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NCRS vs Drivers vs Resto-rod: And All Between!

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Old 08-20-2007, 11:18 PM
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AColbe01
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Default NCRS vs Drivers vs Resto-rod: And All Between!

With our latest rounds of NCRS discussions / Retro rod mods / Tube Framing / LSx, LTx engine replacements / Body Swapping discussions, what does the future hold?

In the past 30 years we have seen some minor changes compared to what we are doing today. Back then shaving the bumpers, flaring the fenders, replacing the light buckets with fixed bulbs.......... But today, we're talking about lifting the body and ebaying a complete rolling frame with powertrain. Now I admit, I've thought of doing the same thing to my car, so please no flames. I perceive values of both resto-rodded and left alone NOM will both increase in value. Mine is a NOM but pretty close to period correct car, that rides like the seat on a four-row planter. The thought of it riding and driving smoother, with better braking sounds pretty appealing; however, we've criticized and berated many before us for what they perceived as "Improvements!"


I'm like a politician, I've got friends here that believe in retro-roding and friends that like the NCRS type, me...... I just like being around my friends.


So how and/or why did you make your decision to go the way you did?

Remember, There is no right or wrong answer here.


Andy
Old 08-21-2007, 12:06 AM
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I see many threads asking about many things and wonder why some people are taking a serval on everything Corvette from color to driving habits? OK my answers is that it depends on the year , options, rarity,color, personal attachment and the love a person has for a particular year modal. 1955 is mine because it's the year I first drove a new 55 Corvette an older friend had and it's the least number of Corvette surviving today,much less then the 53 Corvette even tho they made 700 55's. If you've been to many Corvette events you can see 53 and 54's but rarely a 55 . I don't think I know any one here having one, and on the NCRS forum may be three . When NCRS honored the 50th year for 53 Corvette some 57 Corvettes showed up ,later for the 50th year of 55 Corvette only 10 complete 55's showed up.
So that is the reason I and other that own a 55 would never think to MOD it, other years Well! Yes and no!
Old 08-21-2007, 12:06 AM
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I like original cars, I like modern resto-rods, and everything in-between!
I feel sorry for people on both extremes that can't see the beauty and desirability of each type of car. I have built Top Flight cars (including a Duntov Award winner), but I own 2 resto-rods, a C1 and C2.

I would never bust up a good restorable car to build a resto-rod, but that is just me. There are plenty of cars that are not good candidates for restoration, without cutting up restorable cars. I see the rodders look down their nose at the NCRS type restorations, and I see NCRS guys look down their noses at the modified cars. I don't know why they can't just enjoy each car for what it is without trying to impose their own idea about what a Corvette is. I think the resto-rod movement will continue, but I also think that the NCRS type correct restoration will continue to be strong as well, but there are only so many cars that are really restorable. I really see the resto-rods taking the place of a lot of the plain old hot rods that were built years ago, but now people are wanting to make them a little more sophisticated, and modern.

They are all fun!


Regards, John McGraw
Old 08-21-2007, 12:28 AM
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Originally Posted by John McGraw

They are all fun!

'Nuff said, John!

Greg
Old 08-21-2007, 01:00 AM
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I like all makes/models/types/ of cars.Hell, I even like going to old tractor shows and watch those old hit and miss engines run! Ok, Im getting ahead of myself....

I have had my 60 for 35 years. When I bought it, it was a rat, the first 10 years, even I pounded the hell out of it. I have always wanted to do a frame off, so I started one. I stayed as close to stock as posssible. I will have to admit, it was the worst experiance of my life! I met some nice people and I met some crooks. Had a lot of ups and downs but it turned out to be a real nice driver. Now, remember, there are no right or wrong answers....If I had it to do over, I would have rodded the hell out of it. I have found out for me, my thrill is driving it. As stated before, it was a rat, so with that being said, thats why I would rod it out. If I had a car with say, big brakes, rare color, race history, almost all there, I would do an NCRS resto on that particular car. So, this is my story, and I'm sticking to it!
FIRE AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last edited by kabong; 08-21-2007 at 01:02 AM.
Old 08-21-2007, 02:08 AM
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My approach is never modify the body or frame or interior structure, but anything that can be bolted it without modifying the above two items is fair game.

427 Small block, no problem.
DN 5 speed, no problem.
Narrowed 12 bolt posi, no problem.
front dics brakes, no problem.

After I depart this plane of existence and if anybody ever has the desire to find a 1961 block and have it restamped, and install a correct 4 speed and put the original rear axle back in, more power to them, but at least i made it easy for them.

