At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

[Roy B.]

Got home last night after just having my left knee replaced ,guess it comes form living on the left coast (Ca) Because I cant go no where for a while I'm gathering 55 early 56 info on parts trying to help on the new 53-55 JM. As some may know I've covered many 55 original parts here and been contacting others by e-mail. Are there any parts you know of I haven't covered or should that you know should be covered for 55 and the reason I say early 56 because many 55 parts were carried over to 56 which I would like to see memtioned in the JM. When first and second design parts came on line in 55 is mostly a guessing game. (that's where I need help)! Trying to get a consensus. Any one that doesn't mind helping is greatly needed , or you can e-mail me at 55copper@oro.net Thanks to all --ROY

[Jim D.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Can't help you with your request but I want to wish you a speedy recovery. I have an appointment on Jan. 20th with my orthopedic surgeon to discuss the same thing.

Jim

[Roy B.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Cant help you on how it will be but right now I feel like a little kid learning to walk , Never had pain from the operation but now swollen and tight feeling . Like they say no pain no gain! By the way I had a spinel tap and watched it being done (interesting) and hearing the saw go to work , Right now waiting for a gal coming to the house to work on it ,I have a machine that bends the knee to help it ( that feels OK ) they say a month ??? Right!! Already miss my HD and 55. Getting old is a Bi**T just turned 69.

[Stuart F.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Gotcha by 1-1/2 years Roy, but I too agree about the gettin old part. Besides my re-plumbed ticker, I got a real bad lower back Arthritis and Stenosis which affects my clutch leg a bunch. Throttle leg is no problem. I just wear a heavy shoe to hold the peddle to the metal and relax it.
Just learned from watching 60 minutes (first time on 20 years) that my problem in the back could be due to some hard landings in SEA. They had a guy on there that was getting $658./mo VA benefit for just that. Now he's going greedy and wants a near automatic benefit for exposure to Dioxyn! (agent orange). Seems he only spent a few weeks in Nam w/o orders and the VA turned him down because he can't prove he was there. Heck! I was breathing that stuff since White Sands where they used it to defoliate the desert growth away from the highway. That's how I knew what it was in Nam when the C-123 dumped it on me once a week outside Ton Son Nute AFB.

I'm thinkin I'm missing out on a gold mine of tax payer benefits that could buy my 63 a new interior!

Stu Fox

[Jack P.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Got home last night after just having my left knee replaced ,guess it comes form living on the left coast (Ca) Because I cant go no where for a while I'm gathering 55 early 56 info on parts trying to help on the new 53-55 JM. As some may know I've covered many 55 original parts here and been contacting others by e-mail. Are there any parts you know of I haven't covered or should that you know should be covered for 55 and the reason I say early 56 because many 55 parts were carried over to 56 which I would like to see memtioned in the JM. When first and second design parts came on line in 55 is mostly a guessing game. (that's where I need help)! Trying to get a consensus. Any one that doesn't mind helping is greatly needed , or you can e-mail me at 55copper@oro.net Thanks to all --ROY

Hi Roy, welcome to the group of us with new knees. I had both hips and a knee replaced within 4 months. Just do your exercises and take plenty of pain medication. You need to move the knee as I am sure you have been told. Let me know if you need any tips on recovery. I am going on a 13,000 mile trip in a corvette, so , the replacement must work , right?

Good luck, and keep the leg moving

Jack

[Roy B.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Gotcha by 1-1/2 years Roy, but I too agree about the gettin old part. Besides my re-plumbed ticker, I got a real bad lower back Arthritis and Stenosis which affects my clutch leg a bunch. Throttle leg is no problem. I just wear a heavy shoe to hold the peddle to the metal and relax it.
Just learned from watching 60 minutes (first time on 20 years) that my problem in the back could be due to some hard landings in SEA. They had a guy on there that was getting $658./mo VA benefit for just that. Now he's going greedy and wants a near automatic benefit for exposure to Dioxyn! (agent orange). Seems he only spent a few weeks in Nam w/o orders and the VA turned him down because he can't prove he was there. Heck! I was breathing that stuff since White Sands where they used it to defoliate the desert growth away from the highway. That's how I knew what it was in Nam when the C-123 dumped it on me once a week outside Ton Son Nute AFB.

I'm thinkin I'm missing out on a gold mine of tax payer benefits that could buy my 63 a new interior!

Stu Fox

Sorry to hear that stuff , if we knew we were going to live this long we would have taken better care of our selfs, I was in the 82nd airborne 63 to 66 saw action in the Dominican republic, jumped at 500 feet. Now I cant jump down 5 feet. Ha!

[Fenwick B.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Roy, What about the spark plug wire heat shields? Are the ones on Ebay, item # 270373205504, the same for a 55? Fenwick

[Tyler T.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Its worth a mention that they used 54 firewall insulation and just punched holes where they needed them until late in the run.

Tyler

[Roy B.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Roy, What about the spark plug wire heat shields? Are the ones on Ebay, item # 270373205504, the same for a 55? Fenwick

No way! They were used on ram horn manifolds like 57 up. Even the 55 car dint use them. Wish these people knew what they were selling.

