1971 Chevrolet Corvette Project Car - Complete & Updated Rolling Chassis

1971 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe

Frame:This vehicle was originally selected for restoration due to the quality of the frame. There was no deep pitting or scaly rust anywhere on the frame, with particular attention paid to the frame kick up area ahead of the rear trailing arms, traditionally a known problem area for C3 Corvettes.
The frame was professionally sandblasted, and extensive additional welding was completed with the frame bolted to a leveled welding table, with particular attention paid to balancing weld locations to minimize heat-related pulling or stressing of the frame.
The through-frame rear trailing arm bolts had elongated the hole over time due to regular wear, and frame doublers were welded to strengthen this area and return the through-bolt to the correct location. Additionally, the front shock towers were slightly notched and re-braced to provide critical additional suspension clearance.
The frame was then powder-coated in the black finish shown.
Suspension, Steering and Brakes:The complete suspension system was purchased from Vette Brakes and Products. The primary goal was weight reduction and improved suspension geometry and adjustability. The heavy steel stock front a-arms and coil springs were replaced with the VB&P system and a front fiberglass transverse leaf spring. The fiberglass spring not only reduces weight, but permits a wide range of stiffness and ride height adjustability for street or racing applications. The upper a-arm design permits an easy shim-based camber adjustment.
The old steering box was replaced with new rack and pinion steering for better driveability.
Front brakes were upgraded to C5 Corvette brakes, the most modern generation of Corvette brakes that are compatible with the traditional C3 front spindle. Rear brakes have been replaced with updated calipers as well, and new discs are on all four corners. Due to the size of the new front calipers, a minimum 18" wheel size must be used.
C3 front spindles are known to have problems with the hub bearings spinning and wearing grooves into the spindle. New spindles are not available for purchase, but ungrooved lightly used spindles were sourced through Duntov Motors and installed on this chassis. New bearings and hubs were used on the front.
Rear trailing arms were replaced with a heavy-duty offset trailing arm design, permitting the use of wider rear wheels and tires. The rear trailing arms have been shimmed to near-correct locations, but will need final inspection by an alignment professional.
Rear Differential:The differential was rebuilt by Duntov Motors with a 3.55 gear ratio. It was rebuilt with a new Eaton carrier and REM treated ring and pinion set. Heavy duty stub axles were utilized in anticipation of a high torque set-up.
Body:As shown in the photos, the body is in need of significant fiberglass work to repair various tears and damaged fender well lips, fitment issues and prior poor repair work. The windshield, side windows, and rear pop-out glass all included and free from cracks or chips. The windshield is set in place for photos but not gasketed in place, and will need to be stored for shipping. The interior has been completely stripped bare, ready for full restoration, with packages readily available for sale from numerous Corvette suppliers. All original gauges are included and believed to be in working order. Chrome front bumper and rear bumpers had been removed from the car prior to purchase and are therefore not included.
Other:All parts (and only those parts) shown in the two photos of extras are included. All original gauges are in great shape and can be converted to work with an electrical signal sending unit, compatible with a late model engine. Some parts are likely worn beyond use, but may be valuable as a template when seeking replacements.
Important Notes:

The vehicle is being sold as-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. To the best of the seller's knowledge, all chassis fasteners have been secured / torqued appropriately. Grade 8 replacement bolts and fasteners were used where possible, and lock nuts or castle nuts with cotter pins or wire were used in critical locations. HOWEVER, it is the sole responsibility of the buyer to double check the condition of all fasteners and components, and the seller may not be held liable in any way for the roadworthiness of the vehicle.

The rolling cart on which the body is pictured is NOT included in this auction, and is only being shown for display purposes. This cart has been used from the first time the body was removed, and holds the body by all correct mounting locations to completely eliminate strain on the fiberglass during storage.

No engine and transmission are included with this auction. A non-numbers matching cast iron Chevy 350 and automatic transmission which were on the car prior to restoration are available for purchase separately if the buyer is interested. However, this frame was built with the intent of conversion to a resto-mod, and the motor mount locations, front spring rate, and rebuilt differential were all selected to work better with a late model all aluminum Chevy V8 (LS3 or similar).

No wheels or tires are included, and the buyer will need to supply them if the intent is to roll the car onto a trailer. The seller has a cherry-picker and forklift available to load the car directly without rolling if preferred.