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mg_Mike & Dorothy McCloskey 2014

One More Time!

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Story: Mike McCloskey
Photos: Mike McCloskey

It was 1959 when I trundled off to college in my 1950 Chevy convertible. It didn’t make the 200 miles to San Luis Obispo without breaking down. 
I had installed a 283 ci small-block in place of the “stove bolt” six, but my skills were limited and after four years, it was used up. My generous parents thought they ought to replace my first car in my junior year of college and in 1962 they gave me a used Corvair. It got great mileage but it was hard to drive because I couldn’t see very well with the paper bag on my head. The eyeholes were never quite aligned. I was embarrassed to be seen in the econo-ride.

Fast forward to 1963. I was driving the ’Vair down Valley Boulevard near my folks’ apartment in Alhambra when I stopped at a traffic light and some dude drove up next to me in a beautiful red ’58 Corvette. It had a “For Sale” sign in the window. I had him pull to the curb and asked why he was selling it. He said it was a gas hog and he wished he had a Corvair like mine. He said he wanted $1,200 for the ‘Vette and I said, “What a coincidence, that’s exactly what I am asking for the Corvair”.

We met an hour later at the same location and exchanged “Pinks” and cars. I was able to hide the red roadster from my parents until graduation, more than two years later. Thus began the passion with the plastic cars.

Two years ago and now an old man with 23 body-off restorations, I retired from the hobby and sold the seven old cars in my collection. Recently, I found myself in fair physical shape and watching too much TV. I decided I had one more resto left in me.

An old friend from NCRS died a few years ago and I discovered he had left a relatively complete, but thoroughly thrashed, 1954 Corvette on jack-stands in his back yard for 40 years. It’s now in my shop with the body already on a dolly. I’m busy again and happier than ever.

Please feel free to stop by anytime if you would like to see it. Wear work clothes!

P.S. Many thanks to Jim Fulmer, Dwight McDonald and John Noble for all their help in the relocation to my shop.

Woodings_C7_Trailored

My C7 Update – Part 3

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Story: Mike Woodings
Photos: Mike Woodings

Things have been going well in our corner of the Corvette world since my earlier reported issues with the Grand Sport. Caravans and trips around the area in both the C1 and the C7 have been great. My long-anticipated weekend at the Solid Axle Corvette Club National Convention in Ventura was on the calendar. The ’62 was looking good, ready to join its cousins coming in from all over the country. A final local test run was done and all was A-Okay until I pulled into the garage and the right front tire went flat. It was just a cracked valve stem, so it was an easy fix.

An early drive down SR 126 was delightful and we were happy to join the assembly of gorgeous C1s already in the hotel lot. Then some overheating reared its ugly head, leading to a AAA transport back home until the water pump could be addressed.

Fortunately a well-shined Grand Sport with a full tank of gas was standing by and I quickly returned to enjoy the weekend that was ahead in Ventura. We actually felt fortunate to have air-conditioning as the heat wave arrived.

So, why the C7 Update you ask. Well, Monday came and with the Grand Sport all packed-up we headed out for our return home. Then, we heard a scraping noise. You remember that scraping noise I told you about, don’t you? Well, I remember it well. We drove home and it wasn’t our imagination. It was the same dang noise that led to replacement of the torque tube.

The call went in to Santa Paula Chevrolet and they kindly picked up the Grand Sport and I rode along to the dealership to discuss the situation with the service department. I expressed my concern about the torque tube and after an initial triage, the diagnosis came back as a problem with the belt tensioner. I wasn’t convinced but went home to await what I was told would be a quick fix.

The following day, I received the call I hoped would be to come get my Corvette and live happily ever after. The belt tensioner was replaced, but mechanics heard a scraping sound. You remember that scraping noise I told you about, don’t you? New diagnosis…replace torque tube.

Corvette Forum and our own Tommy Couples have lots of info on the situation with these moving parts and we are learning more and more about these complicated C7s as we go. Thankfully, the ’62 just required a $50 part held on with 4 bolts and it should be good for another 50 years!