The car arrived, post-Funfest,...
The car arrived, post-Funfest, in less than desirable condition.
Just as all good things must come to an end, all good Corvette projectsmust also have a beginning. With our C4 project car cooling its heels atVETTE's editorial office in Tampa, we've finally started the legwork ofgetting the "Son of Zombie" back on the road.
We kick off round one by laying the groundwork for a relatively vintageVette with modern accoutrements. In the past 20 years, the automotiveaftermarket has made major advancements in every sector, fromaccessories to full engine packages. But all of this is for naught ifclimbing into your Vette's cockpit is like sitting next to a jet engine.Thankfully, companies such as Cascade Audio have filled the niche withproducts formulated to keep you shielded from the heat and sound of acar whose once cool-and-quiet capabilities have either worn out or arein need of a boost.
The removal process started...
The removal process started with the hood, bumper, signed window decals(which we saved)...
After taking a quick look at the current condition of our subject '87,one might ask, with good reason, "Are you crazy?" As you'll see, we havegone a little batty with this Vette and have torn it down to its basicelements. The reason? If you're rebuilding a car, you might as wellrebuild it right.
Upon getting (literally) knee-deep in the Vette, we discovered the car'sfirewall pad was a little worn--particularly in the far right corner,where the heater core had sprung a leak. After removing the pad forinspection, we decided that stepping up to some modern technologycouldn't hurt.
...and the ZZ4 crate engine...
...and the ZZ4 crate engine from Purifoy Chevrolet.
With a call in to Tampa's Corvette Shop & Supplies for a replacementpad, we contacted the folks at Cascade Audio. After receiving some soundadvice on "sound advice," we decided to procure some of the company'sThermaGuard thermal insulating coating to beat the heat, and some of itsVB-1X vibration-damping material to keep road noise at a minimum. We'llcover the installation of these products in the near future. This month,sit back and take a look at our first steps toward making thehardest-working (and hardest-looking) C4 in the industry a little more"sound."
With the engine removed, our...
With the engine removed, our Vette took on a much lighter stance.
And even more so when we removed...
And even more so when we removed the doors, the glass...
...and just about everything...
...and just about everything else. One might call this RPO KS1: If therehad been a kitchen sink, we'd have taken it out too.
Back inside, we began to take...
Back inside, we began to take the C4 as far down to its base shell as wecould.
The center support came out...
The center support came out first. After this, there was no going back.
The remainder of the HVAC...
The remainder of the HVAC system was next...
...along with a large pile...
...along with a large pile of dash wiring.
Following this line of temporary...
Following this line of temporary insanity, we removed the steeringwheel, pedals, and part of the ruined firewall padding.
Back outside, our '87 was...
Back outside, our '87 was exposed for all to see. That's onenasty-looking interior.
Paint prep, which consisted...
Paint prep, which consisted of nothing more than soap and water, wasnext.
After the insides were dry...
After the insides were dry and blown free of debris with shop air, avery generic two-part acrylic primer was laid down.
Over the primer, Base Coat...
Over the primer, Base Coat Sealer Black was applied...
...followed by Flame Red....
...followed by Flame Red. After a quick coat of clear, the car was leftto cure in the sun.
We at VETTE love our Vettes--so...
We at VETTE love our Vettes--so much so, in fact, that we repaintedvirtually all of the C4's interior surfaces with Auto-Air paint. Whilewe did need the surface to be clean in order to install thesound-deadening material, this step was probably a bit excessive.
Look for the Cascade Audio...
Look for the Cascade Audio ThermaGuard and VB-1X install in an upcomingissue.