71 Corvette - Ridetech Track1 - Paint/Body/Other upgrades....

[fleming23]

I don't post much here but do visit from time to time to check out other builds and do my share of research. I am currently in the middle of an overhaul on my 71 Corvette which fits right in the middle of what this forum is all about. Some things I can share, others will be released or revealed later. I'll try to post pictures of the progress through today and keep adding as the car moves forward.

Basically I have a 71 C3 which I acquired in 2013 as a matching number 350, automatic car in decent shape. A good friend of mine owned the car through the 90s, subsequently selling it to his uncle who seldom drove the car.

Not horrible, paint was in good 10-15 ft condition and everything else was intact.


A good clean up, a bit of mechanical (brakes, fuel tank, etc.) set of 17" wheels and I was rolling!


Well that was all fine and everything for a few months until the urge to upgrade hit. The matching # drivetrain was pulled with plans on swapping a crate LS3 and 4L80 out of my other project.


The firewall, and entire engine compartment were cleaned, smoothed and painted by a buddy and owner of a local Corvette parts house.


Jumping ahead many months and many hours, the car was ready for a new power plant and at the time, Vette Brakes composite monoleaf suspension components.


Many more weeks later, the LS3 is sitting between the frame rails of the vette


Updated the interior with Autometer gauges to keep an eye on everything, and improve the overall appearance.


An LS swap is no new feat, especially on a forum like this, so I'll jump past all the little details that made it all work and just say, what a tremendous improvement!!



I then started doing HPDE track day events with the car and quickly found a few short-comings. The 4L80 did not last long and was quickly replaced with a Silver Sport Transmissions TKO600 (didn't want to hack up the floor to fit a T56 or I would have gone that route.) Updated Corbeau seats and harnesses were added to keep me in place on track.




About this time ridetech was putting together their 48-hour Corvette which immediately gained my interest.

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Next step was to start playing around with wheels, as the 255 wide 17" Vintage Wheel Works were no longer cutting it for track duty.

This is with 18x10" Torq Thrust IIs - was getting to the point of being very happy with the car. It looked good, was moving out on track, life was good!




Then I had a nearly catastrophic failure at Road Atlanta. The heat from my exhaust, and possibly some other factors, caused my rear monoleaf spring to melt resulting in my nearly loosing control on the fast back straight during a track day.




Well that was all it took for me to ditch the monoleaf set up and give ridetech a call ordering their new coil-over suspension. If only I knew now how many more phone calls and upgrades I would be making....

Full ridetech system installed. I initially opted for the lower level kit thinking that would be sufficient.

[fleming23]

The car was performing excellent! At open track days, people were amazed this 40 year old car was blowing past them not only on the straights but all over many bumpers through the curvy sections too.


Things were good, then I started competing against some of these high dollar, bigger name players. I quickly realized I was a solid mid-pack car at events like LS Fest and Goodguys. The solution, throw more money at it!

Harnesses were swapped to a Schroth as tracking the car began to intensify


One crazy thing happened in the paddock at Road Atlanta after coming in to cool down after the first session on track. I had the car in the air, checking a rear suspension noise when all of a sudden what sounded like a shotgun went off. Turns out my hydoboost reservoir exploded sending the canister ricocheting off my hood, to the pavement and all the way across the paddock. It scared the **** out of me!


It shattered the reinforced area of the hood




That resulted in a manual brake master cylinder swap!!


Getting closer to present day, I promise.....

[fleming23]

The next round of upgrades were wheels and tires, allowing me to run BFG Rivals in an attempt (dream really) of keeping up with some of these faster guys!




Back to the track for some more abuse!


Even went so far as toting the car all the way to Austin, TX from Atlanta to run it at COTA with a friend!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSBCfUIRfmw

The car, up to this point, had been suffering from a really, REALLY bad caliper piston knockback issue. Every single turn I would approach (on the race track or autocross course) would require me to pump the brake pedal 2-4 times to get the pistons to seat.

This is more video from COTA, chasing my friend's Z06 and ultimately spinning because I did not pump the pedal enough and the brake bias was terrible entering the corner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkGXzIUogok&t=7s

I measured, I mic'd, I photo'd, rebuilt parts, replaced hardware.....did everything I could trying to find the problem. The ultimate solution, albeit not the ideal situation, throw more money at the car. Through my ridetech contact, I was able to get my hands on a Wilwood kit with the good parts, thermloc pistons, spec 37 rotors, etc. Ta-da, that fixed everything. My honest opinion is that the Baer system desperately needs knockback springs but they refused to acknowledge that fact.

[fleming23]

So that brings me mostly current/up-to-date. But I'm not done.... The car just went though an entirely new round of upgrades. The front suspension was swapped again with Speedtech Extreme spindles, improving the geometry and replacing the front wheel bearings with C7 hubs.

