Welcome back to our new CorvSport series, where we highlight restorations of classic Corvettes from the best in the business. Today, we’ll get to know the “master of the block,” Chris Sherman, and his remarkable work a bit better. If you’ve been following our Meet the Build and the Builder series, the name may sound familiar. Before we begin with this 1959 ‘Vette, here is a quick glimpse into Chris Sherman from TiN Restorations and what happens when a passion is transformed into a purpose. [Author’s Note: This article is FREE and not behind a paywall. If/when any popups occur, please click to make them disappear and continue enjoying the article.]
Meet The Builder
CorvSport: “What lit the fire? How did you get into restoring old Corvettes?”
“Chris’s Corvette journey began literally as a baby, and he fondly remembers his dad’s 1957 Corvette. The use of the word ‘journey’ is not a metaphor, as Chris was still just days old when he took his first impressionable trip home from the hospital in his dad’s ’57. That moment left such a mark that Chris can still vividly recall when his grandmother ‘made dad sell the ’57’.
As often happens with us Corvette Junkies, Chris was sucked into the Corvette vortex by family, and that explains the passion Chris still nurtures decades later. This passion led Chris to right the wrong, and he set out to reverse the regrettable decision the family made to sell the ’57. He began a mission to find a first-generation Corvette that could inspire the same feelings his dad’s old ’57 did, and eventually landed on, ironically, a 1954 Corvette…” Continue Reading The First Installment of “Meet The Build And Builder”
One memorable thing I learned from interviewing Chris was the sentiment he was often left with while tackling these restorations. Simply put, Chris remarks a builder has to “Make sure you didn’t over-restore the body… I could have spent 200 more hours blocking the body.” Now, let’s sit back and experience the process together.
Meet The Build, Named “Lolla”
In just minutes, you’ll see a shiny and pretty black ’59, but not after some trials and tribulations!
Where we started in January of 2015.
From Lolla’s owner: “On First look the body wasn’t bad, however closer inspection shows some serious hours of work needed. The nose emblems are wrong for a 59, good indication of what is under the surface. Car is original snow crest white with silver coves and red interior. The hard top is also original. Trunk was modified and replaced, in the 1960’s it had a large fuel cell and quick filler added. And hood suffered severe damage after a fuel leak and fire in the 1970s.”
“Time for the work to begin. Having removed the interior, doors, hood, trunk, hard top, fuel tank, chrome and electrical it was finally time for the body to be removed. This was made much easier with the use of a lift. While I have done this with a garage full of buddies before, the lift is really the way to go. Could use a taller garage though.”
“The 65 and 2002 look on as the car is rolled out of the garage.. the last time it will look like a car for what I am sure will be many months. With the body off the true extent of almost 60 years of use, and yes abuse, can be seen. While we knew of some previous body work… the work was done in a unique an unorthodox way. no worries i know a “guy”. Looks like Chris Sherman at T.I.N. and I will be spending many hours in the driveway with the body. But for now i like looking at the garage… Kind of like rabbits and the cars are multiplying.”
“The body after stripping is in good shape. The front end was removed to allow it to be reworked and repaired properly but no serious new issues found. The car will need work in the trunk to fix the patch job done from the relocated fuel cell. and of course the seat brackets and rivets etc. But the body is relatively clean and in good shape. During stripping more grease pencil marks found detailing “job numbers” . so far marks on doors, hinge pillar, instrument cluster etc all match.”
“Trunk was cut up back in the 60s to move the fuel tank. Patch job is … weak will make this look like new. In addition to the fuel cell indications are that something went under the back of the car breaking up the lower section of fiberglass.”
“The remainder of the body is in very good condition, with the exception of the front end which has had a new nose (evident by the wrong emblems/lettering). There was also some fender work done very poorly. To make the repair job “easier” we decoded to remove the front end to allow for easier access and proper repair.”
“Here you can see the work ahead of us for the fender.. there is actually a ‘welcome” matt being used as backer for a much earlier repair. And to the left… well what can i say having some fun with the neighbors. It took less than 90 min to remove the front end.”
“After almost 7 months to the day the front end is now back on the car. It took 3 of us, a lot of Glassen, more than just a few clamps and the skills of Chris Sherman to make it not only look perfect but more importantly to look like it was done at the factory (OE as he calls it). the “glue” that is squeezed out at each of the body seams looks exactly like Original. We even experimented with adding paint to the Gallsen to get the gray color.”
“Hanging the front bend back on the car was … well … what can I say a nerve racking process for me. It was put on and off about 20 times trying to make sure alignment in all 3 axis was perfect. Rather than bore you with a tutorial, we will let the pictures say it all, lets just say not for the faint of heart. This is where measure twice, three times four times is the way to go.
Once front end was aligned correctly and the clamp positions marked and ready a layer of Glassen was placed on the dash/firewall mating surface. We had to move fast but with all three of us it went “smoothly” and on 12/31/2015 the front end is now back on the car.”
“You could not have enough clamps when doing this work. I think we had about 10 across each mating surface to bond it back together. ….. For my friends who have noticed the Green Bay Packer sign on the wall. no worries i have not defected, we are doing the body work at Chris’s house, and the car will be blessed with holy water to remove the curse of the Packers.”
