65 Coupe decision

[James D.]

Hello All,
Need some advice based on your experiences for which path I should take with restoring my car.
I purchased my '65 numbers matching (350 hp/4 speed) coupe 6 years ago. I just completed restoring my '68 RS/SS camaro, and am ready to start digging into the Vette. The car supposedly has 32k original miles on it. The motor runs good, does not puff smoke at start up or under load. It looks like it's never been apart, and has no leaks. I'm at a decision point on it with regards to restoring to original or leaving it modded. The car had front/rear flares put on it in it's history to accomidate wider tires, as well as the front turn indicators/bumbers removed. It looks like all the original bonding strips are in place and in good shape. It has an aftermarket BB hood. The gaps look great on the doors/fenders/top. Originally a nassau blue car, with brite blue interior. The previous owner repainted red and changed the interior to black and is in great shape. All the glass is good. It's got power windows, but that's about it. The clock works, as well as the radio. Shortly after purchasing the car, with intentions to restore back to origninal, I started purchasing parts.... I was able to get the original steel wheels with the purchase of the car, and purchased repro hubcaps. Below are the other significant items I purchased.
1. Sermershiems Press molded front clip
2. Sermershiems Press molded rear quarters
3. Correct Holley Carb
4. Orignal (rechomed) front bumbers and brackets
5. NOS emblems/badging
6. Repro Engine shielding
7. Original SB hood/hinges
8. Repro Grill

My original intention was to do a frame off full resto, including replacing the front clip/hood/quarters, putting the car back to born with colors, etc... Since the motor runs good, I was planning on just cleaning/repainting.
With most of the parts I need to restore the car back to "close to original", the expense would be mostly labor (mine )....
My dilemma is do I put in the extra time on a car which will have replacement panels? Although they are high quality, and close to original as I understand, they are not original.... Or do I leave it with the flares, and restore it as a mod? There may not be a right/wrong answer, but would like your opinions on this. Value is of course a consideration... I love the orignal look, but could live with the mod as well...
Thanks a bunch for your feedback! Ed

[Mike T.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

Ed - I think you hit the nail on the head with the comment - 'There may not be a right/wrong answer'. It really is a personal decision as to whether you prefer stock body panels or flares and the same goes for paint choice. To use my 65 Coupe as an example, it started out Blue on Blue but when I bought it in '85, the interior was already Black. It had flares that were 'barely tolerable' to me but the paint was shot so we stripped the paint, found a ton of bondo 'barely' holding the flares on so off it all came. I briefly thought about painting it Blue again after the body work but back when I grew up in San Francisco, the last owner of Half Moon Bay Dragstrip lived two doors down and an SF Cop buddy of his had this Black on Black 66 425 horse Bigblock Coupe (circa late 60s) and that car was stuck in my brain so...my 65 Coupe became Black on Black. My GTO is Black as is my daily driver, my 61 Corvette and my 56 Nomad, see a trend developing here ;-). My Coupe also had a 66 Bigblock hood on it when I picked it up and I've always liked the look so it's on there to stay. One little suggestion if you do decide to do some major body work, with the engine out, even with it running good as you say, it would probably be a good idea to pull the pan and timing cover to double check bearing condition and timing chain setup. Also, maybe think about a compression test before it all get's torn down. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress, no matter which way you go with it.

[Domenic T.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

Ed,
My vote, and I may never get my cars judged, is go back to stock. Also maybe concider leaving the original front clip on and splice in what you have to. The replacement of the front clip is not as easy as one thinks. I've been there and all came out great but it was 4 times the work and jigging that I expected.

DOM

[Russ S.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

I agree 100% with Dom. I would get the best pcs available (nice used-they are out there) front fender parking light panels and replace what you have. Then if you aren't doing the repairs yourself I would find a well qualified fiberglass man who would finish the inside of the fenders as nicely as the outside and repair the flairs. You could get patch pcs but if I were doing it I would just form it up and lay glass unless the area flared out is large. Patch pcs might be better then. Of course all repair areas should be cured well with time and heat.

Ed,My vote, and I may never get my cars judged, is go back to stock. Also maybe concider leaving the original front clip on and splice in what you have to. The replacement of the front clip is not as easy as one thinks. I've been there and all came out great but it was 4 times the work and jigging that I expected.DOM

[Paul J.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

Ed, the answer lies in your future. Do you think that it will be important to you to sell your car for the most money possible when that day comes? What I'm driving at is the difference in appreciation of original or fully restored cars versus those with non factory mods. I have recently been looking at auction sale prices and had a chance to compare fully stock mid years against three which had flares and other minor mods. The price differential is significant. If I had already purchased several parts, I would move forward with a frame off restoration. But if you're happy with the flares and the color change, then drive it and enjoy it, but I would be cautious about putting a lot of money back into it in a modified state.

