What We're Working On: Featuring Marc's '63 Corvette

Next up, is Marc and his '63 Corvette. Check out that stance the day he drove it home in 1977.

From Marc:

This car has definitely been a labor of love for the last 40+ years. I bought it from my high school band director when I was twenty years old on December 16th, 1977. It needed work then and it needs it again now, with this being the second time I'm fully restoring the car from the ground up.

I had gone to trade school for Body, Paint, and Fender work and all my skills were put to the test with this car. I made a promise to my band director that I would try to keep it as original as possible, and for the first restoration, I did just that. It was two years of restoring her to bring her back to all her near original glory.

I've done my fair share of research on the Vette as well. She came off the assembly line February 23rd, 1963 and was the 1,094 car to do so. The car has a 327 engine, and though the current block isn't original numbers matching, it is original to what the car would have had. The original motor was blown and past the point of repair, so the next best option was to replace what was. So, by 1979, going on 1980, I had a car I could be proud of. After working my hands to the bone for a devoted two years, she was road ready.

Fast forward to 2005, New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina. The Corvette, like many, found the fate of the flood waters and was completely submerged for not days, but weeks.

Not only did I lose, the Vette to the waters, but like everyone else, our homes and belongings were taken too. Eventually the waters subside and you are able to evaluate the damage. However, this time around, the Vette had to take the back seat. I had a family and life as we know it takes priority. So the Vette sat, continuing to wait for its rebirth. Years passed, and I would meddle with the car working on things here and there, nothing major. The goal was for this to be my retirement project. Now here we are, at retirement.

The Vette has found her place in the garage once again for the second edition makeover. We pulled the engine expecting the worst, but surprising found the best. Though not perfect, the block was saved by the oil which coated the cylinders as the flood waters rose. Quick trip to the machine shop and she's as good as new.

As for what's in store now, the car is well on her way to being all that I envisioned. She's sanded, prepped and ready for new beginnings. I've owned quite a few cars in my life, including Chevelles, you name it, but the Corvette always stuck with me. I'm here to see this through to the end and look forward to being able to cruise her down the road once again.