C7 LT1 Split Window

[Legacy Innovations]

Long time viewer of Pro-Touring.com and finally decided to get a build thread on here. We are a southern Pa custom shop specializing in making customers happy. This specific project is a '63 Split Window purchased as a complete basket case and former mako shark body. The body is about 75% complete now, new front end and new quarters installed.

Custom hood is about half complete waiting for final fitment around the LT1. The car will utilize the complete C7 suspension, traction control, ABS and other electronics. The Vehicle is 8" shorter and 9" narrower than the C7 so there will be significant modifications to the suspension. The photos of the Z51 C7 is the complete donor car, a GM early production (#6) car with ultra low miles.

Specs are TBD but the plan is a tube chassis with frame integrated suspension mounts, twin turbos, paddle shifters and a classy C2 update interior. Currently the body is being jigged for chassis design and fab. JRi Ride height adjustable shocks have been acquired for the build, Drive Shaft Shop is working on axles capable of handling the setup and a driveshaft ready for the beating.

I'll do my best to keep up with the thread. More at LegacyInnovations.com

[GAP Industries]

Badass !!!!!!!!

[Legacy Innovations]

The '63 body is on the jig ready for chassis fab. The C7 is disassembled and the paddle shift automatic is back to the metal shop to start fitting under the body. (the other drivetrain you see in the pic is from #7 off the assembly line, its a 7-speed manual)

[Protouringstang73]

Interesting project, that's crazy with taking such a new car down to the bones and put everything in a old car.. :D It's one of the coolest projects I've seen in a long time.. Can't wait to see more updates on this one :)

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Oh the humanity!!!!!

Wow, I can't imagine buying a new $60k car and gutting it. But I got to tell myself it's new, and another one will be built in its place. So with that in mind, awesome project!

[driveit]

When I saw this I was like, is this really happening. I love it. I like the older ones much better anyway. That will be one awesome Vette!

[Chad-1stGen]

I'm with the other guys. Surprise at taking a brand new vette to create this but excited to see how it comes together.

[LS7 Z/28]

Awesome project dude.

Thanks for posting it.

[Legacy Innovations]

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/110147-Long-time-viewer-New-participant

Thanks for the enthusiasm. Yeah, don't worry, the C7 cars were not legal to be registered and the C2 was a total basket case. It sat at Corvettes at carlisle until sunday evening when we bought it... so everyone else had their chance!

I finished machining the rack and bearing today. It was narrowed 9", exactly the distance I had between the support bearing worm track and the pinion thread. The housing is next, cut and weld. Let me know if you guys are interested in seeing the little stuff.

[Bonehead]

No such thing as little stuff! Post all the pictures you want! THIS is freakin AWESOME!

[87camaroZ28]

I agree, this is an awesome project! I can't wait to see this one come together.

[aps63]

We're picture whores, show us everything.
It's going to be amazing when you're finished.

[Nicks67GTO]

Is this the first LT1 swap into a vintage car? I haven't seen another one yet.

[Legacy Innovations]

Im not having luck loading pictures from my phone. Let me know if there is a trick to getting them to show up. iPhone 6 with the pro-touring app

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

shoot this is gonna be BADASS...


and I like the statement "making clients happy" as I dont see that often from shops.

[Legacy Innovations]

Steering rack narrowed 9", machined and threaded together. I'll weld it and turn it back down to fit the housing sleeves. The control arms are integrated into the frame rails, there will be removable plates to access the arm bolts, front and rear lower arms are all mounted similarly. The uppers will be quite different. I'll post detail when in farther along. The body was cut to flush mount the spoiler. We made 5 of these ZR1 styled spoilers, they do not have to be flushed to fit a stock body. Hit me up if you're interested.

[rlodad]

A few things are clear: I will never have enough

1. Guts

2. Balls

3. Money

4. Time

5. Marital Leeway

to attempt ANYTHING like this. I'm hooked! Keep up the posts!!!

[Legacy Innovations]

Here is the chassis that was built for this car when it was a Tranzilla T-56 and a Mast LS7. Its an all chrome moly tube chassis featuring DSE swivel link rear suspension with a fabricated 9" and the DSE X-Gen front suspension. The two vettes pictured have the same chassis and are on the road! I would sell this chassis if anyone has interest, the LS7 is now in a '34 chevy we are building.

[driveit]

Can you just fix up the chassis and drive it around. It looks awesome just like that!

[jlcustomz]

I'm not of the group who question cutting a new car apart for a donor. I regularly walk through new corvette areas of certain shows & ask :: Is this the future engine donor's club?

I had my ls1 swap before it was a craze. Someone has to do it first. I'll be following this thread closely.

Resto mod rules.

Who will be first to properly dress up the top of the new LT1?

[C1ROD]

It is great to see a Corvette on the Pro touring forum.....

Love the look and technology of the project. Please keep posting Pictures !!

Just can't get enough Corvettes down here in Australia.

- Owner and currently building my own 1954 corvette. see my renderings for the end result.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Wow, this is amazing and insane..... "YES" post all the photos you care to. This is awesome.
Can you, or are you, at liberty to say how much this is going to cost?

[Legacy Innovations]

here are the lower control arm mount access doors. It's been a little slow going, we are getting another car ready for SEMA, we will be hard in this project when we return.

[Legacy Innovations]

Photos

[Nicks67GTO]

Photos?

[Bob in St. Louis]

Nope. No photos.

[Legacy Innovations]

Sorry, I'm not having luck posting pictures from my phone. That makes it a lot harder to get content posted!

The C7 control arm mounts are integrated in the frame rails. The bolts are accessed through removable panels in the radius' of the chassis.