Doug
Old 08-21-2007, 06:15 AM
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with John. I love all of them. I won't cut up a nice orig car to build a resto rod but there are not that many orig. cars left out there. Taking a car and trying to make it orig. again is just stupid if you ask me. My 60 was way past restorible when I bought it so resto rod it is. My 66 was a nice orig. car but the orig. motor was long gone. When I did the car I left it unmodified except I built the motor my way. I just bought a 64 a few days ago. I was wanting to do another resto rod and want a 64 cause I like the early look without the split window.This car is a virgin. It's a two owner car and the orig. eng and just about everything else on the car is orig. to the car. I got the orig. invoice with it. It was bought new in NY and the list of options is all there. I don't have the heart to resto rod this car. So I will paint it and sell it in the spring. The NCRS types that go crazy when you modify anything are nuts. They are only orig. once. I'm not one for restamps so If the orig. eng is gone that makes up my mind right there.
Old 08-21-2007, 10:17 AM
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Most of the responses infer, not that hard of a decision once our coveted "numbers matching engine" is gone.

Originally Posted by kabong
I like all makes/models/types/ of cars.Hell, I even like going to old tractor shows and watch those old hit and miss engines run! Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself....

I have had my 60 for 35 years. When I bought it, it was a rat, the first 10 years, even I pounded the hell out of it. I have always wanted to do a frame off, so I started one. I stayed as close to stock as possible. I will have to admit, it was the worst experience of my life! I met some nice people and I met some crooks. Had a lot of ups and downs but it turned out to be a real nice driver. Now, remember, there are no right or wrong answers....If I had it to do over, I would have rodded the hell out of it. I have found out for me, my thrill is driving it. As stated before, it was a rat, so with that being said, thats why I would rod it out. If I had a car with say, big brakes, rare color, race history, almost all there, I would do an NCRS resto on that particular car. So, this is my story, and I'm sticking to it!
FIRE AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by aworks
with John. I love all of them. I won't cut up a nice orig car to build a resto rod but there are not that many orig. cars left out there. Taking a car and trying to make it orig. again is just stupid if you ask me. My 60 was way past restorible when I bought it so resto rod it is. My 66 was a nice orig. car but the orig. motor was long gone. When I did the car I left it unmodified except I built the motor my way. I just bought a 64 a few days ago. I was wanting to do another resto rod and want a 64 cause I like the early look without the split window.This car is a virgin. It's a two owner car and the orig. eng and just about everything else on the car is orig. to the car. I got the orig. invoice with it. It was bought new in NY and the list of options is all there. I don't have the heart to resto rod this car. So I will paint it and sell it in the spring. The NCRS types that go crazy when you modify anything are nuts. They are only orig. once. I'm not one for restamps so If the orig. eng is gone that makes up my mind right there.
Guys, I'm looking for performance like this:



With a ride like this:

http://www.flixxy.com/bose-active-suspension.htm


I just wanna' ride!


Maybe time to break out some of these!!!



I've got a friend that is an hours drive away just picked up his streetshop frame, I'll try to help him every chance to help make up my mind.

Andy
Old 08-21-2007, 10:46 AM
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Originally Posted by aworks
with John. I love all of them. I won't cut up a nice orig car to build a resto rod but there are not that many orig. cars left out there. Taking a car and trying to make it orig. again is just stupid if you ask me. My 60 was way past restorible when I bought it so resto rod it is. My 66 was a nice orig. car but the orig. motor was long gone. When I did the car I left it unmodified except I built the motor my way. I just bought a 64 a few days ago. I was wanting to do another resto rod and want a 64 cause I like the early look without the split window.This car is a virgin. It's a two owner car and the orig. eng and just about everything else on the car is orig. to the car. I got the orig. invoice with it. It was bought new in NY and the list of options is all there. I don't have the heart to resto rod this car. So I will paint it and sell it in the spring. The NCRS types that go crazy when you modify anything are nuts. They are only orig. once. I'm not one for restamps so If the orig. eng is gone that makes up my mind right there.
My 60 not original engine or trans, plus I bought it to drive and enjoy. Like you said if it's matching # I would keep it that way. I'm glad mine isn't matching #.
Old 08-21-2007, 10:50 AM
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I like both pretty well. I really would like to see the cars that are set up for drag or have tubular frames and such be built with an un-original body. I think if you are making such radical modifications, why not just buy a body from Ecklers or whoever.

Here is what I did with my 63 coupe. When I bought it in 1969, all emblems were off (filled in), the fake vents behind the door were filled in with bondo and it had Keystone Mags. The grill had been painted flat black and it had larger tires on the rear, big old steel bias tires that looked about a foot wide. It was a fine looking car that way. It was actually a drag car just before I got it. I left it that way until recently.

Before painting the car, I drilled holes for the emblems and dug out the bondo on the vents. I have put modern radials on the Keystones. So, any changes I make will be towards stock appearance. I hopped up the engine (nom). All mechanicals were rebuilt as original except unilite ignition and edelbrock carb.

