I need help understanding ....

[drivin_me_nuts]

A choice I am considering making

I want a C1. It is just going to be a matter of time before I buy one. However, I am interested in a resto mod, I am looking for something a little different and having looked around the US sites, I see that there are a number of places that bin the old chassis and replace it with underpinings from a C5 and drop in a nice new LS engine.. which is what I am after

Budgets i've seen are around 135-175$ K for a complete transformation; Work done, excluding import tax SVA etc is not an unreasonable amount IMO

The alternative is to import an "unmollested" one and get the same work done here.

Now, given the choice or routes to purchase, I am inclined to go with importing a car already modified. But would it make more sense to import and then modify?

Any thoughts on this would be gratefully received - i'm kinda stuck on thinking this one through ..

[anonymous-user]

drivin_me_nuts said:

I'm getting a bit bored of the M5 and I think it's not long before it's off to the big scrap heap in the sky.

I am thinking of a change, something a little more sedate and from time to time my mind wanders over to something French. As Vanessa Paradis is already spoken for - alas that leaves only the C6.

Cheers

All I can say is there's a world of difference between a C6 Corvette and a C6 Citroen, whatever retro body mods you have in mind!!

As for Corvette oldster "conversions" this is the sort of thing, based on modern underpinnings. It would take a brave man to bring one to UK,



More on this link,

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[drivin_me_nuts]

No, not like this at all.

It's a C1 with a C5 chassis and new engine - not some designers "interpretation" of a C1 theme ...

[vaughan watkins]

I know the sort you mean and i love the idea, given the experiance and knowledge the other side of the pond i would think purchasing one allready done would be the better route, depends on how much time you have on your hands and whether you want to be part of the creation, if you can wait a year or so building one the satisfaction would be great, depends what type of guy you are, either way you are onto a winner in my mind.

[anonymous-user]

You'll be needing "Jay Leno" money then! It's very much his sort of thing.

These are probably a more appropriate retro enhancement for UK purposes, E-type Jaguar updated by Eagle.

http://www.eaglegb.com/?gclid=CNK05Ne335oCFQJgZwod...

[vaughan watkins]

vaughan watkins said:

I know the sort you mean and i love the idea, given the experiance and knowledge the other side of the pond i would think purchasing one allready done would be the better route, depends on how much time you have on your hands and whether you want to be part of the creation, if you can wait a year or so building one the satisfaction would be great, depends what type of guy you are, either way you are onto a winner in my mind.

Something like this http://mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=FL...

[vetteheadracer]

You need to speak to Scott Brocklehurst who built the C1 resto-mod C1 that won everything at the Corvette Nationals last year......stunning car and built in the UK. Scott hangs out over on the CCCUK club site www.corvetteclub.org.uk and look for S9EED.

[Mello]

www.customexotics.co.uk

[drivin_me_nuts]

Thanks for the replies.

been talking to the missus about this. I think the way ahead with this is a trip to the US later this year or early next year. I have too many work commits before I can give this the real time it needs. I am determined to get a C1 resto but I think it will have to become a mid term "project" that fits in with US holidays etc

I will get one .. it's just a matter of time

[Mike Mercury]

I think I know what you're wanting.

A local US restoration shop has done some of these updates to C1's. The last one I watched him do was a 1959 Corvette. The body and frame were restored to factory condition. But a crate V8 engine was dropped in, and the steering was converted to rack & pinion, plus other updates I can't remember.

From the exterior and interior, it looked 100% period correct. But under the hood it looked modern, and it drove like a modern car.

Edited by Mike Mercury on Saturday 30th May 16:45

[anonymous-user]

Mike Mercury said:

The last one I watched him do was a 1959 Corvette. The body and frame were restored to factory condition. But a crate V8 engine was dropped in .......... under the hood it looked modern, and it drove like a modern car.

Sounds great, though I'd have thought a C1 chassis would be totally overwhelmed by the torque of a modern Vette engine.

[drivin_me_nuts]

5 USA said:

Mike Mercury said:

The last one I watched him do was a 1959 Corvette. The body and frame were restored to factory condition. But a crate V8 engine was dropped in .......... under the hood it looked modern, and it drove like a modern car.

Sounds great, though I'd have thought a C1 chassis would be totally overwhelmed by the torque of a modern Vette engine.

A new more rigid chassis is fitted along with a crate 300-400ps engine.

something along the lines of this

http://www.usedcorvettesforsale.com/1960-corvette-...

.. which is along the lines of what i'm after but more subtle and with a more original interior

Edited by drivin_me_nuts on Saturday 30th May 21:22