Excellent article by Rich L in corvette fever

[richscorvettes]

15). Ask for help also from Forum Experts ..such as John Z..SWC Duke..ETC ....But Not Rich Laggasie as his emails are allways sent in Blue Text which your Black & White printer will not reproduce.
Mark, might be time for a new printer in addition to that new big block!

Rich

 

[studiog]

I don't subscribe to this particular mag. but I am already scouting for the latest issue. Congrats. Rich.

 

[bossvette]

Is this the same dear ole' Dad that bought the new '04 C5 because he didn't like the C6? :L Maybe he has the magazine.

http://www.dynotech-eng.com/big_guns2.htm

Sorry for the hijack guys.

Tom

yup, he is looking for a front plate mount

I 'll find a copy this weekend somewhere, maybe on Ebay.

 

[JohnZ]

Going to boats from failed car projects can be even worse! Many years ago, we started with a Cal-25 sailboat, traded up three years later to a Cal-29, traded up five years later to a Cal-34, and four years later were just about to trade up to a Columbia-38 when we began to question our sanity. Taking four station-wagon trips (50 miles round trip from the house to the boat) every spring and fall with 17 bags of sails and countless other stuff for the boat, using it two or three times a month during our 4-month boating season, and paying $3K every winter to get it dis-masted, hauled out and stored, then plopped back in the water in the spring (not to mention insurance, maintenance, and parts prices that make Corvette parts look cheap by comparison), we sold it instead and never looked back. Boats are large holes in the water into which you pour limitless amounts of money, and the old saying is true - "The happiest days of a sailor's life are the day he buys his boat and the day he sells it".

 

[richscorvettes]

Going to boats from failed car projects can be even worse!....... Boats are large holes in the water into which you pour limitless amounts of money, and the old saying is true - "The happiest days of a sailor's life are the day he buys his boat and the day he sells it".

Okay John, I'll change #14 to read: ".....you decide to buy a cabin in the woods, get a rocking chair, sit on the porch and watch the sunset".

Rich

 

[Ken]

BOAT = Break Out Another Thousand! :L

 

[John Mcgraw]

Fuelie and I had a similar conversation last night, and agreed that "being in the minority" is a good thing. I'd hate to meet my car coming around every other corner.

Congratulations on your article Rich.

Bob,

You got that right! If everyone and his brother had on something like ours, that we probably wouldn't want one! Face the truth, a good portion of the reason that we build cars like this is to get noticed!


Regards, John McGraw

 

[IH2LOSE]

So this is a letter I wrote to a 13 year old son of a freind of mine who is building a project with his son its a bit long.But along with the letter I gave him a what I call my "project book" With all of its dividers and sheet protectors in it. Its just a large 3 ring binder with tab diveders,a box of frezzer bags,magic markers,and a large rubber maid box to get him started.Allthough he is building a ricer.This kid is just like us only a couple of decades younger

Dillon


I think it’s so great your building this car with your Dad and wish you guys the best of luck and if I can help have your Dad call me.

I have built and restored several cars over the years and have found that careful planning makes the project go easier. This book is something that I use to organize my projects. Any ideas, pictures, magazine articles that I find that I will use for the project (or something I may think I will use) I put in the book. I separate the book into different categories. I gave you the categories I normally use but you can change them to what you would rather have. In the category section I will write out a detailed description of what I want to accomplish with that portion of the project, let’s say the motor of the project. I would list out what I want to do in the motor section, motor, fuel system, intake system, exhaust system, engine dress up parts, etc. etc. So I am kind of just putting on paper what I want to do.

From there I look thru my catalogs (order as many free parts catalogs as you can now, there is lots of information in them) or on line and make material list of the parts I want to use, then I shop around to see who has them the cheapest (I have found that the mail order guys are cheaper to use then anybody local) I am not saying to buy the cheapest parts you can find. I am saying pick the best quality parts you can find, and then find who sells it the cheapest. I put the price of the material on the list and who I will get the parts from. So when you get up to the stage of the motor (or any other category of the project) you don’t have to waste time or rush trying to figure out what you need or who to get it from.

In the same section of the book I put in pictures from other cars I have seen at car shows or magazines or on line, You may see a picture or an article on how to install a custom intake, Just put it in the book to refer to latter on.



Any thing you do purchase for the car place the receipt and the installation instructions in the book in the correct category.



