new guy!
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Columbus GA
new guy!
hi! i'm here for some info on fixing my love/hate relationship with my car. lately it's been hate, but i cranked it up saturday and knocked some dust off and the old feelings are back. my rear brakes leak like a sive, my choke seems non-functional, the seats are ratty, and there's no radio.
i've had it for over 5 years and most of the mechanical stuff is new. here's a pic from last year:
i've had it for over 5 years and most of the mechanical stuff is new. here's a pic from last year:
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Great looking '73. Most of your problems are common and easy to get through if you take them one at a time with small steps.
Welcome to the forum, and let us know if you have any questions or problems.
Welcome to the forum, and let us know if you have any questions or problems.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
don't sweat the small stuff. Take one project at a time. First I would fix the brakes. You can rebuild the calipers or just buy new ones from any of the vette vendors $200 problem solved. Then buy a stereo & seats or seat covers. Next project,,,,,,,, you get the idea.Again nice 73 welcome to the club.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 1
From: Port Clinton Ohio
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Welcome to the '73 club.
Right now, my trailing arms are at the shop having the bearings replaced, my radiator and water pump are out. I have a new Dewitts rad, new water pump, fuel pump and a front suspension kit to put on. It should keep me busy for a few weeks. That is how it goes with these old cars. You replace everything. By the time your done, its time to start doing it again. Good Luck and Have Fun!!!
Right now, my trailing arms are at the shop having the bearings replaced, my radiator and water pump are out. I have a new Dewitts rad, new water pump, fuel pump and a front suspension kit to put on. It should keep me busy for a few weeks. That is how it goes with these old cars. You replace everything. By the time your done, its time to start doing it again. Good Luck and Have Fun!!!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,268
Likes: 2
From: Minnesota in the summer, Las Vegas in the winter
Well first off; what a great car you have!
I'm a poor one to give advice, but I do understand where you are at. No one here can really tell you what you should do. We can, however, tell you what has worked for us.
I agree with the above that I try to take on one major item at a time; I try to figure out what the problem is; then how to go about fixing it; I ask questions here and order parts. Sometimes it has taken a month or more just to fix one small thing.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.........
Above all else your corvette hobby should be fun. If you don't enjoy tinkering or if the stress is too much for you then you need to look at a different plan for the car. In other words: what do you want from your corvette?
The thing I always try to remember is that I am not a professional; my projects will not be perfect and flawless; I only need to make myself happy; I am the only real judge of my work.
Remember that; with each new accomplishment ( especially the tough ones) your corvette becomes less a part of the previous owners and more a part of you.
Dan
I'm a poor one to give advice, but I do understand where you are at. No one here can really tell you what you should do. We can, however, tell you what has worked for us.
I agree with the above that I try to take on one major item at a time; I try to figure out what the problem is; then how to go about fixing it; I ask questions here and order parts. Sometimes it has taken a month or more just to fix one small thing.
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.........
Above all else your corvette hobby should be fun. If you don't enjoy tinkering or if the stress is too much for you then you need to look at a different plan for the car. In other words: what do you want from your corvette?
The thing I always try to remember is that I am not a professional; my projects will not be perfect and flawless; I only need to make myself happy; I am the only real judge of my work.
Remember that; with each new accomplishment ( especially the tough ones) your corvette becomes less a part of the previous owners and more a part of you.
Dan
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Columbus GA
wheels are wheel vintique 15" chrome ralleys with police caps instead of derbies they cost around $400 brand new. 255-60 in back and 245-60 up front.
motor and transmission have about 300 miles since overhaul and 2000 on the bottom end. tranny is th400 and engine is L48. dynomax ceramic headers through 2.5 pipes and flowmasters, 268 cam, non-egr intake off of an 83' work truck with the rejetted stock q-jet. bad oil (low zinc) got my first cam and the transmission was decent enough to die at the same time. car has been a garage queen due to babies and my GTO. i have not rolled the windows up or taken the key out of the car in 3 years. i currently have santa's toys stashed in the vette. i am a crappy auto mechanic which figures because i am a professional mechanic.
motor and transmission have about 300 miles since overhaul and 2000 on the bottom end. tranny is th400 and engine is L48. dynomax ceramic headers through 2.5 pipes and flowmasters, 268 cam, non-egr intake off of an 83' work truck with the rejetted stock q-jet. bad oil (low zinc) got my first cam and the transmission was decent enough to die at the same time. car has been a garage queen due to babies and my GTO. i have not rolled the windows up or taken the key out of the car in 3 years. i currently have santa's toys stashed in the vette. i am a crappy auto mechanic which figures because i am a professional mechanic.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Nanuet NY
Hi !
15 years ago my wife found an '80 vette that "needed a little work", she towed it to a shop to make it "safe to drive" and put the key under the tree on a very cold Christmas morning. Well, I can hapilly report that "the little work" is almost done! Hopefully a paint job next week and then I can reassemble everything (if I can remember where everything came from!), get a little welding done on the floor pan, dye and reinstall the interior and maybe even get the cruise contol to work!!!
The times that I can just tool around town make it all worth it.
Your '73 looks great, and you have these helpful folks on the forum to help you enjoy it even more.
Welcome
Ed
15 years ago my wife found an '80 vette that "needed a little work", she towed it to a shop to make it "safe to drive" and put the key under the tree on a very cold Christmas morning. Well, I can hapilly report that "the little work" is almost done! Hopefully a paint job next week and then I can reassemble everything (if I can remember where everything came from!), get a little welding done on the floor pan, dye and reinstall the interior and maybe even get the cruise contol to work!!!
The times that I can just tool around town make it all worth it.
Your '73 looks great, and you have these helpful folks on the forum to help you enjoy it even more.
Welcome
Ed
will be able to answer it for you.