While the body modification were tasteful and really looked "slick", I really like the stock body now.
Old 08-21-2007, 11:06 AM
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NCRS is not for me... Don't get me wrong I have all the respect in the world for them... I love the fact they are for perserving the Corvette heritage and I salute them...

But my car is a driver and not a museum piece. My aim is not to change the classic lines of the old girl but to make her more dependable and more fun to drive...

That being said, I also love how simple it is to service...So some things will not be changed...
Old 08-21-2007, 11:57 AM
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Default Restify it!

I'm a retro-rod kinda' guy but probably wouldn't molest anything that was close to original, NOM or not. Everything I have retrofitted fuel injected engines into was either a complete basket case or had 12 previous owners with too many "bubba" fixes to count. From my 68 Camaro with a 95 LT1/4L60E, my 65 Chevy step side with 5.3L/4L60E to my present 61 Corvette LS1, C4 suspension and aftermarket frame swap, I have made improvements to these cars that will ensure their driveabilty and increase their "fun factor" for a long time to come. The way I see it, if the technology was available back then, the General would have certainly incorporated it into these cars....
Old 08-21-2007, 01:32 PM
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Doug,

YOU DONE GOOD! The spirit of what I was TRYING to convey, Thank You!

Andy



Originally Posted by AZDoug
Just some thoughts on how cars are viewed, let me take you back a ways.

I first saw my 1961 car when i was 16 years old, back in 1973.

It was 12 years old at the time and sitting in a hot rodders junk yard, among several other C1 cars in various states of having been wrecked.

Today:, a 12 year old car of any sort is a 1995 model, and basically a disposable throw away awaiting recycling if it isn't running.

Now, today, that 1961 Corvette is 46 years old and will soon be 47 years old.

back in 1973, a 46 year old car would be about a 1927 model car, way, way too old to have any meaning or memory to a 16 year old kid, even if he did think that the boxy 1920's cars were cool, and probably even drivable, if they had a small block Chev engine installed, and you didn't have to use that hand crank starter in front of the radiator.

Today, a 16 year old kid would probably feel the same way about a 1961 car (of any kind); it is cool looking, and may even be drivable if it had a 4 valve, computer controlled dual overhead cam engine and 6 speed automatic installed, and had four wheel indepedent suspension with discs on all for corners added. Not stock, but who cares, he didn't remember the car when it was new, it meant nothing to him if it was in its original condition, other than maybe as a museum piece about how primative thing were half a century ago.

That is the future. A few cars will end up as museum pieces, the rest will will be street rods of some sort, for those who want the old look, but not the problems that went with the old suspension and motors (gas mileage, emissions). Just as now, some 1925 cars are restored to correct period, but they sit in garages never driven, the rest now have Chev and Ford (gag) V8 motors and four wheel disc brakes and auto trannys and are shown at car shows and hot rod meets.


Doug

This is a picture that takes things a little too extreme for my taste.



Nice paint and interior!

Andy
Old 08-21-2007, 06:14 PM
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[QUOTE=aworks;1561587994] with John. I love all of them. I won't cut up a nice orig car to build a resto rod but there are not that many orig. cars left out there. Taking a car and trying to make it orig. again is just stupid if you ask me. My 60 was way past restorible when I bought it so resto rod it is. My 66 was a nice orig. car but the orig. motor was long gone. When I did the car I left it unmodified except I built the motor my way. I just bought a 64 a few days ago. I was wanting to do another resto rod and want a 64 cause I like the early look without the split window.This car is a virgin. It's a two owner car and the orig. eng and just about everything else on the car is orig. to the car. I got the orig. invoice with it. It was bought new in NY and the list of options is all there. I don't have the heart to resto rod this car. So I will paint it and sell it in the spring. The NCRS types that go crazy when you modify anything are nuts. They are only orig. once. I'm not one for restamps so If the orig. eng is gone that makes up my mind right there.[/QUOTE]


So other wise you would take a near %100 Corvette and make it a drag car or Mod it if any Corvette had the wrong engine block ???Hope you dont ever come by a 55 Corvette!

No dis-respect but had to memtion this.
Old 08-21-2007, 09:19 PM
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Originally Posted by John McGraw
I like original cars, I like modern resto-rods, and everything in-between!
I feel sorry for people on both extremes that can't see the beauty and desirability of each type of car. I have built Top Flight cars (including a Duntov Award winner), but I own 2 resto-rods, a C1 and C2.

