could use the 250, 300 hp pan as it looks the same from the outside. Most likely Dave Sokolowski in Calif. Has a few of both styles. He advertises in the ncrs driveline.
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:

My GM Parts manual shows the 57-62 oil pan to be a five quart pan #3789629.  These pans are commonly referred to as three step pans (the third step is required to clear the  steering)  For a visual see the following link 
ebay.com/i/362969807298?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

08/25/2020

  I  have 61 Corvette with Dual Point Distributor and Dual Quads  I replaced the Dual Point with Pertronix 91183 Ignitor 11 in place of the Dual Points.

                The car start right up. Idle great, but under a load it misfired and shut off while driving it. Called Pertonix they total me that the mechanical advance is

                Not working. Could this be possible. Has anyone install Pertronix in place of dual points?

 

                Thanks,

                Glenn

 


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  
Glen
You must use a pertronix coil with their ignition system. Also, the pertronix requires 12 volts to trigger it so if you are using a ballast resister connect the trigger wire to the 12 volt side.
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 


From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  

From Pertronix installation instructions:

1. IMPORTANT: Read all instructions before starting installation.
2. DO NOT USE WITH SOLID CORE SPARK PLUG WIRES.
3. The Ignitor II ignition can be used in conjunction with most ignition coils rated at 0.45 ohms or greater.
4. All external resistors must be removed to achieve optimum performance from the Ignitor II ignition system.
5. The Ignitor II is compatible as a trigger for most electronic boxes.

 

 


**********

08/24/2020


I have a 54 and when I open hood and pull up
I need assistance from another person to pull towards cockpit 
It seems in a bind

Thoughts 

Don


From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  

The hood hinge leaves a lot to be desired.  It seems to bind just as you lift the hood.  Depending how worn the 
hinges are.  I know of no adjustment to fix this problem short of the hood stops that fix where the hood rests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  It may need the hood hinges adjusted. Lubrication on the hinges helps.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  The hood support can stick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

08/19/2020

I have a 1960 that has been sitting for 42 years.  I just started cleaning and pulling numbers from under the hood items.  I know the VIN plate is suppose to be spot welded to the steering column, stamped and made from stainless steal.  While cleaning the dirt off the VIN plate I noticed it was loose, I pried it up and discovered it was glued on.  I took a magnet to it and it does stick.  Does a magnet stick to the VIN tags for this year vet as true stainless does not.

Thanks

Steve


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Steve:  I own a 1960 and checked the VIN tag last night with a magnet, and it is very much magnetic.  The question is why was your tag glued on?  The car could be stolen, of course.  Or it could have been in a severe accident that required that the steering column be replaced and the tag re-attached to the replacement column.  If the engine is the original one, the VIN number is stamped on the front pad of the block along with with the manufacturing date code and horsepower/transmission code.  The VIN number is also stamped in large characters on the top of the frame under the driver's seat.  Reading this requires that the body be somehow lifted above the frame in this area about one inch so you can read it.  If the frame is badly rusted, this number might not be readable at all.

If you are planning to have this car judged by NCRS, they very thoroughly evaluate this tag and its attachment.  They don't pry on it to verify that it is spot welded on, and you can epoxy it on in such a way that it looks correct.  Also, they make portable spot welders and it might be possible to have this tag properly spot welded in place.  There is an industry that reproduces this tag and apparently it is not exact and can be detected as a replacement.  NCRS will not judge the car if this tag is suspect.  You will be required to have your DMV verify the car's VIN, and this gets very messy.  If you plan to have NCRS judge your car with this re-attached tag, do not discuss anything about this issue with the judges.  Let them figure it out.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

08/15/2020

Will a 3rd member out of a 1962 nova fit in a 1959 corvette?

 


From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  I have never tried it but I believe it is the same as Corvettes and tri five Chevies. Probably a tall gear.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Wishbone:  The 1955 through 1964 Chevrolet full size sedans use a differential assembly that will fit your 1959 Corvette.  The 1962 Novas were much smaller than the full size sedans and had a four and six cylinder engine option.  In my opinion, it is highly unlikely that the differential supplied with this car was the same size as that used in the full sized sedans.  The full size sedans came equipped with everything from a larger six cylinder engine to a 409 W motor.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

08/14/2020

I started the job  of installing new king pins in my older restoration, 1962.  This is a project that I have put off for a while mostly because of being too busy until now and the fear of messing up a restored car.  After just completing the front end rebuild on my 1956, i discovered that king pins aren't such a hard job to replace.  Within less than an hour I was nearly ready to remove the first king pin in the '62 and then the project came to a halt.  I couldn't get the lock ping to move and be allowed to be driven out.  I tried hitting it by first placing a piece of hard wood against it and hitting that with a good sized hammer and then with a brass shaft and the hammer.  It still won't move.  I sprayed rust buster on it and also sprayed some down from the top of the king pin and decided to wait until morning an hope that it frees up.  I'm guessing that I am not the first one to encounter this problem.  Is there any tricks that I haven't thought of to free my lock pin?   

Thank you,
Michael

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

The lock pin you are refering to is the pin driven through the spindle support and secured with a ~5/16 nut?
You may have to hit the king pin up and down to try to loosen the lock pin.  I may have been overtightened when it was installed and is now stuck.

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter Advisor:  I agree, you may have to drive the king pin up and/or down a little.

If penetrating fluids and such like don't work, try a strong solvent in case someone used locktite. Not likely but who knows. I like B-12 carburetor cleaner for this.

Might also try a?? C clamp. Tighten C clamp on the pin making sure the back side is open so the pin can move. Get C clamp as tight as you can, then strike the C clamp with a hammer.?? Grasping at straws here.

Verle

 

 

 


 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Sounds like you have a problem.  Were you able to remove the nut holding the pin in ?  If so you might try running a nut back on the pin (run it on several threads short of seating).  Use the nut as your impact surface - not the pin itself.  This way you won't risk mushrooming the pin.  If penetrating oil and a brass rod don't free it - the only other suggestion is heating the steering knuckle to expand it.  To do this you have to completely disassemble the knuckle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all for your help.  I am able to easily remove the nut and the lock washer and I have put the nut back on and have been hammering on it by using a one inch piece of brass that is about six inches long.  i have used a C clamp and hammered on that as suggested.  I was thinking of heating around it and I have a question for Mr. Spencer.  Why would I have to remove remove the knuckle before I heat it?  Is it because it would have to get so hot that it would burn the grease seals on the control arm shafts?

Thank you,
Michael
 

Access and mass.  I know its a pain to remove the knuckle from the brake assembly and A-frames, but it allows you to work on the knuckle on your workbench - not the car.  This gives you very good access and it removes the part from the car (I'm very nervous with a torch around my fiberglass cars).  Additionally - it removes any additional mass which draws heat.  All you want to heat is the knuckle around the lock pin.

 

 

 

 

 


**********

08/06/2020

Before I install my harmonic balancer I wanter to check to make sure that I have the correct one.  My balancer has a casting number of 37680 on the inside of the center section and although it has been painted black, I would assume that the balancer on a 265 cubic inch engine should be painted the red engine color.  So do I have the correct balancer and am I correct in thinking that it should be painted red?  It is a stock 1956, 265 cubic inch.

Thank you for your help.
>
> Michael


From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  I looked up that casting number and it does not look like what I think a 56 265 balancer should look like.

Here is a very ugly one:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  The photo below is similar to the typical factory balancer but there are some differences.  The typical one has a 3/8" pulley riveted to the balancer and two threaded holes to remove the balancer from the motor.  See the attachment.  There is no separate part number stamped on the riveted pulley.  This pulley is also used on 1957 corvettes except the 270 and 283 HP motors.  270 uses a riveted 1/2" pulley with the same balancer configuration (rare to find).  283 HP uses a 1/2" pulley bolted to the balancer in three places.  It would look like the photo below.  All balancers with riveted pulleys are painted engine color.  Balancer with bolted pulley is engine color.  The bolted pulley is black.

 

 


 

 

 

Thank you for the information that you supplied regarding the 1956 harmonic balancer.  I am sorry that I didn't include the horsepower of my engine, but it sounds like in 1956 all horsepower engines used the same balancer with a 3/8 inch pulley that was riveted on.  Is that correct?  Now I know that the one I have is incorrect and possibly aftermarket.  Do you have any suggestions where I could purchase the correct one, and if I find one without the pulley, could I get a new pulley riveted back on?

It has been many years since I have worked on this 1956 project and when I would order new parts or buy used ones back then, I would put them away until the day came that I needed them.  It seems that I had put away two new clutch forks.  One has a oblong hole at the end where the linkage attaches and the other one is slotted and they are both bent differently.  The assembly manual shows the one with the oblong hole in its diagram, but parts catalogs show the one with the slot in it as being the one for 1955-1962.  Can you please help me out with this question?  I would send pictures if I knew that there was a way to do that.

Thank you,
Michael

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Damper Doctors and Damper Dudes are two who would have one and do rebuilds.  They had what I was looking for.  You can try the internet or ebay but that one may require rebuilding, or the pulley may be bent.

There are two different clutch forks and bellcrank to fork pushrods.  
1956 clutch linkage rod had a spherical end and was secured with a spring clip to the clutch fork.  There would be a dish in the fork to accomodate the rod.  1957 clutch linkage rod had a flattened end and was secured with a clevis pin to the clutch fork.  The fork has a rectangular slot.  The 1957 configuration is shown in the Paragon catalog.  The 1956 parts are rare.  The typical adjustment swivel that attaches to the bellcrank is also rare.  It will be long enough to accommodate a coil spring that is shown in the assembly manual.  The current repros are for 1958 and up and are shorter.  They do not use the spring.


**********

08/03/2020

1958 Corvette.  Parking brake  issues, parked with parking brake off since 1977.  

Handle, shaft  will not rotate.  The shaft will not pull outward. 

Is frozen … The pin that sets towards the fire wall is loose. 

-Wayne

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  If the handle will not rotate, then the shaft must be frozen in the conduit.  Your only recourse is to get penetrating oil in there to free it.  The conduit is open on top - you can use a can of penetrating oil to apply the oil directly to the shaft instead of spraying it.  Otherwise you need to remove the brake shaft assembly and soak it in kerosene.

 

 

 

 

 


**********

07/30/2020


> I would like to purchase a 1956 trunk lid from someone
> Do you know anyone?
>
> Thanks
> Rob


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter Advisor:  Rob,
This should be real easy.
https://www.corvettecentral.com/c1-53-62/body-frame/fiberglass-rear/56-60-trunk-lid-press-moulded-141093?returnurl=%2fc1-53-62%2fbody-frame%2ffiberglass-rear%2f%3fcount%3d27'
Ecklers, Chicago Corvette, Mid-America, et al sell the same parts.

If you're looking for an original, Paragon has one. https://www.paragoncorvette.com/p-349779-trunk-lid.aspx

Otherwise, hit the internet and remember- Condition, Condition, Condition. The better it is, the more it costs.
Good luck.
Bill

 

 

 

 


**********


I have a 1957 corvette I am reassembling and I am trying to figure out correct routing of headlamp and parking lamp harness routing and location of clip for lamp to harness connector if you have any photos or documents.

 


From: John Spencer, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Here is the routing for a 58 - don't have an illustration for a 57 but they are basically the same I believe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Bill:  You need to purchase a copy of the 1957 Corvette Assemble Instruction Manual (AIM),  Reprints are available from the major Corvette parts suppliers.  These manuals were used by the Corvette assembly plant to direct it on how to build the car.  

You want Section 12, page 12.  This page shows how the chassis wiring harnesses were routed in the engine compartment of the car.  Other pages show how the rear of the car wiring was routed, and how the under dash wiring was routed.  

Larry Pearson  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  The routing shown for the 58 is the same for a 57. Headlight wiring clips are very high, above the radiator on the grill side of the radiator support. Some may be broken from bending too many times.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********


07/28/2020

I am currently putting all the chrome etc. on my freshly painted 1960 corvette. I have new emblem kits for both the front and back.  My question is: where do you place the foam gasket; between the bezel and body or between the body and the actual emblem or between the emblem and the backing plate? Thanks in advance.

Rewards,
Book

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  

Front Emblem assembly order (from outside surface);
Bezel-Body-Foam Gasket-Emblem-Backing Plate.  See Illustration


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Book:  The chrome bezel goes on the outside surface.  On the inside surface, the order is:  Gasket, emblem, and backing plate.  There are special self threading winged nuts to hold everything together.  Pre-thread the special winged nuts on the three studs on the bezel to make it easier to install them with the bezel in place.  Corvette Central sells a special tool to tighten these nuts, which you really need.  They do make a PAL self threading nut with a hex head which is a lot easier to use, but it will not pass NCRS judging.

Larry Pearson 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

07/23/2020


I have a customers 1962 C1 with a torn up clutch cross shaft bushing.I
have to question the direction the bushing is installed and wether it
has the correct shouldered bolt in place.He keeps tearing the rubber out
of the bushing.Any help,picture or otherwise is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance Don

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  See illustration.  Shoulder bolt is Paragon Corvette P/N 628K ($10.00).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Don:  The bushing assembly consists of an outer sleeve that is pressed into the cross shaft with the shoulder directed toward the engine, a rubber insulator, and an inner bushing.  In my experience with my two 62's, the rubber part rapidly disintegrates leaving the inner bushing in direct contact with the outer metal sleeve. This is particularly the case if you are using a high performance Borg & Beck pressure plate which takes lots of pedal pressure to activate.  I have found that it works fine without the rubber part.  It makes me wonder if the original factory part used a more durable rubber compound than the service replacement units.

If this bothers you, I strongly suggest that you purchase a replacement bushing kit from Danchuck, the 55-57 Chevy parts supplier.  Go online to see it.  Their catalog number is #345, and it currently costs $16.95.  The heart of their bushing kit is two identical bushings custom made of Delrin plastic.  These do not press into the cross shaft, they install with one on each side of the cross shaft hole in place of the original pressed in outer sleeve.  Nothing is pressed in, so it is easy to service if it wears out.  You must remove the old outer sleeve to make room for this kit.  I have been using one of these kits for about 25 years in my "beater" 62 and have had no problems with it at all.  Of course it will not pass NCRS judging.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

07/22/2020

Hi!
Would like to know the exact measurements for placement of the front badge on my 1960.
Bought the car with 61 emblems.
VIN says it is a 1960.
Getting painted and the painter needs to know the placement to make the hole for the correct emblem.
Thanks! Any help is appreciated.
Cindy

From:  Brad Bean, SACC President:  

Although only one year apart, there are a number of significant differences between a '60 and '61 Corvette.  If it's a '60, and the front end is original, the holes to accommodate the '58 - '60 Corvette emblem should be there, even if it has since been filled.  Unless the front clip has been replaced a good body shop should be able to detect the hole's location.

Other than the front end emblem, are there any other signs the body differs from a 1960 Corvette?  IE:  grill vs. "teeth" in the grill opening or "ducktail" rear end vs. curved style?

Before you start drilling a large hole in your car, let's try to make sure it is a '60.  As you are probably aware, production of 1961 Corvettes began in September of 1960.  Do you mind sharing your VIN #?  (Your VIN will not be published.)

(continued)

That make sense as the front end clips from '58 thru '62 were interchangeable and they were probably more concerned with getting it back on the road, than about making it original.  

Because of it's early accident and repair you have a unique car (with the '62 emblems).  It's your decision on whether you want the car to look original or to reflect it's unique history, as to if you replace the emblem with that of a '60.  Obviously, if you plan to have the car judged, original is the way to go.  However, an argument for keeping it as is would be... it would be a conversation piece at any show where people know their C1s.  

A '60 as early as yours, should have some interesting part combinations as they used up left over stock from '59 on the early '60s.  Would be interesting to see if the body shop used those parts or the hardware from the '62 donor clip...

Unfortunately, we are in NC and my '60 and reference materials are in FL.  If no one has answered your question by the time I return to FL, after August 1st, I'll research the measurements for you.

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Cindy,
I 100 % agree with Brad's advise that you determine exactly what year your car is before you start modifying anything. The differences between a 1960 and a 1961 should be instantly obvious to most Corvette folks.
The rear of the body from doors back are uniquely different.
Rear bumpers & tail lights are uniquely different.
Interior upholstery is uniquely different. 
The seats are different design.
      1960 has removable seat cushion & back with wide vertical pleats.
      1961 has fixed cushions and narrow vertical pleats.
So please use the internet to review pictures of both before proceeding.

Years ago, I bought a 1962 Corvette basket case that had been poorly repaired with a 1958-60 front upper panel.
Bad things have happened to 60 year old cars.

(continued)  Cindy,
Front & rear emblems are the same on a 1960. Unless the rear emblem is perfect, you might want to buy 2 complete emblem assemblies to avoid comments after you get done that they are "different".

Attached picture is my early 1960 during restoration. 


The emblem is centered on the front panel as shown.
The hole diameter is about 1/8 inch diameter larger than the I.D. of the emblem outer trim ring.
Use the emblem gasket as a guide for locating the hole.

Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC


Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Cindy:  I know of no source that gives the measurements of exactly where the large round hole goes to accommodate the 1960 emblem.  The problem is that all the front fiberglass edges are rounded and there are no sharp edges to make measurements from. The hole in the trunk lid is exactly the same size and shape as the nose emblem, and they both use the exact same emblem.  The hole is exactly centered between the headlights, and all you need is the vertical measurement  I own a 1958 original front clip, and a complete 1960 car,  and I will make the measurements tonight and email them to you tomorrow.  Your painter can paint the car the way it is and add the round emblem hole later if time is a problem.  Be sure to fill in all the 1962 emblem holes before painting the car, because none of them are used for the 1960.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*********

07/19/2020

I recently changed the engine oil and filter on my 1961 Corvette and have noticed a slight oil leakage at the oil filter canister bolt head.   Do you know of a way to eliminate this leakage?  I don’t remember leakage at this location prior to the oil change.  I am fairly certain I have sufficient torque on the bolt and have observed no oil leaking at the cannister to engine interface.  The canister assembly is fairly new (Purchased from Paragon in 2004).   The original canister bolt to canister was not integral (Bolt was not attached to the cannister).  So I replaced it with the Paragon canister assembly.
> Thank you,
> Mike

 


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Mike,

The original style oil filter cannister can be a leakers delight if not installed properly. The rubber square x-section sealing ring at the top has to be seated flat without twisting or humps plus the cannister needs to be installed straight & perpendicular to the engine block sealing surface. The original detachable cannister bolt should have had a seal under the bolt head flange to keep the oil from leaking out the bottom.
Your integral bolt cannister should have either a seal under the bolt flange or sealing grooves formed on the underside of the bolt flange.
Paragon has very helpful customer service people. Since you are local, why not give them a call at 800-882-4688. I'm sure they would be happy to help you.

Regards,
Bill Huffman, pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC
solidaxlecorvettemi.com

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Mike:  The original bolt was held in place with the canister shell with a spring on the inside of the canister.  The bolt did not come out separately from the canister, they are held together.  If the leak is at the bolt head interface with the canister shell, see if you can work some Teflon pipe thread sealer tape between the bolt head and the canister shell.  This very likely will stop the leak.

On the other end, whenever I change the filter cartridge, I remove the aluminum "O" ring retainer to remove the old O-ring at the top end.  It is difficult to remove the old rubber O-ring without doing this.

To make the oil filter change a lot less messy, I drilled a hole in the bottom of the canister and threaded it for a 1/8 pipe plug.  There is enough metal thickness here for the plug to seal and not leak.  I use Teflon tape on the plug threads and never have had a leak.  This allows me to completely drain the old oil out of the canister so when I remove it there is no hot oil running down my arm and onto my driveway.  I only change the filter element every other time I change the oil, and this allows me to easily drain the old oil out of the canister.  Of course this will fail in NCRS judging if the judges see it.

Larry Pearson

 

 


 

**********

07/17/2020

Hello,

Need to replace m clutch cross shaft bushing on my '61.  I may also have to remove the clutch cross shaft to check the ball studs or remove the bushing if it doesn't come out readily. Can I get instructions on both. ST-12 was unclear in there instructions.


Thanks  Larry

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  To remove the cross shaft requires releasing the tension on the cross shaft helper spring.  I have always placed a pair of large vicegrip  pliers (or medium pipe wrench) on the cross shaft itself, released the clutch push rod from the cross shaft and allowed the cross shaft to rotate and relax the spring.  Once the spring is removed - disassemble of the cross shaft is an easy task.  take caution here - the cross shaft spring is stout - have a good grip on the cross shaft with your pliers - make sure you can rotate and hold the shaft with the pliers before removing the clutch push rod.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Larry:  I assume you have a completely stock system with the big assist spring and the remains of the original bushing, which is pressed into the top end of the cross shaft.  If this is the case, you will have to remove the cross shaft to remove and replace the bushing.  Your car's clutch pedal system should be exactly like pictured in figure 7, page 6R-4 in ST-12.   If your car is using a diaphragm type pressure plate (not original), the heavy assist spring is gone, because it is not needed. 
 
The procedure on page 6R-9 is correct for removing the cross shaft.  Once the cross shaft is removed, the bushing outer sleeve must be pressed out of the cross shaft.  I use a socket of the proper size on both sides to press the sleeve out in a vice.  The bushing is composed of three pieces:  the outer sleeve, a rubber insulator, and an inner bushing.  The rubber part disintegrates with age, and that is probably what you are facing.  Everything will work fine without the rubber.  Press the service replacement bushing into the cross shaft using a socket slightly larger that the one you used to to remove the sleeve.  Lubricate both ball pivots with lots of chassis grease before reinstalling the cross shaft.  Unfortunately there is no grease fitting on the C-1 cross shaft.  This came in 1963.  Use the cross shaft installation procedure in ST-12 to reinstall it.
 
In my experience, the rubber insulation rapidly disintegrates, and back to square one.  Danchuck sells a two piece bushing made of Delrin that replaces the original rubber insulated bushing.  Their catalog number is #345.  I am using one of these in my 62, and it is completely trouble free.  It won't pass NCRS judging, however.

Larry Pearson

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

I wrote a short article on how to fabricate a press out of a bolt and sockets.  It is in September 2019 Solid SCOOP.  (Does that get distributed?)
The hardest part is compressing the gorilla spring.  Remove the bellcrank to clutch fork pushrod fitting.  Use a pipe wrench on the bellcrank tube, or a large open end wrench on the bellcrank arm to relieve the pressure the spring creates on the bushing bolt, remove the bolt, and release the spring pressure.

If you need the article, I can send something.
 
Joe


**********

07/08/2020

It seems like everyone is having questions regarding their 1962 at this time.  I have had mine now for 45 years and I have just changed my front wheel bearings to roller bearing that i purchased from Zip.  My problem is that even though I pushed the inner races into the hub to the shoulder, I can't seem to keep the inner bearing seal in place easily while I slide the hub onto the spindle.  If it isn't slid on smoothly the bearing seal comes off and it can be floating in there and not allowing you to adjust the wheel bearing properly or even to know that it hasn't stayed in place.  Has anyone else ever had this problem, or does anyone have a solution to this problem?

Thank you,
Michael 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River VP:

Compare the new seal to the old seal, are the dimensions the same?

I had a similar problem some years ago on a different car, the seal was "similar" but just enough difference it would not stay in place.
I bought from my normal parts store, they knew me so they worked with me to find out what the problem was. Turned out the new seal was actually made for a completely different car. It was very similar but did not work. We looked at several different boxes until we found the correct seals. 


Verle

 

 

 

 

**********

07/07/2020

VIN number check. We have a 61 vette left to us, no title, no tag on steering column. I understand there might be a stamp on the frame under the drivers seat. Is there a way to check this without removing the body or cutting hole in the floor. Thanks for any input on this matter. 


From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  My 58 has the VIN stamped on the frame.  It is located under the driver's seat area on the top of the frame.  Depending on how much space you have between the frame and underbody, you can see it with  a light and mirror.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  I checked my VIN stamp on a 1957.  It is located at midlength of the door.  You will need to loosen all the body bolts (12), and remove the five- left side nuts.  Put a 18" piece of 2X4 on the floor between the frame and rocker panel.  Jack up the body about 1 1/2 inches.  Clean the top of the frame in that area and use a mirror taped to the floor under the frame rail.  With the correct lighting, you should be able to take photos.

 

 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Does the car have the original engine? If so the last 5 digits of the vin will be stamped on the pad along with the engine assembly date.
However, with the tag missing it may have been a theft recovery and the original engine may be long gone.

Chip Werstein .

 

 

 

 

 


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

In addition to trying to get a photograph, which will be a mirror image, not a positive, I suggest that a pencil rubbing be attempted.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  

I was able to read my frame stamp by inserting a wood wedge to lift the floor board a little. Used sand paper to clean the frame, wiped it off and could read VIN with mirror and light. Might help to unbolt the driver seat from floor to make it a little more flexible.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Bruce Fuhrman, SACC Secretary:  

I had the same problem on my '54. In CA they have to verify the "original" VIN  # before the issue plates. Joe is right, the VIN # is stamped on the top of the frame just below the mid of the drivers seat. It is about 1" clearance between the frame and the body fiberglass. I did not raise the body and inserted my finger and found the stamping. I sanded the # and put chalk dust on the # and flat wiped it clean with a cloth. Then as Joe said, I took a dental mirror and a flashlight to explore. I was able to read the # and I got an "adda- boy" from the inspector at the CHP! 
Good luck,
Bruce Fuhrman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********



I have owned my '62 for over 50 years.  The top is rarely used.  I would like to know what I can lubricate the bows with that won't stain the soft top.

Thank you ,
Bud

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Bud,
WD-40 brand makes a  spray White Lithium grease that has a 6 inch application nozzle that I used to lube the rotating joints in my soft top frame.

Use gentle pressure on the release button, put a rag behind the frame to catch the overflow and wipe off the excess grease.
Don't overdo it and you shouldn't have an issue with the grease staining the top. Remember, it's easier to add more grease periodically that deal with the collateral damage of using too much.

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Bud:  The absolutely critical point needing lubrication is the pivot point over the center of the side windows.  Without lubrication, this joint will seize up and bend or break in two the section that goes to the front header when the top is raised.  I do not recommend any spray grease because it is very hard to get grease to work its way into the joints.  I use 30 weight engine oil in a 20 cc hypodermic.  This arrangement allows you to exactly pinpoint where you are applying the oil.  Thirty weight oil is thin enough that it will easily penetrate all the joints without getting on the top fabric.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

7/01/2020

My 62 had the typical gasoline smell.  Since it’s almost 60 years old, I decided to replace the gas tank.  I checked for leaks in the new tank by filling it with water.  No leaks.  Then I looked at Joe Calcagno’s website (RareCorvettes.com).  One of the things he does is to take out the filler tube, put the cap on, turn it upside down and fill it with water.  Good way to find leaks.  Luckily, I had 3 gas caps to try.  One vented and two unvented.  Here is what I found.

1.  New gas filler tubes can be defective. I sent one back and got another - still bad.  They leaked at the joint between the tube body and the fitting on the end.  The new ones weren’t seal welded, only tack welded.  Totally unacceptable.  After going through two of them, I decided to use JB Weld all around the joint on the outside of one of the new the filler tubes.  It worked!  Second time I’ve used JB Weld to fix something (last time it was the weld on the small aluminum fitting on the bottom of the expansion tank).  Works great.  I love that stuff.

2. Most gas caps leak.  I used the one that leaked the least. It was an unvented one.  I then JB Welded the rivet connection on the inside of the gas cap.  The rivet holds the handle on but it is a mechanical connection that gas can leak through.  To finally stop all leaking, I made another rubber gasket to go over the existing gasket on the inside of the gas cap.  (I just found this out after installing everything and still smelling gas.  Even a tiny leak at the gas cap really smells).  The gas cap really fits tight now.   Did some right turn 360’s with a full tank of gas.  No leaks.  No smells.  BTW, I’ve had an old inner tube for years that I’ve used to make custom gaskets.  Very handy.

3. Installing the fuel sending unit is tricky.  If you don’t do it right, it leaks too.  I made the mistake of over tightening the screws holding the unit on the tank.  The gaskets deformed and leaked.  I also made a mistake by installing the ground wire on one of the screws, the way you’re supposed to.  If you install the ground wire terminal on the screw, you would need an extra gasket.  The steel on steel connection between the terminal and the tank, or between the terminal and the screw head, leaks.  Joe Calcagno recommends soldering the ground wire to the top of the sending unit, instead.  I didn’t have any luck doing this so I cut off the terminal, stripped the end of the wire and wrapped the bare wires around the metal fuel tube on the unit.  Then I used a hose clamp to hold it in place.


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Charles.  I got my first 62 in 1966, and currently have two 62's and one 60.  No fumes in any on them.  The proper and easy fix is to completely seal the gas tank cover.  There are three large holes in the fiberglass area under the gas tank area.  The area under the gas tank is a high pressure area when the car is driven and any fumes from a leaky sender gasket, a broken vent line hose, or the hose connecting the filler tube to the gas tank will get into the car if the gas tank cover isn't completely sealed.  Use 3M Strip Caulk to seal the edges of the tank cover perimeter to the car body.  Strip Caulk is a black clay-like material that remains pliable to allow easy removal of the gas tank cover if needed.  Strip Caulk is available in most automotive paint stores.

Gasoline leaks in the gas filler area, as well as rain water, drain directly under the car via a rubber hose that connects to a fiberglass nipple in the gas tank area under the drain hole to a hole in the gas tank area floor directly under the drain hole..  If this hose is missing or broken, then fumes from the gasoline filler area will end up in the gas tank area and into the passenger area if the gas tank cover is not completely sealed, as described above. 

