Think this is what you call a barn find - a project to keep me occupied for some time

Sometimes your day doesn´t really turn out the way you planned it :wink:facepalm:

Given how few vintage US car actually are here in Denmark, it was a surprise to me that my new restoration project had been stored less than 1 mile from me for the past many years. (from the import papers I see the car was imported in 1981 - and has never been registered in Denmark yet)

Background for the purchase was that I had advertised on one of the local car forums about buying a Corvette that I could drive for the summer. I ended up buying a 81 C3 targa in the US (full LS1/T56 conversion) but a week ago I was called by someone who knew that this 64 coupe could be purchased if I reacted quickly ..... and so I did :biggrin:facepalm:

I guess I know where all my pocketmoney will be going for the next 3-5 :wink:facepalm:

Actually I get 2 coupe bodies as part of the deal so maybe I´ll go build me one more vintage racecar as well :wink

Former owner had been planning the upcoming restoration for years so as part of the deal it looks like at least 80% of all the parts I need to finish the resto is actually included ..... from full interior to suspension parts ..... really not as stupid a deal as my wife thinks it is .... I will still be sleeping on the couch tonight though .... but she´ll calm down eventionally :wink:facepalm:

Since the car is not a matching numbers car - I won´t be doing a concours restoration. I´m going to keep it fairly correct on how it would have looked in the late sixties/early seventies. And I will keep the color combo of White exterior and red interior. Will probably put on the Classic Torq Trust "D" 5 spoke wheel as I usually do on most of my vintage cars - I´ve always loved that wheel design.

Right now I´m trying to sort out all the parts - the joy of buying a disassembled car :frown - and also trying to decode all the casting numbers and codes.

Lots point in the direction that the engine/transmission/rear differential was replaced with something from a 1969 car. Engine block seems to be a 1969 (still unclear if it is a 327 or a 350 - but most likely a 300 hp base - even though the headcasting could indicate the heads being from a LT1 car (1970-71?), the transmission is a M21 from 68-70 and the diff looks to be a 3.08 positraction out of a 427 1969. Engine has just been refreshed with Crower roller rockers etc. so all in all the engine and transmission looks promising - but it is a real mixed combo of parts seemingly from the 68-71 period.

In Denmark we are actually not allowed to modify vintage cars much - unless we want to pay a tax based on real time value and not old "in period" value - so a LS1 swap would be both difficult to get approved by inspection as well as could mean thousands in extra taxation .... and if built right, a old school smallblock engine will be plenty strong for a driver. I´ll get real world 350+ hp and that will be just fine:wink
I will upgrade suspension a bit with composite springs, gas shocks, adjustable strut rods etc. but nothing fancy. I will probably upgrade to 1965 specs in term of 4 wheel disc brakes.

Frame already was delivered to the bodyshop for the repair and blasting - so step on is to get the roller finished so I can concentrate on the body from there ...

Fun times ahead :wink

The LS1 / T56 swap I have on my newly purchased 1981 Corvette (since it being so new - I can get away with it :wink ) This car is to be my daily driver for the summer ..... I think it´s a pretty cool car .... always liked the rear end / big glass window of the 78+ Vettes.