I would never bust up a good restorable car to build a resto-rod, but that is just me. There are plenty of cars that are not good candidates for restoration, without cutting up restorable cars. I see the rodders look down their nose at the NCRS type restorations, and I see NCRS guys look down their noses at the modified cars. I don't know why they can't just enjoy each car for what it is without trying to impose their own idea about what a Corvette is. I think the resto-rod movement will continue, but I also think that the NCRS type correct restoration will continue to be strong as well, but there are only so many cars that are really restorable. I really see the resto-rods taking the place of a lot of the plain old hot rods that were built years ago, but now people are wanting to make them a little more sophisticated, and modern.

They are all fun!


Regards, John McGraw
I agree with John. My 65 could have gone either way, if I restored it as stock I would have had a 65 coupe, 327/300 HP, 4 speed maybe a few other options pretty - plain. It would have cost me more money that I could get for it to restore it and then I would not want to drive it worried about the value. So after 30 years I decided to resto mod it. Now I have a stock 65 coupe with a Street shops chassis, 95 suspension, Dana 66, coil over shocks all around, Tremec 5 speed, LS2-400HP, side pipes, 17 x 8.5 C6 style wheels, 245 - 45 x17 Goodyear F1's and I can drive it. I've kept the body and interior stock looking and I think I can get my money out of it if I need to sell it. So that was my thought process, so far no regrets. I can say it is much imporved over the car I drove in the 70's.

If it would have been a fuelie engine with good options, I most likely would have gone the other way. As there are more afordable project cars out there that make great drivers and that is the whole reason most of us do it to drive them. Happy Motoring!
Old 08-21-2007, 09:23 PM
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Another solution might be to buy another car!!!!!

I will be trying to get away from work early tomorrow to look at a 2000
six-speed coupe, close to being worth the money. My old girl needs more tlc. Would be nice to have a ride that I'm not as concerned about the distance from my favorite wrecker driver. Seems to be a few pros and cons for the newer car. Biggest hits are the 150K miles and the paint (15 footer). Can anybody give me pointers on what to look for on a model year 2000. Like we really NEED another vehicle, my Wrangler still will not fit in the garage with all the other stuff in there.

TIA,

Andy
Old 08-21-2007, 11:12 PM
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Andy,

That's exactly what my wife and I did. We found a nice '01 coupe on the Forum for the right price. We take it on longer club-sponsored trips and don't worry about tow trucks. It's our loud, go fast car with all the creature comforts for a 500 mile drive. But we still have our '64 coupe when we just want to go stylin'.

I'm sure you've seen the C5 forum articles on steering column locking and some of the other quirks that 2Ks can have. Just do normal due diligence and have someone do a good runthrough of the major mechanicals. Have a dealer run the VIN# to ensure that all recall work was taken care of. The report may also indicate if a dealer did any other major work to the car. If the price is right and it's been taken care of mechanically, you don't have to be overly afraid of miles and paint can be redone as you're able.

Good luck with finding another one.

Greg

Last edited by Falcon05Dad; 08-21-2007 at 11:30 PM.

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Old 08-22-2007, 04:23 AM
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Originally Posted by John McGraw
I like original cars, I like modern resto-rods, and everything in-between!
I feel sorry for people on both extremes that can't see the beauty and desirability of each type of car. I have built Top Flight cars (including a Duntov Award winner), but I own 2 resto-rods, a C1 and C2.

I would never bust up a good restorable car to build a resto-rod, but that is just me. There are plenty of cars that are not good candidates for restoration, without cutting up restorable cars. I see the rodders look down their nose at the NCRS type restorations, and I see NCRS guys look down their noses at the modified cars. I don't know why they can't just enjoy each car for what it is without trying to impose their own idea about what a Corvette is. I think the resto-rod movement will continue, but I also think that the NCRS type correct restoration will continue to be strong as well, but there are only so many cars that are really restorable. I really see the resto-rods taking the place of a lot of the plain old hot rods that were built years ago, but now people are wanting to make them a little more sophisticated, and modern.

They are all fun!


Regards, John McGraw
Well said.
Old 08-22-2007, 09:26 AM
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Interesting article from another site:

vetteweb.com/features/vemp_0611_1966_corvette_roadster_hybrid/

Suggested reading before purchasing any C5:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=984927


Thanks Guys, y'all are the best


Andy
Old 08-22-2007, 10:12 AM
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Speaking of the future, I foresee a possibility that the vendors reproducing old corvette parts. C1, c2 and c3 will begin to cut back on the products they produce. I could be wrong here. This comes to mind because I needed a windshield trim piece about four months ago. I did not need it then so I did not order it. Now I ordered it from the same vendor and it is discontinued.

I was in a real pickle as the part is highly noticeable and no other model part fits. I was fortunate to find a use part. I just think that there could be a reduction in the market for c1, c2 and c3 parts in the next decade or so. I hope I am wrong.


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