Steering In The Clear : Gerald's...
Steering In The Clear: Gerald's '62 received a Fat Man Fabrications front end and rack-and-pinion steering system that's at the other end of this leather-trimmed, 15-inch Corvette Central C1 wheel. Stock gauge pods house Dakota Digital gauges.
Inside, there's a smaller-diameter (15-inch) steering wheel from Corvette Central that's right at home. Also finding a new home was a set of Dakota Digital gauges in the '62's original dash locations, as well as a Custom Autosound system that makes use of the OEM speaker location for a dual-cone speaker. New repro upholstery and a carpet set from Auto Custom Carpets completed the cabin's refit.
In all, the restoration-and-upgrade project took about a year. Gerald uses the '62 for fun drives, as well as taking it to shows and cruise-ins.
Classic Looks, New Function...
Classic Looks, New Function :The Custom Autosound stereo head unit and Vintage Air HVAC control panels (and vents) complement the '62 Vette's dash. The shifter's an original, connected to a rebuilt T-10.
The '62 shares a garage with three '67 Sting Rays. The last C1s and C2s are Gerald's favorites. "It's one I wished I could have had back then," he says. "You know how it is, sometimes you just have to wait." But he isn't waiting to upgrade at least one of his midyears. "I've got the 'Street Shot' frame up under it, but I'm running a big-block, aluminum-head ZZ454 with Tri-Power in it. It looks almost factory original. To most people, this car will look original. To those that really know, they'll see the A-arms and stuff like that and know that it's an aftermarket frame." He's putting a Tremec five-speed and a Dana 44 rearend in the car, as well as big disc brakes all around.
Upgrading the brakes, as well as the steering, are the best things that anyone looking to build or restore a Corvette can do, according to Gerald, who says that the original parts-especially the steering-can cause lots of trouble. "You've got so much linkage, and you get a little play here and there, and it compounds. Before you know it, you're all over the place with it."
 Tale of the Tail : Keeping...  Tale of the Tail :Keeping the chassis close to original, and not adding items like a racing fuel cell or big tubs, meant plenty of room in the '62's trunk. |  Fine Details : The 17-inch...  Fine Details : The 17-inch Goodyears and big Boyd Coddington "kidney bean" aluminum wheels look like they've belonged there since 1962. Check out the original Chevy "Air Conditioned" decal on the side window. How often do you see that on C1s? |  From Worn To WOW : Gerald...  From Worn To WOW : Gerald Copeland took about a year to turn a well-worn '62 into the cool C1 you see here. |