RESTORATION MANUALS

[Mike H.]

I AM A FIRST TIME RESTORER AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE BEST BOOKS OR MANUALS TO GET. I WAS TOLD THAT CHILTONS HAS A GOOD BOOK. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP IN THIS AREA. THANKS

[Patrick H.]

Re: RESTORATION MANUALS

Mike,

1. Join NCRS, if you haven't already.

2. Essentially "any" of the books listed for sale on the Web site that apply to your MY car will be good. Especially consider Noland Adams' Volume 2 as well as the Judging Guide for your year. The book on "Suzy Q", the 63 may also be helpful as definitely will Antonick's book on the Burroughs 1965 396 restoration. Its one of my favorites.

3. This question is asked frequently - see the Archives for similar posts.

Patrick

[Patrick H.]

Re: RESTORATION MANUALS

Mike,

1. Join NCRS, if you haven't already.

2. Essentially "any" of the books listed for sale on the Web site that apply to your MY car will be good. Especially consider Noland Adams' Volume 2 as well as the Judging Guide for your year. The book on "Suzy Q", the 63 may also be helpful as definitely will Antonick's book on the Burroughs 1965 396 restoration. Its one of my favorites.

3. This question is asked frequently - see the Archives for similar posts.

Patrick

[Jack H.]

Re: RESTORATION MANUALS

Agree with Pat -- join NCRS and once you're a member of the National organization you qualify to join your local chapter. Chapter membership is the biggest bargain in restoration/preservation in my book because you'll meet guys in your area who've been there, done that, got the T-shirt. If you get active in your local chapter, these guys will give you advice on who's got what, what's good/bad in your local area, open their homes, workshops, and parts stache to you. I know I get my annual dues worth each/every year and I've been around the block a bit myself....

On the book thing, HOORAY!!!! You're doing the absolute right thing. Parallel the investment you made in your classic car with a modest sum spent on a support library. What books you get depends on what MY Corvette you have (straight axle, mid-year, shark).

Do NOT overlook buying the AIM (assembly instruction manual) for your car. This tells you how the factory assembled the car, using what parts, in what sequence, to what specs.

Also, get the NCRS Technical Information Manual and Judging Guide (JG) for your MY. Tells you what concours judges look for in terms of factory originality, what parts are numbered, where/how. What's rare & hard to find (so you don't toss one of those babies out with the wash).

Last, consider MF Dobbins' Corvette Fact Book for your MY. They come in mid-year ('63-67), early shark ('68-73) and late shark editions. This is chock full of pictures and info on various car components piece by piece that'll really help you SEE the details mentioned in the JG.

If you join NCRS, you get a discount on items purchased from the Merchandise and Membership center in Cincinnati. The discount on one of Noland Adams book, the AIM, the JG, and Dobbins, will probably pay for your NCRS membership right there....

[Jack H.]

Re: RESTORATION MANUALS

Agree with Pat -- join NCRS and once you're a member of the National organization you qualify to join your local chapter. Chapter membership is the biggest bargain in restoration/preservation in my book because you'll meet guys in your area who've been there, done that, got the T-shirt. If you get active in your local chapter, these guys will give you advice on who's got what, what's good/bad in your local area, open their homes, workshops, and parts stache to you. I know I get my annual dues worth each/every year and I've been around the block a bit myself....

On the book thing, HOORAY!!!! You're doing the absolute right thing. Parallel the investment you made in your classic car with a modest sum spent on a support library. What books you get depends on what MY Corvette you have (straight axle, mid-year, shark).

Do NOT overlook buying the AIM (assembly instruction manual) for your car. This tells you how the factory assembled the car, using what parts, in what sequence, to what specs.

Also, get the NCRS Technical Information Manual and Judging Guide (JG) for your MY. Tells you what concours judges look for in terms of factory originality, what parts are numbered, where/how. What's rare & hard to find (so you don't toss one of those babies out with the wash).

Last, consider MF Dobbins' Corvette Fact Book for your MY. They come in mid-year ('63-67), early shark ('68-73) and late shark editions. This is chock full of pictures and info on various car components piece by piece that'll really help you SEE the details mentioned in the JG.

If you join NCRS, you get a discount on items purchased from the Merchandise and Membership center in Cincinnati. The discount on one of Noland Adams book, the AIM, the JG, and Dobbins, will probably pay for your NCRS membership right there....

[Lou Lapham]

Re: RESTORATION MANUALS:Caution!

Mike-I'll add to the previous posts a word of caution,don't throw away or change any thing based on one or two claims in any of the above mentioned books.In some cases Noland Adams's book and Dobbins book,the Assembly guide and the NCRS judging and other references don't agree.Using this site as well as interacting with local Vette owners will help sort out the wheat from the chaff.Regards,Lou

[Lou Lapham]

Re: RESTORATION MANUALS:Caution!

Mike-I'll add to the previous posts a word of caution,don't throw away or change any thing based on one or two claims in any of the above mentioned books.In some cases Noland Adams's book and Dobbins book,the Assembly guide and the NCRS judging and other references don't agree.Using this site as well as interacting with local Vette owners will help sort out the wheat from the chaff.Regards,Lou

[Jack H.]

Re: RESTORATION MANUALS:Caution!

AND, along the way you will probably find a few things the 'experts' say that turn out to be incorrect as well as the Catch-22 issues where there is bona fide disagreement. This hobby is NOT a solved science! It's part fact/science and part art form in pursuit of a slowly moving target.

[Jack H.]

Re: RESTORATION MANUALS:Caution!

AND, along the way you will probably find a few things the 'experts' say that turn out to be incorrect as well as the Catch-22 issues where there is bona fide disagreement. This hobby is NOT a solved science! It's part fact/science and part art form in pursuit of a slowly moving target.