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

**********

06/24/20

Hello.  We just recently purchased a 1960 with the 4-speed.  The speedometer does not work.  The cable turns at the speedometer, but only in reverse.  I haven't looked at the driven gear yet, but was just wondering if anyone else has seen this issue.
Thanks,

Neil

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

T-10 and early M-20, 21 use a steel drive gear and plastic driven gear.  The driven gear can wear and the teeth are contacting (marginally) in reverse, and the contact in forward is so little the speedo needle does not move.  Try replacing the driven gear with one that is the same diameter.

If that does not work- The other issue is a mismatch with the drive gear.  There are two drive gear diameters and two driven gear diameters.  See the March 2020 Solid Scoop for my article on speedo gears.

 

 

**********


06/14/2020


I would like to know the correct torque specifications for the flywheel and pressure plate bolts on a 265 cu in engine.  Also is locktite recommended on these bolts?
Thanks,
Mike

 

From: Joe Lemay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

The specs I use are 60 for the flywheel and 35 for the pressure plate.  Use medium threadlocker.  Do not use permanent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  

Flywheel torque = 65 ft lb,  clutch pressure plate = 35 ft lb.  (source - GM Chassis Service Manual)
Locktite not recommended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


**********

06/13/2020

I just put a new clutch pressure plate and flywheel in my 62 Vette. I have the transmission about 1 inch from being up to the bell housing and it is hung up. Any help?


From: Verle Randolph, Red River chapter VP:  The usual problem is misalignment of the clutch plate. If it is not accurately centered on the throw out bearing the input shaft will hold the transmission an inch away.
This is how many transmission ears are broken, someone tries to pull the transmission to the bell housing with the bolts.

Remove the transmission and look through the center of the hole and look at the clutch plate hole and the throw out bearing alignment.

Solution is to remove bell housing, loosen the clutch plate bolts until you can move the clutch plate and center it. The alignment tool that comes with the clutch kit is usually plastic and does not do a good job of centering. It often (usually???) allows the clutch plate to slip down just enough to cause your problem.

If you have an input shaft from any Chevrolet standard transmission they work better. If not, do your best to center the clutch plate with the alignment tool as you tighten the lower two bolts a little. Move the tool in and out. when centered it should move fairly easy. Keep doing this as you tighten bolts around the clutch plate to make sure the tool moves. Also, remove the tool and inspect the alignment visually.

It is a bother but it must be done.

I have bought many very good 4-speeds with broken ears for a cheap price.

Verle


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Lee,
you changed the flywheel. Did you check to make sure the nose bushing fit the transmission input shaft?
1 inch is about the depth of the nose bushing.

If you did and it fit, does the clutch spline fit the input shaft freely or was it sticky/tight?

Is the clutch spline symmetrical relative to the plates?  If not, the new clutch plate could be backward.

Did you use an input shaft installation tool to align the flywheel/bushing/ clutch plate/pressure plate assembly before tightening & torqueing the pressure plate to the flywheel?

Good luck on your installation R & R,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

**********

06/09/2020

Next question: I replaced all 22 front suspension/steering joints when I did the full restoration a few years ago.  Now, 3 of the 22 joints will not accept new grease and I have confirmed the zerk fitting is passing grease by removing it and confirmed grease does get through the zerk.  So something appears to be blocking grease passage.  One is inboard tie rod joint the other two are the LH and RH aft  upper control arm joint.

Ideas on what I should try to resolve the issue?

Thank you,
Mike

 


From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

I am having the same issue with the four lower inner fittings.  I have not disassembled the joints but the zerk fittings will pass grease.  This is a complete rebuild done in 2014 and there is about 5000 miles on the car.
I grease it with the car jacked high enough to get under with a creeper.  If I hold the grease gun fitting to the joint as I do for all the other fittings, all the grease gets rejected.  If I brace myself and push the gun as hard as I can into the fitting, I can get a small amount of grease to come out of the joint.  I am pushing the gun into the fitting with a lot of pressure; as much as I can create.
I have not tried an air pressure grease gun.  I would expect to get more grease into the fitting as I can push the gun with both hands and not have to operate the lever.  With air pressure and two hands, I hope to clear whatever it is that is creating the blockage.

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  I have had this problem before on a Solid Axle and another vehicle.
One thing that helped me was to remove the zerk and squirt some lubricating oil in the hole. Jack car up, remove tire, jack stand support. I found better results by squirting oil several times over two or three days.

My theory is the grease  hardens over time, possibly by losing volatile ingredients. The lubricating oil softens the grease making things work better and allowing grease to be added through the zerk.

Only other option I know is to dismantle and redo.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Mike:  I have six early GM cars (three of them are C-1's) with the kind of suspension our Corvettes have.  All the A-arm  joints are "metal to metal" with very tight tolerances when they are new, like yours are.  When the joints get some wear, in my experience, it becomes easier to inject grease into them due to the increased tolerances.  I have some joints where it takes all my strength to inject grease into them, but slowly some grease expels from the back of the joint indicating that the joint is getting properly greased.  That is all you can and need to do with the difficult joints.  We are told by GM to grease these suspensions every 1000 miles.  Last resort - Go to a fitness center and train to improve your upper body strength, and that will make it easier to grease your car..

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

06/08/2020

I can't figure out how to put the chrome trim pieces on the glove box door.  These two pieces are approx. 12 inches long, 1 inch wide and are positioned vertically when the door is closed. 
 
I've had this car since 1973 and a '56 before it for 7 years.  I've assembled this door twice before when painting it but can't seem to get it together this time. 
 
Thanks for your help,
Jim


From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

The seat separator panel is attached to hinge by the middle bolt holes of the panel and the top holes of the hinge.  It uses #8 clutch head screws.  These screws would be painted body color.  The moldings are attached with four- #8 philips screws through the bottom and top holes.  
Parts suppliers will have the trim hardware to retain the molding.  It is the usual hardware to retain body molding.  Paragon has the typical hardware.
The short lower stainless steel trim moldings are bolted and retained with hex nuts and star washers.



 

**********

06/07/2020
After draining the radiator and engine block, how do I install 16 new quarts of coolant? It only seems to accept about 10 quarts.
Thank you,
Michael

From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  Even if you open Block Drains (if you have them) you don't completely drain the block.  If you're wanting to remove all the old coolant, you have to flush the block.  This will dilute what coolant is remaining in the block and if you flush it long enough - replace the residual coolant with clear water.  When adding coolant back - simply anticipate the amount of clear water in the block to establish your desired concentration of coolant-to-water.


Note: Heater core will hold 1 Qt. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  When filling an empty radiator and block you will have a lot of trapped air. Pour in as much as you can. Leaving the radiator cap off, start the engine and let it run, when the thermostat opens the level will fall. Keep pouring in water/antifreeze until it is full. You may have to top off a few times. After a drive where the engine is thoroughly warmed up. Turn off, let cool down then check the water level, ad as necessary. You need to open the heater control valve so it can drain or fill.

The Corvette Servicing Guide -P 14-9 at bottom, says 16 qt w/o heater, 17 qt with heater.


Verle

 

 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, Socal Chapter Advisor:  

Mike,

Verle is .most likely correct in his diagnosis of your problem. I have been aware of potential air lock problems when filling cooling systems for many years but have never experienced it. I drill two 1/8 inch holes  in the thermostat thin metal mounting flange. This prevents the system from being sealed up which allows trapped air to escape thereby preventing air locks. Give it a try.

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

**********

06/05/2020

My question pertains to 56-57 Corvettes, if the Saginaw transmissions were cast in Saginaw where were they assembled?, St. Louis.    Same with the rear ends casting in Detroit and assembled in St. Louis, or that is what I read somewhere who knows where do you have any info on that one?

Thanks,

Kermit 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Although it may be referred to as a Saginaw transmission, there is not such thing.  Muncie 318 transmissions were produced for many years.  The main case that was used in Corvettes was cast in Saginaw.  Passenger car main case was cast in Tonawanda.  There are very few ways to tell them apart.

If you are trying to get your Corvette back to stock appearance, you will want a Saginaw cast case and gears with a 2:20 first gear ratio.  There is also a Muncie 319 that is a 3 speed with overdrive.

That did not answer the question on where it was assembled, but maybe someone has that.

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  

There was a foundry,  Saginaw Metal Casting Operations Saginaw, Michigan  1919 , where cases were cast and assembly was done in the Saginaw Transmission Saginaw, Michigan.

    Metal casting for power trains. Engine Blocks. Crankshafts

    Manual Transmissions, Originally made the Saginaw 3 and 4-Speed manual transmissions.

The old Saginaw plant was torn down in 2019.

I believe the Corvette plant in St Louis did no major assembly on mechanical parts. Those parts, engines, transmissions, rear ends, etc came ready to be installed. The plant did add accessories to those assemblies.

 

Verle

 


**********

5/31/2020

 


Could you clarify something
 
Re: 1957 Airbox corvettes and exactly what was the factory assembly reference number for the car option
 
There seems to be confusion :
 
All the literature of every type refers to the 1957 Corvette Airbox cars as OPTION : RPO 579E
 


1957 Corvette 'Air Box' Roadster - Chevrolet Pressroommedia.chevrolet.com › sema › engines › 1030-corvette Oct 30, 2017 - Nineteen fifty-seven was a pivotal year for the Chevrolet Corvette. ... models were factory-equipped with the 579E airbox option. Vehicle ...

1957 Corvette Airbox Car - Vette Magazine - Super Chevywww.superchevy.com › Vette › Features
As delivered, the car came with the RPO 579E engine and a long list of other factory-installed pieces that completed the RPO 684 Heavy Duty Racing Suspension etc

The Corvette Restorer Msgazine : 1957 RPO 579E TACHOMETER 9 2 FALL 1982 page 19 in conjunction with Wilson Swilley article. . He says it is from Factory Production specifications

THE FACTORY ASSEMBLY MANUAL JUST SAYS RPO 579 with no letter after it


 
There apparently  references  to RPO 649D being the air-box RPO code in nternal Duntov document. and also on facebook (i.e. registry of Corvette Race cars ) a copy of a dealer invoice for one of the "air-box" corvettes were the line reference on the dealer invoice for the $726.00 air-box option is RPO579D

So what is the correct terminlology :


(a) was RPO 579D the factory reference for just the Air-box option alone

(b) was there an RPO 579E option before the airbox option (note: Noland Adams book: GM instructions for mounting the RPO 579E tachometer)

(c ) was there a change in RPO number during year

THEREFORE QUESTION IS :

What exactly does RPO 649 E reference to in terms of factory documents
What exactly does RPO 649 D reference to in terms of factory documents

Thanks for clarification in this matter

William

 

 

From: Tom Parsons, Red River Chapter FI expert:  

I’ll try to answer the questions as best as I can which were submitted by William Keogh. Can someone add the people which were listed in the original email that are not included. I could not get their address to attach.
BUT, the very first issue that needs to be addressed is RPO579E.
THERE IS NOT, AND THERE NEVER HAS BEEN AN RPO579E---------PERIOD!!!
Somehow, someway, back in the stone ages, SOMEONE incorrectly listed the “Airbox” option as RPO 579E----------------AND IT HAS JUST STUCK ALL THESE YEARS-----------------INCORRECTLY!!! The correct option number for the 1957 Corvette with the fresh air duct for the fuel injector is RPO 579D. That is what it was in the beginning, and always has been. The publications, “Armchair Experts” and subsequent listings for RPO 579E have been WRONG FOR OVER 60yrs!!!!! Back in the 50s when I first became aware of fuel injected Corvettes and in the 70s when I finally got a chance to become involved with FI, the “E” never actually made sense to me, but I could never come up with a reason for it. Fast forward to 2007 and Key Kayser’s books (Vol I and Vol II on fuel injection). For fuel injection aficionados, if you do not have these books, you are missing the boat! Once and for all, Ken has cleared the air regarding RPO 579D (erroneously “E”). Not only does he totally clarify the misconception, but he does it with GM documentation. He also clarifies some additional misconceptions. ALL listings for the fuel injected engines with the hydraulic cam have also been reversed. RPO 579A is the3sp (or manual transmission) RPO 579B is the Powerglide. And an additional support for the 579D as being the correct RPO for the 57 Airbox, the listings for 58-59-60 with a solid lifter car are RPO 579D. More support that RPO 579E for 57 was, and always has been wrong!!!
 
Now, back to RPO 579D. MOST people here probably know that it was more than just a SOLID LIFTER ENGINE with a special duct to direct cooler to the injector. It was a package-------------IT ONLY CAME ONE WAY!  Within the pkg was the air HAND LAID fiberglass air duct for the injector. It only came with a manual transmission (MOST PROBABLY all were 4sp), positraction, NO heater, NO radio, 5.5in (NOT 5.0in) wide wheels, heavy duty brakes, special ducting for direction cooling air to the brakes, 5 instead of 4 leaves in the rear springs, HD front (and shorter) springs, thicker front sway bar, HD shocks (the rear cross member was modified for mounting the rear shocks), a unique FI ignition distributor (908) with a tach drive fitting that turned a plain, AC 8000rpm tachometer which was mounted on the steering column. The tach in the center of the dash was eliminated and the hole was covered  with a front/rear emblem-----------------------WITH ONE EXCEPTION------------ 57 VIN 4007, restored by Bill Connell several years ago, which was the FIRST production built Airbox car, had the hole covered and finished smooth with a piece of fiberglass. There was a ONE ONLY fairing which covered the steering mounted tach. On the assembly line for these VERY FEW special cars, it was determined to be too time consuming and too much trouble to cover the center hole for the regular tach, thus, the use of a front rear emblem to cover the hole.
 
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO, where did I learn all this? Nothing magical. Ken Kayser has so thoroughly and expertly provided these details (AND MUCH MORE) in his books, plus supported it with GM documentation, and as I mentioned above, his books would be a valuable addition to anyone’s Corvette library. When I got his Vol I and started reading it, SO MANY unanswered questions just begin to fall into place----------------------just one example, the 5 Cadillacs with fuel injection and the one Oldsmobile with FI. Of course, I presume everyone knows about the 57-58 Pontiacs with FI which was a regular option.
 
I am not familiar with any option 649D or 649E.

 

 
The number of fresh air ducts (airboxes) built was 50. THERE IS NO SURVIVING GM DRAWINGS OR DOCUMENTATION FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE IT GOT DISPOSED OF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Per Ken Kayser. What a shame!!!!!!!!!! Even though 50 airbox ducts were fabricated, only 43 cars were built with an airbox FI pkg. So, where did the other 7 ducts go??? Well SOME of them have been accounted for. One (a 48th car) was factory installed, BUUUUUUUUUUUT, the production order was changed to a 2x4 engine (FI was removed and replaced with 2x4s) and a major portion of the duct was sawed off! (MANY years ago, 70s, it was rumored that car was in Arkansas, I never saw it) That leaves 6 unaccounted ducts. A SACC member (John Neas in Tulsa) has one of the unaccounted for ducts on his 57 FACTORY RPO 579C car. It was delivered to Rosenthal Chevrolet WITHOUT an airbox (and the tach was in the dash). About 2-3wks after delivery to Rosenthal, a complete Airbox pkg was delivered and installed on John’s car. So now that leaves 5 unaccounted for ducts that were fabricated. One of them MAY, repeat, MAY be on my 56. I just do not positively know the actual source of my airbox. I bought it about 30yrs ago from someone--------------AND IT APPEARED TO NEVER HAVE BEEN INSTALLED (NO installation holes were in it).
 
By the way, the fresh air duct (airbox) on the SR2 cars is custom made for those cars. It is totally different from the ducts installed on the production Airbox cars.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture of the red airbox is my “built” 56 “579D” car. It has all the 57 579D components EXCEPT the ducts going through the rockers for rear brake cooling.

 
I probably have not answered all the questions about the 57 Airbox option, and if there are more questions, I’ll see what I can answer.
 
  
 
Tom Parsons

 

 

 

 

 

 


**********

5/31/2020

I have a 1962 Corvette 327 340hp 4 speed matching , the car sometimes cuts out while driving, it loses power and powers up again while driving, sometimes it looses power and just quits and will not start until it sits a while and cools down ??

What do I check ?

How do I join your organization ??

 

John


John,
Let's answer the easy question first.
You can join Solid Axle Corvette Club (SACC) by using the following links and submitting your membership application.  https://www.solidaxle.org/https://www.solidaxle.org/forms/SACC-2019-membership-form-a.pdf.

Regarding your car issues, I would suggest a couple things.
1) Use only premium gasoline as a minimum and 100% gasoline 90 octane with lead additive & octane booster as required.
    It sound like your carburetor is "boiling over" and flooding the engine. Higher octane helps solve that.
    Hardened valve seats in the heads eliminates the need for lead additive.
2) Recently, two of our chapter members encountered similar running issues. One made it home, the other got flat-bedded.
    In both cars, a 1959 & a 1960, the coil was defective and ran perfectly after that one part change.
 


Good luck with your car,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

I had the same problem.  Would let it sit when hot. Then it would start.  One day after cooling, it would not start, and there was no fuel in the carburetor.  The fuel pump was failing and finally needed to be replaced.

When you replace it, use the original configuration inlet and outlet (and maybe original part number pump).  It is a good opportunity to correct some other items with the fuel lines if needed.

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  

For a cheap and easy test install a known good ignition coil and see if that makes any difference.

Water in the fuel can cause the engine stall, then restart while still moving.

As mentioned, lack of fuel. Could be fuel pump, partial blockage in tank or line.

Verle

 

 

 

 


From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  

This could be a number of problems, but from your description - I would suspect the coil.  A defective coil will often fail in one of two modes, or both; 1) the broken coil (wire coil) becomes intermittent - it will quit firing for no reason and then start firing as sudden as it stopped. 2) as it heats up it will fail and cease to fire until it cools down and remakes contact.  This is an easy fix - replace the coil and see if the problem goes away, if not at least you know you've eliminated one possibility.  All the other possibilities are not so easily fixed.  They are probably in the carburetion or fuel delivery.  Things to investigate;  does the stall occur in a turn or at a totally random time. (Left turn is carburetor), when the stall occurs - does it seem to be the lack of fuel (fuel pump, or filter) or does it seem to be flooding (restarts with footfeed floored = carb adjustment).

-John

 

 

 

 

 

**********
5/30/20

There are special rivets that are on the door latch mechanism that I was going to fix the assembly with. Are the rivets available or will the assembly need to be replaced?

I’m best corresponding on my home email instead of my work address, but I have a photo of what I’m talking about attached to this message.

Thank you.
Jim 


From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor: 
 I don't know of any source for the Door Latch mechanism rivets.  I'm sure you could find rivets that would work from a rivet supplier, but I don't believe the new mechanisms are terribly expensive.  I would replace the whole mechanism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

5/27/20

Steering,  I have excessive free travel when I turn all the way right or left what would cause this?

Richard


From: John Spencer, Red River Chapter Advisor:  This is a curious problem.  The steering box on a C1 is designed to have zero lash (play) at the high point (center position).  As you turn the steering the play between the worm gear and the sector shaft roller increases.  This, however, is not suppose to be excessive.  In a worn steering box it's all but gone; as you tighten the worm gear / sector shaft engagement at the high point  (where the worm gear has its most wear) to eliminate play - you decrease the designed play at the steering's extremes where the worm gear experiences less wear.  Attempting to adjust the play out of the center or high point often yields a binding of the steering at the extremes not excessive play.  I would go through the steering box adjustment procedure and verify the play exists in the steering box.  This procedure can be found in Chevrolet's Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12.  Steering adjustments are found in Section 9, the guide which can be found on-line.

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:

I would do a complete inspection of the front suspension and steering.

Excessive play in steering could be any of a number of problems.

A-frame moving, tie rod ends, idler, spindle bushings, steering box....

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  You need a copy of ST-12 and a scale that will measure a pull force of 0-3 lb.  First be certain the steering wheel is centered using the indicator mark behind the horn button.  Adjust that with the drag link or tie rods.  Adjust your steering box exactly as described in ST-12.  It worked for me.

 

 

 

 

 

**********

05/20/20

I recently purchased a used front sway bar from a 1961 Corvette. I was with the understanding this should have a diameter of 1” but when I measured it the diameter is .805

 

Would you know the correct diameter ?

 

Thank you

 

Joe A


From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter Vice President:  

 

From old GM parts manual, .8125 for 1960 to 1962.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

5/13/20

Sir’s,

I have a question;  Where might I find some pictures of the underside/back of the dash on my car.  And BTW I just sent my application for membership in today and was unaware of your existence as a club. 

Thanks in advance and I’m sure with your vast knowledge of several members there is a wealth of information about these cars. 

Kermit

 


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:

Kermit,
The 1956-57 Corvette Assembly Manual has the illustrations you're looking for.
https://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette/Product/corvette-1956-1957-c1-assembly-instruction-manual-623583
Every Corvette owner absolutely needs a copy for their year car.

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  If you are planning to have it look as original, 
I have a 1957 that I plan to remove the gauges and replace all the wiring connections as original
My resources are my 1957 AIM electronic file that was put together from several resources.  The
file size is huge so it cannot be sent.  There is one internet site that has them, (http://earlycorvettes.com).
1956-7 Judging Manual, and go to the NCRS Discussion Board.  You can search for photos from 
members who posted there.

Joe

 

 

 

If you are planning to have it look as original-
I have a 1957 that I plan to remove the gauges and replace all the wiring connections as original.  My resources are my 1957 AIM electronic file that was put together from several resources.  The file size is huge so it cannot be sent.  There is one internet site that has them (http://www.earlycorvettes.com).  1956-7 Judging Manual, and go to the NCRS Discussion Board.  You can search for photos from members who posted there.
Joe

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Kermit:  Unfortunately, most 1957 Corvettes have gone through a period when they were, essentially, worthless and the people who acquired them had little regard to originality and made a lot of modifications to them.  Your best source for the information you are seeking is to examine an original unrestored car.  In NCRS, these are called "Bowtie" cars.  Maybe you can find one of these in the area that you live in through NCRS,  If you live in the Los Angeles area, I can help you with this.  Otherwise, attend NCRS and SACC events and see if you can find what you are looking for.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 



**********
5/13/20

Hello,
 If this question has been asked before I apologize.  What grease do you reccomend when assembling and maintaining the C! front supension.

Thanks For your Tech page,
Steve

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  

I use the "standard" heavy chassis grease used on all car in the 50s, 60s, 70s, ....I just looked at a couple of tubes and did not see a specific designation. Being paranoid I regularly grease the front end, all 22 zerks.

On long road tours I usually have the car greased about every 750 or so miles. That is probably more than necessary but I don't have trouble with the front suspension wearing out.

I replaced the ball bearings in the front hubs with tapered bearings, they last better.

The obvious ones to keep lubricated are the king pins and the A-frame.

 

 

 


From Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Steve,
You should be able to locate a digital copy of 1953-1962 Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12 online.
Page 0-7 contains Illustration Fig 10 which shows all chassis lubrication requirements.
The answer to your question is a GM approved Chassis Lube and all 21 fittings should be lubricated every 1000 miles.

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Steve:  My response goes beyond your question, but you should find it useful.  I have many years experience servicing General Motors front suspensions, and have seen it all.

First, you should have a copy of Corvette Servicing Guide, Publication ST-12.  This publication was prepared by Chevrolet in 1962 and is the only official shop manual for C-1 Corvettes, and is available from all the major Corvette parts supply sources.  This publication is a "must have" for all C-1 Corvette owners.

Except for ride height, your front suspension is identical to that used on the 1949-1954 Chevrolet sedans.  All the bushings are "metal-to-metal" with a very limited ability to store grease.  Therefore, Chevrolet recommends that the front suspension lubrication points (22 of them) be greased every 1000 miles using chassis grease.  The 1000 mile interval is extremely short by today's standards and, in my experience, you can go 2000 miles without causing undue wear.  Chassis grease is available in cartridges that fit in a standard chassis grease gun.  I recommend that you outfit your grease gun with a rubber hose that is sold separately.  This greatly assists in accessing the hard to reach grease fittings.

When greasing the fittings, wipe off the tips of each one to prevent the injection of abrasive dirt before greasing with the gun.  I keep my front suspensions clean by taking a putty knife to scrape off all the old grease and road dirt.  I have a 5 gallon metal can filled with about two gallons of Mineral Spirits and use an old sock to do the cleaning.  Your suspension may have so much old caked grease and dirt that you cannot find the grease fittings.  The upper A-arms each have two inner grease fittings that are hard to see, but must be greased.  The king pins each have two fittings, two facing forward on one side and two facing rearward on the other.  Consult ST-12 to see where all the fittings are.  The front center pivot (steering idler)  ball bearing is permanently lubricated on Corvette. 

The wheel bearings should be packed every 10,000 miles with Sta-Lube Heavy Duty Drum Brake Bearing Grease (in the green can),  This is the only satisfactory grease to use for ball bearing wheel bearings.  Dip each bearing in solvent and use a heavy paint brush to work out all the old grease.  Carefully inspect the balls for evidence of spalling (failure).  Each ball must be shiny and smooth.   Inspect the inner and outer bearing races for evidence of flaking.  The surfaces must be completely smooth.  Pack the grease into each ball bearing assembly by hand, making sure that there no voids.  After installing the bearings, tighten the castle nut to 30 ft-lbs and spin the hub to make sure the bearings are seated.  Then back the nut off until the cotter key clears the first hole in the spindle and insert it and bend the ends to keep the key in place.  If your grease cap has a static collector in it, cut off the outside tail of the cotter key to prevent it from engaging the spiral on the collector and destroying it.

Ball bearing wheel bearings must be pre-loaded.  Tapered roller wheel bearings must never be pre-loaded.  The castle nut must be slightly loose with tapered roller wheel bearings.

Larry Pearson

**********

5/12/20

 

Recently purchased a 1961 corvette but the spears were in the trunk. And it seems last time painted the holes were filled and painted over. I have got all parts for reinstall but wondering if there is a pattern to putting them back on the car. Don’t want to willy nilly a $60k car


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Randy & Doc,
First, let's define our terminology.
1958- 1961 Corvettes have 3 Side Spears on each side cove.
Corvette Central sells them as individual parts or as complete kit 331215.

1958 Corvettes have a pair of Trunk Strips that Randy doesn't need. 

Assuming whoever filled in the side cove mounting slots merely filled them with body filler & a putty knife, the original mounting slots/holes should be obvious by inspecting the coves on the inside of the panels. The splash shields on the inner fenders and the kick panels in the cabin will have to be removed to gain access. Use a small drill from the inside to open the holes then use a small round or flat file regain the original size.

Please, go buy a 1961 Assembly Manual & read it before you start cutting.
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

**********

5/12/20
Were bell housings and transmissions painted or just left unpainted in 1956?

Thank you, Michael


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Michael:  The cast iron transmissions were installed on the engine after the engine was painted red with the bellhousing attached.  Then the cast iron transmissions, 3 sp, 4 sp (late 1957), and Powerglide, were painted with gloss black chassis paint with the engine/transmission in the chassis.  There was black overspray on the bellhousing.  This was the way my unrestored 1960 was done.  This final blackout painting was done with the engine and transmission mounted in the chassis just prior to the body drop.  The brake drums brake lines, one side of the brake master cylinder and brake line to it, the front suspension,  the rear leaf springs, and the exhaust system were all painted with chassis black paint.  It wasn't pretty.  It was done as a rust preventative.  The paint quickly burned off the exhaust manifolds and the exhaust system.

There is an assembly line photo in the book "Birthplace of  Legends"  by Peter Licastro that shows this.  I can't find my copy so I can't tell you what page it is on.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 


**********

05/11/20


Were bell housings and transmissions painted or just left unpainted in 1956?

Thank you, Michael


From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Hi Michael:


1956 Corvette engine color is red except possibly the last few weeks of production, which may be Chevy Orange;  Manual transmissions use a cast-iron bellhousing and is painted engine color.  There were several items that were bolted to completed engine and they were painted as an assembly including the water pump, oil pan, balancer, and bell housing.  Items that were not bolted onto the assembly were many times black, such as the road draft tube and generator adjusting brace.

The red color is similar to Ford Tractor Red.

Joe

 

**********

05/10/2020

Can the powerglide transmission on a 1954 Corvette be removed without removing the engine?
 
Thanks,
 
Dave

 

From: Bruce Fuhrman, SACC Secretary:  

Yes, you can remove the Powerglide transmission on the '54 without removing the engine.
Bruce Fuhrman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

05/10/2020

I need to put in my lock assembly for trunk on 1960 corvette. I am having a rough time trying to attach the retainer clip which holds the lock cylinder in place. Should I remove the corvette emblem to get better access to the lock assembly? Thank you for your assistance. Jim


From: Bill Preston, Red River Chapter President:  

Yes remove the emblem. You are fortunate to have that opening for the emblem to give you access

to install the retainer clip. That's the reason they designed that emblem that way. I have a 1957 and
don't have that extra room to work. It's REALLY hard to get that retainer on a 56-57.

Bill Preston

 

 

 

 

 

 


**********

Dear Solid Axle Corvette Club:

I hope you can help me,  The problem concerns body segment being fitted properly:  Hood adjustment so front of hood is flush with fender on 1960 corvette

 


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

I assume that the question is:  How do you adjust the hood on a 1960 Corvette to fit the opening and to align the hood with the front of the car and the side fenders?

Refer to figure 6 on page 11-2 in Corvette Servicing Guide, Publication ST-12.  This publication, prepared by Chevrolet in 1962, is the only official shop manual for C-1 Corvettes, and is available as a reprint from all major Corvette parts supply sources.  This publication is a "must have" for all C-1 Corvette owners.

The hood hinges have slotted mounting holes where they attach to the hood (two bolts) and the radiator support (three bolts).  The three bolts attaching the hood hinges to the radiator support allow for up and down adjustment of the hood and the two bolts attaching the hinges to the hood provide fore and aft adjustment.  

