Gas tank second thoughts

VERY nice Vettes!! Did the "59" have an "X" frame? I know a guy that restored his "57"... which was a drag car with a 427 when he bought it. The frame was rough.. and had been modified/cut-up in the rear.. probably to fit a narrowed axle.. I can't remember. He found another original frame and did a complete ground-up resto on it in the mid 1990's. The only thing he "didn't" opt for was the Rochester fuel-injection that originally came with it. At that time it was a $5000.00 repro piece.. and was originally a problematic system.. so he said. Other than that, the 283 was period correct. He repainted it the original Aztec(?) Brown with white accents.

This is not that car.. but his looks just like this one.

Yes, "X" frame. But the original frame was rusted through and "boxed" by a previous owner so I found a 1960 Corvette frame and used that. You may be able to click on any of the pictures and go through my photobucket album on it.



It had the original CQ block 283 but the heads and everything else was wrong. One cylinder was compromised so I had to have it sleeved. Nothing special, originally came with a single four barrel.

It's claim to fame was that it's serial number 20. I had a Maryland plate 20th 59. I bought it for $3K, had about $9k in it, sold it for $12K. Last time it sold was to a fellow in California who paid $64K for it and got a bargain. He found me somehow and I filled him in on the restoration.

It looks like a MGB just behind that Corvette in your picture. My current affliction.

rsv1cox wrote:Yes, "X" frame.  But the original frame was rusted through and "boxed" by a previous owner so I found a 1960 Corvette frame and used that.  You may be able to click on any of the pictures and go through my photobucket album on it.  



It had the original CQ block 283 but the heads and everything else was wrong.  One cylinder was compromised so I had to have it sleeved.  Nothing special, originally came with a single four barrel.  

It's claim to fame was that it's serial number 20.  I had a Maryland plate 20th 59.  I bought it for $3K, had about $9k in it, sold it for $12K.  Last time it sold was to a fellow in California who paid $64K for it and got a bargain.  He found me somehow and I filled him in on the restoration.  

It looks like a MGB just behind that Corvette in your picture.  My current affliction.

I believe that in 1957.. Chevrolet's 283 was among the first engines to produce 1hp/cu .in. Was this when the "Fuelie" 194 and 202 cylinder heads were first produced? Was it the 194's that had the angled spark plug bores?

MG's are great! My Uncle has a 65 "B" under a tarp in his garage. The car hasn't moved since he had it re-painted in 1973. It is in need of those early (funky) front strut/shock/control-arms that I'm sure you're familiar with. J.C. Whitney used to sell a conversion kit.. but he didn't like the design. I used to work at a former British Leland dealer in Norwood, MA years ago.. There was a mechanic still working there from that time. I think that he amassed a load of parts when the dealer discontinued the brand back in the 70's. He had several "B's".. including a "GT" that was one of his daily-drivers. It's been years... but I could try to get his contact info.. if you're looking for parts. PM me if you're interested.

I'm gonna' go out on a limb.. and guess your "B's" years at 1968 (yellow) and 1973 (black)... am I close? What year did they introduce the triple front w/s wiper system?

roddie wrote:I'm gonna' go out on a limb.. and guess your "B's" years at 1968 (yellow) and 1973 (black)... am I close? What year did they introduce the triple front w/s wiper system?

Sorta close

The "yellow" actually Citron a color that has been described in the worst possible terms, is a 1974. It's the last of the "chrome bumper" MGB's. Notice the horrible black bumper over-riders, Sabrinas to the Brits. I took them off last summer. It was also the last of the two wiper MGB's. Federal regs for 1975 required a certain area of the windshield to be scrubbed hense the three wipers of the last five years.

The black one is a 1980 MGB-LE (Limited Edition), the last of the MGB's.

The Cirton needs a complete restoration, the LE is basically an as new 27K mile car out of southern California.

Yes, the '57 Corvette was the first year fuel injected. About the heads - you have me there.