[Roy B.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Its worth a mention that they used 54 firewall insulation and just punched holes where they needed them until late in the run.

Tyler

How late would you say

[Jim T.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Gotcha by 1-1/2 years Roy, but I too agree about the gettin old part. Besides my re-plumbed ticker, I got a real bad lower back Arthritis and Stenosis which affects my clutch leg a bunch. Throttle leg is no problem. I just wear a heavy shoe to hold the peddle to the metal and relax it.
Just learned from watching 60 minutes (first time on 20 years) that my problem in the back could be due to some hard landings in SEA. They had a guy on there that was getting $658./mo VA benefit for just that. Now he's going greedy and wants a near automatic benefit for exposure to Dioxyn! (agent orange). Seems he only spent a few weeks in Nam w/o orders and the VA turned him down because he can't prove he was there. Heck! I was breathing that stuff since White Sands where they used it to defoliate the desert growth away from the highway. That's how I knew what it was in Nam when the C-123 dumped it on me once a week outside Ton Son Nute AFB.

I'm thinkin I'm missing out on a gold mine of tax payer benefits that could buy my 63 a new interior!

Stu Fox

Stu I just read something the other day about agent orange now being connected to heart disease through some study. This information was on a military related web page.

[Mark P.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

13,000 miles ? where are you driving to ?

[Jack P.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

13,000 miles ? where are you driving to ?

Hi Mark,

I have come up with a general route across the US for my 48 state trip to visit and research owners of corvettes for 30 or more years.

Many of you have already sent me locations. This route is the general direction that I will be heading and I will travel about 200 miles on either side to visit .

If you would like to be part of this project and share your story with me, let me know with a PM of your location, zip, phone etc.

In a few months I will have a more accurate route and will share it with you. I will also be visiting others who would like me to stop by to share my trip experiences, so let me know even if you have not owned your car for 3 or more decades.

I would also like to meet family members who may have inherited their car from a family member. I am also trying to stop at Corvette historical sites, clubs and and chapters.

The link below will take you to my map.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=110318877041699050244.00047a67806bb1482cf37&ll=37.649034,-97.294922&spn=31.341203,86.044922&z=4

You can check my other posts about the Trip across 48 states

Jack

[Tyler T.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

How late would you say

Here is a reply from Sam Renyolds when I asked the question on Corvette form when no one answered on this forum

More here on my input on the 55 scenerio. It all depends on your number, having owned #144 (ugh, sold to Tony Reale just because he HAD to have a blue 55) and currently #516, I can speak about early and late cars. I've also seen in detail #278 when John Rohner owned it and took pics in great detail of this car.

If you have an early one, and my guess it that you do, Brett (number 101???), the CORRECT firewall insulation mat is a 1954 mat and modify it!!!

My #144 was VERY original, knew it's history back to early 1960's, it was never apart before I began restoration of it. I've included some pics of the mat before dissasembly.

The main differences in the two are the locations of the exit hole for the wiring harness and the location of the heater hoses for the heater core.

On the 1955 the wiring is slightly to the left of the 1954, closer to the inner fender. On the firewall mat, you can see the the original hole of the 1954 is present and unused. The hole for the 1955 is made by hand to the left of the 1954 hole.

The steering column hole is unchanged from 1954. Even though the 1955 used the larger hole in the firewall and the metal cover plate, the 1955 still used the same rubber mounting plate on the inside and the same hole as the 1954.

The heater core on the 1955 did not exit directly through the firewall as it did on the 1954. The core exited to the right side, had two short rubber hoses and connected to two 90 degree brass elbows and exited through the firewall to the right of the 1954 holes. This was to make clearance for the different battery location and bigger inner fender on the 1955 model. Again, the original holes for the 1954 are present and are unsed. The holes for the 1955 heater are made again by hand to the right of the original ones.

Here are pics of the original mat pieces and a 1954 mat before I modified it. This mat was made in the "good ol days" and was made when John Rohner actually owned Rohners and pieced were actually made by someone who knew the cars!

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=IMG_1551.jpg

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=IMG_1553.jpg

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=IMG_1554.jpg

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=IMG_1556.jpg

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=firewall.jpg

There are many more items unique to the 1955's through the production year, like the fact that the early ones used 1954 frames and had the six cylinder mounts cut off by a torch and the fuel pump clearance made by hand (as in my #144). The remains could be easily seen and the rivet holes were present as were the depressions in the frame rails at the six cylinder mounts. Later 1955's had production rails with the fuel pump clearance stamped in and not made by hand, but still had the depressions and the unused rivet holes present. Early 1955's also had 1954 stamped real axles (MW)and not 1955's (AE).

Early and mid 1955's had the hole in the lower dash for the 1954 manual choke in the dash but resined over. These appeared at least through #300. My #144 had it as did #278, but #516 does not. The bolt holes on the hoods of early and mid 1955's used the smaller sized bolts for the hinges and male hood pins akin to the 1954's, these are characterized by the "wb1c" bolt heads. The later hoods had the larger bolts like in 1956 and later and are characterized by the "TR" bolt heads. #144 had the small bolts and #516 has the large bolts.

