Quote:
Originally Posted by ponjohn
Ummmmm. Bman....corvette rims on the VW? That is a very cool piece.
How long have had the 64? Obviously very solid, original paint?
Are you going to do mehcanical gauges or OBDII based guages?
John
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John,
I put those 16X8.5" 1984 'vette rims and 205/55-16 tires on it back in '86, when all the Corvette guys were dumping them for aftermarket rims or for newer 'vette 16X9.5" rims. Drilled the front discs (off a '71 Type II Bus) and the rear drums (IRS rear suspension/drum brakes off a '70 Type III Squareback) for the Chevy 5 on 4.75" pattern and they bolted right on with no room to spare, but with no cutting on the body.
And if you're wondering, it
does handle. With a 94.5" wheelbase that's within an inch or two of a C4/C5 'vette, a super-low center of gravity (only the cab itself puts any real weight above the beltline), fully independent suspension and an empty weight of only 2400# it corners like it's on rails.
I've owned the Tempest since 1996, it was 100% bone-stock. I drove it for 46K miles commuting with the original (rebuilt) 215-6/2-speed auto/2.56 gears getting 20 MPG on the average. I took it to the track once just for fun and it ran close to 20 seconds-flat at almost 70 MPH, never shifting out of low gear.
Most of the white paint is original, some of it is various bodyshop paint matches from some minor aches and pains it suffered over the years. It looks better in pictures than in person, but it does have a nice patina and looks great going down the road.
I'll try to use mechanical gauges wherever I can, to keep the look as low-key and as low-tech as possible. If I have to use anything different, I'll tuck them under the dash if possible.