I own a 76 L-82 stingray. Ive had the car since 1985. Ive got several questions about the car. It has the origiinal paint(mahogany) and the origiinal interior(hawthorn red). All the numbers match on the car and I have the original window sticker. I've been told that this is a rare color combination and that the original owner ordered the car this way. I'm also told that it has a vega steering wheel and was common for the 76 vette that year. Can anyone tell me if this is true. I am also having trouble with the brakes. I replaced the master cyl.,the power boost (twice) and replace all for wheel cylinders with loaded calipers. The car stops, but will not stop like I think it should. It takes a lot of pressure to get it shut down. I have checked the vac. going to the power boost (not with a guage) and it seems to have plenty of suction. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what the problem might be?

 

Welcome to the forum.
I'm sure some of the C3 guys will chime in soon.

 

Welcome. I don't know about the colors but yes the Vega wheel was built into the '76 Vettes. It was also in several other GM vehicles for a short span.

If the brakes feel hard like a manual brake car then your booster may be bad, not the master. Here's a test.

With the engine off, pump the pedal. If it's working properly the pedal should get very stiff and hard to press down after a few pumps.

Then, once it's hard, start the car with your foot pressing on the hard pedal. If you have proper vacuum the pedal will go to the floor where it stops when you're hard on the brakes.

If the booster is not functioning properly it won't get stiff, or it'll take many pumps.

Also, is the pedal mushy at all? When replacing a master and calipers there is a lot of air that can get into the two systems and it's VERY hard to bleed it all out. A normal bleeding probably won't do it and that's even after you've properly bench bled the master.

First try the booster test. If it passes then I would suggest some bleeding. Several times around the car, spending a LOT of time at each wheel.

 

4182 '76s were painted mahogany; 8259 cars got firethorn leather interiors while another 3281 got firethorn vinyl. That makes firethorn a popular color for '76 so it isn't likely firethorn in a mahogany car is rare.

The four spoke Vega wheel is stock for the '76s.

 

I dont want to point out the obvious, but did you bench bleed the master cyl?

 

I'm going to have to start a campaign to stop calling 76's the Vega wheel car. Almost all Camaros in the 70's had the same wheel, I know it was optional on Malibus, and I believe also on Novas. I don't know why everyone rags on it, I like it. No, I don't own a 76, but I did own an 81 Z28 with the same wheel.

 

its not even slightly amusing. Peace,,,Moosie




OOOPPPPSSSSS, sorry , forgot, welcome to the forum

 

If you owned a '76, you'd complain too.

FWIW: the wheel was a money-saving scheme by GM corporate VIPs and it went into several different models that year. Way early on 76 Corvette owners complained about the "Vega wheel" in light of what they had paid for their cars. Corvette stylists also complained. GM got the message and it was gone for '77.

 

I will eventually replace my 76's wheel with a more aestheticly (sp) pleasing one.