“A shot of Chris looking very proud of his work, and he should be as the body is looking great. I must say that after 7 months I was wondering if it would ever look like a car again. I could see why so many people give up on the project but now rejuvenated by the site of the car with a trunk, front end, deck lid, etc all back on it is full speed ahead.”
“A few pictures of the colored factory bonding, glassen tinted with black paint; and the factory squeeze out look we were going for between the firewall and the upper surround and the fender and firewall. Once blacked out you will never know the front end was off the car. Many thanks to Mike and Chris from T.I.N. Restorations.”
“With the front end now hung and secure we can now move to hanging doors, the hood and fitting the rest of the body parts. Chris Sherman wasted no time in getting to this task. It helps that football season is over and it is cold and miserable here in the Chicagoland area. The goal is to have it in primer by spring. And painted and back on a rolling chassis by end of summer, I better get to work on the chassis.”
“It’s been about 3 months but after a long winter the body is rolled outside for the first time since November of 2015. And what a site all panels hung doors, trunk etc installed and body filler added as needed to make perfect. Still have some work to do on trunk etc but what a site to see outside. Even started to fit some trim and chrome to see how we did… not bad. I cant say enough for TIn and Chris Sherman. Taking the time to teach me body work and caring enough about Lolla to see her through.”
“Rule # 2 Chris at T.I.N. taught me never ever trust someone else’s body work including simple filler to align trunk gaps. Case in point under the filler we found the picture to the left. Notice the cracks that were covered. Thank goodness for Glassen and a dremel. Now stronger and better.”
“After more hours than I care to account, the majority of body work is done and we have moved on to fit and finish of trim and panels. The pictures below show the front and rear trim as well as the side trim fit in place and checked. The car is taking shape and now looks like a car… well looks like a body of a car at least. The body has been off the car about 12 months. We hope to be ready for primer by the end of June...”
“The time has finally come… and for those checking it was a little later than June, more like September but who is counting. after more than 1 year the car is moving to primer. I cant say it has been and easy road but it sure has been fun. Lolla has had more fight in her then we thought possible. The trunk the rear end the front end…. either way she is on the roll back and leaving for primer, and at the local shop for polyester primer.”
“So after about 1 month of guide coat and sanding she is ready for a long winter nap. I must thank Chris at TIN for ‘volunteering’ to sand off his fingerprints. I have been out of country the past 4-5 weeks, so Chris stepped in and sanded Lolla. Now she is headed to storage to heat and cold cycle before more primer in the spring.”
“Well it has been a few years since last update. I was out of the country for a year, then moved and has to get settled.. BUT the push is on to get her done. Lolla had along nap with no work on her but her time has come to make a debut on the world stage. The first coat of Polyester primer has been sanded and the second coat of primer now on her and waiting for another guide coat and sanding. She is sitting on a left above the chassis, the closeest the 2 have been since 5/2015… yes almost 4 year. Car was primed in the spring and now we will let her cycle through some heat to make sure everything has shrunk with the goal of final sanding and off to paint before the end of the year.”
“October 2021, After 2 years living out of country and 1 year lost to COVID, Lolla is again moving forward. We thought all body work was done but decided more trunk work needed (see TRUNK page). But done is done. the Car has was moved to the paint shop in Indy back in may of 2021, and hopefully before the end of summer she will be painted… Well that was a fun 6 month s… car was at body shop, body work done, 2polyester primer done, final primer done, all body sanding done… and paint shop was unable to get to the car after 6 months.
Fortunately Chris can head down and pick her up for me as i am out of the country again for 6 months. Not to bad mouth the shop but this was not acceptable, and not like they didn’t know what was needed this shop has have painted the last 6 – 8 C1 cars… but new owner blew it. We delayed bringing it based on their schedule to meet their labor requirements.. and then it sat … Car is now in NE Indiana and with any luck before end of the year she is home…. Sorry no clues on color until she is back in my garage an up on the lift.”
“Well after completing a polyester prime followed by blocking … then a 2k primer coat followed by blocking with 400… and a second 2k primer coat followed by blocking 600. I thought we were ready for paint. And i was realistic as to what it would cost to lay down the base color, the side coves color, the trunk and interior color….. well guess what……..
The first shop spent 5-6 months with the car and failed to do any work (and this is when i waited for their schedule to bring them the car, and they had painted multiple 53.54 for us)….. the second shop (famous mid west “NCRS” received the and spent one month with it, cleaned up the door jams for less than 50 hours and wanted more than $5,200, then provided me with an estimate of 25,000… yes that was right $25,000 us dollars to paint the car that needs NO body work, No priming and no body sanding….. NEEDLESS to say the car is being brought home and i will find another shop…“
The Paint Trials and Tribulations Finally Subside…
“After more than 11 months, and multiple paint shops the car is back home and paint is done, the reassembly can begin. Paint work done to closely represent the original, margins, finish etc have been reproduced to match factory ‘quality.’ Chassis is 100% done and motor runs… Goal now is to have car assembled and ready for first judge show in October…”
See This 59’s Progress After The Booth
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