'Vette gets resto treatment after 20 years under porch

[Rob]

'Vette gets resto treatment after 20 years under porch

By Donna Kessler
Times Herald-Record
December 01, 2008

Ken Ellis holds the original “HILDA 65” license plate that belonged to the Vette. He hopes to get a new tag with the same letters.

Campbell Hall, New York - Time is precious, and I'm sure we all agree there isn't enough of it, especially when it comes to projects or hobbies. Ken Ellis of Campbell Hall has experienced this firsthand.

Back in 1975, Ken and his wife, Hilda, bought a 1965 Corvette convertible. Then came the kids. Two girls, Amy and Susan. No time and no money to work on it. Need I say more? The 'Vette was stowed away under their enclosed porch in 1987.

This August, Ken got to thinking about his 'Vette. Ken will be retiring from Orange and Rockland Utilities after 37 years and figures he'll have some of that lost time back. So he rolled it out from under the porch and gave his brother-in-law, Jim Walker of Middletown, a call and said to him, "I have to work on my car." Jim replied, "I've been waiting for you to ask." After 20 years, it took the guys about six hours to get the 327, 300-horse engine to fire.

They guys worked on the brakes and planned on pulling the engine to do some minor work on that. Then it would have been just a matter of calling the insurance company and getting it on the road.

"I'm looking forward to taking it for a ride," Ken said. I'm sure the rest of the family is, too. Unfortunately, you tend to find things wrong when you start taking cars apart, as we all well know. Turned out the cross member was badly rotted, so the car had to be taken apart and off the frame. Ken ordered the part and has a guy lined up to do the welding. So now he's really making it his mission to be driving this baby down the road in the spring. I'll keep ya posted.

dkessler@th-record.com

 

[LVMYVT76]

HOW can you forget about a vet for 20 years? I think about mine every 20 seconds, it feel like.

 

[67HEAVEN]

HOW can you forget about a vet for 20 years?

That's not hard to do after owning one (and beating on it) for 26 years. I got bored with the car. I had spent waaaay too much money racing, and after getting involved in building a business and a family, I parked it and forgot it for 18 years..........out of time restraints and financial necessity.

Then, my son became a curious teenager, finances became much improved, and the rest is history.

 

[wallyknoch]

.
20 seconds, how about 34 years...:L

Easy to do. out of sight, out of mind. And its finally back together from being ALL apart..the only thing I couldn`t find was the coil bracket....
.

 

[Tom Bryant]

My '59 has been apart and setting for 36 years. Most of the time it wass tored elsewhere, out of sight and out of mind. It's been in my own shop for a few years now and is the first thing I see when I walk in the door. that makes it harder to ignore. I have been gathering some needed items for it and as soon as I get the stepside together and the wife's '81 re-weatherstripped I'll get started on the '59 in earnest. That '65 looks pretty good for being outside all of these years.

Tom

 

[JimVette]

I remember Walt's Puffer at the Detriot dragway in the early 60's. If I remember correctly he owned an auto parts store. I was from Garden City back then. Does that ever bring back memories.