SEMA PART 1B: RICK MOORE’S 1964 CORVETTE RESTOMOD – MOORE’S GARAGE, BELFRY, MT.
Whether you are into restomods or not, you will likely enjoy following the story of Rick Moore’s 1964 Restomod unveiled at SEMA.
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Photos and Article by Wayne Ellwood
Stunning LT4 1964 Corvette Restomod by Rick Moore
Rick Moore has set out to take his 64 Corvette Restomod to the next level. Starting with a C2 1964 Corvette, the car had a running 327 with Powerglide transmission and only 30,000 miles. But Moore wanted to give this classic Corvette a facelift, so he decided to make some upgrades to the engine, frame, paint, and interior. By taking a classic C2 Corvette and giving it a modern twist, Moore is creating something truly unique. Follow along as we document the progress of Rick Moore’s 1964 Corvette Restomod!
Donor 1964 Corvette Stingray Coupe
Rick Moore (Moore’s Garage. Belfry, MT) purchased this 1964 Vette donor from a gentleman in South Dakota in 2020. The car was in excellent shape, and Rick (+ family) planned to keep it. The car had a running 327 with Powerglide transmission and only 30,000 miles.
It came with factory power windows, power steering, and a decent interior. But all of this was due to change….this kind of upgrade is Rick’s daily bread.
1964 Corvette Project Car’s New Frame
The job all started with an updated frame from RR Frames. RR Frames was an in-house operation but has since been sold. RR Frames were actually updated with various strengthening and boxing of the frame rails and the addition of C4 suspension.
1964 C2 Corvette Restomod’s New Brakes and Tires
The brakes are a standard C4 carry-over with 13″ rotors on the front and 12″ on the rear. Wheels are Budnik, 17x 8 in front and 18×8 in the rear. Nitto tires are 225x50x17 front and 235x50x18 rear.
1964 Resto Mod Corvette Gets New Engine and Transmission
The engine was pulled, and a new LT4 was sourced from Gandrud Chevrolet”, in Green Bay (WI). The engine, as we all know, is a major upgrade with 650 HP mated to a 4L75 transmission. Rick purchases all his engines from this source, so when Gandrud planned their display for SEMA, they knew where they could find a display car.
More Upgrades for the 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Restomod
For Rick, recognizing that the engine and transmission were all new, it was important to upgrade the ancillary equipment. The biggest item here was a B-Cool radiator, parts from Drive Junky Front Drive, and a shifter from Shiftworks. Rick added a new stainless steel exhaust with Borla mufflers. Rick also added a stainless steel fuel tank from Rick’s Tanks, an in-house spin-off company. Other smaller items were either refurbished or replaced, as required.
Painting the 1964 Corvette Restomod
The paint was in good shape on the C2 Corvette, as was the interior, but they just weren’t on target for what the market wanted. The decision to repaint the car was made all the easier when they considered using a 1965 hood… to fit the new engine better. Also, it’s easier to paint the whole car when you’re that deep into the job. Matching old paint is no easy chore. The paint color was originally a blue-silver, so with the repaint (by Jake Neibauer, Jake’s Collision and Paint), Rick also decided on a slight color change by adding more silver.
Getting a new Interior
The interior also benefited from some new work. Kevin’s Upholstery took the original white interior and transformed the whole thing into dark blue leather. The original pattern was retained. To get the best effect new carpet was added. Rick also added Dakota Digital Instruments, a new steering column from Ididit, an American Autowire harness, JL audio stereo system, and Classic Auto Air. All original chrome was buffed, and all glass is still original. The 64 Corvette Sting Ray is coming along!
Complete 1964 Resto Mod by Rick Moore at SEMA 2022
What do you think?
The C2 1964 Corvette is one of the most iconic sports cars in automotive history, and Rick Moore’s custom restomod exemplifies that style. Extremely well-built, smooth to drive, and fast beyond measure, this 1964 resto-mod updates lots without sacrificing anything about mid-year Corvettes that make them wonderful.
This 1964 Corvette Resto Mod is certainly something special, and Rick Moore can be proud of his handiwork. Would you buy it, drive it, or show it off? What do you think of this beautiful 1964 Corvette Restmod?
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