Need info on our '57

[Ken A.]

Trying to find some info/history on our '57. It's VIN #411 (about Oct 19, 1956), 3 spd, originally hdtop only, no heater, and probably had pw. It is currently white/silver with red interior, but it may have originally been red. It has the big brake option including the heavy duty suspension and sway bar, but no elephant ears and no evidence of the air ducts at the rear wheels. It also has factory traction bars and it appears to have had side pipes at one time. Problem is, as per the JG, it's about 7 months too early for the first big brake car, and the traction bars were not available in '57. The VIN on the frame matches the VIN plate and registration. The story we got was that it is a San Diego car and that a body shop or Corvette shop owner was restoring it. Took the body off and did the chassis and drive train. ( but the engine is wrong) He died and the car sat for 15 years or more before the PO bought it about 2004. He did almost nothing to it before we bought it in '05. So, was this car raced and the owner decided he needed more brakes but didn't bother with the air ducts? The body is remarkedly free of major repairs making racing kind of questionable. What about the traction bars and wrong rear end? Not unusual to blow the rear end if it was drag raced. Did the restorer just have the parts and tried to make it something it wasn't? Does anyone know anything about this car or have any pictures of it if it was in fact raced? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
thanks a lot
Ken Albers (38732)

[Mike E.]

Re: Need info on our '57

By traction bars, do you mean radius rods? Traction bars were aftermarket and attached to the bottom of the frame. Radius rods extend from brackets on the top of the axle housing to brackets welded to the top of the frame rail. Those were not factory yet in 57. You might check the quality of welds on the top of the frame rail. That might give an indication that they are add-ons.

[Ken A.]

Re: Need info on our '57

OK, radius rods. Yes they are welded to the top of the axle and to the side of the frame. Not at all a factory job. Back yard welding job. They may be factory parts, but not factory applied. I forgot to note that I know they weren't available in '57. Just part of the mystery.

[Bruce B.]

Re: Need info on our '57

Rear axle strut rods were used on Corvettes from 1959 through 1962.
I believe that no traction devices were offered in 1957, although the first Airbox car did have rear springs which could be adjusted or loaded for certain conditions.
What is the part number and date on the rear carrier or pig?
Is there a positraction vent on the differential housing?

[Gary C.]

Re: Need info on our '57

Ken,

Original paint color will show in the body windshield frame track and on the door panels.

What are the rear springs stamped part number and julian date?

How are the strut rods attached to the rear end? If it's a '57 rear end housing retrofitted with strut rods, the brackets probably are shop made, don't recall if the brackets could be bought over the parts counter. IIRC there's a difference in the axle bearing depth between a '57 and a '59. Also the '57-8 rear end housing axle tube ends where they were welded to the flanges were slightly different.

There were lots of '57's modified with add-on big brake/HD suspension parts. A complete big brake kit could be ordered over the counter from a Chevy parts department.

No brake ducts in the body rocker panel area is the key.

Interesting factoid. A similar '57 VIN 2XXX was bought by a phone bidder at BJ Auction a couple of years ago. Got to speak to the delivery truck driver as he was delivering a car bought by a NCRS friend. The delivery driver said he hauled the '57 to the buyer. Buyer looked the car over carefully and told him to don't bother even unloading it and to return it to BJ. This car returned to a later BJ auction. Close inspection revealed the heavy duty springs were stock 4 leaf springs with an added leaf.

Sounds like a neat car. Good luck with the restoration.

Gary
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[Ken A.]

Re: Need info on our '57

Thanks for the info guys, but I really need some history on this car. I can't do an NCRS restoration on it as it sits without some kind of documentation prooving the big brakes etc. I would love to find out it was raced so I could restore it as a vintage race car, but otherwise, I'll probably just clean it up as a nice driver.
Ken Albers (38732)

[Gary C.]

Re: Need info on our '57

Ken,

You didn't answer the questions that were asked about the rear end pumpkin/pig numbers nor the rear spring number and date code.

99.44% sure it didn't come from the factory with big brakes on it.

Gary
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[Robert G.]

Re: Need info on our '57

You may have better luck contacting San Diego area car/racing clubs. That vin hasn't shown up in Driveline/Restorer in the past 20 years and doesn't appear to have been in Mike Hunt's Project 56/57 survey data.

[Mike E.]

Re: Need info on our '57

Wasn't owned by anyone in COCSD 20 years ago. (Corvette owners club of San Diego.)

[Ken A.]

Re: Need info on our '57

Thanks Mike. Still looking.
Ken

[George J.]

Re: Need info on our '57

Wasn't owned by anyone in COCSD 20 years ago. (Corvette owners club of San Diego.)

Mike,
would you be able to tell if other cars were, or were not, owned by anyone in that club around 20 years ago?

George

[Mike E.]

Re: Need info on our '57

If a solid-axle, possibly.

[George J.]

Re: Need info on our '57

If a solid-axle, possibly.

Mike,
Thanks, but unfortunately it's a '65

George