Sooooo do we have any early seventies Corvette experts around here?
I am looking at picking up a 1973 t-top with a small-block 350 in it.
Just want to know what I am getting into before I take the plunge
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Sooooo do we have any early seventies Corvette experts around here?
I am looking at picking up a 1973 t-top with a small-block 350 in it.
Just want to know what I am getting into before I take the plunge
Probably $20K base line investment, if it's clean with documentation. A project, $7-10K. If it's been sitting, figure brakes, master & wheel cylinders, possible gasket replacement of pan, manifold, valve covers, water pump, etc. Like any other vehicle, you may drive away, needing only the basics or frame off rebuild. If it was garaged, that's one less worry about rodents having lived off the electrical & upholstery.
You locate or have an eye on one? While they look nice, i could never sit in one comfortably. Forget about working under the dash.
Much like Jim's response; too general. ;)
What exactly are you looking at? Collector? DD? Track car? Show pony? What's your goal?
The goals is a summer driver and investment, we'll see how it goes after I get it running good ;-)
This car has been sitting in a garage and has not run for three years so all seals, etc. look decent but who knows, no leaks that I can see which is good.
The body is straight and clean. Overall a nice car in candy apple red.
To top it off the price is right and it is a car that I could work on, unlike my newer cars.
3 yrs. Still do a full brake line , radiator and trans flush. The trans, i'd probably do fluid & filter, not empty the torque converter. Replace ALL hoses, belts. They may look good now, however sitting on the side of the road, because they looked good isn't worth it. Repack the wheel bearings, replace diff & motor oil.Quote:
Originally Posted by Musashi
Thanks Jim
Sounds about what I expected. I will pull the plugs too and see how they look, probably just replace them along with fresh gas to get the beast running then change the oil.
From there I will start tearing into it and replacing hoses, belts, etc.
Now that Chilton manual needs to find its way to my house...
[Beer]
If you pull them, might as well replace them. Jim pretty much covered it. Check the tires for cracks/dry rot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Musashi
I would also add that if its been sitting for that long that you drain the fuel tank and remove and inspect it for rust, gas will varnish after that long.
And even though the Chevy small block was designed by Odin and forged in the center of a dying star, I would at least do a basic gasket kit, check the oil and the rear main. Get it HOT and see where the leaks are, nothing on a SBC is hard to fix. They are the glock of motors.
Gimme a call. I worked in a speed shop for 13 years.
Two things that were always high on my list to check back when I was skinny enough to even fit in a corvette are first the the birdcage for rust (yes corvettes do rust) and second the vacuum operated flip up headlight assemblies. As for the headlights they can be as easy to fix as a leaking or broken hose to actual mechanical parts. Hope you like tinkering with old cars. As for the birdcage there is a great thread on the corvette forum that explains how to check and inspect it:
http://m.corvetteforum.com/c3-genera...ml?styleid=140