1963 Z06 Destruction

[Rick A.]

Folks,

As many of you on this Forum are aware, I am doing a "body off" restoration of my 1963 "small tank" Z06, I lovingly call LADY. well, I finally got around to getting a website started to show some pictures of LADY BARED. I will be adding some more pictures tonite.

Please check out the following and let me know what ya'll think.

http://www.pbase.com/c5vetter/1963_z06_destruction

[Chris H.]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

Nice. Is there a story behind the painted transmission?

[Rick A.]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

still trying to figure that one out! the original owner who lives in Switzerland will not respond to any phone messages I have left on his cell phone, nor has he responded to any certified letters I have sent him! the second owner who lives in Canada has been very cooperative, but he really doesn't know much about the car. He bought the car in August 1998 in Switzerland and then "exported" it to Canada in December 1999. He consigned the car to ProTeam in 2001, from whom I bought the car. That is about the extent of what he knows.

[Joe S.]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

Looks great Rick. Brings back lots of memories!!! Keep em coming.




Joe's 63 FI Convertible

[Danny Pantuso]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

Rick, Nice pictures, tell me something vin# 119367 the car is a k2 body build in June or July of 63, the casting date on the block in rear you show in the pictures k213 meaning Nov.21,1963 My question is how can a car in June or July of 1963 be on the road and the engine has not been build yet.

[Rick A.]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

Danny,

That is the main reason for the restoration! 350 point deuction right off the top before you even look at anything else!

The ORIGINAL engine was replaced under warranty with the K213 block! We all know this is a November 21, 1963 block, which is a very early 1964 block and as you noted the build date was July 11, 1963! You know what I will be offering for sale very soon! (HINT HINT!)

So, you ask what happened to the original block!? She blew #3 rod and this was confirmed by Tony's Corvette when we pulled the oil pan - you could see where the pan had been repaired where #3 rod would have blown through!

They replaced the original block with a 1964 "CE" block and reused everything else off the original. Tony's Corvette has confirmed all of the numbers as being matching for the original engine. The stamppad is VIRGIN! Never been stamped whatsoever from what Tony can determine!

I found a 1963 "RF" suffixed block, date coded April 1963 that I have being built back up with all of the original parts from the original engine. I am NOT decking the stamppad, because the stamppad has what is called a "St. Louis" grind and all of the orignal BROACH MARKS are evident. All of the numbers and letters are CRISP. Everything but the VIN is correct for my car.

AL GRENNING has confirmed that the stamppad is a "St. Louis" grind and is in his database as such. I have an authenticated letter from him attesting to this fact.

[Loren L.]

I don't believe that I have ever seen a

frame stamping with a separation in the numbers.....

[Rick A.]

Re: I don't believe that I have ever seen a

Loren,

the stamp was applied when the car was inspected/imported into Switzerland

[RICHARD CHARLES]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

RICK; OUT STANDING WHAT YOU ARE DOING. I HOPE TO LEARN FROM THIS . GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR RESTO. I ALSO HAVE A 63 VETTE TRIPLE BLACK ROADSTER 327/340 SHP. I"LL BE WATCHING ........

[Sydney G.]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

Rick,
Way to go and good luck.
What a beauty!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you saying that you do not intend to complete the resto with the proper DOCUMENTED matching stamp pad? The resources, I believe, are definatly out there to do so.

Restorers.

Society.

You have a historic, nostalgic piece of American icon heritage.
You know the story. We know the story.
Why not restore it to the way it left the factory that day in '63?
Thanks for sharing your wonderful honest experience!
Syd

[Rick A.]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

Syd,

To do a RESTAMP, which is what will need to be done WILL DESTROY the broach marks on the stamppad! I would rather have the maching BE ORIGINAL than trying to change the VIN

[G B.]

I like your approach

The value of having a restamped block is completely lost on me.

Some folks would admire a restored coin collection made by grinding, stamping, and polishing. I would consider it ruined.

[Gordon Peterson #4961]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

Hi Rick! Visited and left a post. There's a lot of discussion here about the stamp pad, I see. Well, mine's re-stamped. In my case, it was because many years ago when I had the engine gone through, I didn't realize that decking the block would remove them (naive)!! You can imagine my shock when I went to pick it up! One more scary story. Back in 1975, when I lifted the body off mine, my wife and I did it with a come-along in a garage! No lie! Popped it back on same way later on too. In hindsight, with the advent of nearly 30 years, I like your approach better! 8-)
Pete

[Tracy C.]

Your wife sounds like a real champ.... *NM*

[Rick A.]

Re: 1963 Z06 Destruction

Pete,

thanks for the kind comments at the website. WRT stamppad - I just believe the inherent value of the stamppad to generations to come is better served by SAVING the BROACH MARKS - besides, the VIN that is embossed in the stamppad is about 2000 away from mine!