Double_0_7

Hi guys. Sorry for the long post. I wanted to give detail in case some people had advice.

I'm in a bit of a rare situation as far as most people evaluating their purchase decisions because I already own the car with no payments, having bought it cash 3 years ago. I got it with 41,000 miles and have put around 15,000 on it since then.

The car runs strong-ish, but not smooth. Never left me stranded. Ever. 1980 L-48 auto. Needs interior work because I haven't taken care of it as well as i needed to. Footwell carpet and seats.

If I had my way, my list would go like this:

1. It needs a little frame repair. I got an estimate and it's about $700.00. That's a minor thing because of the relatively low cost.
2. I'd rebuild the engine making it in better shape with maybe a few tweaks on power, though I'm happy with it now, since I only use it to cruise around.
3. I'd install new carpet and new seats.
4. I'd get it painted, maybe with the addition of an L88 hood, or maybe not.
5. I'd polish the aluminum wheels, since they've been neglected for too long.

Nothing on the car is totally shot, except maybe the carpet, but that's a minor concern i think.

Here's the problem. I've been starting to think the previous owner lied about the condition and the shop i took it to just didn't care enough to inspect it well.

After a long time without the money to work on it, I finally have some, and want to start fixing the car.

How do I know if it's worth fixing? I am concerned about rust. I was told 3 years ago that the rust wasn't bad, but that could be wrong, and since then, it has been my daily driver at times, including winters. Is this something the frame shop can clean up and protect for extra cost while they have it?

The engine most likely has a bad seal, and that's causing the #7 sparkplug to constantly foul.

Paintwise, it's about a 10 footer, mostly because the white paint is showing a lot of stuff up close. I'm no paint guy, but it looks like oil or grease seeped into the paint, and it won't come clean with a wash.

I would say I want to keep the car, but that's not totally true. I want to have an 80-82, and the 80 is my fave because of a few different things. It's also not ever going to be an investment decision, because i know that's just pointless.

I don't know enough about these things, and was looking forward to learning more about taking care of my own car. I need advice on whether to fix the car or not. Considering this car or one nearly identical to mine just in better shape is exactly what i want, probably don't have enough for a different one considering the stuff that would make mine hard to sell, and mine is paid off, what would you all do?

The car never needs to be my DD again, as the used car I bought to be a DD two years ago is almost paid off too.

rugerm44

Fine someone here that lives close to you that would be willing to look it over.most of the guys know more about them than the average garage dose.or post some pictures of the frame and the worst part of it and go from there.

Hardway

I agree with Ruger. Once you have a better idea of costs for the frame and paint then you can decide if you want to invest more money in to the car. These cars are not investment pieces so do not count on getting your money out of it. You will obviously get more with a new paint job, engine, and interior pieces but you will not recoup your investment 100%. The good thing is you have a running and very drivable car. Once you know what you are up against with the frame and any possible rust then you can tackle easier jobs like the carpet and seats. That way your car is not off the road for an extended length of time. For an engine, instead of rebuilding and re-sealing the original, put it on a stand as-is and buy a crate motor. By the time you factor in all the additional labor in rebuilding an engine a new crate motor with a warranty starts to look like a good deal. Keep us posted and give us some pics when you can. Good luck!

Double_0_7

yeah, investment stuff is totally not an issue. i don't plan on ever selling it. even when i was unemployed, i offloaded the other car and kept this one. it's actually pretty reliable, simple when something goes wrong, and it's paid off. even if i have to sell it, it's only going to be for whatever its worth at the time, not related to how much i've put into it.

I can't tell if the frame damage is from an 'internal-to-the-frame' problem, or if it was caused by driving it without functioning power steering for a long time. Where the power steering master cylinder bolts to the frame, it has cracked, so turning the wheels opens the crack a little, making the steering floaty. The frame shop said $700.00 would take care of it.

so I guess my next question is: Anybody near Fort Wayne, Indiana want to help a fellow vette lover out? Hopefully beer is an acceptable payment, but I wouldn't mind paying for services.

joewill

needing a little frame repair is probably an understatement, the hidden rust on these cars usually far exceeds what is obvious from a untrained eye. look it over closely for more rust in the usual places. when selling, your potential buyers will want to know the extent of the rust with pics. stating that a spot on the frame was repaired would make me look real close for other rust. such a repair is usually done to what is obvious and not to the extent of what is really there.

check your compression on that fouling cylinder and compare with compression on the other cylinders. probably it is a bad valve seal.. getting the heads done is fairly cheap if you do the work yourself and then just have a shop do the heads.

take some time and do some rubbing compound and polishing compound on the paint. it will remove a good part of the stains if your paint is still thick enough.

my advice would be to not spend 5K on this car when that 5K plus your current car would buy you a much better shape car than you would end up with by keeping this one.

plus you would be done and on the road immediately vs. a long winter project plus $$ to replace and repair all these things.

never assume the seller knows more about the car than you can see with a thorough inspection.

carpet and paint will cure a multitude of sins, but if you have engine trouble and hidden rust, you will struggle to find buyers at a higher price that you will need out of the car.

Double_0_7

If i was trying to sell it and add to my loot, what would my car get? And I mean just a range. I know nobody can say $5,387.39...

but are we talking $2k-$4k?

$4k-$7k?

I don't know how much a running, but not in good condition 80 L48 is really worth, and I'm realistic enough to know it isn't much...

If I do have a rust problem, is that something that can be repaired without doing a frame off? If there is a rust problem that I can't fix is driving it like that a viable option?

Easy Mike

Only you can answer that question. Do you want to spend a little of your time and money on the car? Does the car mean that much to you?

Double_0_7

I'm kinda attached to the car. there's also the sentimentality of having that car through some rough times. it was my DD while I was unemployed, requiring nothing but a new alternator the entire time. when i found a job out of state and had to move, the vette going back and forth was how i got all my belongings there except my bed. the vette did it's part, and i feel i should do mine. so yeah, I'm attached to it.

I guess i'm also still working through things in my head. As things deteriorate, mostly the frame, i'm worried about putting all the energy and money into repairing it, then it being undrivable because the frame rusts in half. I have no idea how to check that sort of thing.

The thing that makes it confusing for me is that i already own the car, and it's paid off. Most people asking this question are considering whether or not to buy the car.

doctorgene

Yes Sir;' If you like the car, Check the Rust out. Pull the kick panels off under the dash. Get a small mirror and a good light, shine the light on the bolts that hold the body to the frame. Next pull the inside & outside trim off the windshield. This will give you a good idea how much Rust is in the birdcage. Pull the carpet off the floor boards, they are metal in the 1980 cars, Jack it up & check the floor boards underneath, also. Pull the wheels off check the bolts which hold the body to the frame, Check the uprights at the trailing arms. & the horns on the A-arms., Check the rust on the bottom of the radiator core support. If this is all good, take it to a frame shop & have it checked for alignment, of the frame, any car with 700.00 worth of rust repair is not a good sign. It will be well worth the cost. If this all checks out, keep the car and rebuilt it. Gene

bobbarry

Do a rough estimate of what it might cost *you* to get your car into shape, and see how much '80-'82 Corvettes currently cost in that final condition. You might find you could buy right now an excellent-condition '80 for $10,000 and sell your '80 for $3,000, whereas it might cost you $15,000 to bring your car up to the condition of that $10,000 '80 that you might just as easily fall in love with.

So for half the expense, you could be driving an excellent-condition different 1980 Corvette right now, rather than your excellent-condition '1980 once the resto is completed in about five years for twice the cost.