Question: Worth the money to restore?????

[Pudge]

I have a 63 split rear window that has been sitting in the garage in a state of disrepair for about 30 years. I love the potential the car has and have many of the original parts (shifter, radio, clock). I have no idea how much work it will take but I know I can't do it myself. Need to find someone/someplace that will give me a rough estimate on whether I should just part it out or whether it could be put back together again. I do not want a show car. I want a nice drivable car. I believe the frame and suspension part are actually OK and not rusted through but it obviously needs work. If anyone has suggestions I would like to hear them. i am just starting research on what to do with this car. I am in San Diego. Here are a few photos. Thanks in advance for any help.

The number on the intake manifold on the ground is 3794129 which I believe does NOT correspond to a 63 year engine. Don't know the number on the engine in the car. Will look for Trim info next time I see the car.

Trim Info:
E2
style =63 837
trim = blk
body = 3494
paint = 923A
Engine block = 3782870
Engine Block code stamp = 3106456 FI

So it seems with the block code of FI, I am not sure what it means, other than the F being for Flint MI assembly. I have more work to do to see if there are more numbers on the pad.

19July - Tried to get more of the engine pad stamp and it may be this: 3106456 FI23IRE
The RE are not conclusive, not is the letter just before the RE. I tried scrubbing like crazy with a toothbrush and WD40 and an engine degreaser. Afraid to scrap with anything metal because I dont' want to ruin anything.

I have another intake, as mentioned, with number 3794129

 

[catbert]

It's worth the money to restore, and if it has the original drivetrain, it's REALY worth the money and trouble. It appears that it is mostly all there. That makes restoration a matter of eBay stalking and a swap meet or two. Other common restoration parts are easy to find on the aftermarket

First find out about the drivetrain. Check out the NCRS boys in your hood for some help on that, and other issues. We'll help where we can ,but ya kinda gotta be there.

With the start you have, that will be a fun and rewarding project.

 

[Pudge]

Thanks

Thanks for getting back. I have reached out to NCRS and hope to hear back. I wish I could do it myself but no time. Hope someone else can. Thanks again.

 

[i10fwy]

Based on the pic's, absolutely! Looks like an original and wouldn't be surprised if that is the original drive line. If it is you have a big winner! Also, has the body ever been hit, do you have any documentation on the car? I would love to have this car for a project.

i10fwy

 

[BigJimZ16]

It's worth the money to restore, and if it has the original drivetrain, it's REALY worth the money and trouble. It appears that it is mostly all there. That makes restoration a matter of eBay stalking and a swap meet or two. Other common restoration parts are easy to find on the aftermarket

First find out about the drivetrain. Check out the NCRS boys in your hood for some help on that, and other issues. We'll help where we can ,but ya kinda gotta be there.

With the start you have, that will be a fun and rewarding project.

Engine looks to have a spread bore intake manifold, probably not a numbers matching engine...

 

[Pudge]

Thanks again

There is another intake manifold I have. Not a lot of documentation on the car. I will be trying to find out from the guy we got it from what else he did, other than putting the side exhaust pipes on. Really no idea if all the numbers match but will try to find out. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

It's a shame you didn't post this a few weeks ago- the annual NCRS National Convention was in San Diego just last week. Would have been a perfect opportunity to ask for opinions and see some cars.

 

[Pudge]

Bummer. Wish I had known about that.

Well, here is a picture of the other intake manifold I have. Maybe it is the original that came with the car.

 

[JohnZ]

Bummer. Wish I had known about that.

Well, here is a picture of the other intake manifold I have. Maybe it is the original that came with the car.

View attachment 9832

Nope, that's not a Corvette intake manifold; it's GM, but not Corvette.

With shop rates being what they are ($65-$100 per hour), recognize that it's going to be quite expensive to have the car brought back to life, depending on its driveline condition, engine internals condition after sitting for 30 years, etc., and many '63 Corvette parts are one-year-only, hard to find, and very costly.

If you're not up to committing a lot of time and money to "bringing it back", you might consider selling it as a "project"; there are lots of folks out there who have the skills, tools, experience, and time to take it on.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[KANE]

John Z has a good point. And so does Sixshooter.

You could go either way- full NCRS restore or restomod custom.


Although...

I do not want a show car. I want a nice drivable car.

...tells me you want a driver.




Either way... it would be great to see that 63 back on the road!

 

[Pudge]

My gosh, never heard of a restomod. That must be EXPENSIVE. What would be ballpark? ANy ideas?

 

[Pudge]

Another engine photo

Here is a more closeup photo of the engine block that is in the car now.

