Interview with Wade Turner

A while back, Wade Turner, a Wetumpka resident and CCCC member, told me about his new “Project Car”. In his words, “Restoration of a 1958 Corvette Drag Car”. Here’s what he had to say at the time:

“As we discussed last night, the following is my MASTER PLAN for restoring the 58 vette. The car had been used at some point as a drag car. It was heavily cut up, to accommodate different engines, transmissions and to make taking nuts and bolts off easier. I normally first strip the paint from any car I am working on. In this case the ugly fiberglass front end repair was to much for me to look at everyday, so pulled the old repair off by hand. Moulded some new pieces for the front and glued them in place. Next I removed the engine and transmission. Both were junk so off they went to a new home.I have now just about completely stripped the paint revealing more poor repair work. In same time period, Bob Whetsone’s minister welded some frame pieces back that had been removed. Next, I will finish all fiberglass repair, gel coat the body and spend a LONG time sanding the body. Next clean, paint the frame, remove the drag car traction bars and have the rear springs re-arched. Along in here some where the engine goes off for re-work. Then the fun stuff, re-assembling the whole car.

Hope to be finished for my birthday in June. NOTE no year mentioned.

To assure some of my sanity, I will admit to doing similar projects on 1956,1960,1962,1971 vettes.”

Here are some pictures he sent me at that time:

Recently, Wade sent me some new pictures showing the completed body repair work and gelcoat application. Here are those pictures.

Update – July 1st, 2012

Rear Axle Rebuilt!

Pictures Before:

Pictures After:

Update – October 21. 2012

Here’s some new update pictures on Wade’s 1958 Vette Rebuild. Wade says: “Basically, I have re-built and painted the front suspension. Next is sanding the gel coat.”