Just recently my car received one of the very first "production" Track1 rear suspension upgrades which basically replaces the rear running gear with a Currie IRS 9", upgraded axles and revised housing mount. This dramatically improves the rollcenter, adding strength and durability to an otherwise ticking time bomb in a C3!.



So that should pretty much do it right? Unfortunately not. I couldn't have their newest suspension without also having their newest shocks too! They just released the Instinct electronic shocks by DSC Sport. I have the ridetech Magentuner in my 2016 Z06 and that thing is money! Unfortunately I don't yet have these shocks installed as a few pieces are still in manufacturing but should have everything completed in the next month or two.

So while I wait.... decided it was as good a time as any to send the car to body shop jail. I enlisted the help of Josh at Custom Image Corvettes to perform the dirty work.

As delivered


















So that concludes my 3 year story in the matter of.....30 minutes or so. I left out thousands of photos and more details than I care to try and remember.

[Typhoon1015]

Love the build. That color is very nice. Same color or changing it up a bit? Are there any plans for a roll bar yet?

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

Wow, good post! Gorgeous car too, love each version of it too. The flares look awesome, can't wait to see the final product! Keeping the original color?

[fleming23]

Love the build. That color is very nice. Same color or changing it up a bit? Are there any plans for a roll bar yet?

Appreciate it! I went back and forth quite a bit on the color. This is the car's original color, Steel Cities Gray, but ultimately I have decided to change things up a bit. I've decided on a blue that I'll reveal once it gets some color sprayed on the body. I'm pretty excited to see it in color along with some of the other body changes coming!

Wow, good post! Gorgeous car too, love each version of it too. The flares look awesome, can't wait to see the final product! Keeping the original color?

As mentioned just above, I am going to change the color but that decision didn't come without much discussion and tons of debate. I think once I see it sprayed in new color, I'll have no regrets.

[analyte]

Eric,
I've been following your updates on Facebook, but I'm glad you're sharing here as well. I love your Vette and look forward to seeing you wheel the latest version!!

Kerry

[fleming23]

Eric,
I've been following your updates on Facebook, but I'm glad you're sharing here as well. I love your Vette and look forward to seeing you wheel the latest version!!

Kerry

It was honestly a struggle just to go back and remember even just a 10th of what all has been done on the car. Looking forward to getting it finished so I can decide which events I want to take it to. I just registered for USCA to do NOLA, NCM, and Road America. I'd like to only use one car and at least put an effort toward the championship but we will see. If the C7 gets murdered in D&E at NOLA, I may swap cars. Although not sure the planned side pipes will fare well at NCM.

[Aficionado]

Love it!! In the middle of an LS-swapped '72 myself. Look forward to seeing more...

[rickpaw]

Love the car. Looking forward to see more updates.

[fleming23]

I have no real progress photos to share but I did just get my rendering back of what I have in mind.

The 68/69 side gills may or may not make it into the final product, and the wheels are probably slightly exaggerated (these look more like 20" vs 18") but I expect it will be pretty close!

Seeing it has me super excited!

[Josh@Ridetech]

Dang! Your car was awesome while it was here. Now those flares are going to make it even more wicked. Josh does an awesome job over at his shop!

[fleming23]

Dang! Your car was awesome while it was here. Now those flares are going to make it even more wicked. Josh does an awesome job over at his shop!

Just trying to keep up....

Yeah, I am really excited to see it when Josh is done. Looking forward to it going over to Smitty's shop to get the Instinct set up installed and then get it back to the track! Been a while since I've had the C3 on a road course.

[Aficionado]

Love. That. Rendering.

[Josh@Ridetech]

Just trying to keep up....

Yeah, I am really excited to see it when Josh is done. Looking forward to it going over to Smitty's shop to get the Instinct set up installed and then get it back to the track! Been a while since I've had the C3 on a road course.

Understandable! lol

I'd say it'll be a pretty big change, no doubt. I can't wait to see it back out!

[fleming23]

Not quite as awe-inspiring as the rendering, but the progress continues on the 71. Body gaps are shaping up. I can only imagine how dusty the entire car is right now....

[fleming23]

The car is finally a single color again, even if just gel coat!

I guess this was the first Corvette to go through the new booth at CIC. The flares and body lines are lost on the white but it is going to look amazing when that first drop of Indigo Ink goes down!











Speaking of color and things to come.... Here is a sneak peak of the next project before the car is shot with color. This is the car's color with air brushed crossflags on the new coil cover. Can't wait to see this part of the project done!



Another "upgrade" from the good guys at Silver Sport Transmissions. Replacing the TKO600 for a T56

[Gil]

Awesome ! C3 StingRay is really the sexiest model... I love where you are going with it... I want one so bad now... Thanks !

[67SSDan]

Ah man, this thing is awesome! Subscribed!

Dan