The Restoration Process

Before & After

Every detail, every panel, every bolt, documented from bare metal to beauty.

Documentation

A Frame-Off Diary

The complete restoration documentation of "Beauty", the 1969 Motion Phase III GT Corvette. Click any photo to open the full-size lightbox. Use the arrow keys to move between images.

01

Exterior — Headlights

Left front headlight area, rebuilt and reshaped.

Before Left front headlight before restoration
After Left front headlight after restoration
02

The Hood

Body work in progress, looking to see what it would look like with the L-88 hood it came with. Joe's final decision was to use a Motion hood.

In Progress Hood in progress with L-88 hood mock-up
After Final Motion hood fitted
03

Interior

Teardown of the original seats and trim, every piece cataloged and restored.

Before
Before Original interior before restoration
Before Original interior dashboard
Before Original interior seats
In Progress
In Progress Removing interior parts
In Progress Interior strip-down in progress
After
After Fully restored interior
04

Rear Quarter Panels

Right rear panel shaped, blocked, and finished.

In Progress Right rear quarter panel in progress
After Right rear quarter panel after restoration
05

Inside Back Interior

The rear cargo area, rebuilt from the floor pan up.

Before Back interior before restoration
In Progress Back interior stripped and in progress
After Back interior fully restored
06

Body & Paint

Strip, block, prime, tape, shoot. Nineteen months of patience.

In Progress Joe stripping the paint
Joe stripping the original paint.
In Progress Body work in progress
Body work in progress.
In Progress Body in primer
Body completed, in primer.
In Progress Taping before black details
Taping before the black details were added. Notice the dinner plate, used to trace the curves.
In Progress Getting ready to paint the Bee Sting area
Getting ready to paint on the black "Bee Sting" area.
07

T-Tops

From weathered to showroom, one frame at a time.

Before T-tops before restoration
In Progress T-tops in primer
After T-tops painted and finished
08

Engine

Built by Ken Nogaj, a 427 rated at 550 HP.

Before Engine before restoration
Before Engine before restoration, second angle
Before Engine compartment before restoration
Engine compartment before.
After Rebuilt engine compartment
After: fly eye air cleaner, Ansen valve covers, flex-lite fiberglass fan, Edelbrock Torker II intake. Special thanks to Ken Nogaj for a wonderful job building Beauty's 427 550 HP engine.
09

Chassis

Frame-off, stripped, sealed, ready for the drivetrain.

In Progress Chassis in progress
Chassis in progress.
10

Carlisle & Final Photos

Beauty, finished, out in the world.

After Beauty at Corvettes at Carlisle 2017
Beauty on display at Corvettes at Carlisle, August 2017. Photo: Wayne Ellwood.
After Joe and MaryLynn Tandle with Beauty at Carlisle 2017
Joe and MaryLynn Tandle with Beauty at Corvettes at Carlisle 2017. Photo: Wayne Ellwood.
After Motion Phase III GT rear window detail
After Underside rear of Beauty
After Joe's three Corvettes photographed together
Joe photographed all three of his Corvettes together, knowing this would be the only time he'd own all three at once.
After Joe and MaryLynn, happy with Beauty

"A special thanks to my wife MaryLynn for her love, patience, many trips to the store for the one screw that I didn't have, and support during the long nights and weekends over the last 19 months."

— Joe Tandle