The rear lock assemblies mounted on the rear of the hood also allow up and down adjustment of the hood at the cowl.  There is a screwdriver slot of the tip of the hood  lock assembly for this adjustment.  Also, the rubber bumper on the catch assembly mounted on the firewall is adjustable up and down.

If your Corvette has had front end collision work improperly done, it may not be possible to achieve a perfect fit of the hood to the  body.

Larry Pearson

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Jim,
As designed, the hood height is pretty much locked in once the hood hinges are bolted to the underside of the hood and radiator support bracket.
There are actually two separate adjustments:
1) There are 4 (2 on each side) inner fender to radiator support bracket screws/fender washers that lock the entire
   front clip height in place on both sides relative to the hood.
2) There are steel & rubberized fabric shim packs/screws that help raise/lower the support bracket relative the chassis
   & helps lock in the hood height.

Note: This is IMPORTANT !! All front bumper bolts and support bracket to chassis shims/screws must be LOOSE before attempting to raise the front clip to match the hood height. Loosening the inner fender to main body/cockpit screws at the rearward edge on both sides might help ease some strain also.

Good luck & be careful,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

**********

I have been told the V-8's could have come from the factory with either 10 inch or eleven inch flywheels and clutches.  Is that correct?  I am trying to get the correct size for my 1956.  I have had a 3789733 casting flywheel for some time and had planned on using it.  I looked in a 1973 GM parts book and under flywheel it says, second design, 10 inch clutch, but when you look up clutches, it says 10.5 inch clutch.  I look in catalogs and some have 10 inch 10 1/8 inch and some have 10.4 inch.  Hemmings  Motor news seems to say either 10, 10.5 and 11 inch.  After all of what I have read I am thoroughly confused.  What would be the size that was used from the factory and what is the recommended size to use?


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

My 1964 chevrolet master parts book lists  flywheel casting number 3729004 for all 55 thru 62 corvettes as well many other 55 thru 64 passenger cars and trucks. The actual clutch diameter is referred to as 10 or 10.5 inches. There is an 11 inch listed for 55 thru 64 passenger and trucks....cast 3714463 for hd applications, but not for corvettes.. I can not find your flywheel 3789733 listed anywhere.

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River chapter VP:  

3789733 is an 11" flywheel for late 60s and 70s. Used mostly on big blocks.
Not for Solid Axle Corvettes.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 


**********

Hello, I am finishing up with rebuilding my front suspension which I stopped work on seven years ago. Back when I installed the new king pins, I think that it was the owner of the machine shop that replaced my upper inner bushings in the spring towers, that suggested putting locktite on the outside of the lower king pins bushings to keep them from turning. The more I learn and the more i think about it, I think that this was probably the wrong thing to do. Can anyone tell me whether I did the right thing or wrong thing in putting locktite on those bushings? I know they call them free floating bushings. My second question is how can you tell when an upper control arm is no longer serviceable? My new bushings, when inserted into the outer side without turning in the threads and without the outer shaft in place, will go into the hole leaving a thread or two showing on the outside. They seem to tighten to the prescribed 35 foot pounds when it is assembled with the cross shaft in place. It is just that I have had it apart a few times and possibly by other owners as well. If this one side is in need of being replaced, I would rather do it at this point. I do have another control arm that I could replace it with, but it is pitted and doesn't look so nice as my one that came on the car. Thank you for all of the help.

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  Ref:  1953-1962 Corvette Servicing Guide
         Technical Service Department
         Chevrolet Motor Division

    Installation

"When replacing the kingpin floating bushings it is not necessary to ream them to size as service bushings are machined to finish dimensions.
However, when replacing floating bushings, care should be taken to make sure the oil grooves in the bushings line up with the lubrication fitting hole in the steering knuckle.
These bushings should be free both on the kingpin and in the steering knuckle."

This would suggest that locktite is not appropriate for the bushings.

I am curious why the shop suggested locktite.

 
Verle

**********

hi, What color is the metal axle positraction tag? Thanks. Steve


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Steve:  I have a 8x10 glossy print from Petersen Publishing Motor Trend road test taken of the rear axle of a 1961 Fuel Injected Corvette with the car on a lift.  The series of 31 prints I purchased from Petersen in the late 70's shows all aspects of this car:  front, rear, interior, trunk, engine compartment, interior and the entire chassis of the car.  This car has 1519 miles on it, so it had been driven, and the chassis was not like new anymore.  You can even clearly see the grain on the steering wheel.  These were high quality pictures taken with a large format camera.

The Positraction metal circular tag and the plug were unpainted.  It is possible that these items were removed for inspection of the contents and the chassis blackout paint was removed at that time, because it seems plausible that these items would be painted chassis black.  Also, there is a large yellow (It was yellow on all three of my cars) circle of paint circling the fill plug area and a large white "X" grease marked under the yellow paint.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Steve,
It is my belief the circular tag was raw steel....possibly painted over during the blackout process. I always cad plate mine. NCRS has never deducted anything for the plating.
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hi guys , i have a 1957 corvette and i am looking for the correct headlights . it is" a t-3"  triangle in the middle with pebble grain, on the bottom it shows " guide" on the bottom and above that it shows " sealed beam" in small letters. in 1956 it had large words " sealed beam".  can you folks help me locate 2 headlights.  

thank you 

bob  

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Robert:  Corvette Central sells "correct" reproductions of the 1956-57 headlight bulbs.  Of course, these are not "exact" reproductions.  The originals had a small bright silver half moon shaped shield inside in front of the filaments.  The reproductions have a larger fully round black cone shaped shield with a slot across the center.  I assume that NCRS accepts the reproductions.

Larry Pearson  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Hi Bob

Per the JM
Headlamp bulbs must be matching Guide T-3 design; with pebble-grain (not vertical ribs) within
triangle. SEALED BEAM 3/8" and 1/4" high lettering were both used throughout the 1956 and 1957
year models.
 


The other challenge is they are non-DOT.  I would like to get another set myself.

Joe

 


**********


Having a tough time locating replacement hinge pins for a 1955 Corvette. Any help appreciated.


From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  Ebay vender for early Corvette parts  partsqueen responded to my message:

"New message from: partsqueen Top Rated Seller(9,765Green Star)
Hi There, I have the door hinge shims and plates and a few door hinge pins and maybe a few bushings and not many"

Her parts store is on ebay.


If you deal with her make sure to clarify what you are getting and what condition.

She often has very hard to find parts.

If the pins don't show on her store, click on a part and send message about the pins.

Verle

 

*Note:  From: Web Editor:  When you venture on ebay you are never sure who you are dealing with.  They may not have a lot of expertise, plus their idea of quality might not be the same as your idea of quality.  They may send you something that differs from what you asked for.  As Verle said above, make sure you verify the part and condition.

 

I just found another source for early parts.

http://www.carolsclassiccorvettes.com/

Lloyd Miller, a noted restorer of 53-55 Corvettes said he has had good luck with them.

I have not asked them about hinge pins. 

Another issue, 55 hinges are aluminum. You have to be careful to not break them.

Verle

(Note:  From Web Editor:  The same disclaimer noted above applies.)

**********


Larry here from the Solid Axle Club.  I have a '61 FI and the welch plug on the side of the meter is seeping fuel.  Wondering who may have experience and be able to seal or replace the plug?


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Larry:  They all leak because the zinc casting cold flows causing the plug to loosen up and leak.  This is not a problem with the early sand cast aluminum fuel meters that use a pressed-in aluminum plug.  Don't try to replace it.  The factory pressed it in with a special fixture that no one I know has.  If it just seeps, I recommend living with it.  If the plug is so loose that it might pop out, you must epoxy it in place. If appearance doesn't matter, seal it with JB Weld.  JB Weld is not affected by gasoline when it is cured.  JB Weld sags until it cures.  Use wax paper to hold it in place while it cures.  Or remove the fuel meter (or the entire unit) and lay it on its side while the JB Weld cures.

If appearance does matter, you will have to remove the fuel meter top cover and try to compress the existing welch plug using large Channel Lock pliers or a "C" clamp and a steel bar or thick washer on the inside of the casting for support.  I have not tried this.  Do not use a hammer.  Be very careful not to break or warp the casting.

Do not use Cyanoacrylate (crazy glue) or RTV Silicone sealer.  These adhesives are not compatible with gasoline.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

**********


Due to illness, my 1959 sadly sat for too long.  Upon starting it, the
brake pedal went straight to the floor.  The master cylinder is dry (and
a little rusty).  There is no sign of a leak anywhere underneath or
around the lines or cylinder.  Any ideas what may have happened.   I run
Dot5 with stainless lines, but the brakes are original drums.  Hope
everyone is well and likely finding more time to work on your cars! 
Thanks for helping.

Best,
CLM


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Clark,

If there was brake fluid in the 59 when you parked it then it had to go somewhere. You state there are no visible leaks at the master, wheel cylinders or brake line fittings then there is only one other place it could be leaking. Check the under the dash at the rear of the master where the push rod enters the master. If the seals on the piston fail, fluid can leak out into the passenger compartment. If this is the case your firewall insulation pad will be soaked with silicone fluid . I run dot 5 in all my vintage cars.....one for over 30 years and several over 20 with no issues. I don't use SS brake lines because it can be difficult to get the fittings to seal. Last resort............fill up the master with dot 5 and pump the pedal until the leak presents itself. 

Chip Werstein

 

 

**********

Hello SACC Tech Help,

Sorry to bother you, but I had a question on rear axle bearings on a 1962 model.  I'm rebuilding the rear differential and installing new axle bearings while I have easy access.

The question is...when I install the axle bearings, should the shielded part of the bearing face outward or inward towards the ring gear.  the way it came out was with the bearing shield facing outward (it was leaking grease & oil).  I believe this direction is the way it left the factory, but having said that I've heard other people say to put the shield facing towards the ring gear.  The reasons cited are;
  1.  That the gear oil will help lube the bearing as it penetrates the bearing shield.
  2.   That the rubber seal with spring facing outward helps keep brake dust, water, and dirt from the bearing.
  3.   The the bearing shield facing outward will not stop the grease from leaking out and getting on the brake shoes.
So I can see good arguments for installing the bearing facing either direction and wanted to ask what the current thinking was from the folks at SACC.

Any and all opinions and insights are appreciated.

Thank you much!

Arvid


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Arvid,
Page 4-8 of the Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12 clearly shows that the rear bearing shield is installed to the outboard side to allow axle lube access to lubricate the rear bearings.

Get yourself a complete digital copy of Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12 on-line.
It will answer many of your questions at a glance.

Bill Huffman, pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC 

 

 

 

**********

Hello,  
>
> I'm hoping that you might be able to help me out or possibly direct in in the right direction for some help.  I am just finishing up with a from suspension rebuild on my 1956 which has a 1957 frame.  This is a car that I have never driven incidentally.  When I got everything back together it was quite obvious that there is something wrong with the right hand side.  That side has extreme negative camber which cannot be adjusted out even with the eccentric pushed all the way out.  The hub lays back at the top about three inches. The top of the brake hub is missing the upper control arm by about a quarter of an inch.  I thought that the steering knuckle might be bent, but on examination I think that it has been replaced with with the wrong part.  It doesn't have a stop on the back side either.  It could have never had one or it could have been broken off.
>
> So here is my problem, I have another steering knuckle from a 1949 Chevrolet and and one from a 1953 Chevrolet.  I have heard that they are the same as Corvette, but I have also heard that the spindle on them comes off at 1 1/2 inches lower.  Therefore they may not be the same as Corvette.  Do you happen to know what the casting number would be for those spindles.  If i knew what the casting numbers were for Corvette, I could try to match it up with one from a passenger car.
>
> Thank you for your time and help.
>
> Best regards,
> Michael

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Cahpter Advisor:  

Mike,

The steering knuckle ( I refer to it as the spindle ) is the same for both 53-62 Corvettes and 49-54 Chevrolet passenger cars. Casting number 3693446 for both left and right sides. I believe your problem is with the steering knuckle SUPPORT which is what the steering knuckle attaches to with the kingpin. I too have heard there are differences in the support but I don't know the exact differences. 

 

 

 

49-52 passenger steering knuckle support casting number...........................Rt.........3687652
                                                                                                                        Lf..........3687651

53-54 ..............................................................................................................Rt.........3703786
                                                                                                                         Lf..........3703785

53-62 Corvette................................................................................................Rt............3733450
                                                                                                                        Lf.............3733449

I have heard that the 53-54 passenger and 53-62 Corvette supports are dimensionally the same. The difference is the material they are made of but I can't confirm that. 3733450 knuckles can easily be purchased. In fact, I have a couple.

Chip Werstein     

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Here is the other part of the puzzle

The 49-52 pass car and 53-62 Vette spindle supports are the same.  The 53-54 pass car spindle supports have the knuckle for the king pin about 1 in. higher.  If the 53-54 pass car spindle supports are used on a Corvette, they will lowers the car.  See the photo.

Joe

 

 

 

 

**********

Thanks a bunch. I'm trying to trace ownership. (1962 Vette).   I believe there was only 3 owners including myself but am having difficulty. I was told the warranty was probably best way
Paul

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Paul,

I have never heard anything about warranty records and Chevrolet claims they don't have build sheets going back that far.The DMV offices in some states may keep vehicle ownership records from day one. I live in California which is not a state that keeps old records. I've owned my 62 since 1973 , a black plate California car, and I've never been able to trace ownership back prior to 1973. However, NCRS has shipping records on most Corvettes from mid 1962 going forward. This info can be purchased from NCRS and will provide you with the build date, ship date and the dealer it was shipped to. The last I heard they had info on 62's beginning with aprox VIN 6000. Perhaps the delivering dealer is still in business and may be able to provide some info. It's a long shot but..........

Chip Werstein

 

 

**********

I own a 1962 Corvette which I did a frame off restoration in 1977-80. The car has been driven 8500 miles since them. During some service this winter, I noticed play in the left front king pin. There is i n/out movement of the bottom of the tire. The wheel bearings have no runout. I dismantled the left side, cleaned everything and nothing looks worn. Measuring everything with micrometers, I see no difference in pin or bushing diameters compared to a new set. There IS a .002" difference between the bushing outside diameter and the inside diameter of the spindle bores. These are the free floating bushings. This seems excessive and could be the source of the movement. My question is, Are there any specifications for the good/discard diameters of the knuckle and spindle where the king pin bushings go? I did not notice this during the rebuild and can only guess what may have caused these bores to be large if in fact they are. I really don't want to take the right side apart to compare sizes, hence the reach-out to you.

Sizes Measured: 
Bushing ID - .868/.869" Bushing OD - 1.054" (lower bushing checks 1.053/1.054")
King Pin Diameter .866"
Spindle Bushing ID - Upper bore. - 1.056/1.057" Lower bore 1.056"
My mics are three place, and I plan to repeat the checks with a 4 place mic, but I doubt tenths of thousands are the problem.

Thank you for your time

Gary

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Gary,
Before you tear your car's front suspension apart, king pins are most likely only a small contributor to the looseness, especially if only the left side exhibits this.

Worn tie rod ends, a worn or poorly adjusted steering box worm & shaft gear,
a worn pitman arm ball stud, worn or poorly adjusted drag link bearing ends,
a worn/loose third arm bearing or even a cracked/broken third arm bracket (from lifting the front end with a jack) all have an impact on LF wheel in/out looseness.
I found all but the cracked third arm bracket after I added tapered bearings to my 1960.

Good luck with your search,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  Bushing Diameter:    1.05"
Bushing Length:    1.315"
Bearing Thickness:    .59"
Pin Diameter:    .866"
Material Type:    Steel

Apply a light coat of grease to the new bushings and insert into the spindle, aligning the grease channel
on the O.D. of the bushing with the grease zerk hole in the spindle.


IMPORTANT! Installing bushings incorrectly will cause premature wear of kingpin and bushings.

Verle

**********

have the frame on my 56' cleaned/primed    now, what color is closest to the original frame color    bearing in mind i will buy paint at ace   thks  gene  

From: Brad Bean, SACC President:  

Understand your desire to get the painting done while we are still under a "stay at home" order due to COVID-19, and Ace has some good products for around the house, including "Rust-oleum" paints for metal.  However, the frame is the base for everything else that follows, so I'd allow the time and expense to do it right, including purchasing the proper paint.  Not just color (which is a satin black), but quality, as well.

There are a number of sources for the proper automotive paint, including your local automotive paint supply stores.  If your local stores are closed, my mail order supply house of choice, for restoration automotive paints is "Eastwood" of Pottstown, PA.  You can call and speak with a specialist about your specific needs, ie: color, type and quantity.  They also offer spray cans, if you don't have a paint gun and compressor.  Call: I-800-345-1178 or order on-line www.eastwood.com

Good luck!

 

**********

Looking to find correct positioning of trunk and deck lid weatherstrip on a 1958 Corvette. Been looking for hours but nothing concrete is showing. Thank You Dale

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River chapter VP:  First, adjust the trunk lid to a good fit with the body.

The trunk weather strip was installed to trunk lid inner lip with the seam (ends) located at the bottom center, near the latch mechanism. 56-57 Technical Information Manual.

From personal experience on my 57, if you actually want it to seal you may have to custom fit. That is, verify the weather strip is actually in "good contact" all the way around.
I had to add material to "make the weather strip thicker" on a lower corner. The material I added was a piece of weather strip with the thick edge trimmed off. You would get judging deductions for that. I wanted a good seal because we drive the car.

I suggest you buy the NCRS technical manual for your car. It has lots of details like this.

Verle

 

 

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

 

 

 

 

 

Here is additional information for the trunk weatherstripping.

It is not tubular in shape.
From the 1956-7 JM:
Trunk lid weatherstripping is of the same type as door seal. It was installed to trunk panel inner lip with the seam located at the bottom center, adjacent to latch mechanism. Yellow adhesive was brush applied and may have been excessive. Weatherstripping should not show
signs of paint overspray.
If you have the typically weatherstripping, it is somewhat like an L.  The 'thin' leg is glued to the trunk vertical surface.  The fatter leg lies against the trunk horizontal surface.  

Joe

 

 

**********

how many body bolt downs (body to frame) are there

-Sharon


From: Chip Westein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

The answer is 12. 13
  if you count the spare tire hold down bolt.

Chip Werstein

 

 


 


From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  According to the GM Manual: 1953-1962 Corvette Servicing Guide page 1-47:  
   
    The underbody attaches to the frame body mounting brackets at ten locations (fig.103).
    The ten body bolts and washers are installed from the top side of the underbody.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have purchased a 1962 radiator .it has a date code of 62L stamped on top as usual.but this date goes beyond when they stopped making 62 cars.the code L is for november. i wonder if harrison made more than GM ordered or just made extras as the 63s were different.maybe gm had ordered more as they knew some would get damaged in collisions etc. i am wodering if anybody has run into this late date code and what it means.i submitted a ? earlier about what posi fluid to use in my covette and really apreciate the response.
 
steve


From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  Aluminum radiator #31150916 was used in late 61, and all 62 with external supply tank 3151016.

The radiator was probably produced for some time after 62 assembly was ended for the parts supply system.
The later dates are considered replacement parts. There would be a minor deduction in judging if everything else was correct (part number, configuration, etc).

A lot of OEM/NOS parts fall into this category. Everything is correct except the date code.

Verle

 

 

 

 

**********

I have been spending time getting our 1961 Corvette roadworthy again.  I ended up taking the tach and speedometer out of the car and having a rebuild of them from D&M Restoration in Greenville, SC.  Very happy with their work.

 

The issue I have now is that the tach is not reading correctly and is reading high through all revs.  My question is about the pulley on the generator.  I have a 3 5/8” diameter pulley on the generator.  I am thinking that the 4” pulley would bring the RPM’s down and make the reading more accurate.

 

Am I on the right track here?

 

Rob

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP:  The mechanical tachs are similar to the speedometer, they can be calibrated internally.
You might talk to D&M about it.

When I had my tach rebuilt I talked to them about calibration and they verified it.

How do you know the tach is not reading correctly? Have you compared it to another (electric) tach?
I would try to verify the tach reading before doing anything.

Changing the pulley size would adversely effect the generator output.

Verle

 

 

**********

I have a 1960 corvette that I am repainting. As part of this effort I need to repaint the underside of the hood. I will be using a satin black paint; is this the correct hue? Also are the male hood plates (on the hood) satin black or are they some type of plating? I have searched the web and found pictures of both painted satin black and what appears to be silver painted. Thanks in advance.

Thanks for your time.

Regards,
Book


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter:

Book,
Two members of Michigan Chapter actually worked as engineers on the C-1 production line in St Louis.
I asked them this same question several years ago.
The answers are: the inside of the hood was painted in semi-gloss black, on the production line from inside the engine compartment before the chassis/ body joining. The cowl side edge  & two outer edges were masked with a fabricated drop on & off cardboard mask to keep the outer edges body color.
Both sets of zinc dichromate plated hood latches (male & female) were installed in the car before painting the engine compartment. Original condition would appear to have black overspray on the latch edges only & not under the latches.

Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Book,

I will once again strongly suggest that anyone wishing to restore a Corvette correctly purchase an NCRS judging manual specific to their year car.

1. Under side of hood paint.  Semi flat black, matching engine compartment blackout.

2. Hood hinges, latches and locks.  These items were cad plated and installed prior to body painting and engine compartment blackout painting. They may and probably will appear with blackout paint over spray in varying degrees.

Chip Werstein

 

From: Brad Bean, SACC President:

I agree with Bill's statement that painting the underside of your hood "satin" black, as well as painting the "male" hood latches the same color is correct. The latches were affixed to the underside of the hood prior to painting.  

On a personal note... during the first restoration of my '60 Corvette, I removed my hood latches and noticed the area under the latches was unpainted fiberglass, supporting the fact the underside was painted with latches in place.  

Over years, paint adheared to the fiberglass, but started pealing from the bare steel latches.  This gave rise to the incorrect theory the latches had been unpainted.  This and personal preference is why you see some latches in natural steel.  However, if restoring as original, this is incorrect.

Good luck with your restoration!


From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Here is additional information from the 1956-7 JM.  I do not have a later C1 JM.

Underside of hood panel is semi-flat black, matching engine compartment black-out.

All metal items in rear latched & hood lock are cadmium plated, except for the coil springs, which are painted gloss black. However, these hardware items were installed prior to exterior body paint and engine
compartment blackout painting, and therefore may appear with paint overspray, in varying degrees, much of which may not have completely adhered to these lubricated parts.

 

**********


Again thanks for your help.

I did the following tests.   Battery is good/Strong/new    Tank is full.

With the key on I have 12.5 volts.

the key on and the 2 lines to the sending unit.  the gauge reads full or full plus.

I removed the sending unit and only get about a .02 change in the resistance from 0.00 to 0.02.

The unit is new (less than a year) but I am I correct to think the sending unit is bad?

When everything is hooked up, the gauge moves from below empty to empty.

Thanks for you help.

Todd

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP and Advisor:  Todd,

Since you have the sending unit out take a close look at the coils. Most covers are attached by tabs that bend over to hold it in place. Straighten the tabs carefully, remove the cover and inspect the surface where the moving contact rubs on the coils. Look for corrosion and/or broken wires. I have had mixed success with repairing those things. If there is corrosion you can try sanding with fine emery cloth or sand paper. Don't rub too hard you can displace wires.

Verle

 

 

 

 

**********

I just received my dads 1960 corvette that has been parked for 15 years.  I’ve got it running and the fuel gauge doesn’t work.    He says it worked when he parked it.   And we replaced the fuel tank and pick up unit this winter.   Mow the gauge doesn’t work.     

I plan in taking the pick up unit out and testing it with a volt meter to ensure it is working.    

Any Advise on what to test or look for on the gauge side?

The other question I have is I would like to put larger wheels or tires on it.   Does anyone know the max size that will fit and look appropriate.

This will be a driver, as it doesn’t have matching numbers.

Thanks for your help.  Todd

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP and Advisor:  Todd,

Since you have the sending unit out take a close look at the coils. Most covers are attached by tabs that bend over to hold it in place. Straighten the tabs carefully, remove the cover and inspect the surface where the moving contact rubs on the coils. Look for corrosion and/or broken wires. I have had mixed success with repairing those things. If there is corrosion you can try sanding with fine emery cloth or sand paper. Don't rub too hard you can displace wires.

Verle

 

 

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP and  Advisor:  Does the gauge not move at all? Is there fuel in the tank?

The gauge is hot all the time. It should have 12 V. Check that first.

The "sending unit" is just a variable ground.
Check for 12 V to the sending unit. If the key is on and the battery is good there should be 12 V. If not 12 V, check the wire for damage. Make sure the connection on the Gauge is clean.
Ground the wire where it connects to the sending unit. The gauge should show empty.
The tank must have a good ground to the frame or some other place that is grounded to the battery.




Are you talking about larger diameter wheels or just wider wheels.

I have 15X7 with 215 70 15s. They look good and work good, don't rub. 57 Corvette.

I have no experience with wheels larger than 15"

Verle

**********

My question is about what fluid I should use in the rear end of my 1961 Corvette. It is a posi rear. Right now I have an open rear end, but originally my car was equipped with a posi rear end as it has the vent. I purchased an original correct posi unit for my car. Which I will be installing this spring. I know I can't use silicone fluid in the rear end. Would I use 80/90 lube? What posi additive should I use?

Thanks for the help!

If you have any questions email me and I while respond.

Thanks,
Steve

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

Steve

I have used in my early Corvette rear ends Stay Lube 80W90 limited slip gear oil part# SL 2473 ( one gallon with pump) and one bottle ( 4 oz.) of AC Delco limited slip additive # 88900330......$9.00 from Summit. Put the additive in first and then fill up with oil. 

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

**********


my 1961 (driver) is an early vin with a copper/brass radiator. (Not the radiator that has the funny offset tank) The fan shroud lacks a good 1 1\2 inches of sealing off the top tank.  Is there a special shroud for a 61 that does not have the aluminum radiator?


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

I would suggest you refer to the NCRS 61-62 judging manual for complete information.

Very early 61 base motor cars used left over 60 copper radiators. supposedly there were 192 left over.

after that all engines used left over top tank aluminum radiators.

After  61 aprox vin 1700 all remaining 61 and 62's used the later aluminum x flow style.

All 61 and 62 fan shrouds are the same

However there were 3 different core supports used in 61 so you may have a radiator/core support mismatch.

I will also add that in 50 years of playing around with C-1 Corvettes, I have never seen a 61 with an original copper radiator.

Chip Werstein

From: Verle Randolph, Red River Chapter VP and Advisor:

 
The  shroud should be a three piece top. The center shows to be 4 inches depth.
Logo is P in a keystone. Stamp on the vertical.
No measurement on the gap or set back on the fan.  All shrouds are the same but supports are different.

Verle

 

 

 

 

 

**********


Found a 59 Vette n trying to verify vin to engine....is there anyone or a document to do that? Also original specs ? Color etc.


From: Brad Bean, SACC President:  

Sorry, but on C1 Corvettes, there is no direct link between the VIN and the engine number, and there are no longer production records indicating which engine was installed in a particular vehicle (all records were destroyed in a fire).  However, to see if the engine is "possibly" the original block, you can estimate the vehicle's date of production by using the VIN and Corvette monthly unit production numbers; then compare that with the production date of the engine block (located on the engine's stamp pad) to determine if they are compatible.  There are various opinions on this but general guidelines indicate the engine block should have been produced two to six weeks prior to the vehicle's production date.  If the these align, it indicates the numbers are "matching", but not necessarily "original".

As mentioned all C1 production records were lost in a fire, and C1s did not have trim tags or build sheets, so unless the previous owners kept the original bill of sale or early items (like color photos and copies of vehicle registrations, etc...), color and options are difficult to substantiate.

There are some physical traits on the vehicle that could indicate if it came with certain options, but you either need to know what you are looking for or know someone who does and is willing to help.  A local NCRS C1 judge or restoration shop, specializing in early Corvettes, might be your best bet.  

The stamp pad on a 1959 283 CI block is located on the front right (passenger) side of the block, just beneath where the valve cover meets the manifold.  It protrudes out from the block and the numbers can easily be seen with a flashlight with the hood open.


The engine number should be stamped into this "flange" (not raised numbers/letters).  It should be six characters long. Starting with the letter "F".  All letters are capital.

Starting with 1960 production the last six numbers of the VIN will precede the engine number.  So you can tie in the serial number with the engine, but not for '59.

 


There are two ways to determine original color, but neither are an option if you don't own the vehicle.  In most cases, the color name was written on the back side of the passenger compartment (inside of the trunk) with a greece pencil.  If you remove the cardboard front trunk liner, you can sometimes see the outline of this thru the paint.  If the car has been restored and repainted, this is probably gone.  The other way is to scratch off paint from one of  several areas, where it would be difficult for a shop to have removed all of the original paint before repainting (such as the inside corners of the gas filler compartment).  But I doubt the current owner would consent to this and even if they did it is not 100% conclusive, as if the restorer had the body dipped, all traces of the original paint are probably gone.

I'm guessing you are looking to purchase this '59 and would like to verify some things before you buy it and time is short.  If so, my advice would be to enlist the services of a local professional.  If you have the time and are in this for the long run, suggest you locate a copy of Noland Adams' book: "The Complete Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide - Vol.1 1953 Through 1962".  These have been out of print for decades, are scarce and pricey (if you can find one), but a good investment and will help you understand the physical "tell - tell signs" of what to look for, what information is out there and where you can find it.

Good luck!

**********

Howdy, this is Darrell 1959 C1

I am looking for some guidance to the right direction to get the interior done my 59. It has been a complete body off restoration and I am not sure where to start with ordering interior kits, supplies and such. I will need foam for seats, carpet, and anything else needed for a 59.

