A '65 C2 That's Seen Better Days [Video]

[Roscobbc]

I did the same driving it home, I sat in the slow lane and hoped for the best - while repeatedly forgetting that you have to change gear with your right hand

Is it possible to do enough work, to make the car feel less like a scrap-metal rocket? And it turns like a tank.

My brother recommended taking it to a dyno, and getting some folks to tell me how 'dialled in' the setup is - as it was put together by a hobbyist who rarely drove it, maybe there's some tweaks that'll improve the handling before I starting replacing stuff...

There are people who do engine 'tune-ups' on rolling roads and people who really know what they are doing......especially with Yank engines. I'm sure you'll find someone recommended local to you.
The guy that built my engine, has both engine and chassis dyno's with vast experience building supercharged, turbo'd and street American engines of all types is John Sleath not too far from you at Conisbrough, Doncaster. John Sleath Race Cars

 

[Johnrdking]

The guy that built my engine, has both engine and chassis dyno's with vast experience building supercharged, turbo'd and street American engines of all types is John Sleath not too far from you at Conisbrough, Doncaster. John Sleath Race Cars

Thanks! I've reached out to him, a dyno test and some diagnosis will be £400 - which seems pretty reasonable! Cheers for the recommendation.

Does he do post-purchase inspections? Just so I can put my mind at ease, that I haven't bought a lemon...

 

[Roscobbc]

Thanks! I've reached out to him, a dyno test and some diagnosis will be £400 - which seems pretty reasonable! Cheers for the recommendation.

Does he do post-purchase inspections? Just so I can put my mind at ease, that I haven't bought a lemon...

Couldn't say John......I expect not......but I guessing would be able to give a fairly comprehensive report on the condition of the engine.......if he puts it on the rolling road it'll give him a fairly good idea of the engine, transmission and clutch conditions......no doubt he'll be able to point you in the right direction re. suitability of existing exhaust system and carb/manifold condition.

 

[TimP]

Thanks Tim,

I'm a book fiend, so when I started my search more than I year ago, I got the 1963 service manual, and the 1965 supplement. I then picked up the 'HI-PO Engine' reference guides and a bunch of restoration books, including the buyers guide written by Tom Falconer.

In the video I reference Mid-Year Mitch's video on the birdcage inspection, but in his examples - the frame isn't attached to the chassis, making inspection much easier - and I can't tell if the oddities I'm seeing are wear and tear, or serious problems.

Sadly, most of the helpful material I've seen came from Mid-Year Mitch - there aren't that many detailed C2 videos I've been able to find that speak to the missing interior bits I'm seeing - so as I work out what's missing, and how to fix it, I'll get the work recorded on video so other silly buggers like me have a reference guide on what 'not' to do

Sounds good - I'll keep looking to see if I can spot anything that might be useful. You sound well prepped so you have probably trawled the US forums already - there's a lot of really good stuff there too.

When I was doing my (C3) birdcage assessment and subsequent repairs seeing what a good one looked like was really helpful so that I could compare with what I had, or more accurately what I should have had.

Good luck with your car and I hope that it all turns our better than you fear!

 

[Roscobbc]

John - you were looking to see how your 'birdcage' was.......I think you'll need to look further forward in the footwell and maybe remove the grille (speaker or vent?) - this is what you really need to see - the windscreen frame (still part of birdcage is more difficult to access) is very susceptable to corrosion.....arguably a little less critical than the lower frame mount.
Mine

Other than light surface rust - surprisingly solid.

 

[Roscobbc]

Hi John - took these images earlier of the headers on mine - they are Hooker Super Comps with 2 1/8" OD primaries. Driver side is a poor photo but clearance of header pipes to steering box is the same as the passenger side - minimum of 1/8". Close enough to cook the paint on the chassis rail........but using Poly engine mounts (rather than stock) they do not touch anything and there are no adverse issues......in fact they 'sharpen-up' the gear shift. The stock rubber based engine mounts allow too much lateral movment of the engine/transmission combo......possibly affecting quality of gear shifting.

 

[Johnrdking]

Hi John - took these images earlier.

That's awesome, thank you.
I don't know how to get to the front birdcage mounts, as they appear to be behind the firewall - so I can't get to them from the footwell (as you can in a C3)

Below is a diagram from the shop manual trying to illustrate that. The one ringed in orange is the front mount which I haven't seen, the one in green is the rear mount (behind an access panel) which I have seen, and looks okay (pics of those attached)



Rear mounts below, one has been changed at some point in its history. A bit of surface rust, but you'd expect that.




Is there a way to see the front mounts on a C2 that I've not sussed out yet?

 

[johng]

That diagram looks the same as a C3. Number 1 mount (your orange one) is seen from the engine compartment. Number 2 mount is often the worst on a C3 for rust. Number 4 is in the rear wheel arch.

 

[Johnrdking]

That diagram looks the same as a C3. Number 1 mount (your orange one) is seen from the engine compartment. Number 2 mount is often the worst on a C3 for rust. Number 4 is in the rear wheel arch.

Ah, so I haven't seen #1 or #2

Here's me trying to get access to that #2 in the footwell - but I'm being dim, I can't seem to see it, even with the kick panels removed:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

But in a C3, it looks loads easier:

 

[Chevrolet]

On corvettes, I’ve always preferred the factory ones. Yes, they are still loud and on long runs you can get a bit fed up with them. But I like the look of them.
The Thrush ones were based on the two corvette styles. The ‘outsider’ was styled on the 1969 version, and the ‘sidekick “ on the mid year version.
Both looked great when installed

I like this driving on the UK road comparison (factory side pipes/no side pipes) on two '65 327s. Two well sorted C2s? Never been in/had a drive of one before.

 

[Nassau65]

They can/do drone a bit in coupes and on long drives become tiresome, not so much on convertibles.
I’ve always loved the look of them.