I know it has been so long that it is likely that few even remember any of this, but here goes. About a year ago my school auto shop class began work restoring two C-3 Vettes. One was for a customer, a 77 350 car, and one was ours, a 71 350 car. Here are the updates on both.

The 77 Vette is almost finished. We built about a 425 HP motor for it with aluminum heads, big cam, big carb, and stainless side pipe headers. We have redone the interior, but the repo parts such as the dash pad, compartments, etc., do not fit for sour apples. This has caused to to rethink replacing the stock dash in our project car, which is very nice with just one small crack in a speaker grille. The body work is finished and the car is painted a very dark eggplant pearl with an L-88 hood, custom rear bumper and funky bubble taillights (hey, the owner likes them!). The transmission seems to be leaking on our floor, we do not know why. it was a transmission that was supplied with the car and we resealed it. I am not sure where the leak is yet, since we are finishing up on other things.
The new electric fans do not seem to work, but we also have not had the car run hot. This is a concern for me, since we do not want to overheat the aluminum heads by any means, yet unless we run the engine hotter we will not know if the fans are any good. The fans are actuated by a little temp sender that goes into the radiator core fins. This seems cheesy to me. The car has a new plexiglass top in place of the T-tops. The owner supplied this, but after looking at it and installing it, I would not buy one if my life depended on it. It looks like it would scratch with a diaper! Anyway, the car looks good we just need to get the bugs out now.

As for our 71. We have been very on again, off again with this project due to both financial shortages and being just too busy with outside work. Regardless, we have made progress. The frame is finished, repainted and nice. New brake and fuel lines, bolts, clamps, etc, really make it look new. We took to the frame shop to be checked for straight, since it was a frame we refurbished ourselves. It checked out to be fine; lazer straight.
We just rebuilt the t-400 tranny and are nearly finished with the engine. It is a 350 , 4 bolt main 010 block, donated by one of the members of this forum (thanks! ) .We also had a forged steel crank we used for it. We bored it 040 over to fit some TRW 9.5:1 pistons we got. We went with a stock LT1 cam and a Holley 750 DP. We went with a set of original LT1 camel hump 202 heads and replaced the old valves with SS. We have done nothing with the body yet, but are still looking for a good deal or donation of a new front end. One was donated a couple of years ago, but is missing some glass parts and we would rather put on a new one. We would love to work a trade for our used press molded front end for a new hand layered one. A guy from the forum offered us this trade last year but I have not heard back. We also need the Big block LT1 hood for the car.

Anyway, That is where we are at. I do not have pics right now, since I cannot seem to find the cord for my camera. Sorry...

 

Find the transmission leak and get back when you know more on that.

As for the fan, I think you need to test it to make sure it works. Run jumper wires from a car battery to the POS and NEG wires of the fan to A: Make sure the fan motor works, and to B: Make sure the blades are spinning the right way to get air through the radiator.

What brand controller is being used? You can always test the fan, by running the radiator temp probe into a pot of water next to the car. Use a propane stove to heat the water. With the ignition on, the probe in the water, and the stove heating the probe...watch the gauge and see if and when the fan switches on.

If the water boils and the fan is still not on then I would rethink your fan control method.

 

Nice to see an update... I remember your original posts.

For the electric fans, consider getting a temp switch that fits into a port on the head.... though I'm not sure your aluminum heads have this.. I dont like the idea of it between radiator fins.

Sounds like you are moving along nicely on the '71. Wish I could help with donations, but I dont have much in the way of parts left. Keep up the good work, and please post more progress updates!!!

 

Glad to hear that you are still on the project. We look forward to the photos when you find your cord.
Dave

 

Hi all. A few updates.

The project 71 'Vette is almost finished.The Milli Miglia red has been shot, sanded and buffed. The interior is done. We do have a problem however, that I hope someone can help us with. We installed the new hood on the car, adjusted it the closest we could, but once shut the left side will not pop open when the cable is pulled. The right side is fine, which makes little sense to me, since the left side appears to be the release side.I cannot find any way to get to the mechanism.

A little help, here?

 

If it's a power brake car this is a bit harder, but there is a splash shield behind the driver's wheel, help up by three bolts. It's a triangular shield, perpendicular to the ground. Remove that shield, and you can almost reach straight up.

If you're brave, you can pull up a bit on the passenger side, the open side, and spring loaded arm the cable attaches to. Pull it towards you as far as it can go and hopefully the driver's side will release.

When adjusting these style latches, it's best to lay some Duct Tape over the hole in the latch on the hood, and rest it on the spring tower cone. It'll make an indention. Note where it is and adjust the spring tower in the direction that will center that indentation in the Duct Tape.

 

I remember the threads and enjoyed following the progess. Pics please!!!