 

Can anyone give me a direction or where is the best place to get interion supplies?

 

From: Brad Bean, SACC president:  

Appreciating the need not to give endorsecements, one can't answer this question without sharing the benefit of our experiences, including brands.  Also, there are as many answers to this question as there are members on the panel.  Frankly, it depends on what Darrell wants to do with his C1 and what he wants to spend, with the most accurate and correct reproductions generally being the most costly.

That being said, Al Knoch is generally recognized as one of the best for accuracy and quality (& most expensive).  However, decent quality interiors are available from Paragon, Corvette Central and Corvette America.  One more note... if he wants the original looks but the comfort and feel of leather, Corvette America also makes a leather alternative interior.

Of course, the end product will only be as good as the quality of the installation, so choose your upholstery installer wisely.  Also, if you are going to pay the price of a new interior, I recommend going the extra distance and purchase new springs and padding, as well.

 

Leather was not offered on C1s, including 1959.  I mentioned leather only as an alternative, as I wanted the look of the original interior, but was more interested in comfort versus having the car judged at NCRS.  And... living in Florida, didn't like sticking to the vinyl seats in short pants during the summer's heat.

Again your end purpose should govern the type and quality of interior you choose.  If restoring to NCRS & Bloomington Gold standards, then you want the most correct and best quality interior; Al Knock would be a good choice.  However, if you want a correct looking "driver", the others will work without the additional expense.

 

**********

Electrical issues:  I have a 62 Vette which I have done my best to keep as original as possible inside and out.  I was wanting to change out the radio system to a more updated unit with XM services.  Thus, I had the ignition switch on during a period for hookup but when I attempted to start the car it wouldn’t start. After checking under the hood for a short period I touched the coil in checking the coil wire and it was hotter than fire.  I noticed after close inspection it had cracked. (I take it the points were closed). Changed it out, removed distributor cap and points and they also were fried. Changed points and condenser and properly set points with feeler gages.  Turned ignition and car started right up.  Checked gauges battery was on full charge all working.  Went to turn off engine  after battery changed up and engine continues to run like I had not turned ignition off but left it on. I had to pull coil wire to turn off engine. Went to troubleshooting.  Disconnected the hot wire to the radio. Thought it may be my ignition switch. Changed it out started engine, turn switch to off engine still running.  Changed my voltage regulator and ballast resister no luck. Engine continues to run on off.  I am lost. Any HELP!!!

Thanks


From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

 

Hi Darrell

You may have an ignition switch issue.  When the switch is off, there should be no voltage to either the start wire or the run wire that goes from the switch to either side of the ballast resistor.  When the switch is at start, voltage goes to the ballast resistor and directly to the coil.  When the switch is ON, voltage goes to the ballast resistor, through the resistor and to the coil.

Also start the car while checking the voltage at the coil.  
1. Turn to ON.  Voltage should be less than 12V (8-11V?)
2. Turn to start. It should be 12-14V during starting. 
3. Start the engine, and release the key.  The voltage should drop to less than 12V (8-11V?) while running, since the electricity should flow through the resistor.  If the voltage does not decrease, it is pointing to an issue with the switch.

Check these.  You may have shorted the switch.

Joe

 

**********

I am having some steering tightness in the 61 Corvette. I Put new grease sockets and greased, but still hard to turn. Have you had any of this before? Maybe needs steering fluid!

Roger


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Roger,

This problem is nearly impossible to diagnose with your 3 sentence explanation, but I'll attempt to give some possibilities as to the root of your problem.......in no particular order.

1. There are 20 grease fittings in the front suspension. Did you grease all of them?

2. Do you run big tires or stock 6.70x15? Wider tires will make the car steer harder.

3. Do you have the stock 17" steering wheel or a smaller one? The big wheel gives the driver more leverage.

4. Has the front end ever been rebuilt? If not, after nearly 60 years it is probably worn out.

5. Have you checked the steering box for lubricant? Manual calls for 90 weight gear oil, but it will leak out quickly. I use 680 weight gear oil and I still have small leaks. Many people use grease but I don't like it. 

6. Steering box could be out of adjustment.

7. Steering box may be worn out especially if it has been running dry for a while.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

Chip Werstein

 

**********

I have two questions,
 
                I have 1961 Corvette that oil canister that holds the filter is leaking around the bolt that holds the filter to engine.
Rear end drain plug is also dripping oil after I installed new seal.
 
Thanks, Glenn.

Glenn,


 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Glenn,

I am not aware of any company that offers a rebuild kit for the oil canister. Try to tighten the bolt as much as you can.....that might stop the leak. Other options are replace the canister with another either used or repo. Or you could convert it to a spin on style filter.

Rear end drain plug leak.  I always put a good thread sealer on the drain plug. You will need to drain the rear end, thoroughly clean the plug and housing threads, re install the plug with thread sealer and refill the rear end.. I use a product called Right Stuff.

Chip Werstein

 

**********

Does anyone know what the function of the micro switch near the chock cam is for. The only way I can keep my car running after starting it is to insert a piece of cardboard between the switch and the cam. If I do not insert the cardboard the car barely runs and appears to run very rich.
Thank You,
Craig


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Craig:  The early FI units (prior to 1958) had an electric solenoid attached to an arm that, when activated by the car's starter circuit, caused full enrichment from the spill valve to assist in starting the car.  The solenoid is only activated while the starter is cranking.  When the starter is released by the ignition key the solenoid is disabled and the FI unit operates in the normal mode without starting enrichment.  The purpose of the micro switch is to disable the solenoid during engine cranking if the engine is flooded by flooring the gas pedal as you would with a carburetor.  This is process is called "unloading".  Evidently your unit is mis-wired so that the starting solenoid is always activated when the car is running or starting, causing a very rich situation when the car is running.  That is why you are having to activate the micro switch with a piece of cardboard to disable the solenoid.  You need to correct your wiring error by connecting the FI unit starting solenoid to the starter solenoid circuit and not the car's 12 volt battery.

Starting in 1958, a device called the Cranking Signal Valve (CSV) was introduced and the expensive solenoid and micro switch were eliminated.  Initially,the CSV was mounted directly to the Plenum and it caused full manifold vacuum to be applied directly to the main diaphragm on the fuel meter to cause the needed enrichment during starting.  In later units the CSV was moved to the Enrichment Diaphragm Cover causing manifold vacuum to be applied to the enrichment diaphragm assembly and that caused fuel enrichment during starting.  When the engine starts, manifold vacuum increases and the CSV senses this and shuts off the flow of manifold vacuum to the main diaphragm or the enrichment diaphragm.  To achieve "unloading" when the engine is flooded, flooring the gas pedal causes the air meter throttle valve to fully open, reducing the manifold vacuum to the CSV and reduces starting enrichment.  When the CRV fails to shut off the manifold vacuum when the engine starts, the engine runs in a very rich mode like you are experiencing.  When this happens, the CRV is defective and has to be replaced.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

**********


I’m looking for a template or dimensions to position the flags and “fuel Injection" insignia (coves and trunk lid) on my 1957 Corvette.  Do you know where I can find that information?  The mounting holes were eliminated when the car body was restored.  Thanks!
>
> Bill


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Bill,
Before you start drilling new holes, clean the back side of the cove panels down to the clean fiberglass. If it was really a fuelie, the holes filled with bondo are most likely still there.

Re-drill from the back side using as small a drill bit as possible then clean out the original hole with a slightly larger drill bit or small round file from outside the car.

Don't punch it out with a hole punch from the inside because that will blow out a large hole in your paint.

Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

**********

I just found your website and have an issue with my 62 Corvette. I
purchased the car in 1975 and have significantly restored it. I have
not, however, done anything to the transmission. It had a Hurst shifter
installed when I bought it. Lately it tends to 'lock-up' on the 2-3
shift and get 'stuck' in 2nd. Crawling  under the car and wiggling the 2
levers from the transmission will usually free it, but I can never tell
which wiggle does the trick. Is this a tranny problem or a Hurst
problem? Any suggestions?

Thanks so much.

--
Fair Winds,
Mark

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Mark,

I will assume your car has a 4 speed. I believe in always trying the "simple fixes" first. Before tearing into the transmission, I would re adjust the shifter. It's quite simple, but it's a tight working space in the trans tunnel. Hurst shifters are almost indestructible. It is possible the your 2nd or 3rd gear levers have somehow become miss adjusted or the 3rd gear stop has become loose and moved. Google Hurst Competition 4 speed adjustment for directions. Hope this solves your problem.

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

**********
Solid Axle Corvette Club:

Trying to find correct or original screws to mount speedo to dash set of two. For a 1956 Corvette.
Thank you

Richard

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

The assembly manual (section 12 sheet 11) shows the speedometer is mounted to the dash with two PN 187572 screws that bolt to nut plates that are riveted to the dash.  A have a note that says they are recessed hex head machine screws.

Joe

 

 

 

**********

Dear Solid Axle Club,

I have a 1957 Corvette with an original Rochester Fuel injection. I bought car In 1995 after a frame off restoration started in 1991.

The fuel injection was restored in that time frame. It basically has been running great since. Last week I noticed a strong gas smell

and noticed a lot of gas pooled on intake manifold. I cleaned up and haven't started since. Does this sound like a unit leak?

I'm taking it to my local rod mechanic Monday just to make sure it's not coming from somewhere else.

Can you recommend someone located near me who can repair or rebuild unit if necessary. I'm located in Temecula Valley.

I'm not a member but know several of your members especially Walden Dahl who has done lots of work on this car. I'm waiting

a return call from him. Also if you know any tech sites that might explain problem.

Thank You

Ron

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Ron:  If the fuel leak is under the fuel meter, the likely problem is the spill valve cover under the fuel meter.  It uses a rubber "O" ring to seal it, and these have a tendency to crack and leak when they get old.  If this is the problem, do not drive the car!!!  There is high pressure fuel under the cover, and this leak is the leading cause of FI equipped Corvettes burning to the ground.  You have to pull the unit to get at the cover screws, and you will need a new O ring.  It is easy to install.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Ron,

My guess is that the gasket between the high pressure pump and the fuel meter has failed or the high pressure shaft pump seal has failed. They are fairly simple fixes but the FI unit will need to be removed. Regardless do not drive the car. It is a fire looking to start. There are two people in your area who are fuel injection experts. Chuck Smith in Valley Center and Doug Prince ( 818-425-0679) in Murreitta. Walden is also a good choice but somewhat inconvenient for you.

Chip Werstein

 

 

**********


I have a 56 corvette and the speedo bezel needs to be restored/replaced. My question is are the groves on the front of the fuel suppose to be painted black or left chrome?

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Below the speedometer, the recesses are painted black.
From the Judging Manual, "Circular grooves in bezel have black paint strips."

Joe

 

 

 

**********

Hi Guys, you been a great help in the past and I’m hoping you can give me assistance with my sun visors?

 I purchased a new set of sun visors from Corvette America.  The sun visors have a seam around the entire perimeter where the vinyl meets.  There are no predetermined holes for the mounting rods which must go into the sun visor.  When I called Corvette America for technical help they had no answer and suggested I ask a form.  Can you please help me in how to best create the hole in the sun visor to insert the rod?

 Thanks again for your help,

 RS


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:

Roger,

The assumption by the aftermarket manufacturer & vendors is that you have existing sun visors that you use as a model for fitting your new hardware kit into your new sun visors. They fit exactly the same way.


I would use a blind hole locator punch from my screwdriver set to locate the holes in the visor inner structure & penetrate the vinyl.

I'm certain that Paragon https://www.paragoncorvette.com/ would be more than happy to fit new hardware to your visors if you or a local shop are unable to handle it.


Good luck with your project,

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

**********

Hello,

 I have 61 Corvette, my question is that my rear license plate does not work. I have power to the socket and the bulb is good.
I have notice that there is no ground to the light. Do I need a ground ? If so how do I wire it. I have looked for diagram on the internet no luck.
 Regards,

                Glenn

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Glenn,

The license plate light is grounded using the same wiring harness as the rear stop lights.

Check out page 66 of Paragon's C-1 catalog for a picture. https://www.paragoncorvette.com


Bill Huffman, Pres.

Michigan Chapter SACC

 

there is no wire coming out of the harness, I need to run ground wire from the light to ?

I have power at the socket

(From Bill Huffman)        All Corvette electrical equipment (lights, gauges,tank sending unit, radio, battery, WS wiper, etc.) are grounded to the frame / chassis.
Somehow the ground lead has broken or been cut. So open the rear light harness cable covering (tape), find the ground wire (use a meter to verify continuity to the chassis), splice in an extension wire and connect the ground to the lamp housing. Consult your local Advance Auto Parts or Auto Zone for help.

Or buy a new rear light wiring harness (Corvette Central P/N 661325).

Or buy a new rear light wiring harness  (Paragon P/N 5319).

BTW- Get yourself a 1961 Corvette assembly manual CC or Paragon or Mid-America.

It answers most, if not all, your questions about your '61.

Good luck,

Bill Huffman                      

 

 

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Hello Everyone
I purchased a 61 fulie 35 years ago . Its been running , is there a way to track the serial #
Thanks 
Jim

From: Brad Bean, SACC President:  

This is stating the obvious, but it may be your only opportunity, because there are no factory records at Chevrolet or GM on C1 Corvettes as hard copies were destroyed by fire, years ago. 

If you kept a copy of the title from your original purchase, this would give the name and address of the previous owner, and that's a good start. If so, you can write them to see if they have information on how long they owned the car and if they retained any records on the car's previous owner(s).  But, be prepared for a dead end as I've owned my C1 for 26 years, and when I wrote the former owner listed on the title from my purchase, I found they had long since moved with no forwarding address.

Another possibility, if you've stayed in the same state since your purchase and it has a history in the same state, there is a small chance your state department of motor vehicles may be willing and able to help track it.  However, most state records only go back so far and hard copies were destroyed when they converted to microfilm and these were discarded when they converted to digital.

A long shot... SACC members have the ability to place a free ad  our quarterly magazine, "On Solid Ground".  Place an inquiry ad asking if anyone has information relating to your VIN number, along with your contact information, and see if anyone responds.

These are my only ideas.  If another of our members has any suggestions, I welcome their comments.  Good luck!

**********

Good morning:
Would we have a diagram of wiring generator/regulator and distributor with tach drive gen on 1961 corvette?

Harold

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Harold:  Most of the answers you need and much more are found in Chevrolet's official shop manual for the C1 Corvettes:  Corvette Servicing Guide, Publication ST-12.  The Chassis Wiring for 1961-62 models is found on page 12-14.  The actual servicing of the distributor is found in Section 6Y, Engine Electrical.  ST-12 does not cover the servicing of the generator and voltage regulator and the operation of the car's charging system.  For that you have to refer to the 1961 Chevrolet Passenger Car Shop Manual, Publication S&M-32, Section 9, Electrical Systems.

Corvette Central sells the ST-12 Corvette Servicing Guide reprint, but not the car shop manual.  Actually, any Chevrolet car shop manual for the 1955-1962 models should give you the information you need to service the charging system.  If you will be in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 9th, I will be teaching the operation and servicing of the C1 Corvette electrical system at our SOCALSACC Fall Tech Session.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

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Greetings!
I’ve recently installed a power rack and pinion steering system in my ’62 Corvette. I removed the serial number tag from the original column after taking a picture of it in position. I contacted our county’s Ohio State Highway Patrol office, and the Sgt there is willing to work with me on properly documenting the repositioning of the s/n tag to the driver’s door post.

I’m curious if you have any photos of 1959 and earlier C1s with the tag location on the door post, so I can duplicate the position as closely as possible. The local Sgt actually suggested positioning the tag on the door post, as opposed to the cowl near the steering column, saying he has seen many early Corvettes with them there. He was not aware of the ’62 tag being located on the column.

Once I have a photo of a door post-mounted tag, I need to take the car to the local Post, where they will write me a letter explaining why the tag is not in its original position.  Ant help will be appreciated.

Regards,
Dave

From: Joe LeMay, Socal Chapter Advisor:  This is an NCRS article that relates to California, but should be a good guide for use in any state.

VIN Verification

Joe LeMay (55193)

 

 


(Although the process applies to any car, it was specifically for my 1957)

There are some words and phrases that we in NCRS really like.  They are things like: typical, appears to be factory applied materials, casting date within 6 months of production date, Top Flight, Duntov.

There are other words and phrases that we in NCRS do not like.  Not typical, wrong, incorrect, “not lacquer,” and the worst one- counterfeit.  Counterfeit can really get you in trouble.

You so proudly show up with your car for a judging meet for flight judging, sportsman, or just to be there.  Someone looked at your VIN tag with an opinion “this is not the VIN tag that was issued and installed at the factory.  St. Louis did not use that one.”  You are informed that your VIN tag is not the typical factory VIN tag.  It is a counterfeit. 

The part of the Judging Reference Manual that applies to the VIN tag reads:

“The car must have the correct attached Chevrolet factory Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate or an attached valid state-approved replacement ID plate that matches title and/or registration.  ….. Any car appearing without identification as described shall be ineligible for any NCRS judging.”

 

So what needs to happen now?  It is really simple.  There are two options. 
1. Just show your car with a bad VIN tag to the California Highway Patrol.  They will look at it.  Then they take your car away and you never get it back.  That is it.  Never to be seen again.  Only the pictures remain.  Judged again?  You just want to drive it again!
2. Keep the car.  Send a letter to the NCRS.  Tell them they will never see your car again.  You are through.

No those are the wrong approaches.  You have a VIN tag that looks like this (photo).  Looks good, right?  It is the tag that came with the car, right?  You bought it that way.  You have a CA title.  The registration is current and you legitimately drive the car on the street.

The process with this counterfeit mess is much simpler and you will not lose your car.  The resolution is clearly stated in the JRM.  You need to get your VIN verified with a state-approved replacement ID plate.  The process can sound scary.  The reality is something different.  Here is what you do in California.

During the assembly process in the St. Louis plant, the VIN number was stamped on the frame.  On a C1, the VIN number is stamped twice on the frame.  The frame stamps are on the top side of the frame right below the driver seat, about half way along the door.  Then during body drop, the corresponding VIN tag was attached to the body. 

 

Although there is a VIN tag attached to the body, the true VIN number for the car is associated with the number stamped on the frame.  During restoration or collision repair, if the body or frame is changed, the VIN tag that matches the frame stamp is to be used.

If the body is replaced, the VIN tag that matches the frame must be installed on the replacement body.  Nothing changes.  If however the frame is replaced, the VIN tag that matches that frame must be used.  Your VIN has changed.  You need a clean title for that replacement frame to be installed.  Your car will now have a new VIN, new title, and new registration.

You will not be able to see the VIN on the frame with the body firmly bolted to the frame.  How do you see the frame stamp and get a photo of the frame stamp?  You may need this information if you want to be certain this old car that changed hands so often is what your paperwork says it is.

Here is the process to see the frame stamp and get a photo of it.  Unloosen all the nuts for the body bolts a few turns.  There are two at the radiator support, four on each side under the body (8 total), and the two in the rear in the fender wells.  Now, remove the four nuts under the body on the left side.  Place a 2x4 wooden block on the body floor just outboard the frame.  This is where the outer seat bolts are located.  Ensure the block is long enough to support the weight of the body without cracking the floor.  Jack up the body an inch, creating space between the body and the frame.  The body will move.  Just do not go too far.

Now find the VIN frame stamp.  It should be about in the midpoint of the door.  You may need to clean the top of the frame to remove dirt, etc.  Use a mirror placed and held against the body.  Reflect a light onto the frame.  You should see both VIN stamps.  They are only a couple of inches apart.

Take a few photos of both VINs stamped on the frame.  I taped a mirror to the body to hold it in place.  It could take some experimenting with the angle and intensity of the light and the camera to be used.  The camera needs to be able to focus very close to the object.  I had more success with an iPhone 5S than a digital camera.  I may not have had a macro setting on the camera?

So now what do you need to do?  Gather all the information you may have on the car.  It could be the current title, and any past titles that you have as a record.  You have your registration, license and insurance card.  You have a photo of your VIN tag, and the photos of the VIN frame stamps. 

Make copies of all this information.  You will be submitting the copies.  I did not have any of this information returned to me, so do not provide original documents.  Call your local CHP to make an appointment to have your VIN verified.  They do this all the time and it is not some crazy request.  You will most likely meet others at the CHP office doing the same thing.  When I was there, a guy had inherited his mother’s car from Georgia, it had been repaired and the VIN tag was missing.

Go to the CHP office for your scheduled appointment.  They will take all your paperwork, and take your car behind a fenced area to complete the process.  They will drill two holes for the rivets to attach their replacement ID plate to your door frame.  Their ID plate number will match the VIN tag and the current title.  They will also provide you with a copy of an Application for Vehicle Assigned Identification Number Plate.  That is their record of the replacement ID plate.

I requested they not mount their replacement ID plate to the space where the original VIN tag was located.  They added theirs below the original area.  I did not want to lose the original look of the VIN tag.  A potential new owner may want to see that tag.  The entire process took an hour and was very easy to do.  Here is the final product.

One more thing; If you are going to have your car judged (which is why I went through this exercise), remove your ‘counterfeit’ VIN tag before it is presented for judging.  NCRS does not want to see that non-original on the judging field, but the replacement ID plate meets all of their requirements.

 

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Hello 

I have a 1960 corvette I am rebuilding. Have a few issues I have ran into.

The temp gauge reads about 20-30 degree to high can these be recalibrated?
The engine when 1st started when cold has 70 lbs pressure the oil gauge only goes to 60 will it damage the gauge going to 70 when warm drops down to correct temp?
Is there someone that rebuilds the original horns?
Thanks
Jeff

 

From: Joe LeMay:  

Hi Jeff

The temp gauge can vary depending on the ambient temp and the condition of the cooling system.  Those variations also consider whether the gauge itself is reading correctly.  What is very important with these systems is whether the electrical connection between the gauge and the threads is continuous.  If you use Teflon tape or some other material to seal the sender with the intake manifold, that can create added resistance, and an inaccurate gauge.  You can check the sender by immersing it in a pot off very hot water at a known temperature.  Keep in mind, these engine temperatures can rise in hot summer months.

Oil pressure as high as you are seeing is very easy to create.  Just get an oil pump with a high pressure spring.  The stock oil pressure for these C1 engines is 45 psi.  You can restore that pressure by selecting and installing the correct oil pressure relief spring.  That will require access to the oil pump.  Is that part of your rebuild?  The gauge itself is very simple and usually trouble free. 

All C1s used a 45 psi oil pressure spring and had a 60 psi gauge.  A higher volume pump is not beneficial in a small block.  It just allows more oil to be bypassed at the pump.  It also puts more oil into the top of the engine where it can leak out.   The oil pressure spring that comes with any new pump may not be correct, and I suggest making the change at the time of installation to insure you will have the correct and desired pressure, via the spring.  The 45 psi spring is available from GM as P/N 3814903.  Order that spring and insure it is installed in the pump.  It will provide 40-45 psi @ 2000 rpm in a hot motor.  There is also the 49 psi green spring that is available through Melling.

There are a couple of horn rebuilders.  We just lost one of the better rebuilders.  Horns are very simple and disassembling one may show how easy they are to adjust.  Are you looking to try it yourself?

Joe LeMay

 

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Need help! Would like to get information on the alignment and how to DIY recover the cloth top on my 58 if anyone has DVDs or step by step  instructions I would appreciate it very much there doesn't seem to be anyone in my area that knows how at a reasonable price so once again I get to do it myself thanks!

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Jerry:  Al Knoch not only sells a convertible top for your 1958 Corvette, but he sells a DVD that instructs you on how to install the top yourself.  He sells his Top Install DVD for the 1956 through 1962 Corvette for $60.  His toll free order line is 1.800.880.8080, or visit his website at http://www.alknochinteriors.com.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

Jack /  Bill,
 
I put the Vintage Generator on with all the correct bracket for 61 Corvette. So far everything is working fine.
How to make few changes. Mounting plate for the Generator had to slot holes in the plate that got mounted to the
exhaust and the correct fan belt would not work. There is no way to get this belt on. Other than that everything is align.
Have about two fingers from heater hose to belt. So Far so good. Again thanks for your help. I have join the Solid Axle Club,
but they did not cash my check yet.
Two last question. What color paint is on 61 Corvette firewall and inner fenders ? Do you know any good transmission shops in New Jersy,
My T-10 Trans is leaking oil  around the shaft that holds the cluster gear in.
 
Regards,
Glenn

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Glen,

Generator. I am guessing that you have the wrong generator mounting plate and/or wrong u bracket. There are different parts for different applications. The belt issue could be incorrect size gen pulley or belt too short.


Trans leak.  If I am understanding you correctly, the trans leak is where the cluster shaft enters the front of the trans case. Your leak would be between the front of the trans and the bell housing. Before sending it to a trans shop, I would try the following simple fix.

1. loosen the 4 bolts that fasten the trans to the bell housing about 3/8 ". Do not remove them. With a large screwdriver, pry the trans back until it contacts the bolt heads.This can be done without removing the drive shaft or shifter.

2. clean the area between the trans and bell housing. I use the edge of a rag soaked in lacquer thinner. If you don't mind making a bit of a mess brake clean will work too.

3. take a linen business card (not a shiny card) or gasket material and cover both sides in gasket sealer.I use a product called The Right Stuff available at any auto parts store.

4. insert the card between the trans and bell housing so that it completely covers the cluster shaft area. Re tighten the 4 trans bolts. Let it cure for a day. This little trick should solve your leak. If it doesn't you have a very worn cluster shaft or hole or the leak is elsewhere. Good luck.

Chip Werstein
 

 

**********

I have a 1960 FI and it has windshield washer system. I am in need of a wiring schematic ( rubber hoses)  for the 60Vet. 


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:      

Ron,   

Page 73 of Paragon Reproductions C-1 catalogue shows the fuel injection windshield washer set-up. However, it appears to be a smaller copy of a drawing contained in the GM 1960 Corvette Assembly Manual which is really what you need to get. It's available from any of your favorite Corvette parts vendors.

Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have a 1960 with a reproduction steering wheel. I need a high quality Red replacement or a place that can repair the original which has cracked at the spokes.

 Can you help?

 Tom

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Tom:

If it is top flight or Duntov material, Richard Dunham is your guy. He is an NCRS Judge & SACC Member from Michigan who restores original steering wheels. It's not cheap...he offered to upgrade my '60 wheel last year for $1000.
 

If your car is similar to mine, a really nice driver I've owned for 51 years and don't plan on selling , Corvette Central or Paragon and a half dozen others sell quality reproduction wheel kits for less than $500.
 

 Regards,
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

**********

Hello,

 I have a question about my 1960 roadster.  When the convertible roof is folded and the rear deck closed, the fit is terrible.  The rear deck sits about an inch above the rest of the car!  I’ve attempted to adjust the roof with no luck.  If you can provide any help with respect to getting a better fit I’d very much appreciate it.

 My apologies for the email signature…a guy has to work!!

 Rog


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Roger:  I have never heard of the type of problem you seem to be having. I own a 60 and two 62's, all with soft tops. You seem to be saying that with the soft top assembly folded into the top compartment, when you slam the deck lid and it latches, that the deck lid back surface pops up about one inch above the trunk lid surface.  Does it do this with the soft top up in place?  If not, I suspect that the connection between the soft top cover hinges and the soft top fiberglass cover is broken, and needs to be repaired.  

 
One of the problems with today's service replacement soft top fabric is that it is at least twice as thick as the original fabric.  The result is that the top assembly does not easily fold down into the top compartment cavity.  The ends stick up, and you have to slam the cover to compress the folded top into the compartment.  This puts a lot of stress on the fiberglass soft top cover, and this could have resulted in the fiberglass connection with the cast steel hinges has fractured.  If this is what happened, it will be very difficult to repair the fractured fiberglass well enough so that it will be strong enough to take this kind of force.  You may have to purchase a used top cover.  A used cover should be readily available, but will have to be painted to match the rest of the car.

 
Another  possibility is that the soft top cover hinge assembly has broken loose from the car body.  You will have to remove the cardboard cover in the trunk to see if this happened.  I have never heard of this happening.

 
Larry Pearson

 

From: Brad Bean, SACC President: 

I too have a '60 with a soft top.  Like you, I had a similar folded roof problem, to the point that it cracked my deck lid at the two ends.  

 
Unless the car has been altered, the distance between the bottom of the storage area and the deck lid, when closed, is a constant.

 
Assuming you have made all possible adjustments...  my first question... do you use a "pillow" or folded towel to keep your rear window from being scratched?  If so, make sure it does not impede with the joints when folded. 

 
If not, and it's the correct top for your car, the struts are probably bent.  Another sign that is is the problem is the two support bars, with weather stripping, above the side windows form a slight "V" rather than being straight across. The bends may not be detected by the untrained eye, and if you have not done this before I reccomend sending it to a professional soft top shop to have it straightened.  This process will probably require the replacement of the soft top material, as well.  While it's there, may as well have them refinish the metal and replace the weatherstriping.

 
This has been my experience, but if someone else has a less costly solution, I invite them to please pass it along.

 
Good luck!

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Rog,
 

Since you live in area code 705, we will be at Mackinaw Corvette Crossroads on August 24th. If you can make it, I'd be happy to take a look at it.

The deck lid position relative to the body is controlled by the hinge mechanism and the latch.  If tight & properly adjusted, it should be the same whether the top is up or down.

Either the top is not folding properly (could be long handles on the top header bar latches or 60 year old top frames don't fold the way they're supposed to) or the tank cover is sitting too high to allow the top to fold.

If there is anything under your deck lid other than the folding top frame, take it out. You can only pack extra stuff after the top is fully seated. 

