C5 guts under a C3? Just what I need, another project

[69MyWay]

Okay fellow Vetters, I have a strange new concept brewing in my head. I just had a 98 coupe six speed offered to me last night with no engine and a hard right front hit. Not much to salvage from the car. The rear clip is good, trans is good, and driver side. For a few extra bucks he will throw in three LS1 motors (from F bodies that have to be rebuilt).

Here is my thought. Imagine how cool it would be to gut the 98, and say a chrome bumpered convertible shark. Now, what do you think about craming the C5 six speed (rear mount) trans, wire harness, gauge cluster, air bags, etc. etc under the C3 body?

I know it can be done at least from an electrical concept. As nuts as that sounds, I just finished transplanting a complete 97 OBDII nerve center, brain, trans, air bags, etc. etc. into a 92 Grand Am that had neither the OBDII, or even the air bags. All systems are functional at this moment. It is nothing but paying attention to the donor car, removing everything surically, then putting it into the next car. One of the reasons I have tackled the Grand Am project with such vigor was to see if it could be done.

Should I consider this? Do I really need another two-three year project?????????

This is driving me nuts. I don't even have the 69 all the way done and now my mind is racing off with a new project.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

projects

I think they keep you happy. Go for it!
Silver

 

[Quicksilver 01]

Great Idea

I thought I was the only one crazy enough to want a C5 frame and drive line under a C2 or C3 body. GO FOR IT!!

After owning several corvettes in the past, nothing drives like a C5. I love the style, design and looks of the C2 and C3. I looking for the right pieces to put one together. GO FOR IT!!

 

[ccflorida]

Chris,
Why not look for another C5 that needs a rear clip? Seems to me there is more money to be made with a C5 for all your labor. You are the one that has to want and enjoy the project..
Roy

 

[BBB454]

I think it sounds great! It would really be cool if you could just somehow "transplant" the chrome bumper body only, onto the C5 frame with the C5 guts and also use the C5 interior...

Ahhh dream dream dream...

Barb

 

[2KSonoma]

Go for it, I can be there to lend a helping hand anytime! I need me a LS1 for my truck...

 

[RalleyRed]

Guess who's got a convertible birdcage for ya! :L

Sometimes I think your :crazy

Other times your my hero:BOW

Rick:L

I can see your capable of doing what ever you decide to do.

 

[Dave L.]

I have 1 question for you 69.Where do you find the time in this day and age to work on all these projects I have read about?I've been wanting to replace a burned out light in my dash for the last 3 weeks. Lately I only been able to drive my car about once a week:cry

 

[Rob]

Talk to these guys: http://home.earthlink.net/~mawj1/index.htm

 

[69MyWay]

Talk to these guys: http://home.earthlink.net/~mawj1/index.htm

Yep, that is the idea. More or less, all C5 including the instrument cluster, air bags, etc, but looking like a chrome bumpered Shark.

I had a really crazy idea today of re-configuring my 69. I was thinking about leaving the big block in, and working on the torque tunnel, etc. to transplant the rear mounted six speed trans.

I know I am a little nuts. Heck, if you saw in person what we are just now finishing with this Grand Am project, you would believe it could be done.


The price on the car is not bad for what I would get. I will keep working on him. He likes to trade things as well, so there may be something I could work out with him. That makes these projects more fun anyway.

***Speaking of finding time, etc.***, For the last week I have been getting up at 5:00 a.m. (usual wake up time), checking CAC etc. and putting in about two hours on the Grand am, off to the office, then back home around 6:00, eat a delicious dinner from the creative hands of my lovely wife, and back at it for a few more hours. Pulled from about 7:30 a.m. this morning until now (12:20 a.m.) on the Grand Am.

I will have to turn up this level of intensity and beyond to wrap up the 69. If I had known the Grand am project was going to be so intense, I would have not started it right now.

I plan on having the 69 back in the work shop Sunday night, while I dream up a spot to park the 98 parts car:cool

 

[69MyWay]

Go for it, I can be there to lend a helping hand anytime! I need me a LS1 for my truck...

We can get you hooked up with that no sweat. Next month we will start jamming the 90 in the autox. I will take you over to meet Mike and his many wonderful toys. He has a pile of LS1 and LT1 motors and even a couple of the new big block engines.

 

[2KSonoma]

hehe Lets do it!

 

[BigRed]

Giver Bro!

 

[Black Thunder]

Rob
Now you have done it, giving that website to my posse brother Chris
John :j

 

[Eric]

Hey Chris, perhaps you should swap handles with 69Crazy:L:L! I hope the pitter patter of little McFeet won't crop up in the midst of this new project, we'd never let you leave it unfinished.

- Eric

 

[inferno-vette]

I don't think it would be that easy to do..... mainly because the C5 is much wider than the C3 either on the interior and exterior.
Paul

 

[69MyWay]

I pulled measurements, and with the rear fender flares on the shark it is just as wide as Nikki's C5. The seats are the same width, so they would go. The dash would have to be hand fabricated to accept the gauges out of fiberglass, then covered in leather or vinyl.

No, it would not be easy, but that is what makes it so much fun.

 

[inferno-vette]

No, it would not be easy, but that is what makes it so much fun.

Yep

 

[Twin_Turbo]

It has already been done in Germany!

Marck

 

[69MyWay]

Wow, it looks like he did a first class job. The question is however, did he simply transplant the engine and maybe a Fbody six speed, or does it have the majority of the C5 operating systems including the rear mount trans axle, gauge pod, suspension.