632C2

First a little background.

I purchased a 1969 427 Corvette Coupe in 1977. Back in 1990 I had a complete drag race style tube frame installed. The car has just sat since then.

The chassis was done by Brad Hadman of Top Fuel and Funny Car fame. Full roll cage, Strange Engineering strut style front suspension, rack and pinion steering, motor plates, Currie 9" Ford rear end with 4.57 gears and detroit locker, and 4 wheel discs. 16" wide Monocoque wheels with 18" wide M&H DOT tires. It cost me about $15,000 back then.

Unfortunately, I immediately lost interest and moved on to a ton of other projects. Well I have decided to remove this chassis and return the car to a streeter. I have bought a stock frame and a rear clip from which to remove the necessary stock fiberglass. My car was tubbed so I need a lot of fiberglass.

My question is this: Does anyone know how to tell what horsepower car this is? It is definitely a Big Block car. It had the Big Block radiator and overflow tank and a rear sway bar. The car had a 4-bolt 427 Big Port motor and a 6500rpm redline tach. The motor was not a numbers matching deal and who knows if the tach was replaced or not. Any identification help would be appreciated. The guy I bought the car from told me that the guy he bought it from said it was originally a 2-bolt main 427. Who knows.

At any rate, if anyone needs a tube frame chassis let me know!

Steve


[Modified by 632C2, 8:40 PM 5/5/2004]

comp

can you go inbetween ??? like new ProStreet ???

Desertdawg

Sounds like you have a ton of work to do. I like the idea of a Pro Streeter, you wouldn't have to go back completely stock. And it would still look killer.

i think the best look you could get is by taking some design ques from the guys in the netherlands, and places like that. Here is Twin Turbo's version.
Theres a few more around that look like it, Mean and nasty....

Twin_Turbo

What keeps it from being street legal ?? I know I'd drive it as it is with only the bare minimum needed to get it legally approved



[Modified by Twin_Turbo, 5:05 AM 5/6/2004]

632C2

I appreciate the feedback but I have already made up my mind to return it to some form of stock. I have other cars that consume large amounts of my time.

I am looking for some feedback on determining what horsepower level car this is.

Steve

Twin_Turbo

I don't get it, why go the near impossible route of returning it to stock? Sell it and buy something that's easier to start on, if you are hell bent on building a nice driver from it build iy up with a nice engine and let it be. Being the non original car it is now, with a non original frame who cares if there's an original spec engine in it??

gkull

If you still have the vin number. Part of it can be deciphered into an engine code number. That will tell you exactly what that car had OEM


Post it on this forum and myself or someone else can dig back and tell you all about it. even it's birthday
:seeya

632C2

Thanks, George. I will get that for you right after lunch.

Steve

L79vette

I don't think the VIN thing is true for something that old.

Let's step back a minute. Why do you want to return it to stock? Are you considering going from where you are now all the way to an NCRS Top Flight? If you just want to make it a "streeter," without Flight Judging in mind, then why does it matter what the original horsepower was?

We're all confused, which is not unusual, but please explain more about why you're asking this particular question.



[Modified by L79vette, 6:50 PM 5/6/2004]

632C2

This is simple. If the car is an original 435hp car I am going to try to return it to a stock condition. If it is not an original 435hp car, I won't.

Steve

Fevre

Nothing is simple here. :)

Z-man

Take a look at your vin if you can still read it.

This page (at the bottom) shows some HP options if you can see the suffix...

http://idavette.net/facts/69.htm

Good luck...

Twin_Turbo

the suffix is stamped on the block (deck), not the vin. So, with the block being not original there's no way to tell whatw as original. As far as I know those vins don't offer any vlue as to what was in there, like the later models have and I'm not aware of any list that has the info in it you need (like engine option with prod #), the only thing that would help is finding the build sheet and that is most likely gone too.

GDaina

If the tach redlines at 6500, it's a 435 hp car, assuming you have the original tach.

Dah...i just read you have the tach. Without the original motor, there's no way to trace the engine code to the serial number, unless you have the original Protect-O-Plate.




[Modified by GDaina, 3:22 PM 5/6/2004]

Schmucker

I wouldn't return it to stock. I'd make a it street legal. Drive it down the street. Go to the track and lay down some 9 second runs.

My dad has a '64 327/350 4spd convertible. He bought it in 1970. It now has a 550hp 302, 9" with 5.87 gears, Doug Nash 5spd, 14inch slicks, a bit of fiberglass work. Not much for interior. What would it be worth if returned to stock? What, 30k or something? How much fun would it be? I don't know, how much fun is a 327/350 4spd car vs 550hp of 9000rpm 302 be? It'd be a helluva lot more fun. That's what it's for. What fun is driving around in a factory original car? It'll probably cost you more to bring it back to stock than what you could ever sell it for, so you might as well make it fun. If your idea of fun is going to car shows and getting points, then go buy a car that's already done and sell this one to someone that wants to make something out of it.

632C2

Fevre: What is not simple about this?

Z-man: Thanks.

Twin_Turbo: That is kind of what I was thinking abou the VIN number.

GDaina: It is so easy to change a tach I was just hoping that there was something else I could go off of.

Schmucker: You evidently don't know about my other cars. Do a search on either 632C2 or 542C2.


George: Based on what Twin_Turbo said about the VIN number, is there anything else you can find with it?

Steve

LiveandLetDrive

Just say sentimental value and they'll lay off. Otherwise it doesn't make a damn bit of sense as you will replace 99.9% of the car in the process. Surely you have some kind of reason, as your other cars (from what little I've seen) look very well done.

-Chris

gkull

Steve - The NCRS manuals are a good source for decifering every digit of the vin code the Idaho Vette page that is in the above link is very basic, but it shows the suffixs that tell you what motor and tranny type.

I really don't know Vette trivia. The NCRS boy's in the " Factory correct forum" will give you loads of info

gkull

Hey look up Chuck Gongloff on this forum. He's really just a wealth of knowledge about our older Vette's I think he owns 3-4 judgeable type cars.

Mr D.

Steve
I have been down this road myself with my 1969 Vette. Hope this helps:

1. 6500 RPM redline Tach (435hp / 430hp)
2. Rear End code of AU, FA, FB, FC (435hp / 430hp)
3. Single Fuel line (No vent line)
4. Look at the top right hand side of the fuel tank, there should not be a vent
exiting the side of the tank.
5. BB Rad core support
6. Look for three holes in the forward part of the driver side fender skirt.
This is where the TI Module mounts.
7. Front Springs, green tag with letters HU
8. 9/16" rear sway bar
9. Caps/bolts instead of U-bolts on rear end.
10. Emissions sticker with letters CN

There is more but that should get you headed in the right direction. I also have a 435hp car without the orginal motor or tank sticker. However, I was able to document with pictures enough clues to come to the conclusion that this is in fact a true 435hp car. Hope this helps.

Dennis