The few C-1 big tank cars (mostly racing cars with heavy duty suspension & brakes) made were hard top only due to insufficient folding top space. Was the folding top added later and not installed correctly ?


 

Buy a 1960 Assembly Instruction Manual. Owning a C-1 can be a study in the history of questionable repairs or modifications by previous owners. The manual tells you what's supposed to be there.
 

Good luck with your project,
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

**********

Having an intermittent problem with switch to start engine, I have replaced switch still have problem
Ignition lock cylinder?? Is this next? Replace or is there a repair procedure to follow
Input appreciated
Thanks
George

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

George:  If the replacement ignition switch functions mechanically then the lock cylinder cannot be the problem.  You don't give many details, so I will go down the list of things that could be the problem.

1.  When you turn the switch to "START", does the interior light (an option in 1958) go out?  If your car does not have the interior light over the radio, then turn the headlights on instead.  If the light(s) goes out, then your battery is defective or the terminals to the battery are corroded and need to be cleaned.
2.  If #1 passes, then does the starter solenoid click when you turn the switch to START?  If not, then the problem is either the wiring to the starter solenoid or the solenoid itself.
3.  If #1 & 2 passes, then the problem is the large contacts inside the solenoid that connect the battery to the starter, or the starter motor brushes are worn out.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

**********

Driving season is coming soon here in the Northeast.  I’d like to install brighter LED taillights in my ’62.

Any recommendations?


From: Bill Preston, Red River Chapter President:  

I recommend changing to an LED assembly, not just changing the bulb. The assemblies are much brighter than the bulbs alone. One source for an acceptable unit is Corvette Central part #492138. A word of caution: If you're changing the front parking lights to LED, as well, you will need an LED flasher or equalizer. If you leave your front parking lights with the original type incandescent bulbs, you won't have to change the flasher. (The LEDs pull so much less current that the existing flasher won't function without a fake load on it)

Bill Preston

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi Folks !

Love my ’62 but frustrated with the audibles when rough road causes both doors to rattle.  Think I could repair/replace cause but would appreciate knowing beforehand what parts are usually at fault and what is required to effect repairs to make it nice and tight again.  Any words, books, articles, videos would be helpful.

Thank-you,

Gary

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Gary:  The door windows have a chrome plated steel frame that rides in felt or velvet channels to avoid a metal-to-metal contact problem.  The chrome window post on each door has riveted to it a felt-lined channel to prevent a metal-to-metal contact.  The felt wears with use to the point where the window frame can make contact with the metal bead on each side of the channel that can result in an audible rattle.  Corvette Central sells replacement front channels.  At the rear of the door there is a black painted steel "U" shaped channel that originally was lined with black velvet that was glued to the inside of the channel.  With age and use, this velvet liner comes loose and falls inside the door.  With the velvet gone and the window down, the metal-to-metal contact here will cause a very audible rattle.  This is probably the source of your rattle, because this eventually always happens.  Corvette Central sells replacement velvet that you have to glue into the channel using contact cement.  They do not service the channel with new velvet in it.  There are also velvet-lined seals stapled to the two stainless steel moldings on the top of each door.  These can wear out and cause rattles.  Corvette Central sells replacement seals and staples for the correct look.

Refer to the factory C-1 shop manual, Corvette Servicing Guide, Publication ST-12 for instructions on how to perform the repairs.  Corvette Central sells reprints of this manual.  The information is found on pages 1-14 through 1-17.  You do not have to remove the window assembly to preform this work, in my experience.  The rear channel is not pictured, but is held in place with two screws at the back of the door, which are shown.  The channel comes out through the rear access cover.  You have to remove the the arm rest, door panel, and the access cover to do this.  Be careful not to over-tighten screws that thread into fiberglass, or the fiberglass will strip out.  I repair stripped out holes with JB-Weld.  But that is another story.

 

Larry Pearson

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1962 fuelie of 340 hp,was my dad's car,6500 rpm tech and finned brake drum. how can I tell if was f.i. or carburetor car.brother in law stored it on dirt floor pole barn last 15years.has 350 and 4 speed, in#20867S102053.any information would be great. thanks p.s. Brother in law wants to buy high tech chassis and motor, power steering, and disc brakes ,I want to keep original frame and finned drum brakes.


From: Brad Bean, SACC President:  

Sounds like you'd  like to be able to show your father's '62 was a "fulie" in order to make a case for higher value as an original restored car vs a "restomod"...   

My personal tastes lean to "original" vs restomod, but that is a matter of taste as economics are not on your side. Recent auction prices indicate a nicely done restomod will bring a higher price as most NCRS top flight car, especially for '6l & '62 models.

FYI... there were 14,531 Corvettes produced for 1962, 1,918 of which were fuel injected (13.2% of production).

However, I digress... back to your question.  As there was no "trim tag" on a '62 Corvette and the original engine is missing, there are a number of things that might indicate it may have been originally equipped with a fuel injected engine.  The first four assume the front end has never been replaced.

1).   The '62 "Fuel Injection" emblem had two studs, so two holes would have been made in the body pannels.  Check inside the fender body pannel, behind the wheel well openings.  Look, or feel, beneath the crossed flag emblems to determine if there is evidence of these holes having been filled. (If feeling, wear gloves as the fiberglass may be rough.)

2).  The fuel injected air cleaner was fastened with two bolts to a bracket which was attached to the fender with rivets.  Carbureted cars would not have this bracket.  So, look at the left (driver side) inner fender lip, about 10 inches forward of the master cylinder for this bracket or evidence of the rivet holes.  For aesthetics, the bracket may have been removed and the holes filled, so feel inside the lip for signs they may have been filled (again, use a glove).

3).  If the radiator has not been replaced... for fuel injected Corvettes in 1962, they used rectangular retainers with rubber seals on each side of the radiator, where it is attached to the front of the support.

4). Windshield washers, for Corvettes, were standard beginning with 1961.  For fuel injected cars, it was mounted on the passenger side, while for caubaureted cars it was mounted on the driver side.  So check the location of the washer unit.  If the washer unit has been removed or relocated, these holes may still be there, all on the inner fender.  Two above the battery for the vacuum tank, three vertical holes (aligned with the back of the valve cover), and between those two locations there would be four holes (drilled in a rectangular pattern).

Also, there would have been a hole in the firewall, behind the hood latch on the passenger side, for the washer hose.  If no hole, there would have been a dimple in the fire wall as a guide for this hole.  If the dimple is there, then a hole was never drilled.  However, if the surface is flat, the hole may have been filled, so check the inside of the firewall for signs of patching.

5). All '62 Corvettes had distributor driven tachs, however a fuel injected car would have a hole in fire wall, on the left side of the wiper motor for the cable, while a caubaureted car's cable would have been through a hole to the right of the wiper motor. 

There are other indicators, but most are based on whether or not the fuel injected engine had solid lifters.  

Regardless, these are just indicators of possible fuel injection.  If they exhist you may have a "fulie" but should have a professional confirm your findings before proceeding with your restoration.  If none of these sign are present, chances it was not a fuel injected car.  

Hope you and your brother in law come to a mutual agreement before things become akward at future holiday gatherings.  Otherwise, Thanksgiving dinner will be uncomfortable for everyone.

Good luck!

 

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Hi, I need to replace the spinners on my hubcaps on 57 Fuelie.  I do not need the entire dog dish, just the spinners.  The ones I am replacing are partially painted red.  That is, the left flag, the one with the little fleur de elis,  is painted red and everything else is black.
But all I can find on Ecklers and Corvette Central are all black, with no red whatsoever.  It is important for me to restore this to ORIGINAL because I will be selling it at Mecum in May in Indianapolis.  Do you know if the fuel injected 57 spinners are supposed to be red to set them apart from the carbureted cars?  Or perhaps these spinners were replaced at an earlier time by someone who did not know that they were supposed to be black?
Steve 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Steve,

The printing on 56-62  hubcap spinners was always painted black.

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

**********

Will the Wonderbar radio from 1958 and 1959 corvette will fit a 1960 corvette? What is the value of a totally restored radio?

Thanks

Jeff

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Jeff,

The wonderbar radios will fit the same but the knobs were sometimes different from one year to the next.

Both my wonderbar radios (and my clocks) were repaired be Corvette Clocks by Roger in Jackson, TN http://www.corvetteclocks.com/   I would call him regarding current value & repair.

 

 

 

 

 

From: Brad Bean, SACC President:  

Yes, a '58 or '59 radio will fit in a '60 Corvette.  Wonderbar radios were not just for Corvettes, as almost any model GM radio of that era are interchangeable.  The only difference are the tuning and volume knob differ from other models and for pre '58 and post '60 Corvettes.  Replacement knobs are avilable thru almost any Corvette Restoration parts supplier.

As theDr radios were not exclusive to the Corvette, they are readily available and not too pricey.  A decent older restored Wonderbar will bring $500 to $750. However, you can expect to pay $1200 to $1500 for a freshly restored one.

 

 

 

 

**********

Need help please,

I have contacted at least a dozen corvette websites to no avail. I have a 56 Corvette and am struggling with installing the upper Chrome trim on the glove box. I picked up four new retainer clips that get screwed into the fiberglass section but am struggling with installing the new chrome pieces without scratching the paint. Do the chrome pieces slide down and then up on the clips or are they angled on one side and then spread a little bit and pushed onto the clips. Any help or illustrations would be appreciated .

Mike

 

 

From: Bill Preston, Red River Chapter President:  The 2 top stainless trim pieces above the glove box door on a 56 must be snapped onto  2 NSS clips on each side that are mounted directly to the fiberglass with sheet metal type screws  (with the friction clip toward the sides), These trim pieces are closed on both ends making it necessary for you to snap them onto both the clips from the inside toward the outside. I use masking tape on the paint that will be exposed once the trim is in place. Don't put the tape under where the trim piece will be because you can't get it out once the trim piece is on.
 Bill Preston

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have purchased a 1962
Corvette. It is my first corvette. It has the removable hardtop with a soft top. I am looking for instructions on how to remove and install the hardtop. I will be picking this car up the end of April.

John


From: Brad Bean, SACC President:  

John,

Actually, fairly simple... undo the two upper latches located above the windshield, left and right.  Then flip up the two latches located on the deck lid (one behind each seat).  Make sure all latches are clear of the bars.  Unless you have a hoist to raise the top, it will take two people to lift the top off the car and remove it to the rear.

Good luck and enjoy your car.  When reinstalling the hard top, I've found it's easier to latch the upper catches first, then the rear.

Enjoy your purchase and please consider joining SACC.
 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

John:  Your hard top is secured to the car with two latches that connect the top front header to the windshield frame header and  two special stainless steel hex head bolts that hold the top rear frame to the the rear deck lid and two special stainless steel hex head bolts that hold each side bracket (one on each side) to the car body right next to the door opening.  Use an end wrench to remove these four stainless steel bolts.  Then unlatch the two front latches that secures the top front header to the windshield frame.  Two people are required to safely lift the top off the car (It can be done with one person lifting the top in the middle, but this is very risky if you lose your balance).  It weighs about 75 pounds.  The top should be stored on end with the back window frame against a wall and with the header on the floor on a piece of carpet or blanket.  Do not store the top horizontally on a box with the box pressing against the inside headliner.  This will cause a permanent indentation into the headliner, and this cannot be removed.  To reinstall the top, reverse this process.

The two chrome latches on the deck lid are used to secure the soft top rear bow to the deck lid.  You mention that the car has a soft top, but you did not ask for directions for putting the soft top up.  Here are some simplified instructions to help you out  It is a one-man operation, assuming that your car did not come with the power top option (extremely rare for 1962).  It is pretty straight forward.  Depress the large chrome button just above the glove box door to unlatch the top deck lid.  Make sure that the trunk lid is closed.  Open the top deck lid.  Lift the soft top header out of the storage cavity and latch it to the windshield frame.  The soft top assembly will follow the header out of the top cavity,  Then hold the back of the soft top frame high enough so you can slam the top deck lid.  Then, assuming that the soft top fabric and the metal top frame were properly installed and the fabric is still plyable (not hardened and stiff), push the deck lid bow down and connect the rear bow hanger loops to the hooks on the end of the deck lid latches.  Push the latch handles down to secure to top rear bow to the deck lid.  If the top fabric is stiff,put the car in the sun to soften it up.  All this assumes that the top frame was properly adjusted so the side windows will fit in the weather strippings.  Adjusting the top frame to fit the side windows is beyond the scope of this explanation, but was explained in a prior Sacctech response.

The soft top cavity originally had a black felt cloth glued to the gas tank cover.  Reproductions are available.  If it is missing, place a soft towel on the gas tank cover.  This is to protect the top rear window from being scratched by the rough fiberglass surfaces in the top cavity.  When putting the top down, place a soft towel in the fold of the rear window to protect it from scratches.

Your car originally came with an owners booklet that explained how to use the car features, and it is very detailed.  Reproductions are available if your car doesn't come with one.  Get a copy and study it.  These cars are simple and easy to service, and are very fun to drive.

Larry Pearson


**********

Can a guy remove the engine without removing 4 speed gearbox?  Thanks,  Dave. 4053

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Dave:  You can leave the transmission in place and remove the engine with the bell housing attached or leave the bell housing attached to the transmission.  You won't have to remove the drive shaft or drain the transmission or disconnect the shifter.  You will have to support the front of the transmission somehow because the rear mount is too far back.  You will have to raise the front of the car to get under it and disconnect the transmission.  You will have to have the engine hoist holding the engine up when you disconnect the transmission or have a jack under the engine oil pan to hold up the rear of the engine.  Then when you lower the car to facilitate the engine removal, you will have to lower the front support of the transmission at the same time and remove the rear engine support.  Maybe you can use a second floor jack that can be controlled from the side of the car to support the transmission while lowering the car.  The problem will be when you reinstall the engine.  You will have to get the transmission input shaft lined up with the crankshaft bushing and the throw out bearing and the splines in the clutch disc.  The floor jack under the transmission will be in the way at this point.  I have never done this so I can't speak with experience.  Maybe I am leaving something out and this is easier than I think.  Or there is another way to do it.  But I have explained the problems that have to be solved as I see it.

I still recommend that you remove the transmission attached to the engine as I described.  It is a lot simpler.  Then you can put everything together on the garage floor and reinstall everything as a unit.

Larry Pearson

 

**********

With the aid of fellow SACC member, we diagnosed an electrical issue on my '58 Fuelie, down to a faulty module of a Breakerless SE (Single wire Electronic Ignition).  The module lasted 8 years, covering 25K miles and I am looking to source a replacement. 

Sadly, Lectric Limited has had the kit on back-order since December, with no indication of how long it will take to restock their supply.  Paragon has exhausted their inventory as well and is on a monthly watch list.  http://breakerless.com/ 

Would you know of any other source?

 

Don

From: Bill Preston, Red River Chapter President:  Don, you could possibly try other aftermarket suppliers, or it may be that one of our members might have a unit that they now don't need.  If you are a member and have a unit, just drop a line to sacctech@solidaxle.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Can a guy remove the engine without removing 4 speed gearbox?  Thanks,  Dave. 4053

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Dave:  I have done this and it saves a lot of time and trouble.  You can even leave the stock shifter on the transmission, but you must disconnect it from the transmission body and tilt it back to the rear.  It can't be sticking up.   You have to remove the transmission rear mount cross member and lower the transmission tail shaft down to the ground using a scissors jack or something like it.  Use a piece of plywood on the ground under the transmission tail shaft, because, initially, it will be dragging on the ground.   Install the engine hoist so that the engine/transmission tilts down at the rear.  Slowly raise the engine and inch it forward in steps until the assembly clears the radiator support.  You will have to manually lift the transmission over the radiator support, because it hangs down lower than the engine oil pan.  You must plug the transmission output shaft with a spare yoke or drain the transmission so the gear oil does not leak out the rear.  You can re-install the combination by reversing this process.  

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Can you tell me the correct length of the drive shaft for a 1960 corvette? I have an auto transmission and looks like a lot of the transmission shaft still showing.
Thanks 
Jeff

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Jeff:  All 55-62 C1 driveshafts were the same length.  Make sure that the cloth rebound straps are in place to support your rear axle housing when the rear end is jacked up.  Without these straps, the rear axle housing can drop so far down that the driveshaft yoke can disingage from the transmission.  Also, make sure that your driveshaft is using the correct long yoke.  I don't have the dimensions.  The passenger cars had a much longer driveshaft and used a short yoke.

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

My 62 vette tach cable broke, I believe this to be the original cable, this is a 340 hp 4 speed with a distributor driven tach I measured it at 41.5 inches, all the replacements are 32 inches?

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

The original 1962 tach cable housing was light gray plastic coated, and this was used for all engines that year.  I don't recall the length, but it needs to be the correct length to fit in the short space available.   If a service replacement cable is used, it may be too long and will cause a kink at the tach. housing that could result in cable breakage.  Normally the cable breaks when the bushings in the tach. head freeze up due to lack of lubrication.  Reach up and try to turn the stub sticking out of the tach. housing with your fingers.  Use the broken off end to assist you.  If the shaft is difficult to turn with your fingers, the bushings in the head need to be lubricated.  You can do this yourself.  To do this, refer to another procedure I prepared for the sacctech website.  If the bushings are worn out (sloppy), you will have to take your tach. to a speedometer repair shop.  Corvette Central offers a rebuilding service.  If you take it to a speedometer repair shop, make sure that they calibrate it to read twice shaft speed.  This is because the distributor operates at half engine speed.

The inside cable is a speedometer cable made to the proper length.  Speedometer cable repair kits should be available at your local automotive parts store.  You cut the service repair cable to the proper  length and then attach the end on using the procedure that is provided.  You should use a light bodied automotive grease to lubricate the cable while installing it in the outer housing.  Do not use oil.

Larry Pearson

 

 

**********

What happens if you don't use the lower clean air tube to the carburetor?  My car seems to run fine without it.

For many years, I’ve had trouble with the choking sticking in the open position.  Just wondering if this could be the cause.  Just had the carb rebuilt.  It’s super clean but the choke still sticks.  I’ve heard that the choke housing sometimes warps for some reason.  Maybe it gets too hot.

Chuck

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Chuck:  The lower clean air tube was not used until 1962.  Prior to that, the lower end of the exhaust manifold choke stove tube was open to the air, which could result in problems in dusty areas.  If you don't use the lower clean air tube and you live in a dusty area, you should open the choke housing from time to time and clean out any dirt buildup that you find.  If you find nothing, then there is nothing to worry about.  Corvette Central sells a reproduction for the lower clean air tube.  There needs to be a fitting in the carburetor air horn for a rubber hose from this tube to connect to.  This fitting in the air horn was not there prior to 1962.  If it is there and you aren't using it, you should cap it off.

In my experience, the Carter WCFB carburetors have a big problem with a sticking choke, and I have not found a reliable fix for it.  The choke housing on them is made of die cast zinc, which can warp  The Carter AFB carburetors I have had experience with give no trouble at all, but the choke housings on them are made of aluminum.  My 1960 230hp engine has the original WCFB carburetor on it and it sticks open.  I have to move it closed by hand to start the car cold.  The problem is that the piston in the choke housing sticks in the bore.  The only way you can properly access the bore to clean it is to knock out the aluminum freeze plug at the end of the bore.  You can remove the plug by making a tool out of a large nail (with the point ground off) by bending it so it fits in the bore, and then tapping it with a hammer to remove the plug.  Then you can properly clean the bore and examine how well the piston fits in the bore.  If the bore is warped, round it out with a file or other tool until the piston fits loosely in it.  The piston and bore must not be lubricated with oil or grease.  The lubricant will collect dirt and make the problem much worse in the long run.  A dry lubricant from a spray can might help if the problem persists. I have not tried this.  When you are done, the aluminum plug can be tapped back in place with a hammer.  Use JB Weld if it won't stay in place.

 

 

**********

I need to replace the trunk lock on my corvette.i am having a problem attaching the retainer clip. Do I need to remove the trunk emblem to get better access to the lock?
-Jim

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Jim,
It is not necessary to remove the emblem to reset the trunk lock...But it certainly makes it easier to see what you're doing.
However, replacement parts can be "similar to" as opposed to being "identical to" the OEM part.
It may be possible for a locksmith to rebuild your original lock rather than replace it.
Make sure the replacement is "identical to" the original lock, dry fit the retainer to both new & old outside the car to check fits. If the trunk lid lock area has been repaired, that may explain why the fit is difficult and may have to be adjusted.

Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

**********

The folks that rebuilt my Carter carburetor say adamantly that with new oxygenated fuels the fuel pressure should not exceed 3 PSI.  They recommend a holly in line regulator.   Also timing set at 30 degrees at 3000 rpm.  Any thoughts?  Thanks again, Dave.   4053.

 

From: Bruce Fuhrman, SACC Secretary:  

I have 3 Carter stock carbs on my '54 and I have a fuel pressure regulator set at 1.5 psi. The car runs fine and I crossed county in 2003 with this set-up. If you have another carter carb, I will leave that to the V-8 guys.
Cheers,
Bruce Fuhrman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

 

What do the pros think about silicon vs conventional after 100% brake system change out.  Master cylinder,  wheel cylinders, drums, shoes and actual hydraulic lines.  Dave,  4053

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  

Dave,

Speaking for myself only, every older Corvette brake system I have had to rebuild, wheel & master cylinders were full of rusty sludge and steel lines were rusty/rusted through. All have been replaced with new or rebuilt cylinders or callipers, SS brake lines and silicone based fluid.

Having owned the same cars for many years (one since 1968), other than pads or shoes, I have had no brake issues since switching to the silicone based fluid.

The only down-side is that dot 3 fluid is more readily available. I keep two bottles in the garage.

Regards,

Bill Huffman, Pres,

Michigan Chapter SACC

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Technical Advisor:  

Dave:  I have been using dot 5 Silicone brake fluid in all my cars since I first became aware of it in 1975 and I think it is wonderful.  I have had no problems with it in these cars I own:  1949 Plymouth, 1951 Oldsmobile, 1955 Cadillac, 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air, 1960 Corvette, 1962 Corvette (2), 1968 Caprice, 1972 Chevrolet C 20 Pickup, 1975 Chevrolet Monza, 1984 Oldsmobile, 1992 Camaro.  All US military vehicles use Silicone brake fluid, because they don't want brake failure.  Dot 5 is compatible with all rubber components that use dot 3. 

There are some issues with it, however.  First, it is hard to find and is very expensive.  However, since it lasts forever, it is very inexpensive in the long run.  Second, it is extremely difficult to remove from surfaces you plan to paint.  Since it is not a petroleum based product, petroleum-based solvents will not remove it.  I, quite frankly, don't know what solvent will remove it from surfaces to be painted. California's EPA has banned all known solvents that remove silicone.  You have to sand or grind it off, and even this might not work.  If you spill it on concrete, it turns white when the concrete gets wet, and this never seems to go away.  When the concrete is dry, it is not visible.

Silicone brake fluid absorbs air in the form of micro-bubbles when it is agitated in the presence of air. These micro-bubbles will congeal into large bubbles and will dissipate when the fluid is allowed to sit undisturbed for at least one day.  If you shake the container the fluid becomes milky with millions of micro-bubbles.  For this reason, you cannot pressure bleed a brake system with Silicone brake fluid, and it probably cannot be used with abs brake systems because the brake fluid gets violently pulsed when abs is activated.  Silicone brake fluid cannot be used in hydraulic power window and top systems that use brake fluid.  This is because the pump agitates the brake fluid in the presence of air, causing millions of air bubbles to form in the reservoir, causing the reservoir to overflow with bubble filled silicone fluid.  I had this happen with a 1948 Buick hydraulic power top system which I tried to convert to silicone.  If you have to use dot 3, use dot 4 instead.  They are supposed to be compatible and dot 4 is supposed to resist absorbing water.

If you have your silicone equipped vehicle serviced in a shop, they always will add dot 3 brake fluid to top off your reservoir, no matter what you tell the mechanic or any signage you use. Most mechanics do not know what dot 5 fluid is, and they definitely do not stock it. The dot 3 fluid goes to the bottom of the reservoir and does not mix with the dot 5, so you might not be aware that this was done.  Most dot 3 fluids can co-exist with silicone fluid, but some versions of dot 3 will turn to "jello" when mixed with silicone.  All dot 3 does not have the same chemistry.  If you have a garage service your silicone equipped car, take a plastic tie wrap and secure the reservoir top so the mechanic cannot get into it.

Because of the agitation problem with dot 5, bleeding a newly overhauled brake system must be done very slowly.  Plan on spending two days doing it.  Remember, though, that if you do it right, the result is, literally, forever.  Start out by carefully and slowly pouring dot 5 into the master cylinder reservoir to fill it.  Let it sit overnight.  This will allow the dot 5 to slowly fill the master cylinder bore.  You need a helper to finish the bleeding.  Make sure all bleeder screws and brake line fittings are tight.  Use a clear plastic hose on all bleeder screws and feed it into a small glass bottle.  The clear plastic hose will allow you to see when the brake fluid starts coming out and is clear of bubbles .  Have your helper go to the right rear brake bleeder screw and open it.  Very slowly push the brake pedal down to the floor and hold it there.  Have the helper close his bleeder screw.  Then slowly lift the brake pedal all the way up.  Do not pump the pedal the usual three times and then have the helper open the bleeder screw.  This will cause the dot 5 fluid to be "blasted" through the air-filled lines, and will cause the fluid to be "aireated" with millions of micro air bubbles, and you will never get a hard pedal.  Repeat this process until you see clear, bubble-free, dot 5 coming out of the wheel cylinder or caliper.  Then take a hard rubber hammer and rap the cylinder or caliper several times to dislodge any bubbles stuck inside.  Then do the routine again until there are no bubbles. Make sure that the master cylinder reservoir remains full throughout the bleeding process.  Pour the dot 5 fluid into the reservoir very slowly to avoid aireation.  Move to the left rear, the right front, and last the left front wheels and repeat this procedure.  When you are done with the left front wheel, you should have a hard pedal.  Push the brake pedal down hard and hold it there and see if it slowly moves down to the floor.  If so, you have a leak somewhere, and you have to fix it.  Dot 3 and 5 fluids are liquids and do not compress.  If when you are done the pedal is somewhat soft, you have air in the system.  Let the car sit for 24 hours, and then repeat the above process until you get a hard pedal.

You can do the above procedure by yourself, but it is tedious.  Cut a piece of 2x4 to length and wedge it between the brake pedal on the floor and the front seat cushion.  With this you can work both ends by yourself.  Be sure to push the pedal down and then raise it up slowly.

When I converted my brand new 1992 Camaro to dot 5, I did not disassemble and clean out the brake system.  I flushed it out with dot 5 at each wheel until no more dot 3 came out each bleed screw.  I took a turkey baster and emptied the master cylinder before starting the bleeding process.  Although there probably was some dot 3 still in the system, it now has been 26 years and I have never had any sort of brake failure.  The calipers and the master cylinder are all original.

If you are rebuilding your master and wheel cylinders or calipers, if the rubber cups are not cracked or worn, I re-use them.  Rebuilding kits are hard to get.  Today's repair kits are made in China and I do not trust anything they make.  In my experience, some of their rubber parts are bad right out of the box.  Never use anything but alcohol as a solvent to clean brake parts.  Petroleum based solvents and lubricants will destroy brake system rubber parts.  Use brake fluid as an assembly lubricant.  If you use a brake hone to clean up the brake system bores, do not attempt to polish the bores with fine sandpaper.  They may leak if you do this.  The finish should be left coarse.  This advice came from a man who has a business rebuilding and re-sleeveing  calipers, wheel cylinders and master cylinders.

Larry Pearson

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Tech Advisor:  

 I agree with Bill and Larry, I am a big fan of dot 5 and use it in all my vintage cars. However when bleeding a C-1 system I always start at the left rear wheel because it is furthest from the master cylinder......then rt rear, rt front and finally left front. Bleeding is challenging and time consuming especially the pumping the pedal method. Years ago I had a friend who would loan me his power bleeder loaded with dot 5 which had the right top for the C-1 master. Thats the easy and fast way to do it. He's long gone and I started gravity bleeding. I have a lift and I get the car 6' in the air. I use a long clear plastic tube and drain it into a clear bottle. I usually go around the car 4-5 times until all the bubbles completely disappear, always making sure the master is full. Normally it takes me 2 days to get a good pedal.

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

**********

1961 Corvette Deck Lid Chrome Clip Installation
 

Is there a cut sheet, instructions, anything, showing how to install the chrome clips and chrome molding that go on the deck lid? Do the clips get installed to the deck first and the chrome slides over the clips or do the clips go on the chrome and then attach to the deck lid?

 Any help would be appreciated.

 Thanks

 Bill

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Bill
The clips are installed in the stainless moldings first and then the assembly is mounted to the convertible deck lid.

There is a good illistration in the 1961 assembly manual in section E sheet 4.
 

Chip Werstein  

 

 

 


**********

I have a 1960 corvette with dual 4 barrel cards and an automatic transmission .Did this model have a transmission  oil cooler in the radiator? My radiator is not set up and I do not have any lines

Thanks for your help

Jeff


From: Michael Capozzio, Ohio Restorer:

Due to the horsepower to weight ratio of early Corvettes they did not use a transmission cooler so the transmission itself has 2 brass plugs installed blocking the passages where lines would connect. 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have owned my 1962 corvette (# matching) for almost 9 years and I’m going to have the second gear synchronizer replaced. My question is that I dropped the rear driveshaft from the differential, but the front slip yoke isn’t budging. I sprayed penetrating oil on it but hasn’t come lose yet. Has anyone have any ideas? I don’t want to damage my T10.

