Bastardized 1959 "Coronet" build

[wetskier2000]

Rot always seems to be worse than I think... Original plan was simply to add to the stock 1959 trunk floor and connect to the Corvette floor... It's become replacing the entire trunk floor, fixing the trunk extensions and the supporting frame...

Its a little strange how this Virginia car's outer panels are so nicely preserved but the underside isn't in some areas. Other underside areas look nearly new like above the gas tank, for instance...

 

[wetskier2000]

First test fit of many... I'll trim as I go along to get it under the flange behind the bumper...

 

[wetskier2000]

test fit2

 

[wetskier2000]

Test fit nn, on the car... Need to mark the 2 small angle bends that are either side of the trunk latch bracket and figure out how I'll bend those as my brake isn't wide enough. Prolly involve my plow.

 

[wetskier2000]

More fitting... I pushed the rear quarters out a bit by making the trunk floor a little wider than stock for more rear tire clearance... It's pretty acceptable. I have a solid inch plus clearance on both sides. You experts will probably notice that the car has gotten a bit more hippy....

 

[Art Bee]

Well that's one way of giving that fugly Tupperware car some class. I love this! Super creative out of the box thinking ... awesome!

 

[wetskier2000]

Rear section is back on the car, finally... The new Hippier rear end may allow the tire to be changed without any fancy skirts or other silliness... We'll see, I need to make sure the rear section is really where it belongs but early signs are positive...

 

[3175375]

Rear section is back on the car, finally... The new Hippier rear end may allow the tire to be changed without any fancy skirts or other silliness... We'll see, I need to make sure the rear section is really where it belongs but early signs are positive...

No pics?

 

[wetskier2000]

Pics? I know... A real slacker, right?!?!

 

[65sporty]

This is quite the interesting build

 

[wetskier2000]

The rear body section is finally bolted to the Corvette frame!

Now, I'll work my way forward fitting as I go along... I think I can move the leading edge of the doors (and subsequently the fenders) out just a bit so I won't have to shave the width of the hood. We'll see......

 

[livininharrow]

cant wait to see this badboy finished. i am loving this project.

 

[wetskier2000]

Fuel can now be put into the 1998 tank from the 1959 fuel filler door. Still have to make a bracket to hold the cap and tube then fit the 1959 door back on...

 

[wetskier2000]

Fuel Door modified to handle 1998 cap access... Figured out how I'll bolt the upper section near the rear glass to the Corvette body structure..

 

[wetskier2000]

Decided to do something easy and completely unnecessary at this point. But since the rear section is bolted on... I wired the Corvette taillight harness to the 1959 tail lights. I took some liberties with the tail lights since one on each side is a backup light. I will change those lenses to all red like the upper ones and add backup lights toward the center of the bumper closer to where the C5 had them. It all worked well, except I have no backup lights in the stock harness., I'll have to check the switch and fuses...

BTW: Anyone got nice all red lenses they'll part with? I have 1 nice red one and 2 nice backups (of course)

 

[mopar preferred]

There are a couple on Ebay. Not cheap.

 

[wetskier2000]

Thanks, I saw one for $45 which isn't cheap but way better than those asking 100 for one. Part of the problem solved, turns out O'Reillys sells red LED 2357 bulbs. I installed a pair in the white Coronet backup light lenses and they work great. I will also need to change out the flasher to fix the fast blink caused by the LEDs, but that's just a plug in. So, right now I only need 1 more red lense.

 

[wetskier2000]

I ordered one of the $45 lenses... I also ran a little test... I always thought the fast blink caused my LEDs was load/resistance related but read a couple things that might suggest otherwise. Curiously, while the turn signals blinked fast with only the rears hooked up (nothing in the front), the 4 way hazards would blink at a normal rate... I know its the same flasher for haz/turn in a 1998 Corvette. Hmmm... so I hooked up 1 bulb on the front, left turn signal and got the same results, fast blinker, normal hazard. So I hooked up a second incandescent bulb on that same left turn signal and voila! Normal blinker and normal hazard... so it's definitely load/resistance related. And instead of disassembling half the C5 dash to get at the flasher at this point, I'll just add a second bulb to each front turn signal.

 

[wetskier2000]

...and thanks for the Ebay idea, MP....

 

[wetskier2000]

Space management...