58 Restore Project Web Site Photos

[58Vette65]

It has been a while since I have posted pictures to www.vette58.com website but some times life priorities and web site and corvettes have to take a back seat. We are so far behind in posting pictures that we are picking up a completed car (except the interior and wheels and tires) this coming weekend. Here are pictures and the body and frame going back together which took place the middle of Mar 01. We did put in a Be Cool radiator since we have had overheating problems since we owned the car.

 

[Tom Bryant]

'58

The '58 is looking super! I have been wondering how it was coming along. Nice to see that Steve preserved the crayon color marking on the trunk front panel. Mine says "black" under the red paint. I'll bet you are glad to get it back home for the finish work. Need to get a few miles on it this summer.

Steve (SSauto Sport) does nice work. What type of paint did you use? Clear coat?

Tom

 

[Ken]

Lookin' real good 58Vette65! :cool

Ken

 

[Solid62]

AWESOME!

Nice work so far! Your site really is an asset to folks looking to see what is involved in such a restoration.

Of course, it would be way cool to know a little about the cost, but I a sure that is a private matter!

Anyway, I envy your transformation!!!

Enjoy!

Rick and Donna

 

[GiDvEtTe84]

WOW!! :eek

 

[Rowdy1]

As It Should Be Done

I was absolutely glued to the monitor looking at the pictures of the restoration. I'm jealous to say the least, but unless I hit the lottery, my 62 will never see the makeover your 58 is getting. Good for you, I wish you all the best in many miles of thumbs up and trouble free driving. I have a question if you have time to reply at some point after you have driven it for a while. Did the be cool radiator make a difference, if so, how much, and how much modification was necessary to install it? I've run the entire route in trying to cool my 62 down to no avail, but I have a modified engine. Some say it will do the job but I can't see spending all that money for no change. I had a four core built and it made very little difference. Thanks, and Happy Motoring!!!

PS.. if anyone has a 14" flat base air cleaner, just the base, with a 5 1/8" opening, I'd appreciate a reply.
Thanks

 

[58Vette65]

Thanks for all the nice comments!!!

With the OEM radiator on an 80-degree day and idling for 15 minutes it would be in the range of 210 degrees and the temperature would go up 1 degree for every degree of outside temperature. Now I can idle for 30 minutes on an 84-degree day and temperature never gets above 175, and you can see the 170 thermostat open and close with the raise and fall of the temperature. I just got the car back on the May 31 so time will tell as it gets hotter in Kansas. We spent the money since we are planning to install air on down the line.

The best person to ask about the installation is ssvette (Steve) here on the forums since he is the one that installed it…

 

[Tom Bryant]

cooling

This cooling discussion on the solid axles is interesting. If I may go back a few years (60s) I have a friend with a '57 270hp that wouldn't warm up. Always ran around 140 after the 160 therm opened. Another friends '57 FI bored to 301 ran about normal, 160 with a 160 therm. When I got the '59 it would warm up to 180 then drop back to 140 when the therm opened. I put in a new 160 therm and it would still drop back to 140. I installed a known good mechanical guage, run it over the top of the windshield and held it in my hand, drove the car out on the highway. Same results. I have had other c1 owners comment to me on the low running temps.

Now, many years later, it seems to have reversed. Running too hot is a problem. I wonder what the '59 will do when I switch to a warmed over 355. Time will tell.

Tom

 

[Rowdy1]

Quite a Difference

Sounds like the aluminum radiator made a heck of a change, like 40 degrees!!! My problem is running along at 2500 to 3000 rpm I'll run as much as 210 on an 90 degree day. When I bring the r's down, the temp will drop to around 190 with a 180 stat. I'll be very interested to see where Tom's 59 runs. I'll have to see if I can get in touch with Steve for the low down on the modifications to install the be cool, maybe a winter project. So far nothing has made a big change in where it runs and I've changed everything. As I said in an earlier post, I just don't want to spend the money for an aluminum radiator and not see at least 20 degrees or more. The four core I had built has bigger tubes and more of them and it was a little over $400 to my disappointment. The be cool's are closer to $500 in the catalogs I've got. I guess I'll keep asking questions and listening until I can be sure I can be cool!!!

Thank for the replies

 

[Solid62]

Same Here!

Hey Rowdy1,

My 62 is the same as yours... Runs hot as hell, especially in traffic.

The temp is highest in the higher RPM's (even if I am cruising down the road)

I do have a bit of a mule (LT1 heads and a very mild hydraulic cam on 340 solid lifter bottom end, with a 66 Intake and Holley 3310-4)

Also, I have a very good condition original radiator with the 180 therm.

The intake cooling passages are open and the water mix is 50/50.
I have considered running a smaller fan pulley to increase flow, but you can't do much as the pump will cavitate if overrun too much...

So I am also interested in seeing what happens here...

Good luck!
Rick and Donna

 

[Her 92]

58vette65,
Your 58 is BEAUTIFUL!:cool I'm sure when you're completely finished, it will be a dream come true. Be sure and let us know how the new radiator works out.:W:

 

[58Vette65]

Just a update on the new aluminum radiator - It was 94 today and the temp never got above 175 driving around town. Looks like the over heating is solved!

Dennis

 

[Tom Bryant]

Good news on the cooling problem. It looks like you have a handle on it. There will be many happy and trouble free cruising days ahead now.

Tom

 

[Rowdy1]

Great

Looks like you got it. I guess now I know what I have to do, it was 85 degrees here today and when I was on Rt. 80 running around 2800 rpms I was at 200 degrees. Just easy cruising around the lake I was at 190 to 195. I hate to spend the $$$$ but I will have a custom built 4 core for sale with only about 1500 miles on it. Good for you, many happy miles to you.