Not only is there a ton of beautiful cars at Barrett-Jacksonauctions, there are also a lot of venders. Anything from car care products, to engine builders to custom building shops.
One of those was Karl Kustom Corvettes located in Des Moines, Ia. I had a chance to speak with Jim Hidy one of the reps for Karl Kustom at the auction this past January.
SWEET!!!!
Nice looking car, yes? HELL YES. But there some interesting things I didn’t know about these custom Vettes and how they are made.
I spoke with Jim at length and I have to tell you that how I thought these were made wasn’t even close and how they are made was pretty surprising to me. Jim set me straight.
Great Creation
These are of course C6 machines with the look of the 60’s Vettes. All the great handling and power of the C6 underpinning and classic looks. I thought ‘how cool they manufacture a body that snaps on the C6 frame. But that’s not how it’s done.
So I’ve gotten the new electrical connection installed on the switch. I now need to cut off the old switch and strip the wires.
Ya know it’s hard to take a video while you a squeezed under a car on jack-stands!!!
In this video you can see the striped wires.
Installing the bracket was easy enough except that it wasn’t formed properly and had to be bent. Keep in mind this is not ‘harden’ steel and too much bending will weaken it and when the reverse lever comes back will just push the bracket backward and not allow the button to be depressed enough to make contact and complete the circuit and turn the backup lights on.
Here it is all installed.
Here it is with the car in the reverse position. You can see the button depressed.
Here is a video shot.
And the intended results:
Now I’d love to tell you that all was well, however remember the bolt and the Sharpie mark I made on it so that I could gauge how far to screw it back in?
Well I was still pretty happy with the progress and I took the car off the jack-stand and started her up and backed out of the garage. That went well, but there didn’t seem to be a first gear once I decided to pull the car forward, nor second gear. She isn’t going to move.
So I’ve got the car out of the garage and right at the edge of the drive on the driver’s side. I have to get under the car and tighten that bold a few more turns. I end up laying partially on the drive way, partially on the rocks (we don’t have grass in your yards here..we have small, gather in you pants when you are laying on them, sharp rocks) and partially on one of your shrubs. Ok, lets not forget the glowing hot Hooker header pipes..yeah…just back out of the garage…no worries the hair on my arm will grow back. Any way, I tighten it just enough to get the car to go into second gear and pull it back into garage.
It had to go back up on the jack-stands for more adjustments, and I had to the switch off once to make adjustments to the bracket. But success was achieved!!!!!
A quick recap, I had a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby manual 4 speed transmission rebuilt and installed it in my 1970 coupe. This included a Hurst Competition Plus Shift Kit. Of course the configuration isn’t even close to the original 3 speed and the old bracket for the reverse light switch won’t go back on.
I didn’t really think of this as the time of the installation so I just zip-tied the wiring and old switch up until I picked up the conversion part for the Hurst kit. This included a reverse light switch and a properly formed bracket. Cost was about $29.00 at the same local hot rod shop I bought the shift kit from – they are car guys not salesmen, which is why they didn’t mention the light switch bracket.
Don’t asks me why I felt the need to take video of the kit still in the package but here it is:
As you can see in the video below. The switch had two screws as posts for the wiring, new switch..old school technology. Basically you’d wrap the end of a wire around the screw and tighten, not a great connection for hanging under a car, nor for the amount of vibration the 302 dishes out. Used the screws and the small ‘lock” washer to hold the electrical connectors in place. That will last.
This is my 500th post for Average Guy’s Car Restoration, Mods and Racing blog (my one and only blog). It has become a bit more board in scope than what I originally intended, but if you are a total car nut case, like me (my wife uses the “o’ word) and have AADD (automobile attention deficit disorder…..HEY..that could be REAL…you don’t know that it’s NOT!!) you want more than just a Chevy or more than just 1950’s cars. You’ll be drawn to others. (“Drawn” makes it sound like a slow process…but picture a disco era strobe light…yeah that’s a but closer to what I’m trying to describe.) I’ve moved fairly close to the edge, having a ’70’s car and a 2007 model and mixing technologies and brands, Ford and Chevy. (I need a MOPAR and a Citroen.)
Of course one of the fun things that keeps me blogging are comments, not so many posted here, but a ton on Facebook and Twitter and now even Google+. I like when a reader’s comment sparks a blog entry instead of just sitting there. That brings me to the subject of this piece.
Bill is a frequent reader and leaves comments on a regular basis. In my recent entry on the 1957 DeSoto Adventurer sold at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, last weekend Bill wrote this:
Bill
Submitted on 2012/01/28 at 6:12 pm
DeSoto was Chrysler’s Oldsmobile, and I think it was unappreciated both by the public and Mother Mopar herself.
Back when I lived in San Jose, CA (actually Santa Clara) in the early 1990s, there was a 1957 Adventurer 4 door parked in a driveway with four flat tires in a neighborhood near mine. I think the car had been registered last in 1979. The body, chrome, glass, and even the interior seemed in excellent condition, yet I knew the car needed more than just TLC to become roadworthy. Each time I passed that car I wanted to leave a note and see if I could get it cheap enough to restore.
I know that 4 door DeSotos would not be collectible, or bring the big money, but somehow this car seemed to be in good enough shape that it was worth saving from being just a donor parts car. I’ll be in San Jose on business soon, and will make it a point to drive by and see if the car is still there.