Thanks
Kevin

From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter advisor:  For some reason, GM decided in model year 1962, to add a ¼ inch spacer between the transmission mount and the tail shaft.  I surmise that GM wanted to cut down on the drive shaft angle for some reason but you must install this special spacer if you want to add a Muncie for speed transmission. All 62 C1s had this special spacer. I worked on a 56 C1 years ago and I pulled the motor and transmission and could not get the drive shaft splines/yoke splines to line up when I went to reinstall the drive shaft in the transmission.  56 C1s had a metal protection plate in the transmission tunnel and this was my problem in getting the yoke and output shaft splines to line up.  Lowering the transmission a little bit solved the problem and everything went together and worked just fine.  Maybe try lowing the transmission at the transmission mount will allow the yoke to come out easily…..give it a try before beating on the transmission drive shaft as you will have to remove the transmission mount to remove the transmission in the first place.  Good luck with this problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter advisor:

Kevin

 
Usually the reason for the driveshaft not easily sliding off the trans out put shaft is that the splines on either the output shaft or yoke are twisted. In the past I have had to pry or carefully hammer the yoke out of the trans. Once apart, determine which parts are damaged and replace as necessary.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have a 59 corvette that is supposed to be original but the engine ID stamp is SAW903. I am stumped! My understanding is it should start with “F” or “T”. Casting # is 3794226 D2463 on the block, and the intake casting# is3746829  C69. I am a new member and could use your help.
Thx,
Lou

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:  Louis,
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but....an engine with the engine suffix SA and a casting date of D2463 is most likely a 250 HP 327 from a 1963 Chevy B body Passenger car w/ automatic & A/C. Casting date was April 24, 1963.
Your casting number should be 3756519 and a cast date at least two-three weeks prior to your car's build date.
The intake manifold is the cast iron for the 283 cu-in 230 HP w/4-barrel Carter WCFB carb.   The cast is March 6, 1959 & may be original depending on your vehicle build date. Build dates are calculated fairly acurately in the NCRS Corvette Birth-order book from the VIN number.
You might get lucky & find the car build date on the distributor tag on the vertical shaft just below the distributor cap, if it is actually the original distributor. The 230 HP distributor P/N was 1110946."
A Corvette 230 HP/ 283 cu-in from 1959 MY would have a stamped code of Prefix letter "F", (month A-L because letter I was not used for Sept), day (1-31), year (8 or 9), application Suffix letters "CQ".

Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

**********

Living in Belgium an relatively new owner of a 1954 C1 I encounter problems ordering spares. 
Groessmueller seems closed/not replying. 
Could you recommend suppliers with 54 spares and good (web) documentation for ordering?
Thanks in advance
Hans

 

From: Bruce Fuhrman, SACC Secretary: 

Hi Hans,
   I too have a '54 Corvette and it is Venetian red. I too had an issue finding unique parts for the '53 - '55. I was lucky finding parts from Mary Jo who used to specialize in these models. She is still in business and her web site is  www.VetteGal.com and now she sells thru ebay. Her e-mail isVetteGal@gmail.com  or  Mj@VetteGal.com  
Try her out.
Good luck & Merry Christmas,
Bruce Fuhrman

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

To prevent  front wheel bearing early damage what is the dimension of offset that one should be looking for?  Would it be zero and how are these measurements described?  Thanks, Dave.  4053.

 

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Dave:  The offset you need is zero, and for the front wheels only.  This is true for all cars unless the front hub is designed to handle an offset with the original front wheels. Offset does not pose a problem with the rear wheel bearings because the rear axle bearing already is offset inward from the axle flange and the offset loads are absorbed by the rear wheel bearing and the differential side bearing, which can easily handle additional offsets.

 
If you are purchasing new wheels, the manufacturer tells you about any offset.  Keep in mind that aftermarket wheels wider than 5.5 inches make steering very difficult unless you install an aftermarket power assisted steering system in your car.  If you are buying used wheels and you don't know the manufacturer or the model number, you can measure it this way.  First, measure the distance between the flanges where the tire mounts.  Then divide this measurement by two.  Then do your best to measure the distance between the back surface of the wheel that mounts to the wheel hub and the the inside surface of the wheel flange.  You have to estimate this as best you can, because it can't be directly measured with a ruler, so you have to"eyeball" it.  Put a straight edge across the back of the wheel and measure the distance from the back mounting surface to it.  Then measure the distance from the inside of the wheel flange to the straight edge and subtract this from the other measurement.  This should give you a pretty accurate measurement.  You should be accurate to within one quarter of an inch.  This measurement equals one-half of the distance between the flanges for zero offset.  Offsets of one-half inch or less should not pose a big maintenance problem.  Greater than one-half inch will cause a maintenance problem with the small outer wheel bearing.  Keep in mind, that if a wheel bearing fails and seizes up, it will cause damage to the spindle that the bearings ride on.  Nobody makes a reproduction spindle that I know of, so you will have to find a used one.  Any 1949-1954 Chevy sedan spindle should work.

 
The reason that I know this is that a good friend of mine has a 1972 Dodge Charger with aftermarket aluminum wheels that have an offset.  The outer wheel bearings, which are tapered roller bearings, fail on a regular basis.  He loves those aluminum wheels, so he puts up with the maintenance problem.  He checks those outer wheel bearings on a very regular basis.

 
Larry Pearson

**********

I'm restoring a 1962 corvette and have a paint question. Center section to the under body fiberglass is supposed to be un-painted, there is an extreme amount of grease from the driveshaft,
I'm concerned that the grease may have stained the fiberglass. How does this impact the judging if i can't get the stain removed. Also any ideas on how to remove the stain.
your help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Rick


From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Rick,
 

Your question could probably best be answered in the NCRS Judging Guide for 1962 Corvettes as to whether or not the NCRS judges deduct points for grease on the bottom side of the transmission/ drive shaft.

Kind of like asking if your homeowners association can make you sell your home if your lawn has dandelions----you have to read the rule book.


 

However, removing the grease/stain is a different issue. Clean the underside the same as you would the engine compartment: scrape off the grease & dirt sludge with a plastic putty knife, spray on a foaming engine cleanser such as Gunk, let it work, soft bristle brush the area and rinse with a garden hose. Repeat process until you're satisfied.

Find a hoist, wear a disposable hooded poncho & have fun.

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Rick:  I have a 62 and went through what you are trying to do in 1974.  This was for the Western States Corvette Club (WSCC) judging, which, at the time, was cleanliness only.  They sent a skinny judge under the car to check for dirt and grease on top of the frame and the driveshaft tunnel, and I passed.  I won the Sweepstakes award at that show, which was at the 1974 WSCC National Convention in Los Angeles, so I know how to clean this area.

 
Since the car body is fiberglass and will not rust, no special effort was made at the factory to paint the underbody.  And undercoat was never used in this area or on the frame at the factory.   What it got, to some degree, which varies  from car to car, is overspray from the grey primer and the final color coat.  For example, on my 62, the bottom of the doors was mostly grey primer with a light color coat.  It is highly unlikely that this overspray reached the driveshaft tunnel, so bare fiberglass is expected to be there.  What I did was to carefully scrape off the grease buildup in the area of the transmission u-joint with a putty knife and then I used lacquer thinner and paper towels to finish the cleaning.  Lacquer thinner will not harm fiberglass in any way, and may help to remove any staining on the fiberglass.  I did not notice any staining from the u-joint grease on the driveshaft tunnel fiberglass on my 62.  However, my 62 did have a small factory repair using woven fiberglass mat and clear resin towards the rear end of the fiberglass tunnel.  I understand that this was commonly done in this area, and should be acceptable to NCRS judges, if they can see it.  Under no circumstances should you use a paint stripper like JASCO to remove any staining you encounter.  JASCO will destroy the resins in the fiberglass, and you can not recover from this type of damage.

 
NCRS Flight Judging normally does not involve raising the car on a lift, and without a lift, the judges cannot even see the driveshaft tunnel area.  So don't worry about it.  A lift is normally only used for Bowtie judging at the National Convention.

 
Larry Pearson

**********

Were the factory installed hood hinges bare metal or painted black on a 57 corvette?
>
> Doug

 

From: Michael Capozzio, Ohio Restorer:  Hood hinges, latches, and locks were all installed prior to paint and blackout process. They were cad plated and also exhibited some amount of rust inhibitor spray so even though they were sprayed black during blackout process the paint did rub off very easily.

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hi Guys,

I had Crager G/T wheels on my 61 in the 70's and would like to put a set back on. I was going to get the American Racing Torg Thrust D wheels, 15x6 VN105D. I was going to order them from CARiD in New Jersey, but they told me they wouldn't fit my car. They couldn't tell me why when asked. Has anybody used these wheels, they are similar to the ones on the 57 on the inner cover the Winter 2018 issue. Thank you for your time.


Mike

 

From: Michael Capozzio, Ohio Restorer: 

My shop installs 17”x7” Retro Billets (a chrome copy of the Torque Thrust) on C1 and C2 all the time with no issues. 225 45 17 tires. Sometimes very minor rub on full turn. You should be fine just check clearances before driving. If you have backspace or offset questions feel free to call me. 
Michael Capozzio
Classic Corvette Restorations
 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Michael:  Make sure that the center line of whatever aftermarket wheel you choose is directly over the large wheel bearing.  If the center line is offset, in or out, the small outer wheel bearing will take on more of a load than it was designed for and it will fail.  This is true weather you are using the original ball bearings or after market tapered roller wheel bearings.  The ball bearings are more prone to failure than tapered roller bearings, so if you must have an offset, switch over to the aftermarket roller bearings, and check the small outer bearing frequently for signs of failure.  I suggest at least every 10,000 miles.

 

Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From; Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

I have seen, on a number of occasions, some owners of original C1 Corvettes that still have the original front brake drums riveted to the front wheel bearing housings.  The rivets must be removed for after market wheels to be installed as the rivets will not allow the aftermarket wheels to fit flush against the front wheel bearing housings.  Horrible out of balance conditions and possible loss of the complete wheels can result…..not good!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Good Morning
 
My question is on my 1960 Corvette hardtop, the (3) required hold down bolts, are they chrome, stainless, or otherwise?
 
Thank you.
Dennis


From: Michael Capozzio, Ohio Restorer: The bolt and receiver nut are stainless steel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hello,

I am a new member of a few months, can’t find my membership #.

 I have a 1959 that I am restoring as original and at present working on the steering. I am stumped on a simple item. The seal around the hole in the inner fire wall. Most suppliers offer 2 types of seals, a soft and a hard. Does this car take both or one or the other?

 Thanks, sorry to bother you for such a minor thing.

 Darrell

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Darrell,

The steering column outer plate & steering column outer seal are forward of the firewall. The steering column inner seal & steering column inner grommet are in the cabin behind the firewall. All 4 parts plus the attaching screws are required to seal around the steering column. Look on page 28 of Paragon Reproductions C-1 catalog for picture of the assembly.  

Good luck with your project,
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

**********

I'm looking at a 1961 corvette with 1459 original miles. White with silver coves and red interior. This is my first attempt at buying a vet of this year and I'm not sure what is good and bad. The car was repainted but was never sanded out. All numbers match. The rubber on the door seals look new but the glue job was sloppy. The dealer said all bushings were replaced but there isn't any documentation of this. The interior is very good except for a seam on the drivers seat coming apart. Some of the chrome has pits but looks like it was chromed over the pits. There is some slop in the steering wheel just not sure if it's more than an inch. There was surface rust on the Jack and handle in the trunk so I'm not sure if the trunk leaked or just moisture. The convertible top is new but it doesn't seal tight against the trunk. I'm not sure what they fit like when they were new.  All that being said its a 283  4b and they want $57.200 for it. I'm not a mechanic but can do some things so I realize a professional may be needed.  Do you think this is a good deal and what is critical to look for? This car was never titled and had 1 owner
>>>>
>>>> Mike


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Mike,

 
All I can say is WOW! 1400 miles and never titled. There must be a great story behind this car, but I see some red flags here.

 
* being sold by a dealer. Is this a reputable Corvette dealer?

 
* any documentation on the one owner and where this car spent it's life?

 
* Why were the bushings replaced ......what bushings. The a arm bushings could not possibly be worn out in 1400 miles.

 
* Why was a low miles car repainted and re chromed?

 
* the original door, trunk and deck lid weatherstrips were attached with yellow glue which was applied in a very sloppy manner. Over the years it would have turned brown.

 
* an almost new car should have very little steering play. It is adjustable.

 
*The poor top fit is most likely top frame adjustment or poorly installed top.

 
* Before spending the money I would have it inspected by an early Corvette specialist.

 
I wish I could offer more help but it's difficult to access any car without seeing it.

 
Chip Werstein

 

**********

When installing new drag link innards and tightening screw plugs on each end are these plugs fully tightened when you can slide cotter pin through holes while aligned with slot in plug?  4053 didn't pay attention when he disassembled drag link.  I  don't think that the plugs will tighten to the point cotter pin could be installed over face of plug regardless of slot position.   Thanks for being there.  DAVE. 
 


From:  Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Dave,
The best exploded view of the C-1 drag link assembly that I have found to answer your question is on page 29 of the Paragon Reproduction C-1 parts catalog.

The short spring & spacer are installed in the short end of the link that connects to the third arm. The 2 longer springs & spacers are installed in the longer end that connects to the steering gear pitman arm.

Make sure that the four bearing surface cups are fully seated to the third arm or pitman arm studs so there is full contact between the bearing surfaces an the studs spherical surfaces. Mis-alignment of one of the bearing surfaces  may account for why your rebuild won't assemble properly.

Good luck with your project,

Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

**********

4053 is surprised to realize that all power systems in car are fed by a #12 gage wire with starter exception.  Without any current protection on this conductor how often have these wires burned up?  Does anyone know what the total current draw can reach with all systems operating?  Thanks, Dave.

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Dave:  This red #12 gauge wire ends up going to the fuse block or the ignition switch and almost everything off of these are fused.  Four exceptions are the windshield wiper motor the power top motor, the power window motors, and the headlight switch.  All of these have internal or external circuit breakers.  I have never heard of this red 12 gauge wire burning up.

 
The total current draw depends on how many electrical appliances are in operation at once.  The small instrument panel bulbs are 2 1/2 watts each.  The fused appliances probably operate at less than 1/2 of the fuse rating.  Add it up.  The generator can produce 35 amps, and this was designed to handle all the expected loads plus charging the battery.  The voltage regulator limits the maximum output of the generator to 35 amps.  If the total load exceeds 35 amps, then the battery will provide the additional current, and the ammeter will show a discharge.  I have never seen this happen under normal driving conditions except at idle when the generator is taken out of the circuit by the voltage regulator, because it cannot provide 12 volts or more at idle speed.  The alternator, which replaced the generator in 1963, can provide enough output at idle.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

**********

Hello,  

 I am looking to purchase a 1962 Corvette with a severely rusted frame.  I am planning to replace the frame with a stock frame but what other year C1 frames could be used without a great deal of alteration? 

 Thank you in advance for your answer,

 Daniel

 

Michael:  Make sure that the center line of whatever aftermarket wheel you choose is directly over the large wheel bearing.  If the center line is offset, in or out, the small outer wheel bearing will take on more of a load than it was designed for and it will fail.  This is true weather you are using the original ball bearings or after market tapered roller wheel bearings.  The ball bearings are more prone to failure than tapered roller bearings, so if you must have an offset, switch over to the aftermarket roller bearings, and check the small outer bearing frequently for signs of failure.  I suggest at least every 10,000 miles.

 

Larry Pearson

From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  In all due respect I would highly recommend that you DO NOT purchase this 1962 Corvette unless you are absolutely stealing it. If the frame is that rusted out then so will all of the front and rear suspension parts as well as the rear leaf springs and sway bars.  You will have to do a basically complete  “body off” restoration which is extremely time consuming and very expensive if you have to sublet all the work out.  Buying a C1 or any Corvette in this condition is asking for a lot of trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have a 56 corvette with a Muncie transmission that was incorrect for the year. I had the powerglide that came with the car rebuild. Turns out it is a passenger car powerglide with the corvette tailhousing. My question is do I have to use cooling lines or can I run it without the cooling lines to look correct because I know the corvette powerglides were air cooled. I appreciate your input.

 

Melody

 

 

From: Max Brockhouse, SACC President Emeritus: No, your PG would be air cooled.

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have a 1962, 327 cu in, 340hp 4 speed.  This is not a judgeable car but one that is often driven so performance and reliability are more important then originality.  I haven't done a tune-up in many years.  With new technological advances I'd like to know what spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, points, rotor and condenser I should use?  Is Pertronix recommended?  Also, is there a preferred supplier?

 

From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:    Your Corvette with the 340 horsepower option came from the factory with dual ignition points, condenser and dual window distributor cap.  The spark plug wires were the radio suppression type so not to interfere with the radio, if so equipped.  This is all “old school” and is not advisable for a car that is not judged and is a driver. I have installed many Pertonixs products in my client’s cars.  Their latest drop in electronic modules are exceptional easy to install with no air gaps required.  They provide a very hot spark with multiple sparks and an adjustable rev limiter.  Now none of this is at all necessary with a driver installation but worth the price in my opinion.  You should install their recommended hotter coil as well.  Once you install these parts you will never have to do it again.  The Pertronixs part number for their electronic module  is PNX-71181 and their recommended coil part number is PNX-40011.  These parts are readily available from Summit Racing, phone number 800-230-3030.  Original AC spark plugs are no longer available and I use Autolite 85s. I use Standard Ignition parts for the rotor and distributor cap…the rotor is DR-311T and cap is DR-429  Your Corvette came with a dual window cap for adjusting the points which you will no longer need to do.  Corvette Central offers a very superior replacement spark plug wire set with a life time warranty and cut to fit, their number 301161, phone number 800-345-4122. It is not rocket science to install these ignition products and once completed you will never have to do it again. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

61 wiper cable adjust.
 
How is it done?  My shop manual says press button on outer end of wiper transmission shaft.  What button?  I'm so confused.  Thanks, Dave.

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:

Dave,
 

First, the WSW cables on my C-1s are NOT adjustable. The cables are assembled from the wiper motor pulley to the two wiper shaft pulleys in the opposite direction so that the wiper arms move inboard together then outboard together at the same time. This is assuming that the three pulleys are tight to their respective shaft and the two knurled wiper shaft ends are each attached tightly to their wiper shaft.
 

My wiper arms are adjusted by removing the wiper arm assembly from its shaft, allowing the wiper motor to cycle to its stop/rest position, then reinstalling the wiper arms female knurl back onto the wiper shafts male knurl so that the wipers rest just above the windshield trim in the center of the windshield.

One or the other may have to be re-adjusted so that they have synchronous but opposite motion.
If it appears somewhat weak, sloppy & spastic in its movement, just remember it is a 57 year old machine.

That's why some owners upgrade to the new modern electric wipers & others just use Rainex and never turn them on.
Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

From: Michael Capozzio, Ohio Restorer:  Dave, C1 wiper transmissions do have a cable adjustment. The transmission has a set of spring loaded clutches built in. When you remove the wiper arm and push down on the center of the transmission post it will move slightly and releases the clutches. When installing cables you can push on the stub to release the cable tension and have someone pull on the cables from under the dash to gain a bit of additional length. Once installed push on the post again and the spring tension will take up the slack. Problem is the transmission is often worn or seized in which case it is much easier to just remove transmission from cowl, install cables on wiper drum, and reinstall transmission into cowl. Hope this helps. 

 

 

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

The wiper cables are not really adjustable, but the cable tension can be increased. Over time the cables can stretch or become loose which reduces the effectiveness of the wiper system. To do this you push hard on the end of the wiper transmission shaft to depress it about 3/8". This action releases the shaft from the tension spring inside the transmission and allows the spring to tighten up which pulls the cable tight between the transmission and the wiper motor drum. Next release the shaft so it can return to it's original up position. Do both sides and the "adjustment" is complete.

 
Now for the bad news. Most of the time on old Corvettes one ore both shafts will not depress because they have rusted/corroded or somehow frozen in place. For repair the transmissions must be removed and sent out for rebuilding. ( Mary Jo Rohner in Sand Diego does this.....The last pair she did for me was $140).  Removing and re installing the transmissions is quite challenging, especially the drivers side. You may want to have a competent Corvette shop do the job for you.

 
Chip Werstein

 

**********

1960 Corvette 230 HP
 
Does anyone have any ideas on how to replace the rollers in the turn signal housing?
 
Thank you,
Terry

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Terry,
 

Almost any part is replaceable.

The trick is either having the correct nomenclature to find it in the various catalogs OR have a good picture of what you're looking for. Try the attached pictures from Paragon Reproductions catalog to see if you find it. There are lots more pics where these came from. 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Good luck in your search.
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Terry.
I suspect there is a way to replace the rollers......after all someone put it together in the first place. But i have never seen it done or know anybody who has done it. The easy way out is to buy a reproduction. Both Paragon and Corvette Central offer this part for around $60.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

**********

1962 Corvette

 
1) I've been told that the carburetor is not correct.  What is the correct carburetor?
2) What is the correct torque for lugnuts?

The car is a 4-speed with 340hp and has a single 4bbl carb on it now ..... evidently not the correct carb.  The person told me he thought it might be an AFB Carter 3269S and I'm trying to confirm that (and locate one).

SS

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  The correct cab for you 62 340hp Corvette is a Carter AFB 3269S. They were used on 62 300 and 340HP engines with manual trans. I believe they were also used on 62 passenger cars with the 300 Hp 327 and manual transmission. Note that they also had a stamped date under the part #. Example......H 61 which indicates August 1961. This is the date on my 62 340HP Corvette which was built October 30, 1961.

I am not aware of any published torque spec for lug nuts. My feeling has always been REALLY TIGHT.
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  If you have an adjustable torque wrench 60 foot pounds should be more than enough.  Use increments starting at 20 foot pounds and increase to 40 and then 60 foot pounds using a “star” pattern from one lug nut to another so that each lug nut is tightened in three increments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hi Gentlemen
I have a 61 corvette fuelie. When i put it back together 20 years ago when brake pedal was pushed the gas gauge moved up. It didn't bother me then . Now it does . Replaced the float assembly in tank , Didn't help. I've heard of this problem before.
HELP
Thanks 
Jim S

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Jim S:  All 1961 and 1962 Corvettes have this problem.  It was this way when the cars were new, and Chevrolet must have gotten complaints from owners of these cars when they were new.  Maybe there is a service bulletin on it for the dealers, but I have not seen it.

 
Here is the cause.  First, remember that the fiberglass body does not conduct electricity, so all electrical appliances in the car (all lights, the radio, the heater, the windshield wiper motor, the clock, the gas tank) must end up connecting to the engine block (not the frame), which is the ground return point for everything electrical on the Corvette.  When the two additional taillights were added in 1961, Chevrolet did not increase the size of the ground return wire in the taillight wire harness to accommodate the additional current flow from the two added taillights.  It remained at 18 gauge, and this wire size is too small to handle all this current.  It should have been increased to 16 gauge.  The gas tank gauge shares this ground wire (it connects to the taillight ground wire inside the wire harness).  When the brakes are applied, the additional current overwhelms the 18 gauge ground wire, and the result is that a small voltage develops on this ground wire, which affects the gas gauge reading.  It gets even worse when the running lights are on.  Additionally, the taillights and the license light are never as bright as they could be if there was a larger wire size used on the ground return.  The gas gauge usually flickers whenever the turn signal is activated.  I have a 1960 Corvette, and none of this happens with it.  

 
How to fix the problem.  The most direct way is to run a 16 gauge wire from the gas tank ground and route it under the rocker panel and up to the instrument panel and tie it to one of the bolts that hold the instrument housing to the metal framework under the cowl, which is the instrument panel ground.  Leave the gas tank ground wire in place.  This should help the taillight ground problem, and the lights should burn brighter.

 
If your car came with a factory radio, there should be two large braided ground straps going from the front engine mount crossmember  to the frame, one on each side.  This gives the frame a good ground connection to the engine block. This was done so that the frame could act as the ground plane for the radio antenna.  On metal cars, the car body is the ground plane.  If these ground straps are not present, then the frame gets grounded to the engine block through the master brake cylinder line, and this is not good.  A simple fix in the trunk then would be to connect a 16 gauge wire from one of the taillight housing mounting studs to the antenna mast ground wire, which is a braided copper conductor that connects to a bolt that connects to the frame.  I have not tried this, but it should work if the frame has a good ground connection to the engine block, and if the bolt to the frame is not rusted out.  Water can collect in this cavity and cause rusting.  Try this out with a jumper wire with alligator clips.

 
On the subject of ground wires, if your Corvette has a radio, there should be three wires connecting to the upper rear rocker arm cover screws.  On the passenger side, there should be two wires, a green one connecting to the wiper motor mounting plate and a second heavy black wire connecting through the dash to the radio mounting bracket.  On the driver side, there must be a large black with white stripe wire connected here.  This is the main ground return for all the car electrical systems except the wiper motor and the radio.  It must be there and in good shape.  It conducts a lot of current.

 
You mention that you replaced the gas tank sender unit.  If you weren't careful, this can cause another problem.  On the factory installation, the steel arm with the float mounted on it was carefully bent so that the gauge would read accurately.  Service replacement units, including NOS AC units, may not be bent properly.  I installed a new AC unit obtained many years ago from Chevrolet and I discovered the hard way that the car runs out of gas at 1/8 tank reading.  It should have some gas left when the gauge reads E.

 
Larry Pearson
 

**********

I have a 1960 corvette with the auto transmission .Does anyone know where I can buy a new or used neutral switch assembly,I  need all the assembly? Or is there a conversion  aftermarket kit out there? I had the transmission completely rebuilt but missing these parts.

Thanks

Jeff

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Jeff,
Look for Corvette Central P/N 591055.
Regards,
Bill Huffman, Pres
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Please let me know the dimensions on a 1960 original front sway bar from center of eye to center of eye. Mine is a 13/16 bar and measures 34 ½” wanting to know if that is correct.

Thanks

Jeff

From: Michael Capozzio, Ohio Restorer:   Jeff, you have the correct sway bar. 

 

 


 

 

 

**********

Where can I find instructions for removing and reinstalling the radiator in my 1957 Corvette?  Thanks!

 

From: Michael Capozzio, Ohio Restorer:  Ron, the ST-12 service manual is a great source for for this but owning a ‘57 myself and doing C1 restoration for a living I can give you the quick breakdown. Drain radiator (of course). Remove top hose. Remove fan belt (to aid in removal of upper fan shroud). Removal of hood is not necessary but helps. You can simply remove the hood support and use a stick or similar item to prop open further then normal. Remove the bolts holding fan shroud to support. Remove shroud. Lower radiator hose clamp is tricky. It may or may not be necessary to unbolt and move the lower fan shroud shielding out of the way to get to the lower hose clamp. Remove the two front hood alignment blocks that are just above radiator tank. Now, there should be (not always as they are often not replaced) two lower radiator bolts that are accessible in the wheel house area behind the front tire. Once they are removed radiator should be able to be slid strait up. Best to have two people doing this to evenly lift it. Reinstall in reverse order. If the two lower bolts were missing replace them. They really are often missing. This is always a great time to replace thermostat too. At least a 180 degree. No 160. System needs the pressure build to properly cool. Hope this helps.
 

 

**********

Dear Tech Helpers:

 
I own a 61 with a 283/230 hp V-8 build date November 1960.  I have owned the car for about 2 years and it is in very good driver condition with much of its original equipment in place.  The drive train is numbers matching. 
 
The radiator has developed a small intermittent leak from the top of the tank where the “lollypop” dome joins the discharge tube.  I am looking for advice on the best way to address this before I take the car to a local radiator shop for a repair.  I was wondering if the breach can be cleaned and soldered and if so, what is the proper way to do this?  Or, could I use an epoxy repair to caulk the leak at least temporarily?  If so, what do you recommend?
 
I have a black aluminum Harrison radiator with the correct stock number in the car that appears to be period correct from the design but when I checked, the date stamp on the plate dates the radiator January of 62 (62A).  So, it appears to be a replacement installed some time ago, perhaps early on in the life of the car.  Also, I understand from my research that early 61’s used the same model radiator but it was left  unpainted.  Can anyone verify this for me since if I need to eventually replace the radiator, I would want to do so with one that is correct for my build date.
 
 
Thanks in advance for your help on this.
 
Joe

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Technical Advisor: 

Joe:  You don't say if this car is to be NCRS judged or if it is just a "driver".  If it is to be judged, then acquire a copy of the NCRS judging guide and follow what it says.  Is the leaking radiator a Harrison aluminum radiator?  If so, a radiator shop can't fix it with solder, because aluminum can't be soldered like copper and brass can.  Radiator shops typically use epoxy cement to repair aluminum radiators, so you can do this yourself.   A leak in this area is common and you can repair it with JB Weld.  Carefully clean all paint, moisture, and corrosion from the repair spot before applying the JB Weld.  It is best to do this with the radiator out of the car so it can be tipped to get the JB Weld to stay in the proper location.  Heating JB Weld speeds up the curing process, because it is difficult to keep it from sagging before it cures.  My late 1962 still has the original 62B radiator in it and I repaired it in this area over 40 years ago, and it is still holding up.  But I seldom drive it.  Be advised that when these Harrison aluminum radiators are taken out of service and dry out, severe internal corrosion can take place.  Many restorers keep these aluminum radiators filled with coolant while restoring their cars to prevent this corrosion problem.  Or try filling the radiator with nitrogen gas to prevent this oxidation.  Most premium tire shops use nitrogen gas to fill new tires.

