well, I've been fixxing up a '78 I bought over the winter. The previous owner had it since '97 but barely ever used it (only 9,489 original miles when I bought it) and for the last 2 or 3 years it sat untouched outside under a plastic tarp. It was one of my winter projects to fix the car up and today I think I finally got the last part done......

One thing that was bothering me since I got the car running was a faint squeaking noise coming from the drivers side rear wheel. It progressively got worst........ not on moving forward - that stayed about the same sound, but when reversing it because a horrible shrill grinding noise that would make you sick to your stomach worrying what was destroying itself. I pulled the wheel off but couldn't see anything.
I did all the work on the car under the hood but have never touched brakes on a car before so was hesitate to do anything or take anything apart myself. I hated to do it by decided to take it to a mechanic that I used a few times in the past on my '65 but gave up on. I figured brakes should be generic enough that maye he wouldn't screw it up too bad.
Well, found the problem in less than 5 minutes....... after getting the car on the lift and pulling the wheel & caliper off he started to pull the rotor off and things started to literally just fall off the car onto the floor.
OK, found the answer to TWO issues now......... the squeaking, squealing, grinding noise AND why the parking brake was useless. Everyspring inside the parking brake was off, and fell out onto the ground except one that was hung up and was rubbing against the rotor - the noise source.

After calling around he finds out the '78 Parking Brake Hardware Kit is discontinued but luckly he found springs in his shop that would work to replace all the mangled springs that fell out of my car. got everything back together and it works fine and no bad noises anymore.

now, why bring up Bubba on this?? I have all the past service records from the previous owner and literally the day before the car was placed outside and left to sit for 2 or 3 years it had been to a large and well-known Corvette specialty repair/restoration shop not too far away. They had replaced the rear brakes on the car. It was driven approx 12 miles back to the owners home it and didn't move again until I had the cae flatbedded to my house when I bought it which means they didn't reassemble the parking brake correctly at all. It probably fell apart between their shop and the previous owners house on that last drive.

Oh......... the other service work they did on that same service visit was rebuild the carb as the owner complained it wasn't running right.
When I first got the car home I tried to start it and it barely started after a lot of fighting but wouldn't stay running on it's own. I sent the carb out to be rebuilt and the guy doing it comments that someone had already been inside this carb (which I knew from the service records) but they literally put things back together wrong and there were even broken parts inside. He couldn't inderstand how the car even started and ran at all let along poorly. Makes me wonder how the previous owner even managed to drive the car home from the service shop those few years ago!

so much so the quality of service from this well-known Corvette Specialty shop. And their service is expensive too!!

Tell you what, i'll NEVER let them touch any of MY cars even if they were the last service place in existence.

 

Unfortunately, that quality level of workmanship is all too common. It is hard to find a reputable service center anymore. I am sure that most of us cringe when we think about letting some "mechanic" service our cars.
I won't even take my new cars to the dealership for service because of some really off the wall experiences.

 

Sounds very familar Barry, our 75 was like that too. I got all the records and know the owner was straight up about everything. He paid his garage $1,600 to do the LH rear bearings, strut rods and soem of the bushings. The job was a total wreck, they damaged the spindle,wrecked the flange,didn't setup the bearings correct, and didn't flare the front T arm bushings. I had to rebuild everything they worked on and more. A lot of vette shops are good but I've also repaired some of their work too on differentials and especially steering boxes.
Do it yourselft. From reading your posts I think you're capable of doing all the mechanical work yourself and no one will take the time like you will... ok I would too- LOL!

 

It's reasons like these that I will only take my vehicles to places that come recommended to me by word of mouth. I won't even go to a dealership for service unless I know someone that has been there and they were treated well and their car fixed right.

 

unfortunately that is very true and it's the sole reason that I HAD to start learning how to work on my own Vettes. I spent a ton of money with a number of various "highly recommended" local mechanics to do repairs on my '65 and without fail and without a single exception the car ran worst AFTER the touched it and i'd have to ask one of my neighbors who is a vette guy to help me get the car runningf right again. It finally got to the point that I had to make a decision - sell the car or learn how to do it myself so I started to learn at the end of the summer last year and started my first real project on my '65 Nov. 1st. Managed to complete it without screwing it up and bought the '78 and did that car next.
Everything I do is still new to me and a learning experience but at least I only have myself to blame if it's not right and the way I look at it, I can screw up my own cars for a lot less money than these "professional" mechanics were charging me to screw up my car!

 

Just don't mess up the brakes or forget to tighten the lug nuts.
Everything else can fail, as long as you can come to a rolling stop - you're OK.
I do everything myself ... always have ... for all the reasons above (and I'm cheap).

 

I'm lucky. I have 2 good mechs. that live around me. Honest, fair, and good. I'm not the only one that knows about them, tho. They stay covered up in business. Larry

 

NH, you are suppose to tighten the lugnuts??
i always preferred to keep them nice and loose, finger tight at best. It saves a lot of straining and extra effort in case you ever need to change a wheel while on the side of the road.........


(only kidding everyone)

 

I've got to agree that even a dealership shouldn't be trusted. There's too many "parts replacers" out there vs. real mechanics.

 

Parking brake hardware discontinued? I don't think so...every vendor has it available.

 

discontinued from GM.
We both knew it's available aftermarket but nothing that anyone had locally that he could have delivered today while the car was apart.

sorry, I realized that might have been worded in a confusing manner

 

Ah. I had a serious WTF? moment when I read that - since I'm getting ready to order the kit.

 

Damn, how much project work is needed to be done with such a barely used vette???

 

Hi BarryK,

We live close enough to each other that I may end up seeking the service of this "reputable"...any clues who we should be avoiding?

I'm getting ready to rebuild my front suspension. I take my DD to a local shop that has treated me well and I'm trying to get a relationship going with them to work on the Vette. I have all the parts and was thinking I would have them install them, especially the ball joints and the front bushings, shocks, springs and tie-rods while they're there and it's all apart. I figure it'll run at least $600. I've asked twice now and have yet to get a quote...think that's a sign that they don't want to work on it? "Hi, here's a blank check...fix my car" You'd think they might go for that...

But the more I think about it, the less I like the idea. Even if they put their best old timer on it it'll still be a rushed job with no attention to the other stuff that can be easily handled while you're in there. So, I'll save the labor costs, pull the arms and send them to VanSteel for a full workover, $400 for the set. The hard part is handled, the end result is a better job done cheaper. Good alignment and I'm set. And I'll be sure to tighten the lugs this time...

 

all cosmetic work under the hood but a fair amount of it and time consuming. Plactic tarps aren't good to use.........
other than that I sent the Q-jet out to Lars for a rebuild and of course the new paint job, again because of the plastic tarp.

 

I'll send you a PM on who the shop is