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Thanks guys, I'm dead-set on resurrecting this basket case. Don't have the room right now to do a total frame-off, but plan on doing that in a couple of years anyway. I want to get it in safe, running order and drive it a couple of summers to decide what I want out of it performance-wise, rather than what I envision I want out of it. Actual driving experience with it could change a lot of my pre-conceived ideas about how I want it to handle.
Took the driver's door off yesterday and managed to get the window out in one piece. Removed the door latch locking mechanism and it is so coated with old (looks like white lithium) grease that has collected dirt and grime that it won't move. Thought about soaking it, scrubbing it down, sandblasting it, etc., then noticed one of the arms inside the casing was cracked, so just went ahead and ordered a new one.
Wonder if the door was a bit misaligned at one point and the guy decided to just slam-force it shut - over and over? Could explain why the bottom hinge was so wonky and the door so misaligned. Who knows.
Still trying to decide whether to blast and rebuild the regulator and arms or just order new ones there too, I'll probably rebuild. I am replacing the original window motors, if they aren't already shot they likely will be in the near future anyway.
My AIM showed up today too. Little light reading material.
Update: Stripped down the driver's door, cleaned up the regulator, All new rollers added a new power window motor, latch and power locks. Repaired the fiberglass and an initial coat of primer.
I have a buddy that has a 2005 5.3l vortec engine for sale. How much of a pain is it to swap these engines into the c3? I really wouldn't mind having a modern engine, although I can actually work on the old-school stuff.
Just wondering if it would be worth it to go with the vortec or stick with my original plan for a slightly modified 350.
I have a buddy that has a 2005 5.3l vortec engine for sale. How much of a pain is it to swap these engines into the c3? I really wouldn't mind having a modern engine, although I can actually work on the old-school stuff.
Just wondering if it would be worth it to go with the vortec or stick with my original plan for a slightly modified 350.
There is a lot of work involved it doing it. I'm putting a 454 LSX in my 73.
You've done a great job on that crunched door edge.
The vortec engine is nearly 10 years old.....take that into consideration.
Thanks.
After sleeping on it I really don't think I want the vortec anyway. I'd rather have something I know how to work on and tweak. The vortecs are good engines, but I'm gonna stick with an old-school 350.
I did not pay a lot for it, got it for (almost) a song.
Yes!
It doesn't show in those photos but the driver's door stuck out almost 1/2" from the body panels on either side. The entire interiors of the doors need to be stripped, cleaned, rebuilt and I'm adding power locks. Also need to do some fiberglass work on the front of that door, as well as the fender in front of it.
A lot of the components are shot/missing. No reason to replace things I'll never use and have another thing to fix when it randomly decides it wants to be noticed.
Actually looks like more time than money to get the old girl going. You would be surprised by how little money it takes. My interior was scary at first site.
A little sandblasting, leather cleaner, wire wheel on a drill and $2.00 cans of spray paint.
Motor was a tired 305 blowing smoke. I found a rebuilt (4000 miles) l82 locally. It was blue and the guy had it in a show vette that he replaced with a 502 BB. I cleaned the block and painted it orange. I bought the chrome dress up off ebay for little of nothing. Local race shop had a new holley I got for half price. Blasted the old intake and reused along with the distributor. I have more in the hooker side headers and pipes than I do in the motor. Check Craig's list and you will find a lot of deals.
Get you one of the cheap gravity sand blasters and you can make 50% of the parts (gas tanks, suspension components, pulleys, brake cylinder, booster, radiator support, anything metal) on the car look brand new with a little elbow grease, sandblasting and rattle can paint. I even sandblast and paint bolts and nuts. The little stuff will eat your lunch if you buy it all new. Plus you can clean the hard to get to places where a wire brush can't get.
If you got it for little of nothing, you are thousands $$$ ahead of the game. Take lots of pics and post.
After sleeping on it I really don't think I want the vortec anyway. I'd rather have something I know how to work on and tweak. The vortecs are good engines, but I'm gonna stick with an old-school 350.
Or a 427, I can work on those too.
O.K. but get a 26 gallon gas tank (there's a recent thread on the subject )
Actually looks like more time than money to get the old girl going. You would be surprised by how little money it takes. My interior was scary at first site.
That's the truth. My interior is already looking much better! Took the wire wheel to most of it and will give it a base coat this week.
Does anyone know where I can get replacement parts for the steering column? The main part I need is the dimmer pivot down inside the column. The rod was just dangling there and I thought it just came out of the pivot arm, but getting into it the dimmer pivot arm down inside the column is busted off with the rod still attached to it.
Great topic! Love those old neglected basket cases turned into a sweet ride by someone who would like to work on these cars!
I have a basket case '80 which i just stripped to the bare frame and although everyone told me it would be cheaper to buy a better one i don't care, i will fix this one.
And let's be honest, these cars are as complicated as a wheelbarrow to work on, there is absolutely nothing that cannot be simply repaired on a C3.
Thanks guys. Even though it's frustrating as hell sometimes I'm enjoying it immensely. I just keep envisioning the finished car. Well, as much as they can be 'finished' anyway.
After reading through some of Jim Shea's stuff on the steering it looks like the dimmer pivot I need is virtually non-existent. He did say that I could heist parts from late 80's GM vehicles with the tilt columns with the dimmer on the signal. Looks like I'm off to the salvage yard this weekend.
Thanks guys. Even though it's frustrating as hell sometimes I'm enjoying it immensely. I just keep envisioning the finished car. Well, as much as they can be 'finished' anyway.
After reading through some of Jim Shea's stuff on the steering it looks like the dimmer pivot I need is virtually non-existent. He did say that I could heist parts from late 80's GM vehicles with the tilt columns with the dimmer on the signal. Looks like I'm off to the salvage yard this weekend.
It's frustrating when you make headway and something else craps out on ya. I just had 2 brake calipers start leaking on me. But for a 42 year old car with 14k original miles, I should expect as much. Best part is when you complete one component and it just looks so good that you move on to the component next to it. I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. Nothing like the feeling of bringing these old cars back to life and knowing you did it yourself. Keep up the great work.
He did say that I could heist parts from late 80's GM vehicles
That should read late 70's gm vehicles or late 80's gm full-size trucks.
Driver's door is finished. New power window motor, rebuilt the regulator, new rollers and latch. Also added power door locks and eliminated the keyhole.
That should read late 70's gm vehicles or late 80's gm full-size trucks.
Driver's door is finished. New power window motor, rebuilt the regulator, new rollers and latch. Also added power door locks and eliminated the keyhole.
How will you deal with a power failure in the event the doors are locked? battery goes bad, relay fails? I have considered this also but I would be worried about being locked out. I would be interested is seeing how you put your power locks in.
07-22-2014, 11:15 PM
Don't have the room right now to do a total frame-off, but plan on doing that in a couple of years anyway. I want to get it in safe, running order and drive it a couple of summers to decide what I want out of it performance-wise, rather than what I envision I want out of it. Actual driving experience with it could change a lot of my pre-conceived ideas about how I want it to handle.
Little light reading material.
)
That's the truth. 
Even though it's frustrating as hell sometimes I'm enjoying it immensely. I just keep envisioning the finished car. Well, as much as they can be 'finished' anyway.