 

[catbert]

Restomods are almost always made from the bones of cars that are way too far gone to be restored to original condition, either driver or show. Usually the running gear, driveline, interior and most everything else are late model or otherwise updated pieces. It only makes sense if the cars starts out as a basket case. And, yes, they can cost a ton of money to do right. It's a shame to make a restorable car into a resto.

 

[KANE]

My gosh, never heard of a restomod. That must be EXPENSIVE. What would be ballpark? ANy ideas?

Depends on YOU and how deep you want to go.


My '80 was simply a 300hp crate motor, EFI, side exhaust, and aftermarket 17" wheels and tires. Not a whole lot of money... $7k or so at the most- and the crate motor was 75% of the cost.

 

[Toms007]

Like Carbert, I'd hate to see this car restomoded. It's a restorable car. But I'd like to see you make it a driver too. There are plenty of 63's that are show queens. No matter which path you take, there will be some money leaving your pocket.

 

[Pudge]

Like Carbert, I'd hate to see this car restomoded. It's a restorable car. But I'd like to see you make it a driver too. There are plenty of 63's that are show queens. No matter which path you take, there will be some money leaving your pocket.

Yea, I realize that and am actually willing to put a good chunk of change into it. Just trying to get an idea about it being 15K or 30k or more. I also will try to get the block number and trim info next time I see it. No interest in making it a show queen. Want to be able to drive it a bit here and there is all.

 

[catbert]

You can restore it to original driver quality without making it into a show queen. The secret is to restore the bones with OEM components without sweating the very expensive details that make it a show car, and the huge investment that involves. If the drive train is original, restore it to original specs, and use the trim and paint options that suit your wallet and fancy. Doing that will provide you with a good looking driver, and retain the basis for a full-on NCRS restoration some time in the future, or when you sell it. You can get a very nice paint job and original looking interior for less than half the price of an all-out restoration. If you don't have to sweat buying OEM IDENTICAL repair pieces it makes the project more fun, and a lot cheaper.

I just helped an acquaintance fix up a 72 to original looking, but not original condition. It looks great, and he isn't afraid to drive it whenever he can. He had a shop yank the motor and transmission, and go through them with OEM parts. The seats and interior were easy and cheap to rebuild/replace, and the paint and plating didn't break the bank. The interior is a piece of cake and 2 six packs of beer for 2 guys on a Saturday. He had Mid America do the seats for not a whole bunch of money. Except for the drive line, no mechanical experience was needed. He's a college prof with 2 left hands.

The car looks great. It's painted am OEM color, but using modern paints, and he chose a non OEM leather interior in place of the original. He even added a Vintage Air a/c unit. Way down the road, when the kids may want to sell, it can easily be concours restored, because nothing he did was was irreversible. Even if your driveline isn't original, you are still a crate motor away from a great ride.

 

[Pudge]

Oh, I am sure it won't be easy. But, if I can find someone to do it, I am willing to part with some good money do do it.

Thanks to everyone who is writing in. I appreciate it as I am VERY new to this game.

 

[Tom Bryant]

It looks like a great project to me. I like the driver thought too.

Tom

 

[haganml]

Where to start

I have just gotten a 1965 coupe that is a basket case with no engine, transmission in a box and a garage full of resto-mod parts. There are also boxes of NOS trim. I will never be able to get the original engine (the deceased previous owner had traded the original L76 to "a guy" for a 63 coupe basket case). The body is all GM grey FRP, it has been appraised and I was told that it is a great car to start on BUT it needs everything. It will never be a "numbers matching" perfect restoration. I was going to install a GM Performance crate engine to get it on the road.

Being a OOF (Official Old Fool) I like modern cars. A/C and my comfort is part of it. When you travel with your spouse and want to drive around with the windows down on a nice summer day you wind up with a very grumpy overheated windblown passenger. It is a power steering car but that is it in the comfort and convenience scale.

I do not plan on cutting and modifying the body, I understand the value issue there. I am retired and this is my project. Like our friend Pudge I am a newby with Corvettes although being a professional automotive mechanic all my life has me planning to do this on my own. I do own a old Tee shirt with a "Anybody can restore an antique, but it takes a real man to cut one up." from a hot rod shop in upstate NY. No, that shirt doesn't fit my 64 year old chassis anymore. Just looking for some guidance here. I am feeling pressure from the Mod guys and the Restoration guys. Where do I stop?

With the mass media televised auto auctions everybody is dragging all this rusty junk out of the pastures and weed lots to pump a load of cash into them and SCORE! This cannot sustain the inflated prices I am seeing. I just want to feel/hear the rumble of a small block and stuff a few corners faster than the law allows.

Who can I contact in the greater San Francisco Bay area and have a reasonable dialog with? haganml.