[Bill Musarra]

Welcome back to the ongoing saga of DRB#5.I didn’t realize it had been so long since posting something about the car. I have really been busy with the car and not on vacation. Most of the work done since January revolved around outfitting some decent brakes for the front end. What I found was that NOBODY makes replacement brakes for the C4 corvette front ends. I have overcome that issue and should have the missing pieces back home soon and all will be divulged then. At the request of the individual who is modifying the brakes, I can’t say more than that until all is settled. But it will be worth it I believe. Once the brakes, axels, wheels etc. return, the car will be taken off its stand and off to the LineX shop and to the engine builders for the exhaust, ignition and fire up. Since those pieces have been gone for a month or two, I turned my attention elsewhere with the little things that had been put off.
The mounting of the rear radiators was not up to my satisfaction after talking with my engine guy. I saw how he had his mounted on his twin turbo 700 cu. in. Mustang drag car. So I promptly ripped mine out and redid them. I must say they look more the part now. After doing that all the pieces of the rear compartment were removed and sent to the ceramic coater. Well worth the $300 I should say, and a lot less maintenance to boot. I had removed the powdercoating of the trailing arms right after I received the car. Just couldn't put up with the black. As a result of the delay(s) in the building from one year to 4, a lot of surface rust had set up. All the bushings were removed and cleaned up. Putting them back on after the ceramic coating was a breeze compared to the removal.
I bought a lot of master cylinders off ebay, some for a song, some not. You guessed it the cheap ones need a lot of work, or weren't any good at all. So I used them to set up the Tilton pedal box. The box was narrowed by ¾”. Since the frame rails is where to mount them, the problem came up of how to do it. To keep from having the bolts stick through the frame rails, I figured out that the nuts would have to be attached somehow to the inside of the frame rails. This also had to be lined up at the precise point where the master cylinders mounting would be on the panel to the front clip area. Using a template I figured where the MCs would be mounted on the panel and attached the pedal box to it. Then I cut holes for the nuts to go into the frame rails, welded the nuts to large washers, attach them to the pedal box, put in place and welded the nut washer combo to the frame and voila, it was in. Let me tell you that took a good week to accomplish that feat.
Next the bottom panels were attached using oversize steel rivets. Calking compound was put between the head and the panel prior to cinching down. The frame rails have been notched to give the starter some room. A new set of ears is scheduled to be added to the starter so it can be secured. With the new lowered position of the motor and trans, the starter would not fit in its usual position without touching the rail. The wiring had a revision, as I didn’t like the way it wound up. The relays have been moved to the inside of the cabin and labeled. They still need a touch or two and will be finally left alone. HiFi buys had a store closing so a new set of speakers and amplifier were picked up for better than half price. Would like to get a radio unit, but that may have to wait.
After the pedal box was installed the new Saker seats from RaceTech arrived. Now I could turn my attention to the driver’s ergonomics. The new Corvette shifter was fitted. The linkage is ready to be trial fitted. I have worked out the reverse issues with this unit, and if all goes as I hope, it will be debuted here soon. I have the back and forth motion and the rotation worked out so that all is done with one shaft. The geometry works, now lets see what the real world is like.
I fabricated a dead pedal from some scrap stainless. I found out that the stock center console is way too high, and way too close to the pedal box to get the accelerator pedal in. DRB mounts their cooling pipes vertically. This was a problem with the new shifter as well. Since I had already installed the paneling in the engine bay for the pipes, I bent the pipes so they would lay flat on the floor. This gave me room for the accelerator, but no room for insulation hydraulics, or A/C (Doohhh). So it was expanded and raised and moved over toward the passenger side. I plan to give the passenger side a “foot rest/dead pedal” so they can have a place to “mash the brake” while ridding along. I will use PVC to house one set of wiring that runs down the middle. It will have to be “customized” to make the bend around the pipes in the rear. The bending of the cooling pipes, gave me some extra room for the shifter and shifter shaft. Once all is laid out, then the open areas will be closed off and the expandable foam will be laid. Still have to get the hydraulic lines and A/C laid before that. Then Dynamat it all in. the dash has been sent off to the upholsterer. He is a top-notch guy. Lives about 6 miles from the house. He is the one who does all of Year One’s customs that wind up on Barrit Jackson. The two skins alone for the dash are around $600.
The rear camera has been altered and mounted in a third light that will be molded into the body and painted. May still change that to a vent since the body has to be worked on anyway.
Well I won’t wait as long for the next installment. Hopefully the car will be finished this summer. We’ll see!!!!

Bill