1956 Corvette

mfain

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
481
Location
Las Vegas/Phoenix
Several members have asked for construction shots of my '56 project, so here goes. I will group the pictures by area. The car is set up for a big block (eventually a 515 inch Dart aluminum motor) with the motor set back 12 inches. The first pictures give an idea of the motor location -- the cowl vent cover is removable for distributor access. The next photos are of the under-hood scoop which takes air from in front of the radiator and feeds it to carb and the oil cooler (mounted in ductwork in the left fender panel).
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0078.JPG
    IMG_0078.JPG
    35.7 KB · Views: 62
  • IMG_0092.JPG
    IMG_0092.JPG
    32.7 KB · Views: 59
  • IMG_0249.JPG
    IMG_0249.JPG
    31.3 KB · Views: 61
  • IMG_0250.JPG
    IMG_0250.JPG
    35.7 KB · Views: 58
  • IMG_0253.JPG
    IMG_0253.JPG
    32.7 KB · Views: 56
The next photos are of the aluminum firewall between the fuel cell and the passenger compartment (required by several sanctioning bodies), the fuel cell area with dust cover (aluminum top cover not installed), and the location of the battery cutoff switch.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0128.JPG
    IMG_0128.JPG
    29.2 KB · Views: 36
  • Fuel cell cover.JPG
    Fuel cell cover.JPG
    30.8 KB · Views: 38
  • IMG_0122.JPG
    IMG_0122.JPG
    219.5 KB · Views: 45
  • IMG_0121.JPG
    IMG_0121.JPG
    206.7 KB · Views: 46
A better picture of the aluminum firewall (fuel cell to passenger compartment), the trunk with carbon fiber panels (the hole in the floor has a CF duct that routes air from the side scoops to the differential cooler), and the beginnings of the Woodward steering column installation.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0091.JPG
    IMG_0091.JPG
    36.4 KB · Views: 38
  • Trunk.JPG
    Trunk.JPG
    24.6 KB · Views: 35
  • Firewall.JPG
    Firewall.JPG
    33.1 KB · Views: 32
I Just gotta LOVE your wind tunnel on the 'GARAGE' set of pix there.....

trailer, 90 mph......all those tell tales on it.....:thumbs::smash::smash:

I would have been buying shop fans.....

:eek::twitch:
 
To answer a couple of questions: The transmission is a TKO600 Extreme (.82 fifth gear) from American Powertrain. I've also included a better picture of the Woodward r/p. I don't have pictures of the brakes on the car, but they are Stoptech ST-60 (six piston) front and ST-40 rear with 14 inch floating, slotted rotors. The wheels are 18X13 rear and 18X11 front HREs. The radiator is a 31 inch, dual pass Ron Davis model with dual Spal fans.
 

Attachments

  • Trans.JPG
    Trans.JPG
    109.5 KB · Views: 27
  • 9-24-2007-11.jpg
    9-24-2007-11.jpg
    769.5 KB · Views: 36
Geoff,

It falls in pretty much the unlimited classes -- it doesn't meet the maximum horsepower per pound rules for most sanctioning bodies, and the motor set-back is too much for others. It is just a good, safe track day car (club events) and will work for things like standing mile events and the Silver State open road stuff. I built it to road race for fun without worrying about points, but I kept up with all the safety requirements (cage, fire system, etc.) so I wouldn't be denied entry anywhere.
 
Whooaaaa. love the IFS w/ Woodward rack. Attention to detail is awesome, like how you tucked away the cooler and the patterson tank fits into the heater box. Very very nice
 
It has been a while since I posted, but that didn't stop the work. I completely redid the front suspension - now high travel, low roll with every pick-up point- adjustable on slugs. New, longer control arms, JRI shocks, new stout sway bar, new Sweet R&P, etc. The hard part was setting it up to accommodate 335 front tires with 4 inches of compression and 30 degrees of turn. That takes a lot of room! I have attached a few shots of the front inner fender panels to show what it took to make the room.

56 photo 1 (3) rotated.jpg

56 photo 2 (3) rotated.jpg

56 photo 3 rotated.jpg

56 photo 4 rotated.jpg
 
Great work. What rear end set up do you plan on running?
 
Great work. What rear end set up do you plan on running?

Right now it has an IRS - C-4 uprights, custom links, Driveshaft Shop aluminum axles, and a Tom's C-3 differential. I built a multi-link set-up with C6 uprights, CV jointed axles, and a Strange Differential, but I haven't installed it yet. I will probably run the existing set-up until I break something, then switch. Click on the "(6)" next to "My photos" in the upper right corner of this post - one of the photos is of the suspension.

Pappy
 
Announcement on radio this AM, 1953 Corvette #1 rolled off the Michigan assy line on this date.....

been a while......:smash::loveletter:
 
Top