 
The earliest 1961 base engine cars used the 1960 copper radiator.  Harrison aluminum radiators were an option on the 1960 Corvettes. The early Harrison aluminum radiators came in  bright aluminum or black anodized aluminum (not painted).  Some of these early radiators had aluminum top tanks on them.  Harrison aluminum radiators cool much better than any copper radiator can that fits in the same space.  This is essential for 62 and later Corvettes with the 327 engines.  Always use full strength green antifreeze filled to a 50-50 dilution with distilled water from the grocery store.  Don't use pre-mix antifreeze, because you don't know what kind of water they diluted it with.   Tap water can have minerals in it that can damage your aluminum radiator.  De-ionized water is available commercially.  It is used to clean corrosion from metal containers.  Some radiator shops use it to clean copper radiators and gas tanks.  If you use it to dilute your antifreeze, it will immediately dissolve your aluminum radiator.
 

 
Complete, correct and dated reproduction radiators can be purchased from a company named DeWitt.  They know what configuration your car needs and can build an exact reproduction of it.  But this doesn't come cheap.  Plan to spend at least $1000 for one of their radiators.  Go online to find them.

 
Larry Pearson

**********

I am a recent member of SACC and am looking for somebody in the central part of California to install a new top in my 1957 Corvette.  I have heard that there is somebody that will even do house calls.  Anybody know of this?
 
Jay

 

From:  Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter President: 

Jay,

 
Adam Parker from Phoenix is probably the best there is for C-1 convert tops 480-251-6352. Not sure he's doing it any more but if he got a group in Calif who needed tops he would he would come over for a week and install the tops at your house. Check with him. He's done several tops for me and many for SOCALSACC members. Also Sully's in Fresno 559-291-8680, but I have never used them.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

**********

Hi

 I have a 1957 Corvette in Venetian Red with a Beige interior. I was wondering what is the correct color of the trunk matt, red or black?

 Thanks, Bob  

From:  Michael Capozzio, Restorer in Ohio:  Normally the 56-57 trunk mat is red for red colored interior and black for beige colored interior. 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have a '59 Vette and the fuel gauge pegs to the right when the key is in the start position. I have confirmed that the ground is connected to the back of the gauge; where do I go from here? Is my sending unit toast? 
 

From: Michael Capozzio, Restorer in Ohio:  The back of the fuel gauge has 2 wires. The pink is 12 volts power. The brown is ground with variable resistance coming from the sending unit. Disconnect the brown from the fuel gauge and see if it goes to “E” with key on. Also, using a multimeter set to ohms check the resistance of the brown wire. It should go from basically 0 ohms empty tank to about 30 ohms full tank. Always best to pull sending unit from tank and check resistance as you move float. If you decide to replace sending unit be careful as cheaper units do not have correct resistance to make gauge read properly. Best solution is to rebuild original sending unit. If it checks out okay and you decide to rebuild gauge there are several reputable rebuilders out there. 

 

 

 

**********

Was getting ready for parade and stopped at bank.  Car now won't shift into any of the 4 gears but I can force it into reverse but even then it won't move.
I'm hoping it's just a linkage problem and not the transmission itself.  
It's a 283 four speed.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 
Keith

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Keith

I had a similar situation with one of my cars. Turns out the transmission had locked it self in 2 gears.  I put the shifter in neutral and got under the car to check the position of the 3 levers on the trans. Reverse and 1-2 levers were in neutral. 3-4 lever was slightly engaged in 3rd. I moved it a very small distance and it clicked into neutral. Problem solved but i dont know what caused it in the first place.

Chip Werstein

 


 

 

From: Michael Capozzio, Ohio:  Try manually putting shift arms in transmission into neutral. If it’s stuck in gear it will go into reverse but will bind and not move. If the arms won’t go into reverse it may have a broken shift fork. 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hello !

Previous member has a question about making a strong repair to the
chrome door post on a '62.  Previous owner was using the post as a
handle to close the door and has resulted in a week post attachment. 
What is the best way to reattach the post so that it will become an
integral part of the door again.  We won't be using the post as a
handle, but there is considerable mechanical advantage acting on the
attachment point.

Thanks,

Gary
 

From:  Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Corvette central offers door post repair. The tabs  are broken because the windshield was not shimmed properly at the rear of the post. Consult aim for more info.
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hi guys,
 
I’m prepping my car for the NCRS National meet in Las Vegas in July. I got a call from the National Judging Chairman concerning the state of my VIN tag on the steering column. Apparently it was determined from photos taken at previous Regional meets (all Top Flight results) that the tag is not a factory applied tag. I was told this is a common issue with ‘62s because the spot weld is not that secure. I was asked to check the frame stamp to verify and to obtain a California state issued VIN Tag to bring with me to the meet. While all documentation indicate the correct and matching VIN # apparently I need this document.
Has anyone had this problem and does anyone know the quickest way to get it resolved. Unfortunately the meet is only 6 weeks away and DMV isn’t usually work in an expedited mode.
 
Thanks for the help!
 
Steve

 

From: Bruce Fuhrman, SACC Secretary: 

I had a similar situation with the DMV on my '54 when I changed to YOM plates. They needed to verify the VIN on the frame did agree with the door VIN #. They were not able to crawl under the car to verify the VIN # on the frame so, they referred me to the CHP. I called the local (Ventura) CHP office and made an appointment to have them verify and they set it up in less than 2 weeks.
   Hint- Locate and clean the frame VIN # (I believe it is on the frame in '62?) before you take it to the CHP. They will give you the proper paperwork for the DMV which you can use to show to the NCRS.
 
Good luck,
Bruce Fuhrman
Secretary SACC

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Steve:  The issue is that the NCRS "experts" have analyzed the characters and shape of your VIN tag from photographs, and feel that it is a reproduction.  You need to check this out, because if the NCRS judges at the Las Vegas National Convention determine that the tag is a reproduction, they might fail your car even if the VIN number on the tag matches the frame number.  You need to compare your tag with a known "good" tag and carefully compare the size and shape and spacing of the characters and the tag itself.  Do the spot welds look right, or is it glued or pop riveted on?  If the tag is a reproduction, but you can prove that the VIN matches the frame stamping, will they pass the car?  It is hard to see or photograph the stamping on the top of the frame without cutting a hole in the floor pan or taking the body off the frame.  If your frame is rusty on top, the frame stamping may not be legible.

 
It is unfortunate that this issue did not come up at a Chapter or Regional judging, but the annual National Convention judges usually are the most experienced in the Club, and they have the last word.

 
A California State issued VIN tag is a sticker that DMV makes up to replace a completely missing VIN tag.  Your VIN tag is not missing.  If your frame stamping VIN is different from the steering column VIN, your car may have been stolen.  Nothing but bad news here.  My 62 was stolen on November 3, 1971, and I am sure that it is out there somewhere.

 
Larry Pearson
 

 

**********

Hello Folks,
I feel like I know what I am doing in this 59 restoration but instead of telling you how hard I have tried to determine if I have a early 59 or a late 59; could you please tell me if there is an easy way to know? 

VIN = J595107364

 
Thank you
Darrell

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

This car # 7364 was built May 8, 1959. Total 59 corvette production was 9670 which means your car was in the last 25% of the cars built for that model year. This makes it a late car rather than early. I believe there may have been some small differences between early and late 59's like carpet style and speaker grill,  but I don't have good data on that subject. I would suggest contacting the NCRS 59 team leader for additional accurate info.

 
Chip Werstein 

 

 

 

 

**********

I ordered a new fuel pump from paragon and the fittings are 180 degrees opposite my original pump.  Are there different configurations for other fuel supply systems?  I have 1 4bbl.  My car is a 61 and engine is a 64 327 but fuel line on frame is in original location I believe.

Dave

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter advisor: 

Dave:  I still have the original pump from my first 1962, and it is configured exactly like the service replacement pump you received from Paragon.  The original AC catalog number was 4656, and that number is stamped on the edge of the mounting flange at the 2 o'clock position.  The top is marked "AC" in the original mold, and the aluminum bottom cover is marked "AC" in large letters.  The original brass inlet fitting is a hex shaped 45 degrees, not the 90 degree fitting you show.  This fitting is available as a reproduction.  The outlet fitting is a brass 90 degree fitting facing upward, not the straight fitting you show.  The original all steel fuel line to the carburetor had a "dog leg" shape to it to connect it to the 90 degree fitting.  You should be able to obtain a reproduction of this line from the suppliers.  Your car originally came with a Carter WCFB carburetor with the inlet in front left side.  If you are using some other type carburetor, like Holly, the original style steel line won't work.  An AFB Carter carburetor requires a different shaped fuel line from the pump.  The original AFB carburetors used on the 300 and 340 hp engines had a glass bowl fuel filter feeding into a threaded inlet on the carburetor, so the gas line from the fuel pump was very different.  The WCFB carburetors had a flared fitting for the inlet and there was a bronze filter behind the inlet fitting inside the carburetor.

 
If you want to modify the new pump to be configured like your old pump, it is easy to do.  Just remove the 10 screws that hold the bottom casting to the top casting and re-orient the bottom until it matches your old unit. The cover screws are evenly spaced, so you can do this.  When replacing the screws, you must compress the the actuator arm in a vice until the rubber diaphragm is completely level with the mounting surface before installing the mounting screws.  Tighten all the screws completely in a cross sequence before removing the pump from the vice.

 
Larry Pearson


From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter advisor:  Dave, Paragon sells a reproduction 4656 pump that is spot on. It is made here in los angeles. They re cast the orignal parts and even stamp 4656 on the flange. I have purchased several over the years and never had a problem.
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Can you please confirm that an original C1 lug wrench has a "0" on it, and fits a 7/16-20 thread with an external measurement of 3/4"?

 
Also, do you have any idea where I can get a horizontal metal reinforcement piece that is riveted to the fiberglass to support the convertible top.  This piece fits right behind the seats.  Unfortunately, my ex-restoration person lost mine!

 
Thanks for your help.

 
George
 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

George:  You don't say what year C1 you have.  Are you restoring the car for NCRS judging or for a driver?  If for NCRS, you need to obtain a copy of the judging guide for your year and follow what they say for the lug wrench.  Otherwise, anything that fits your lug nuts and fits in the trunk will do.  Go to an auto salvage yard for this. Or buy a 4-way combination lug wrench at your local auto parts store. You will also need a large screwdriver to remove the wheel covers.  Corvette Central sells an "exact" reproduction of the lug wrench, but it is very expensive.

 
The horizontal steel reinforcement piece for the convertible top is not "behind the seats".  It is inside the gas tank area, and it should still be there.  Why would anyone remove it?  This reinforcement was there when the body was built, regardless of weather the car originally came with a convertible top.  If it really is "gone", call Corvette Central or Paragon to see if you can get a used replacement.  This is not a high demand item.

 
If you are talking about the left and right vertical reinforcement plates, they are behind the seats and could have been removed and lost.  They were only there if the car came with a convertible top and were painted the body color.  I don't think they are reproduced, so you will have to find used replacements.  Try the above two sources if you need these.

 
Larry Pearson


 

**********

I am looking to restore the trunk area of my 1961 Corvette.  My car is Ermine White (believed to be the original color from all forensic inspection) with white coves and red interior and I enjoy driving her regularly.  The car is in 95% of stock condition following what I was told was a cosmetic restoration in the 1980s and still holding up well.  At that time, the former owner chose to have the inside of the trunk and convertible top compartment painted black.   I would like to gradually restore the car to original condition and would appreciate any information that you can share. 
 
I have the following questions:
 
  1. Paint Color:  Am I correct that the interior of the trunk area and spare tire well are to be painted the same color as the exterior of the car?
  2. Spare Tire Well:  My car happened to come with one Firestone Bias Ply White Wall Tire that does not fit into the well without the plywood top ( I do have the original top) sitting into the depression of the rim of the well.  (the four driving tires have been changed to radials).  I suspect that the bias ply tire is not an original relic but rather a later reproduction that appears to fat for the height of the well.  My question is, did the original tires fit into the well such that the original plywood cover fits neatly into the rim of the well? 
  3. Jack, handle & tire iron:  Alas, the car did not come with its original jack, handle and tire iron and after being frustrated in my search for originals at various venues, I would like to buy a quality reproduction jack, handle and tire iron and would like your recommendation on the right source for such parts.
 
Thanks again in advance as always for the advice.  I truly appreciate being part of SACC.
 
Regards,
 
Joe
 
 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

Joe:  If you plan to have your car judged by NCRS, you should obtain a copy of their Judging Guide and follow the details exactly.  There are a lot of nit-picky things they want to see.  So I will assume that you want a correct "driver" car.  In answer to your questions:

 
1.  The entire trunk area including the area behind the cardboard should be painted Irmine White.  The entire convertible top area should be painted Irmine White, including behind the seats.  I have one 60 and two 62's.  The trunk cardboard and trunk mat should match the interior color.

 
2.  All the wheels, including the spare, should be painted Irmine white.  If you have the optional 5.5 inch wheels, they should be painted black.  Today's reproduction 6.70x15 bias ply tires are wider than 6.7 inches and won't fit in the tire well.  The original 6.70x15 tires fit in the well perfectly.  Both my 62's have original 6.70x15 spare tires, and they fit in the well perfectly.  If you want your reproduction 6/70x15 tire to fit, let the air out and carry a portable electric tire pump in the car.  What I did on my 60, I bought a 6.40x15 tire for the spare.  It fits perfectly.

 
3.  Corvette Central is my favorite source for reproduction items.  However the reproduction scissors jack they sell is not considered to be safe to use, and it is very expensive.  It just looks correct.  This same jack is in my 60, and when I got the car, it was literally in pieces.  One of my 62's had nothing.  I bought a quality scissors jack from Pep Boys and modified the handle to fit in the slot in the trunk floor.  I got a lug wrench at a salvage yard.  This was 40 years ago.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

**********

I just put on new rear shock on my 62 Vette because I found the old ones were bad. The suspension was bottoming out hitting the bumper stops hard.  After the shocks it's better but still bottoms out when I hit dip in the road.  Is this normal for these cars or what do you suggest.

thanks, Gary

 

From:  Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Gary if your leaf springs are original then I surmise that they are worn out and sagging.  You will need to have them removed and taken to a reliable leaf spring rebuilder.  Fellow contributor, Chip Werstein, can give you the original height specifications as these dimensions are very critical to get it right the first time. Replace all the rubber bushings and lubricate them in the shackles.  Good luck with your project as many C1 owners have crossed this bridge before and it is not Rocket Science to make this repair as the hardest part is finding somebody in your area who knows what they are doing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I have a 1960 corvette.VIN #00867S106796 should tag be on column or inside driver door?
Thanks
Jeff

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Jeff,

 
Your vin tag should be spot welded to the steering column.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 

 


 

From: Brad Bean, SACC Vice President: 

Jeff,

 
Only early '60s had the VIN tag screwed to the door.  Your's is way past the date where they were moved to the steering column and welded.  Therefore, yours should be welded to the steering column.

 
Brad

 

 


 

 

**********

I have a 1956 corvette. My question is what kind of oil (and how much) do I put in the oil tube attached to the distributor and also I see oil caps on the generator. Does it need oil also? Thanks for you time.
 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Both your generator and distributor should be lubricated with a couple drops of engine oil every 1000 miles. This is according to the Corvette shop manual ST 12 which every C-1 owner should have. It is available  from any Corvette parts supplier.

 
BUT if your distributor and/or generator has been rebuilt ( which is quite likely after 60+ years ) it will probably have sealed bearings which require no lubrication. If you were to oil sealed bearings i don't think it would cause any harm.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

**********

Fellow members, 

 I’m going to attempt to reseal my washer pump.  Having had enough experience, I do not want to attempt this without a exploded drawing of a Trico vacuum pump. The factory manuals Chevrolet and Corvette supplements Do not touch on this procedure.  The service kit I purchased from  C.C. did not have this needed diagram. Would any of you be willing to share this information with the Corvette world and myself.  

Paul from Michigan
1960 2x4 270 hp


From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Capital Auto Restoration used to rebuild and restore C1 washer pumps, 301-948-9481….very expensive but they are not easy to do….good luck with this project

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Brad Bean, SACC Vice President: 

I applaud your desire to do this yourself.  

 
Frankly, I've always relied on professionals for windshield wiper related rebuilds, specifically  SACC member, Tom Maxwell, who rebuilt two windshield motors and one windshield washer pump for me.  Unfortunately, Tom passed away a few years ago.  I believe his son, who worked with Tom, now operates the business.  The contact information I have is: Capitol Auto Restoration 301-948-9481.

 
Good luck, either way you go.

 


 


**********
I bought a car pretty much in pieces .Wondering what the piece was on each end of the grill .Was it fiberglass or metal was it paint car color or black? Also I am 6’4 any ideas to get little more room?

Thanks

Jeff

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Jeff,
 

For the answer(s) to your first question, you need an 1960 Assembly Manual (Mid-America sells a good one), a C-1 parts catalog from Paragon Reproductios or Corvette Central to really see all the parts your car is missing.

On 1958-1962 Corvettes frontal area on either side of the grill opening is one fiberglass panel that entends from one wheel opening to the other. The intended function of the recessed areas on both sides is to provide an air inlet to cool the heavy duty racing brake (called "Big Brake") RPO.  Each side has an upper & lower diecast & chromed eyebrow trim bezel above & below the bumper. Since Big Brakes are a rare option, most owners paint the recessed area black.
 


 

Your second question is tougher.

Although some big guys own, drive & love them, the early Corvettes were designed for 5' 9" - 165lb people or very limber contortionists to be able to ingress/egress.    Depending on your difficulty here are some options: 15 inch steering wheel vs stock 17 inch, remove some seat padding, replace steering column with Ididit tilt column OR just drive it with the top down only.
 

Good luck with your project,
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Jeff:  The 1961 and 62 seats were completely redesigned and you get about two inches more room room in both directions.  If you know someone with a 61 or 62, try it out.  My brother is 6'-4" and fits in my 62 fairly well and enjoys driving it.  The  problem is that the 61-62 seats mount to the floor completely differently than the pre-61 seats do.  But you con make it work.  Or buy a 61 or 62.  
Another possibility is that your seats are re-upholstered and have too much stuffing.  Both the bottom and back should be concave, not convex.  Most upholstery shops way over-stuff the C-1 seats.  I will try to send a photograph in a different email from a Motor Trend road test showing the seats in a new 1959 Corvette.

 
 
 
Jeff:  See the attached file for a photo from Petersen publishing showing Ray Brock sitting in a new 1959 Corvette.  Observe the passenger seat bottom and the pronounced depression in it.  This is a new car with new seats.  The 1960 seats are the same, except that the pleats go front to back.  If your seats are overstuffed, you may be able to gain as much as two inches in both directions.

 
Larry Pearson

 


 

 

 

**********

Please help me to clear some confusion I am having on my Trunk Mat. My question is, does the Trunk Mat go under the Trunk Liner or does it butt to it???
 
Thank You
Dennis
 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

I have an unrestored 1960 with the original trunk mat.  The mat buts up to the cardboard trunk liner.  You have to be able to remove the trunk mat to access the spare tire.  If it is under the cardboard liner you would have to remove the liner to remove the trunk mat to access the spare tire.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


**********

I am going to have my 61 T-10 rebuilt and mechanic suggested changing out course spline tailshaft and yoke for fine.  Is this a good idea?  Not a hard driver, worth the $?

 
From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  In my opinion it is not worth the money unless you were going to start drag racing with drag slicks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

The 57 through 62 Corvettes with the T-10 transmission all had a course spline output shaft and came with a long driveshaft yoke.  The long yoke was necessary because the rear axle movement up and down with the short driveshaft used in these cars caused a lot of in and out movement of the yoke in the transmission output shaft.  A short yoke, which the midyear Corvettes used, might disingage from the transmission tail shaft if the car encounters a large bump at speed.  Even the long yoke can disingage from the transmission if the rear axle rebound straps are missing. The Muncie transmissions came with a fine spline and used a short yoke because there is no up and down movement of the differential with the Stingray Corvettes.  It is my understanding that the late service replacement T-10's could be had with a fine spline output.  Corvette Central sells a long yoke with a fine spline so that Muncie transmissions can be installed in the C1 Corvette.  Because of the long driveshaft used in sedans, a long yoke was not needed.

 
In response to your question, it makes absolutely no sense to change to a fine spline output shaft in your 1961 Corvette.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

**********

I have a 1959 corvette 283 carb 4 speed

I want to take out the speedometer to have it fixed

Paul
 

From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

Paul,

 

This is a pretty straight forward project but is not as easy as may seem to someone who has never done this before. You will need to completely remove the instrument housing containing all the gauges, the speedometer housing, the tachometer housing, the ignition switch, the headlight switch, the wiper transmission cable and the cigarette lighter.  The speedometer and tachometer cables will have to disconnected, the headlight switch harness, the ignition harness and the oil pressure line.  The main wiring harness connections to the gauges will all have to be disconnected as well as the instrument housing light bulbs.  I suggest that you remove the steering wheel in order to gain better access to all of the disconnections of the instrument housing.  Mark or write down all of the main wiring harness to instrument gauges connections for proper reassembly.  Patience is a virtue and good luck with this project.

 

 

 

 

 

**********

I bought a 1960 corvette with engine and transmission removed. Getting ready to install the engine .It appears that the driver side engine mount frame bracket is higher than the one on the passenger side? Is this correct or should they be level from one side to the other? Are they adjustable or should I buy a replacement.Also I thought I would check all the steering and the 3 arm raises and lowers slightly when turning the wheel. Car has been sitting for along time so I thought I would replace the bearing and the seal and thoughts?

Thanks

Jeff

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Jeff,
 

I've got more questions than answers here and a few red flags.
 

The two motor bracket mounting surfaces should be approximately level with the ground.

New brackets are available, but if you bought them, unless one is noticeably deformed I suspect they will be identical to what you have. The 3rd arm articulation makes me suspect uncorrected front end accident damage to either the frame or to the steering/suspension components. Checking the fender opening to tire height from left to right might give you a clue as to how much distortion you're dealing with. While you are replacing the 3rd arm bearing & seal, there are other components that contribute to steering instability. Wheel bearings, king pins, worn/poorly adjusted steering gear, drag link lube & adjustment and tie rod ends all need to be checked/lubed/replaced.

Good luck with your project,
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC

**********

Would like to set up fronts to match rears.  Any ideas?  Thanks, Dave
 


 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Dave,

 
It's hard to tell from the pictures, but they look like chrome reverse wheels with 57-62 corvette centers.. The spinner and adapter are cool.......probably home made.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 


 

**********

I would like to know if I can lift car at a central point, front or back, and lift both wheels at the same time.   Pumpkin?  Thanks,  Dave


From Bill Huffman: 

Dave,
 

I have used a floor jack to raise my C-1s using a center lift point for many years.  I lift the front under the steering front cross member using a 16 inch long 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 cross-ways to distribute the load.

DO NOT USE THE THIRD ARM BEARING AS A SUPPORT. It is nodular cast iron & WILL break.

The rear can be lifted using the differential housing. However, here I also use a short 2 x 4 to distribute the load & not damage the paint.

 

The floor jack is for lifting only.


Put the jack stands under the car then remove the floor jack to relieve stress on the car frame & chassis.


Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

**********

I would like to lift both wheels front or rear safely to place jack stands.  I don't want to twist body if possible. When lifted what is best location to set stands?  Thanks, Dave
 


From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  The strongest and safest place to place your jack stands would be directly onto the main frame trusses that run front to rear.  Place the front stands just before the frame truss starts to turn inward at the engine firewall.  The rear stands should be placed at where the rear spring axles met the rear frame truss.  The stands should be directly across from each other. This arrangement will give total support to the body and attached suspensions parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

**********

Hello to all,

I have a 1962 corvette and am thinking about getting the windshield washer pump going again.  I have two small rubber hoses coming out of the firewall up high on the passenger side and also have the washer fluid tank and pump.  I've been looking for a diagram to show me what parts are missing and how and where they go together.


What I do find is a diagram showing the windshield washer unit over on the drivers side rather than the passenger side by the battery, but I cannot find a picture showing where everything bolts up.


I would be grateful if you can point me to a picture showing how the unit goes together in the chassis on the passenger side.  (brackets and where they mount etc.)


Any and all help is appreciated.


Thanks again,
 

 

From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  If your 62 Corvette has any preexisting windshield washer parts and hoses on the passenger side it would indicate that your Corvette was fuel injected.  Al 1958-1962 fuel injected Corvettes had the windshield washer system installed on the passenger side because with the fuel injection air cleaner being mounted on the driver’s side it would have made it too difficult to service the washer bottle tank. Fuel injected Corvettes had a vacuum reserve tank bolted to a special nut plate on the inner fender as well as a special aluminum heat shield that was held on the inner fender near the battery.  This shield was held to the inner fender by three screws.  Purchase a 1962  Corvette assembly manual from either Paragon or Corvette Central and there is a chapter on the fuel injection option which gives a very detailed diagram of how all the windshield washer parts were located.  Good luck with your project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

"The 1960 Corvette is the first year that did not feature the VIN tag in the door jamb."
 
 Not case of My '60, VIN # 100.
 
 My VIN number IS on the door jamb !
 
 John

From: Brad Bean, SACC Vice President: 

You are correct on both accounts!  The change of relocating the VIN plate from the front driver's door frame (with screws) occurred on the 1960 model, but did not actually happen until after serial number 1406, but before 1563.  After which, they were spot welded to the steering column.

 
So... your #100 1960 has the VIN number in the proper location.  I own #924 which, like yours, the VIN is located on the door frame.  If you have Noland Adam's Restoration Guide, this is referenced on page #255.
 

 

 

 

 

From:  Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

In 1960 the vin moved from the door jam to tje steering column at vin 3000

Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

 


From Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

John,
 

Having several 1960 Corvette owners in our chapter, in comparing our cars, we found that the switch in VIN location occurred between 28 Oct 1959 & 28 Dec 1959. The change was between VIN #s 1100 & 1900. Stamping the VIN # on the engine stamp pad occurred later, in early 1960.
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 


**********

what GM wheels interchange with a stock 59 corvette wheel 15 / 5?  it is said to be a 49 chevy sedan is this true?

From:  Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President: 

Original 1959 Corvette 15 X 5 wheels had the dogbone weld slot, not the riveted wheels that most swap meet vendors try to sell you. Also, after 60 years, most original rims will have worn, elongated or enlarged lug nut holes that are downright dangerous. If you have a driver as opposed to a matching numbers museum piece, it is far easier & less expensive to buy a new 4 wheel set from Corvette Central than it is to find a complete set of good original wheels.  https://www.corvettecentral.com/c1-53-62/wheels/hubcap-wheel/56-62-15-x-5-new-rim-wheel-welded-set-of-4-641143?returnurl=%2fc1-53-62%2fwheels%2fhubcap-wheel%2f 
 

Good luck with your project,
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC

 

From Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

The 55 and 56 Chevy wheel is nearly identical to the stock  56-62 Corvette wheel. They are 15x5, have the hubcap nubs and are rivited, not welded. Once installed on your car it is likely that no one will ever know they are not Corvette wheels except an NCRS judge and he'd have to be laying under the car to tell.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

 

**********

I am not an experienced mechanic and have created a monster.  I have
 totally disassembled my '60 over the past ten years.  In that process I
 have removed the rear axles several years ago and am finally getting
back into reassembling the car.

 For the life of me I cannot find any detailed drawing, including the
 "official manuals" that shows how the axles fit into the differential
 and what holds them in.  I am now 72 and have a hard time remembering
 much of anything, so I do not remember how I took them apart.
 
 Can someone help describe the process of reassembling the axles to the
 differential?

 Also, I have already installed the drive shaft back into the drive
 train.  Do I need to remove the drive shaft and the front of the
 differential to be able to see into the differential to install the axles?

 Thank you
 
 Tom


From: Bill Huffman: Michigan Chapter President:Tom,

Almost any service question regarding your 1960 can be answered by the 1953-1962 Corvette Servicing Guide ST-12. Below is Section 4, Rear Suspension & Driveline.  Section 4, Rear Suspension & Driveline would be of help for you.

Good luck with your project,
Bill Huffman, Pres.
Michigan Chapter SACC

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hello:

 

I am looking for advice on how to rebuild my 1961 Corvette speedometer.  (VIN No. 10867S102739)

 The speedometer failed last year and when I removed the unit I found that a 3/8” piece of the tip of the old speedo cable (red plastic square shaped piece) had broken off in the back of the connection port.  I was able to remove this and then reinstalled the speedometer with a new cable from Corvette Central.  Unfortunately it appears that there is a bigger issue.  The speedo now moves but erratically and with a distressing ticking noise coming from the speedometer itself.  I am thinking now that the internal issue is what caused the old cable end to break off in the unit. 

 I am pretty handy and was wondering if there is any literature no how to rebuild the speedometer or if not, can you recommend a reputable rebuilder.  Thanks in advance for your help,

 Joe

From: Brad Bean, SACC Vice President: 

Joe,

 
Sounds as if your diagnosis is right on. 

 
I perform a lot of my own maintenance, however when it comes to instrumentation I leave that to the pros.  For this I've had good experience with "Clocks by Roger" in Chattanooga, TN. 

 
Maybe someone else can direct you to the technical information you need to rebuild your speedometer, but this is the route I'd pursue.

 
Brad


From: Max Brockhouse, SACC President: 

I hear what you are saying.  I too, also rebuilt my '58 speedometer and had the same problem.  I finally sent it to  Corvette Clocks by Roger and problem was solved. 24 Leisure Lane, Jackson, TN  38305 731/664/6120==731/644/1627fax.  Max Brockhouse, President SACC

 

 

 

 

From: Bill Huffman, Michigan Chapter President:

Joe,
 

Original speedometer cables didn't have plastic molded tips. I made the mistake of installing an aftermarket one a few years ago. It was too short, chattered & promply twisted the plastic end off. Your speedo cable should be 70 inches long with crimped ends on a steel cable and a black jacket. Try Paragon Reproduction P/N 1868 or Corvette Central P/N SKU 211401.
 