The fiberglass on the inside of the trunk lid is different over the radio screen. #144 and #278 had fiberglass mat over the screen, typical of mid to late 1954's, and #516 has woven fiberglass cloth (very thin) over the screen. This may be a little more vague and not be directly related as much to serial number as it does to supplier, however.

One thing of note here about all 1955's that few notice even though its obvious. This helps tell if a 1954 body is used to build a "fake" 1955. Inside the door jamb, the area above the dog leg weatherstripping is resined in smooth where the upper dash surround bonds to the door jamb structure. On 1953's and 1954's this "lip" is left in place. On 1955's the area below the lip is built up with resin so that it is flush down to the area immediately above the courtesy light switch and VIN tag. This is one small tell-tale of originality.

So goes the saga of the 1955...only 700 pruduced, but as intesting as the 1953 when it comes to proudction......


Thanks to Sam

Tyler

[Mike M.]

Re: At times life can be a poop,but asking for 55 help

Here is a reply from Sam Renyolds when I asked the question on Corvette form when no one answered on this forum

More here on my input on the 55 scenerio. It all depends on your number, having owned #144 (ugh, sold to Tony Reale just because he HAD to have a blue 55) and currently #516, I can speak about early and late cars. I've also seen in detail #278 when John Rohner owned it and took pics in great detail of this car.

If you have an early one, and my guess it that you do, Brett (number 101???), the CORRECT firewall insulation mat is a 1954 mat and modify it!!!

My #144 was VERY original, knew it's history back to early 1960's, it was never apart before I began restoration of it. I've included some pics of the mat before dissasembly.

The main differences in the two are the locations of the exit hole for the wiring harness and the location of the heater hoses for the heater core.

On the 1955 the wiring is slightly to the left of the 1954, closer to the inner fender. On the firewall mat, you can see the the original hole of the 1954 is present and unused. The hole for the 1955 is made by hand to the left of the 1954 hole.

The steering column hole is unchanged from 1954. Even though the 1955 used the larger hole in the firewall and the metal cover plate, the 1955 still used the same rubber mounting plate on the inside and the same hole as the 1954.

The heater core on the 1955 did not exit directly through the firewall as it did on the 1954. The core exited to the right side, had two short rubber hoses and connected to two 90 degree brass elbows and exited through the firewall to the right of the 1954 holes. This was to make clearance for the different battery location and bigger inner fender on the 1955 model. Again, the original holes for the 1954 are present and are unsed. The holes for the 1955 heater are made again by hand to the right of the original ones.

Here are pics of the original mat pieces and a 1954 mat before I modified it. This mat was made in the "good ol days" and was made when John Rohner actually owned Rohners and pieced were actually made by someone who knew the cars!

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=IMG_1551.jpg

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=IMG_1553.jpg

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=IMG_1554.jpg

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=IMG_1556.jpg

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/c...t=firewall.jpg

There are many more items unique to the 1955's through the production year, like the fact that the early ones used 1954 frames and had the six cylinder mounts cut off by a torch and the fuel pump clearance made by hand (as in my #144). The remains could be easily seen and the rivet holes were present as were the depressions in the frame rails at the six cylinder mounts. Later 1955's had production rails with the fuel pump clearance stamped in and not made by hand, but still had the depressions and the unused rivet holes present. Early 1955's also had 1954 stamped real axles (MW)and not 1955's (AE).

Early and mid 1955's had the hole in the lower dash for the 1954 manual choke in the dash but resined over. These appeared at least through #300. My #144 had it as did #278, but #516 does not. The bolt holes on the hoods of early and mid 1955's used the smaller sized bolts for the hinges and male hood pins akin to the 1954's, these are characterized by the "wb1c" bolt heads. The later hoods had the larger bolts like in 1956 and later and are characterized by the "TR" bolt heads. #144 had the small bolts and #516 has the large bolts.

The fiberglass on the inside of the trunk lid is different over the radio screen. #144 and #278 had fiberglass mat over the screen, typical of mid to late 1954's, and #516 has woven fiberglass cloth (very thin) over the screen. This may be a little more vague and not be directly related as much to serial number as it does to supplier, however.

One thing of note here about all 1955's that few notice even though its obvious. This helps tell if a 1954 body is used to build a "fake" 1955. Inside the door jamb, the area above the dog leg weatherstripping is resined in smooth where the upper dash surround bonds to the door jamb structure. On 1953's and 1954's this "lip" is left in place. On 1955's the area below the lip is built up with resin so that it is flush down to the area immediately above the courtesy light switch and VIN tag. This is one small tell-tale of originality.

So goes the saga of the 1955...only 700 pruduced, but as intesting as the 1953 when it comes to proudction......


Thanks to Sam .

Tyler

Thanks to sam, as in folz?very interesting and informative piece of 55 info. keep it up tyler.mike