Radical Chopped '58 Corvette on C5 chassis. Oct 13. Frame work

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm in the "work" phase on several builds, no eye-candy, but stuff that has to be done to get the desired finished product.

Sooooo, I dug out another old one to try to make some progress, and to help to maintain my creative interest.

This is an AMT '58-'60 Corvette body shell on a Revell Corvette C5 chassis. The nose is from the Revell version of the early 4-eyed Corvette, because I like it better. I always thought the AMT version didn't look quite right in front, probably owing to liberties taken to simplify the tooling.



Lots of mods here besides the nose. Split and widened front fenders with custom flares and relocated wheel-arches; widened and opened-up vents at the front of the coves; chopped windshield frame and hard top; split, widened rear fenders, custom rear flares and again relocated wheel arches; lengthed and reshaped doors; top-cover panel / head fairing adapted from a Mustang show-car. I'm not 100% happy with some details (like the chop) and shapes, so it will be getting tweeked.



C5 chassis has been lowered on the suspension a good bit by drilling the uprights and moving the stub-axles up. Not really correct in the rear, but it's more a styling exercise that anything.



This actually began as a design "sketch" of a 1:1 project for a client several years ago, but it's on hold due to the economic mess we're experiencing.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[dimebolt]

It's going to be a knockout I'm sure. Awesome start. Love the stance.

Corey

[rmvw guy]

It's hard to improve on the appearance of a Vette but, I think you have the ticket! I like it so far.

[Dr. Cranky]

I think it looks great, and I hope you make more progress on it.

[cobraman]

Nice project. Looking good !

[Lownslow]

thats goona be a sick build

[Ira]

GREAT START!!!

[GerN]

This looks good already. I like your choices. Please consider moving the headlights back about 3 - 4 scale inches and Frenching them. This would be a small change that gives the front a different look.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks for the comments, one and all.

Please consider moving the headlights back about 3 - 4 scale inches and Frenching them. This would be a small change that gives the front a different look.

Ger, the plan for the headlights is to go to 7" round as opposed to the 5 1/2" units the car came with. The idea is to mount Cibes or Marchals, with a modified, semi-frenched bezel. One reason for widening the front fenders (the strip of white plastic visible along the fender tops) was to accommodate the larger lights. I've still got some other work to do on the front end design details.

The horizontal front-bumper blades will get moved back into the fenders somewhat, the over-riders will go away, and then I can look at where the headlights need to be to balance everything out.

Edited August 3, 2012 by Ace-Garageguy

[espo]

Looks great. Realy like the widened fenders. Just a thought if it would fitin with what you're doing. If you keep the side chrome moldings, it looks like the moldings on the door would lineup with the top of the front wheel openings. The top chop looks good as is, the rear of the top over the rear window is a little "heavy" . Looking to see what all you're going to do with this Corvette.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Looks great. Realy like the widened fenders. Just a thought if it would fitin with what you're doing. If you keep the side chrome moldings, it looks like the moldings on the door would lineup with the top of the front wheel openings. The top chop looks good as is, the rear of the top over the rear window is a little "heavy" . Looking to see what all you're going to do with this Corvette.

I agree absolutely. The chrome moldings on the coves will stay, exactly as you suggest, and to delineate the two-tone color. They also define the new lower door opening cut-lines (drawn on).

And the heaviness you mention about the rear of the top is the part of the chop I'm not happy with yet. The rest of the roof plan is to drop the rear of the roofline slightly, while keeping the side-window profile pretty close to as-is. The center of the roof panel will be creased as well, similar to but more pronounced than on the C5. Thanks for the keen observations.

Edited August 3, 2012 by Ace-Garageguy

[crazyjim]

I'm liking this puppy.

[c-man405]

do you have any pictures of the frame? i would love to see the work you had to do to get it to fit.

[MachinistMark]

looks fantastic as per usual.

[bryan_m]

very cool! cant wait to see more.

cheers

bryan

[slammedi'am]

This is gonna be sweet!

[jcbigpaw]

I love the look so far. Keep going!

[Lunajammer]

These are the kind of cool things I remember from your postings elsewhere. They're always engaging.

[GerN]

Good plans for what's next. If you posted a side view, we could all imagine how pulling in the bumpers would affect the front-rear balance.

[tooltas]

whats going to power the beast a ls1 or ? i would use the new revell corvette zr1's ls9 blower motor for more over the top crazy its going to bee a bad custom protourer,

[Ace-Garageguy]

Thanks for all the interest.

whats going to power the beast a ls1 or ? i would use the new revell corvette zr1's ls9 blower motor for more over the top crazy its going to bee a bad custom protourer,

I think the LS9 would be the most rational choice, but I don't have one. When we started the concept work for the 1:1, the engine was to have been a Northstar. Part of the reason was that the car was to have had a light tube frame, and was to have weighed a LOT less than a "real" Corvette. We also wanted a high-winding 4-cam. Now I'm thinking the 4-cam LT-5 might be interesting.

The AMT '39 Wagon Rod has an LT5, and I have one on the shelf, but I'll stay with the C5 rear mounted gearbox.

[Pat Minarick]

I like it!

[dirtracer2448]

I like the idea of the lt5

[FatManScaleDesigns]

Not a fan of these vettes but this is gonna be sweet!

[Bartster]

l really like what you've got so far. Hope it makes it to the finish line. Bart.