From Your Garage #11, James Bridges Corvettes!

My name is James Bridges and I designed and built these cars. I am 61 years old and have wanted to build a 1969 corvette all of my life. After 30 years of government service in the Marine Corps, The Border Patrol and The Federal Air Marshal service, I retired and did just that. Well a 1968 because at the time they were more available and a little less expensive (at that time I had no idea about expensive!). I gained some mechanical experience during my ten years of service in the Marine Corps as a helicopter mechanic. Along the way I rebuilt engines, replaced turbochargers and other mechanical work. I have a degree in Aviation Maintenance and enough credits for an Art degree.

About six years ago when I retired and bought a 1964 corvette convertible in Florida that was a nice driver. After some time I tore it down and sent it to the paint and body shop. While it was there, I began to get bored and bought this 1968 red corvette roller in Tennessee for 10K. I lived in SC and drove a few hours to pick it up. In my garage I began to tear it down to the frame. I then sent it to the paint and body shop. I then bought a few more Corvettes with big plans (two 1968s, 1969, 1966 and 1965). I figured out I didn’t have enough space or money to build all so I sold the 69 and 66 and one 68 coupe (after building the chassis). I began to tear down one of the remaining 68s and sent the frame to be powered coated. I then built the car from the ground up with full coil over suspension 383 stroker with a Holley Sniper EFI, AG Luxury wheels, and a red, white and blue paint job. I rebuilt the complete drivetrain and installed a full custom leather interior. Everything on the car was brand new and immaculate as I am OCD! Sold it at Barrett Jackson.

While my 64 was in the bodyshop, I began the next 68. The frame was reinforced in guidance with the Chevy racing manual then powder coated gun metal grey. Ridetech suspension was then installed, a 427 ls3 with a Harrop Hurricane independent throttle body was installed. A carbon fiber drive shaft and half shafts were custom made with polished ends. The differential was race rebuilt and so on and on and on and on! Everything on the car was custom made. It also went to Barrett Jackson.

I built the full chassis in my garage in SC. The Ridetech components are top notch but their instruction were not as good, needless to say the tech rep and I were on a first name basis...

 Since it was an ls swap there is always a learning curve but I had a lot of support from others who had already been down this road. The most difficult part was getting the transmission output shaft to line up with the differential vertically. I reached out to Custom Image Corvette “Josh” who is a veteran. I fabricated some spacers and bravo!

After the chassis was assembled I transported it to Retro Designs in NC where my friend Daniel took over. I drove many miles there and back home until it was done.

Eric Brochmeyer worked with me on the renderings he is the best in the business.

So now here I sit in Florida with my 64 that is about to be painted at the shop in NC and my 65 coupe that also sits in the same shop torn down to the birdcage (which will be the most custom of all and built for me to keep). I plan to finish the wide body 64 before April of 26 for Barrett Jackson in West Palm Beach FL. It’s been a wild ride and supper expensive but the time of my life and I don’t see the end!

Thank you to Jim Bridges for sending in his Awesome cars to be featured on the Blog!

If you'd like your car to be featured, please send your photos, info and stories to me at: streetmachinecentral@gmail.com