Paul

[James D.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

Thanks fellas! All great feedback, and points well taken! I plan on driving the Vette (Sunday driver) and keep the Camaro as a trailer queen. Eventually will get my hands on a C1, as that is my ultimate dream car. Interesting points about getting used original panels to repair the flares, and parking light assemblies...

Dom & Russ, does that suggestion come from the "value" perspective? Or level of work involved in replacing the clip? Or maybe both? When I purchased the clip, I thought that it would simplify getting the car done (Glass work).. but sounds like maybe not? The clip was jig assembled, and from what I understand is among the best avialable. Spent a ton of money on it, but can probably resell easily as it still sits in the crate. Glad you brought this up, as I want it right, but want it as painfree as possible as well since I will be doing most of the work (having my cake, and eating it too )....

You guys are solifying my original plan to take it back to stock... that is where my heart is on this thing... just second/third thoughts about it... gotta ignore that little devil on my shoulder saying hot-rod it

[Russ S.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

It comes from both the aspect of having original parts verses the black eye that a repo front end would give the car and therefore (the black eye) would also hurt the value of the finished car. Doing the repo front end could but may not simplify the job. You can run into considerable alignment problems with them and then another one can go very well. They are pretty good front ends.

Thanks fellas! All great feedback, and points well taken! I plan on driving the Vette (Sunday driver) and keep the Camaro as a trailer queen. Eventually will get my hands on a C1, as that is my ultimate dream car. Interesting points about getting used original panels to repair the flares, and parking light assemblies... Dom & Russ, does that suggestion come from the "value" perspective? Or level of work involved in replacing the clip? Or maybe both? When I purchased the clip, I thought that it would simplify getting the car done (Glass work).. but sounds like maybe not? The clip was jig assembled, and from what I understand is among the best avialable. Spent a ton of money on it, but can probably resell easily as it still sits in the crate. Glad you brought this up, as I want it right, but want it as painfree as possible as well since I will be doing most of the work (having my cake, and eating it too ).... You guys are solifying my original plan to take it back to stock... that is where my heart is on this thing... just second/third thoughts about it... gotta ignore that little devil on my shoulder saying hot-rod it

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

James,
If your car is an AO Smith body it is difficult to make the replacement front end look straight along the belt line. A St Louis body is what I think the replacements are modeled after.

[Wayne W.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

James,
If your car is an AO Smith body it is difficult to make the replacement front end look straight along the belt line. A St Louis body is what I think the replacements are modeled after.

My jig was actually taken off of an AOS car, so it is as correct as it could be for AOS, but that really shouldnt make any difference. I think the difference is that the AOS was built as a unit, where as the St. Louis was built without the fender. The fender was added on the line which leads to variables in fit and finish.

[Domenic T.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

James,
I think the value will be better with the original parts even if you piece in repo parts. In 1971 I didn't have the advice that you can get here and I made the mistake and did the whole clip. What a job, it has to be right on for everything to fit right and back then they were layups. A whole lot of jigging to get everything lined up perfectly. My clip was about 3/4 inches longer at the doors and it took careful t******* and doors off & on 3 times. The newer clips should be better, but after I started I knew I should have bought a 1/2 clip.

DOM

[Leif A.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

I owned a '65 Coupe Nassau Blue over Bright Blue...one of the prettiest Corvettes I've ever owned. For future resale value you almost have to go back to stock. A half-azzed mod wll only hurt future value, IMHO. Now, a $100,000 resto-mod is another topic all together...

[James D.]

Re: 65 Coupe decision

Thanks again fellas. After reading your responses I took a quick re-look at the existing front clip after my initial evaluation 6 years ago..... I'll need to take a closer look this weekend, but it appears to be a non stock front fender, and may be a one peice front end as there is no bonding strip above the wheel lip... My apologies for the misinformation... If that is in fact the case, I am left with replacing the entire front clip with an original (if I can find one), or roll with the press molded Sermershiem front end which I have sitting in a crate... Eitherway, I will have to refit an entire front clip to get back to the stock look. I'll try to shoot some photos this weekend and share what I've got to work with. Again, apologies for the misinformation, as I must have been only thinking about the rear quarters bonding strip... Ed