Have a nice day, Bill
It’s true that in the past 4 door versions of classic cars of the 50’s and 60’s lagged as far as pricing and collectivity. But that is changing. I as work to finish up my classic car auto appraisal certification, I’m finding that, much like the cars of 1910-1940’s, 2 extra doors aren’t hurting the price they’ll bring. Just take the trend of station wagons – sure at Barrett Jackson’s you’ll only see the two door(plus tailgate) and they’ll bring ‘bigger’ money, but 15 years ago, only crazy people had wagons restored. But the prices for cars like the Pontiac Safari wagon and the Buick Vista Cruiser (Sports wagon) are bringing higher prices. (Actually I think it was Olds Vista Wagon and Buick Sports Wagon.)
58 Safari Wagon
69 Buick Sports Wagon
I’m still quoted as saying that my Mustang, because it’s a coupe and not a fast back or a sports roof, will never to be worth what I’ve spent in restoring it. Interestingly enough, you can start finding them on the web and Ebay for $16k. One recently sold for a bit more than that and it to was a 302 with 351 heads and a wing. So these things are changing. Publications like Hemmings and others are often recommending the purchase of 4 door 50’s and 60’s cars. In part because they are well priced and with the after-market bolt ‘ons’ and drop in crate motors, you can take what was originally under powered 4 door and make it a rubber melting monster.
So go get those 4 doors. Winch them out of the barns and ditches, drag ’em home, restore them back to life and drive ’em!!!!
And I hope that Bill’s DeSoto (see I already have him owning it) is still there and at the least can grab us a few pics. And if you can get some contact info for the owner, I might add a pre-MOPAR to my driveway. Thanks for the comment Bill.
This fantastic car sold for $225,500.00. See pic and video blow.
Year: 1957
Make: DESOTO
Model: ADVENTURER
Style: CONVERTIBLE
VIN: 50417567
Exterior Color: GOLD
Interior Color:
Cylinders: 8
Engine Size: 345
Whenever I can I like post up a plea for someone doing a restoration that may need some assistance. The Sarasota County Lodge #45 needs assistance with restoring a 1953 patrol car. This car is a ’53 Chevy Bel Air 150.
Here are some details:
1953 Chevy Bel Air 150
The Sarasota County Lodge #45 of the Fraternal Order of Police is spearheading a project that will involve the restoration of an antique patrol car. The vehicle will match one that was actually used by the sheriff’s office since the office first purchased patrol cars in 1953. Once the restoration is complete, the vehicle will be donated to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office for various public uses.
By reviewing photographs in “From Shield to Star,” a book by retired Sgt. Bob Snell that documents the history of the department, several vehicles were identified by make and model. The first fleet of four vehicles consisted of 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air 150s. The project is being coordinated by FOP #45 Vice-President Kevin Lynch, who is a retired SSO lieutenant. Lynch has overseen the restoration of several emergency vehicles including two fire trucks and a Cadillac ambulance that he currently owns.
Tax-deductible contributions to this project can be sent to The Community Foundation of Sarasota County, P. O. Box 49587, Sarasota, FL 34230-6587, marked for the antique patrol car project.
The FOP is also looking for in-kind services and donations such as labor and supplies needed for the project, and possibly the vehicle itself. Storage space will also be needed for the vehicle as well as initial transportation to Sarasota. Questions can be sent to FOP Lodge #45 at P.O. Box 1488, Englewood, FL 34295-1488 or e-mailed to Lynch at floridafop45@yahoo.com. You may also visit the Lodge #45 website at foplodge45.com.
I love car art, whether it be paintings of cars or car parts, photographs of either, hood ornaments, door handles, even bumpers and grills. From time to time I pick up piece, or my wife does.
My Son is a digital art’s major and photographer and he takes some great shots and produce some fantastic images. The image of the two corvettes at an auto cross is his creation. Interesting enough the red vette was my 1984 and the black C6 was an oman, as I now own a black C6.
At Barrett-Jackson besides beautiful cars there is a huge area for venders and car art is everywhere and yes my wife did find a piece for me from photographer Shane Knight – I’ll get to him in another entry. But it is a mecca for creating your own car art. It’s a bit crowded to set up you easel and whip out your paint brushes or charcoal, but a good camera and a little skill even the Average Guy and get some shot to take home and play with.
Now I can’t say as I have a great eye for doing this myself but over the next posts associated with this title, I’ll show you some that we took. Believe it or not my wife did a great job with just her new Iphone 4S camera and of course my son with his higher end digital camera and lens.
First up is a shot my son took. I can’t recall the car but I bet someone out there can.
Photo by RJS - prints are available
Great looking dashand side mirror. Steering wheel is of course, not original. This is one of my favorites.
Having attended the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Az. and blogging about it, thought I’d make a few entries as a follow-up.
I written about previous times I’ve attended (actually it is a family and friend affair – last year went with friends and the previous and this year our son was able make room in his schedule to go) and how much fun it is and all of the events.
An additional thrill is being there in person and seeing some of the rarest cars on the planet.
Case in point is this Tucker. That eventually sold for $ 2.9 million!!! This picture is from Hemmings:
Beautiful car...but...
…Under the lights and in person….
1948 Tucker A beauiful Car!!!
Truly a great piece of history.
More coming…like…..wonder where some of those Win Both Vettes or Mustangs end up? You’ll see.