I also have a project over view section in my book that describes the project in total and all of the sections of the car that have to be done and the time frame for doing them. Its kind of a like a time line so I know what I should be doing and when I should be doing it. Again it may seem silly but I use my book as an instruction manual on how to build the project. I don’t know what you have ever built but just imagine trying to do it with out instructions



In the back of the book is also an area to place business cards. I go to a lot of car shows and swap meets so anytime I am at a car show and see someone with something I may use I right on the back of the business card what he has and why I would need it and put it in the back of my book for future reference.



It may seem silly but I keep my book next to my bed and at night I write down any new ideas I may have found. The most important part of using the book is keeping it organized, if you just pile information in it you will waste more time sifting thru it all. Its better just to hole punch it and put it where it belongs as soon as you get the information. It may seem like a lot work making and keeping this book but believe me it has always saved me a lot more time and money then what it cost you in time to upkeep the book.



As for building the car. Organization is one of the most important parts of taking a car apart and then putting it back together. Anybody can take a car apart but it take a smart person to be able to put it back together. What I do is when I am taking a car apart I use freezer bags. Any of the nuts bolts or hardware I remove I place in the freezer bag. I then right on the bag what the parts came from. I also use 2” masking tape for tiny nuts and bolts and just pull out a strip of tape and lay the tiny parts on the tape and then fold the tape onto it self and label it and throw it in the freezer bag. If its something complicated that I think I may have problems figuring out how to reinstall it or where all of the parts came from. I will take a digital picture of it and place a copy of the digital picture and place it in the bag with nuts, bolts and hardware for future reference. (I also place of copy of the photo in the book in the correct category) From there I use big plastic container to put my parts and freezer bags that I removed from the car. Then I make a list and place it in a sheet protector and tape it to the side of the plastic container to let me know what’s in the container. Then if I order new parts I place them in the plastic containers with the other related parts needed to re assemble the car.



I have found the most frustrating part of a project is sorting thru boxes, coffee cans or a tool box searching for parts you had taken off earlier. So for me what ever I remove from the car I put in the bag and label them properly, this way when its time to put every thing back together it’s just like putting together a puzzle every thing is at your finger tips. Just go to your large plastic container and pull out the proper freezer bag and your all set to go



The only other advice I can give you is to be SAFE!

2 seconds of stupidity can affect your life forever. (I know this as a fact and that’s why I walk funny) There is no such thing as an accident they are always acts of stupidity.



Always wear safety glasses when working on a car. Never stick your fingers in a place they could get crushed. Anytime you have to go under a car make sure it is properly supported with jack stands. A jack is designed to lift a car, not to hold it up while you work under it.



Always make sure you have a fire extinguisher in your work area (even if you don’t think you need it)



Keep your work area clean. Don’t leave stuff out on the floor for you to trip over, not only can you get hurt but you may damage a part by stepping on it.



Get in the habit of putting your tools away every night when you’re done. Just like searching for parts nothing is more frustrating then having to search for tools.



Lastly don’t take short cuts, or use cheap parts it always comes back to haunt you. Take your time and do it rite the first time. Also never ever total up what it cost you to build a project; you’ll start thinking about all of the new cars you could have purchased instead. But you will see nothing is better then building your own car especially with the help of a guy as smart as your Dad. Remember to take lots of pictures



Again Best of luck. The only problem you’re going to have is once your done you’ll start to plan for the next car you’re going to build.



Larry

Larryvsa@aol.com

Yellowcorvettes.com

 

[67HEAVEN]

Larry,

That's great. You've given a budding car nut an excellent start.

 

[Mrmike]

Heck, I wish someone were smart enough to start me off like that.

There is nothing more valuable to give someone then your experience.. It is priceless.

 

[richscorvettes]

Larry,

That was a nice thing for you to do for him as you've given him a great start with the sound and practical advise. I'm sure he will only begin to realize it's value when he really gets into the project.

Rich Lagasse

 

[DRTH VTR]

Looks like I'm going to have to go to the mall to find it; I've looked for days and all I find is "Mustank this and sport compact that and truck mags galore" we must really be in the minority

My local Borders store carries this, and I think the Barnes and Noble does, too.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Great advice Larry. Where were you 33 years ago when I took my '59 apart? After I was into this project for about 6 years I spent a whole week's vacation sorting, boxing, labeling, and creating a card file so I could find all of the original take off parts and new parts I bought for the Corvette. Being a GM parts guy at the time I marked and packaged everything by GM parts groups and part numbers. This might sound crazy but it was the easiest way for me at the time.

It would have been so much easier to package the parts as they were removed with their hardware and file the new parts in the right boxes as I aquired them.

 

[Ken]

Great advice Larry. Where were you 33 years ago when I took my '59 apart?

That's right Tom, blame it on someone else.