Make sure the cable is lubed properly & the ends are seated into both the speedometer head & the transmission driven gear.
 

Good luck with your project,
 

Bill Huffman, Pres.
 

Michigan Chapter SACC


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Joe:  Your Corvette's speedometer and tachometer are mechanical devices that indicate your car and your engine speed by a spinning cable that spins a bar magnet inside a metal cup, called the speed cup, that moves the pointer.  The cable has a square end on it that inserts into a square hole at the back of the speedometer (or tachometer) housing.  The input to the speedometer mechanism is a steel shaft about two inches long supported by two bronze (Oilite) bushings that are permanently lubricated.  The other end of this shaft attaches to the bar magnet.  Over time the lubricant dries out and can cause this shaft to bind in the two bushings, causing the cable to break.  Or the bushings can wear out causing the spinning magnet to come in physical contact with the speed cup and cause a "clanging" sound when the car is driven at speed.  If this is the case with you, continuing to drive the car can destroy the speed cup, and new parts are not available to repair it.  The speedometer shop will likely get the needed parts out of a used speedometer.  The steel shaft also has a worm gear cut on it that drives the odometer readout through a series of gears.

 
To determine what your problem is, disconnect the speedometer cable housing from the speedometer head.  There is a 1/8th inch part of the shaft exposed,  Grab it with your finger tips and to try to move it up and down and side to side.  If there is noticeable movement, then the bushings are worn out and you will have to remove the speedometer and have it rebuilt at a speedometer shop.  This problem normally does not cause binding that breaks the cable, so it is unlikely to be your problem.  Then take the broken off cable stub and insert into the shaft and try to spin it with your fingers.  If resistance is noted, then the bushings are dry and need to be re-lubricated.  You can do this yourself if you are handy, and you say you are.  While you are at it, check the tachometer the same way.

 
To re-lubricate the shaft, you will have to remove the speedometer from the car.  Using a 1/16 inch drill, drill a hole in the top of the die-cast zink housing about where the threads end.  This positions the hole about midway between the bushings.  Then use a hypodermic needle or some type of pointy oiler to inject a small amount of 30 weight engine oil into the housing through this hole.  Keep injecting until the shaft spins freely.  When the shaft spins freely, you are done with the oiling.  If removing the speedometer from the car is too much for you, you can drill the hole in the side of the housing in this location and pretty much achieve the same results.  There is not much room to work under the dash with the speedometer installed.
 
Check the results by spinning the shaft with a variable speed electric hand drill.  Make sure that the pointer goes up and down smoothly as the shaft speed is varied.  The speedometer is calibrated to indicate 60mph at 1001 rpm of the shaft speed.  The tachometer indicates twice shaft speed.  This is because the cable turns at half engine speed.

 
If you really feel up to it, remove the speedometer mechanism from the speedometer housing and oil or grease the odometer shafts and gears and everything else that moves.  Do not remove the die-cast housing containing the shaft and spinning magnet from the speedometer assembly.

 
I have used this method to re-lubricate many speedometers and tachometers, and it always works.

 
Larry Pearson

 

**********

Bruce,
On my '54 I'm having trouble finding a spare tire that will fit in the trunk well and allow the wood cover to full close. Any suggestions?   We have 205/75R15 Coker white walls on the corvette and they are about inch and half too fat.
 
Virgil


From: Bruce Fuhrman, SACC Secretary: 

Hi Virgil,
  Yes, your problem is real. I had bought (5) Coker bias-ply (Firestone) when I first restored my '54 in 2000  to keep it all original. They were terrible, egg shaped and would not balance.
I had to have them trued which took a lot of rubber off. They only lasted about 15k miles so I replaced with (4) Diamond-Back radials with W/W vulcanized on the outside. They are GREAT! Only problem is they are wider and will not fit un-restricted in the spare. So, I used one of the old Coker bias-ply as a spare and it just fits with no spare room. My suggestion is to try and swap with Coker and have them send you a bias-ply 670x15 and use as a spare. Or, you can live with the bulge in the trunk?
Cheers,
Bruce

 

 

 

 

**********

Hello:
 
My 1960 Corvette Grab Bar Bezels, are they Chrome Plated or are they Stainless Steel?

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

Dennis

 
The bezels on the ends of the grab bar are chrome plated.

 
Chip Werstein
 

 

 

 

 

**********

I wonder if I could get some assistance?    When I renewed my 2018 membership (SACC # 3987)  I had requested assistance and received a reply to send it to, Dr. Jack Hallada.   I am sending photos of an Ignition shield, that was in the trunk of my 1960 Corvette, which I purchased in 1968.  This shield as you can see by the photo's is steel, chrome plated with sharp corners.  I have gone thru a lot of manuals and have not been able to match it up?   The correct shape was stamped, rounded corners and I believe made of Stainless Steel.

        One friend, a Retired GM Service manager, though that it may have been an early proto type, he said he had seen, a lot of hand made items from GM over the years, on the early corvettes. Then again? It could be a piece someone made?

      I've emailed copies to Paragon Corvette, No one can give me any information either.

      I am in final stages of putting the "Vette" back on the road, As a kid I beat the heck out of it!  But I saved all the old original parts.  It will never be a concourse car, but! "I love to drive it!" and it looks great!

         Can anyone identify this Ignition Shield? What years (s).  Does it have any value?

      Any assistance would be appreciated!

 

Thank you!

 

Clifford


 

From:  Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  This shield appears to be from a 58-61 carbureted Corvette which mounted the ignition coil on the passenger side.  Fuel injected Corvettes mounted the coil on the driver’s side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Cliff:  If this isn't some sort of a prototype, then someone went to a lot of trouble and expense to create a top radio shield for the carbureted engines that could have been purchased at any Chevrolet parts counter.  I was able to buy this top shield from my dealer well into the 70's.  This top shield design was used on 1957 through 1962 radio equipped carbureted Corvettes. Fuel injection equipped Corvettes had a much different looking top shield because of a different coil location.   I don't know what the 1956 top shield looked like, but it was probably something like this unless it was some kind of carry-over from 1955.  The original top shield for these years was made out of three separate pieces of polished stainless steel that were spot welded together to form the finished part. Your shield dates back to before 1968 when you got it with your 1960 Corvette.  It appears to be made up of at least five separate pieces that were welded together and then chrome plated.
  
The original shields were normally mounted to the engine with two chrome plated wing bolts in the back and a chrome plated 1/4-20 hex head bolt on the top.  The shield attaches to spark plug wire support brackets in three different locations.  The back side had two slotted cutouts like the one shown in your photo. on the left side of your shield.  Some shields had a slot on one side and a round hole on the other side.  The one on my 1960 was done this way.  The right side of your shield has a big cutout that would not work with the wing nut, because it is too large.  Finally, there should be an oblong hole on the top surface for the hex bolt to go.  You have no hole there at all.  So the way your shield is configured it is beautiful, but it is not usable as a top radio shield.

 
What is it worth?  Unless you can prove that GM made it as a prototype, I don't think that anyone would want it.  Reproductions of the real thing are readily available.

 
Larry Pearson

 

********

My name is Dennis DeVito. I am currently in the final stages of my 1960 Corvette's Restoration Project.
My question is on the proper location of the Jacking Instructions Decal and the Positraction Decal on the Sparetire Coverboard.
I also have a Harrison Aluminum Top Tank Radiator, and would like the Factory Correct location of the Thermostat Decal's exact location on the which side of the top of the Radiator.
Please respond.

 

Thank You
Dennis

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Dennis:  Original top tank aluminum radiators are very rare, and I have never seen one with the paper "CAUTION" sticker in place.  On the 1961 and 1962 aluminum radiators that use the separate aluminum expansion tank, the sticker is on the left (driver's) side and the Harrison metal tag is on the right side.  The CAUTION sticker on your radiator should go on the opposite side from the Harrison tag, probably the left side.  The location of this sticker is not "exact", and there is no location specification in the factory Assembly Manual.  As a point of interest, this same "CAUTION" sticker was also used on the 1960 Chevy sedans, but it was applied to the steel header in front of the radiator, and not on the radiator.

 
The red Positraction paper label goes on the left (driver's) side of the plywood spare tire cover and the black jacking instructions go on the right side.  They are glued in place with a yellow rubber cement type adhesive (like 3M weatherstrip adhesive in the spray can) that was sprayed on the wood (with lots of overspray) and then the paper labels were applied over the adhesive.  Both labels are approximately centered between the edge of the board and the center metal cover hold down cup, and are approximately in line with the metal hold down cup.  Nothing precise here.
 

 

 

 

**********

Hi Bruce,

I have a quick question for you. I am replacing the radiator hoses on
our 1954 Corvette. I'm looking to find out the correct hose clamps. Are
they spring clamps or tower clamps?

Also, what are your thoughts about converting to a 12 volt system?


Thanks,

Virgil

From: Bruce Fuhrman, SACC Secretary: 

Hi again,  
    I researched your request for hose clamps at home and this is what I found.
Two different clamps were used on early and late '54's. They are a flat metal strap about a 1/2" wide. and it is bent outward about 90 degrees. A small machine bolt fits through the holes to form the clamp. The second clamp is still a 1/2"  but it's center section has been stamped out of and doubled around to form a center reinforcement. This type is shown on the attached photo which was taken at Barrett/Jackson in Scottsdale this weekend of an original '54 un-restored VIN # 1289 (early production). Disregard the overflow tank small hose clamps which are Corbin spring clamps which were not used until 1955.
Hope this helps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Virgil,
  The conversion to 12 V is easy, I did it to mine about 20 years ago. The 6v wire is larger so no problem there. Change the bulbs (all) including the dash and doors., the clock if working to quartz, and the starter and generator need to be rewound for 12V and keep the same housings. The float in the gas tank needs to be changed, the voltage regulator and most important add a resistor (porcelain) to the ign. line to the points. Obviously the coil to 12V. The major expense is the conversion of the radio to 12V. You will need to send to a radio guy to replace all tubes, I paid $400. I did not replace the horns since they were over $750 and when I use the horn, close your ears! I found a 12V DELCO battery that was sealed and glued 3 yellow tops on the top with the threads cut off.
Cheers,
Bruce Fuhrman  

 

 

 
Cheers,
Bruce Fuhrman

 

**********

Looking for Diagrams/Schematics for the Trunk Latch “fiberglass piece”  that is Bonded to the trunk Floor, with the Latch…
Also other parts like the  License plate Lamp/housing,  and,, or course a TRUNK LID….
Any info would be appreciated,  AND,  who may have some For Sale….
Thank you
Sam


 

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 
Sam:  It sounds like your car got rear-ended.  You should be able to buy everything you need from Corvette Central.  They have an online catalogue at www.corvettecentral.com, or you can call them at 800.345.3342.  I have a hard copy of their catalog from 2010, and all your needs seem to be there, and I assume that they still are.  Another good source is Paragon Reproductions, Inc., 800.882.4688, www.corvette-paragon.com.  This is from their 2004 catalog.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Looking for help identifying the block drains for cooling system flush
on my 1959 283.  Pics attached.  Which are the drain plugs - front or
back?  Also, any tips on accessing the lower radiator hose which seems
to require removal of the fan cowling.

Thanks!

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Clark:  The coolant drain plugs are the 9/16 inch steel plugs located in the middle of both sides of the engine block. You need to remove the plugs on both sides of the block and open the lower radiator drain petcock to completely drain the engine block.  I do not know what the front plugs on your block are for, and do not recall ever seeing these plugs on any of the small block Chevys that I own.  I own the following original engine Chevys:  1956 265ci, 1960 283ci, 1962 327ci, 1975 350 ci, and 1992 350 ci.  Your block does not look like any 283 ci block that I have ever seen.  But if it works, enjoy.  Neat looking oil pan!  The original oil pan on your Corvette was a high capacity steel 5 quart pan (6 quart oil change including the filter).  Even on the base engines.  The passenger cars had 4 quart oil pans, with a 5 quart oil change.

 
As far as the lower radiator hose, you have to remove the upper and lower fan shrouds to get at the front lower hose clamp.  There is an access hole in the right front side of the lower fan shroud but I have never been able to properly access the front lower hose clamp through that hole.  You can't get to this clamp from under the car because the frame cross member is in the way.  Use a good quality replacement lower hose and it will last you many years.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

**********

Gentlemen:
 
Does anyone have detailed specifications/dimensions on ’61-’62 seats.  I finally pulled my ’61 from the upholstery shop where they had it for 4 months and it is still not completed.  They refurbished my seat frames added new foam and recovered them.  Seats look great but they do not fit properly.  Obviously they are “over-stuffed” for proper seating position and convertible frame clearance (when top is down).  I am fighting with them on fix but it would be great if I had detailed measurements and clearances.  Any help is much appreciated.
 


From: Larry Pearson,, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Gary:  There are no "measurements" published anywhere. The seat assemblies were constructed and upholstered in a separate facility and delivered to the assembly line ready to install in the car. No photographs exist showing the upholstery workers assembling the seats.  Al Knoch Interiors has produced a video showing how to install his seat covers over his seat foam and these videos cost about $100 each.  Maybe you could start with this.  Did you buy new seat foam from Al Knoch to install over the refurbished seat frame?  Back in 1961 Motor Trend did a road test on the 1961 Corvette and it shows how the seats looked and fit when the car was new.  The original seat foam was molded out of latex foam rubber which deteriorates when exposed to air over a period of time.  Did your upholstery shop add modern plastic foam rubber cut from a sheet over the original latex foam making the seat too wide to fit in the car?  The center pleated insert originally had a distinct depression in it.  Most upholstery shops over-stuff this area making it appear convex rather than concave.  But it should still fit in the car.  The seats should be narrow enough that the seat can be moved back and forth the entire range of the seat track without "jamming" against the center console.  If it jams against the center console, maybe you could remove the "hog rings" that attach the seat cover to the frame in that area and remove the excess foam rubber and then reinstall the hog rings (they can be re-shaped and re used).

 
You say that the seats "look great".  That's a good start.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

**********

 

I recently lost the motor in my 58 283 Fuelie (rod thru the oil pan) after only 450 miles on a rebuild from a machine shop. I will be replacing it  with a GM 350 290hp long block using 462 camel hump heads to raise the compression and  to keep some what of an original look. My question is since the new blocks do not have a road draft tube can I get away with using a vented oil breather cap on the oil fill tube to vent the engine? The Fuel Injection unit should work on that motor with that cam but I would rather not have to put a pvc or breather on the valve covers to keep a stock look. What affect will this have on the motor? I do not want to put a used rebuilt motor in the car again.

 

Thanks,

member #2034

 

From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Mike,

 

Your original engine block had a provision for a road draft tube to draw clean air through the oil filler cap although only hydraulic cam engines had this type of oil filler cap. Solid lifter engines did not have an oil filler cap that would breath fresh air into the crankcase.  In order for your replacement engine to vent itself you would need to add a PCV valve somewhere on one of the valve covers which would require some modification along with an oil filler cap that would permit fresh air into the engine.  These oil filler breather caps are available from various after market Corvette parts suppliers. In order to preserve the original look of your valve covers would require extensive modifications of the replacement engine block to provide a PCV valve that first appeared in 1961/1962 RPO 242 PCV valve applications. After market engine blocks that do not have the road draft tube provision are a crap shoot but can be made to work if you are willing to modify and add a PCV valve to one of your original valve covers.

 

 

**********


 
I’M LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT 6” X 9”SPEAKER THAT WILL FIT MY 62. THE PROBLEM I’M HAVING IS THAT THE 4 STUDS ON THE DASH HOLD DOWN ARE NOT LONG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE AFTERMARKET SPEAKERS THAT ARE ABOUT ½” THICK AT THE MOUNTING FLANGE AND THERE IS NOT ENOUGH LENGTH ON THE 4 STUDS TO GET THE NUTS ON. I ASSUME THE OEM UNITS WERE CLOSE TO FLUSH THUS PROVIDING ENOUGH LENGTH TO SECURE THE HOLD DOWN NUTS. I SEE AFTERMARKET SMALL DUAL SPEAKERS MOUNTED TO A 6” X 9” PLATE BUT I’M NOT SURE HOW THICK THAT PLATE IS OR IF IT WILL WORK WITH MY STOCK HOLD DOWN STUD LENGTH. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
BILL
 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Bill:  Chip Werstein offered some good suggestions, and I have some additional thoughts.

 
Do you have the original speaker?  If so, use a razor blade and trim the thickness of the cardboard seal to match the thickness of the original speaker cone.  The 1/2" thickness that you report is way too thick.  If you have the original speaker and the cone is torn with no missing pieces, it can usually be repaired using Elmer's white glue and toilet paper.  Yes, toilet paper.  It works great.  If you want it to look black, use a black felt tip pen to blacken it.  Or as chip suggested, look for someone to re-cone it.  Whatever speaker you end up using, the original transformer must be used or the radio output transistor will immediately burn out if you connect the radio output directly to the speaker voice coil.  The radio output transistor is directly connected the transformer primary coil, which is part of its bias circuit, and the four ohm resistance of the voice coil is much too low.

 
I do not recommend dual-cone speakers.  That only complicates things from an impedance standpoint and may destroy the radio output transistor or cause the output to distort.

 
Larry Pearson

 


 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Bill,

 
I have installed many speakers in C-1 Corvettes and never experienced this problem. I would check 3 things.

 
1. Are the 4 studs on your speaker grill oval broken or somehow too short?

 
2. Is there excess foam on the dash pad which prevents the oval from going down as far as it should?

 
3. Did you slot ( or make oval) the stud holes for the speaker grill oval? If you didn't, the vinyl on the pad will hold the oval up too high.

 
Perhaps you could take an original speaker and have it re-coned.

 
Chip Werstein


 

**********

Am rebuilding 1960 and cannot find the castle nut that holds pinion yoke
onto the pinion shaft.  Tried buying a 7/8" fine thread nut at machine
shop, but the threads seemed too coarse. Anybody no what the nut size is
(thread count) and where I can get one?

Thanks,

Tom

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:

Tom:  Corvette Central has this nut under catalog number 582107 and comes with a new washer.  It actually is a locking nut and you are supposed to use a new nut and washer every time you remove it.  The nut is pinched to make it resistant to coming loose.  According to the ST-12 shop manual, page 4-10, the nut is to be torqued to 150-190 foot-pounds.  I suggest that you use a large pipe wrench to hold the "pinion yoke" from turning while torqueing the nut..  Originally they had a special tool to hold it and this tool is shown on page 4-10.  It would be easiest if you tightened the nut with the differential installed in the rear axle housing.  The pipe wrench can then rest against the garage floor.  I suggest that you install a new pinion seal, because it can leak, and then you can do the whole job over again.

 
Larry Pearson. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hello,

NCRS Member number 63986, not a member of SACC yet.

I have a 1962 Corvette Survivor, 327 CI engine, 250 HP, 4 speed transmission.  Car was running find up to a couple of days ago.  Battery charged, fuel in car, when you crank it, turns over, but nothing happens, will not start.

There is a brown wire loose under the dash, might be from the ignition switch, however, I have a colostomy and am not able to look under the dash.  Going to get this bag off my side November 3, 2017.

Everything is the same on car, most likely something simple but??????

Any suggestions or comments welcomed.

Thank you, Steve


 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  

Steve:  The 18 gauge brown wire loose under the dash is most likely the problem.  This wire goes from the lower part of the center connector on the ignition switch and the other end goes to the ballast resistor under the hood.  The brown wire from the windshield wiper motor also connects to the same lug on the ballast resistor.  The brown wire at the ignition switch locks into the plastic connector and is retained by a tab that is bent slightly up on the crimped-on connector.  This is one of three wires that go into this connector.  Make sure that the brown wire connector locks into the plastic connector, or this problem might repeat itself.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

**********

Hello,
 
I have a 1959 Corvette with a single Carter 4 barrel WCFB on the 283.  I have the passenger side exhaust manifold casting # 3750556 that has the hole for the inner choke tube, but no choke tube.  The casting does not have an exit hole bored through at the base opposing to top hole.  I am confused, I see there is a lower choke tube that can be purchase, but if I press it in and attache the upper tube to it, then the Carter choke would be directly connected to the heat and pressure of the exhaust gasses - this doesn't seem correct to me.  Am I missing something?  Is the choke tube that is pressed into the manifold open at the other end in the exhaust allowing the pressurized gas to flow to the choke body?
 
Any description or diagrams would help.  I've searched on the internet and read vague discussions, but I am perplexed by this.

 

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Dane:  All  Chevrolet V-8 engines starting in 1955 with a carburetor had what is known as a heat stove in the passenger exhaust manifold.  The purpose of the heat stove is to heat up the ambient air being drawn into the automatic choke housing by a manifold vacuum passage inside the carburetor.  This heated air causes a bi-metallic coil inside the choke housing to heat up and twist open the automatic choke valve inside the carburetor air horn and, through linkage, turn a fast idle cam on the base of the carburetor to slow the cold fast idle.

 
Starting in 1957 the heat stove consists of an approximately 6-inch stainless steel hollow tube that is pressed into this exhaust manifold through holes bored in the top and bottom side of the manifold at an angle and in perfect alignment.  Your exhaust manifold must have both of these holes.  They never made an exhaust manifold with just the top hole, as you seem to be telling us. If your manifold is defective, you will have to buy a replacement manifold with a good tube in it.  Or try your luck in drilling the lower hole in alignment with the upper hole.  Or plug the holes and use an after market electric choke housing.  The solid axle fuel injected engines had manifolds without the heat stove.  These manifolds without the heat stove are very rare and valuable.  The cast-in part numbers are the same for both manifolds.

 
Sometimes the tube burns through and the tube must be replaced.  You don't want hot exhaust gasses being drawn into the choke housing.  Replacement tubes are available through Corvette Central.  Be careful if you are drilling out the remains of a burned out tube that you do not enlarge the holes in the cast iron manifold or the replacement tube will not stay in place.  Use a pin punch to drive out the old tube remains.  The upper end of  heat stove connects to the carburetor choke housing with a length of 1/4 brake line and a compression ferrule and special brass hex nut.  The lower end of the stove tube is open to ambient air.  In 1962 a special lower tube assembly connected into the lower end and came up and transitioned to a rubber hose that pushed over a brass tube in the side of the carburetor air horn, thereby causing filtered air to enter the choke housing.

 
Larry Pearson

 


 


 

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hi,   i have a 62 corvette and the tach only goes up to about 12 to 1500 rpms, i have checked the cable connections and all seems fine.     any thoughts besides replacing the tach  ?
i really do not want to pull out the cluster  !!       thanks in advance for any thoughts            charles
 

From:  Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  The tachometer in your Corvette operates on a bunch of spinning magnets that register RPM.  Your tachometer is history and needs to be rebuilt by a reputable rebuilder.  On the West Coast many people rely on Valley Vettes, Mike Poirer in San Diego, 619-461-1952.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

I have some additional thoughts on this.  The solid axle tachometer operates just like the solid axle speedometer, except that it indicates twice shaft speed.  A spinning magnet assembly driven off the tachometer (or speedometer) cable operates inside an aluminum cup called the speed cup and causes the cup, which attaches to a shaft that the pointer is on, to turn against a coil spring.  The unit is calibrated by charging or discharging the magnetism in the tips of the spinning magnet assembly. The problem usually is with wear in the bushings that support the spinning magnet assembly.  Or the problem can be with the speed cup shaft bushings. Or both.  Because of this, you should contact a local speedometer shop that can repair old mechanical speedometers to get it rebuilt.  Corvette Central offers a repair service for solid axle speedometers and tachometers, and they can do the repair for you no matter where you live.  It is hard to find parts for these early units and a local shop might not be able to repair your unit.  If you have a local shop rebuild it, be sure to tell them to calibrate it to read twice shaft speed!

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 



 

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Hi, Can you guys help me with some information on the correct speed nuts for a set of 58 trunk spears? I have looked almost everywhere but I cant find anyone that knows. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for you time,.............E McIntosh
 

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter advisor: 

The 58 trunk spears are retained by PAL nuts, not speed nuts.  The PAL nut is a self tapping hex headed sheet metal formed nut that cuts its own threads on the trunk spear studs and they have "PAL" stamped on the flange area.  They come in various sizes depending on the size of the stud they are being threaded on.  I think that you need a 1/8th inch size.  The inside cavity of these nuts were filled with grey 3M Strip Caulk to prevent water leakage into the trunk.  Contact Corvette Central to see if they sell them.  If not, contact me and I will send you some at no charge.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I AM A NEW MEMBER # 3993 AND HAVE A FEW TECHNICAL QUESTIONS MAYBE SOMEONE CAN HELP ME WITH.
 
1)      MY FACTOR HUBCAPS SEAM TO BE TURNING ON THE RIMS AND STARTING TO PINCH THE AIR STEMS. THE RIMS HAVE 4-BUMP-OUTS TO HOLD THE HUBCAPS BUT THEY STILL TRY TO ROTATE FOR SOME REASON.
2)       I CURRENTLY HAVE AN OLD AM/FM-CASSETE PLAYER (WONDERBAR IN STORAGE) BUT THIS RADIO IS SHOT. I AM LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT AND THERE SEEM TO BE MANY OUT THERE. HOWEVER MOST ARE HIGH-TECH WITH ELECTRONIC PRESETS ETC. I DISCONNECT MY BATTERY EVERY TIME AND DON’T WANT TO DEAL WITH FLASHING LIGHTS AND HAVING TO RE-SET RADIO STATIONS ETC. DO YOU KNOW OF A UNIT THAT COULD WORK FOR ME?
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME!
BILL

 

From: Chip Werstein, SoCal Chapter Advsor: 

Bill,

 

 
Don't know what the problem could be with your hubcaps..................unless they are reproductions and not originals. I have heard that repros can fall off.

 
I have 2 reproduction am-fm stereo wonderbar with radios with inputs. They work great and keep their settings when the battery is disconnected. Contact Len Marino 626-358-1466 to purchase one.

 
Chip Werstein

 

 

 

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Hello,
 
   I have, ready to install, in my (late off the line) 1954 Corvette,
a battery tray with 2 diagonal bars extending out.
 
   The worn out battery tray in the car is the flat type.
 
   How is it best installed?
 
   Are both types of trays acceptable for a '54?
 
   Also, have you found an aceptable tie-down
for an Optima Red Top battery?
 
Please advise.
 
Thank you,
Bob

From: Bruce Fuhrman, SACC Secretary: 

Hi Bob,
    To my knowledge there was only one type battery tray used in the '54. The 2 diagonal bars straddle the frame and are attached with bolts to the frame (see photo), I also included a top view. 
   I do not have any info on the Optima Red battery installation, but be creative!
   You can access info on membership in SACC on our web site, www.solidaxle.org  .
Cheers,
Bruce Fuhrman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Should my powerglide transmission on my 1960 Corvette start in "both" neutral and park or in "either" neutral or park. It presently will only start in park. Thanks, Wayne

 

From: Joe LeMay, SoCal Chapter: 

The Performance Verification for C1s says the car starts in both park and neutral.
 
Joe

 

 

 

 

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I have a 1962. My question is about the tach gauge. There is a low RPM and a High RPM gauge. Are these tach gauges related to the HP? What determines if a low or high is correct for my car?

Best regards / Mit freundlichen Grüssen / un saludo /
诚挚问

Ron

From Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

RPM red line is directly related to engine horsepower.  The 250 and 300 horsepower cars are equipped with a hydraulic camshafts and use the low RPM red line tachometer.  The 340 and 360 horsepower engines had solid lifter camshafts and came with the high RPM red line tachometer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I recently saw a C1 vette with cove moldings and inserts like a 61 but the driver told me it was a 62 vette. Was the trim an option or could it have been added to the 62 by the owner? Thanks

From: Brad Bean, SACC Vice President:  Stainless cove separation trim was not available, from the factory on a 62 Corvette.  Of course, once it left the factory, the owner could have done what they wanted...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Doug Prince, SoCal Chapter Advisor:  Only added to the car by an owner as GM did very few COPO cars in the day as only the very high ups in the corporate ladder could get a one off special Corvette from St. Louis. Maybe the owner was clueless as to what year he had!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Jeff:  The 1962 had a raised bead instead of stainless steel moldings like 1956-1961 Corvettes had.  It would be very hard to mount the 1961 moldings over this raised bead and have the result look good.  The raised bead cannot be ground smooth without the certainty of going completely through the fiberglass in the areas of the raised bead.  If this car really was a 1962, I suspect that the front fiberglass and door fiberglass was replaced with 1961 panels.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Trying to install antenna cable that runs inside the rocker , what the best way to get the cable from the trunk to the dash? Thanks
 

From: Bruce Fuhrman. SACC Secretary:  The method of placing the cable is not available in any books I have, however is easy to place under the carpet and behind the seat.
Bruce Fuhrman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

Lucio:  There is a 1953-1955 Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM) that is available through NCRS or the major Corvette parts suppliers, and you should obtain a copy if you have one of these cars.  This publication was prepared by Chevrolet engineering to instruct the assembly line in how to build the car.  This publication is all drawn by freehand, and there are no page numbers, but I think that you will find it to be very helpful.  The antenna lead was run through the rocker panel on the passenger side, along with the main wiring harness.  Apparently when the body was being constructed a pull wire was included to assist in the installation of the main wiring harness and the radio antenna cable.  Running the cable under the carpet would be the easiest approach, but this is not how the factory did it, as you will see when you get your AIM.

 
Larry Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My question is I would like to know detail specifications on the 1958 convertible top weather stripping,fastening for it,screw type and size of all retainers,and procedures for adjusting the top to the body and the windshield Thanks

From:  Larry Pearson, SoCal Chapter Advisor: 

For help understanding the 1958 Corvette Converti