Shop manuals worth it?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,435
Likes: 9
From: Kalamazoo Mi
Shop manuals worth it?
Are the shop manuals that corvette central worth the 100 bucks? the Haynes manual is awful, but all i have right now.
Corvette central
Corvette central
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 258
Likes: 2
From: Boise ID
I use mine quite frequently when working on the car. Mainly the electrical section, It's nicely color coded & pretty clear. I got mine off Ebay for around $50. Still expensive for a book, but I think worth it.
Dan
Dan
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If you dig deeply into your C3 regularly, the Chevrolet "Chassis Service Manual", "Chassis Overhaul Manual", and "Shop Manual" [for your particular years] are indispensible. They just have all the detailed info you need to do the work like it was intended. The other [major] repair manuals are good, but not as good, IMO.
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Instructor
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Stuttgart
or this one? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/73-74...e#ht_500wt_956
I already have the Assembly manual, but i wonder which one i should buy for maintenance.
Thanks.
edit: it's for my 73.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
If you buy a used one, just be sure it's complete. I buoght one for $35 at Carlisle last august and the first time I went to use it, the exact page I needed was missing. I did page thru it before buying and it looked complete, and I haven't found anything else missing. Fortunately thanks to this awesome forum, someone was able to scan me the page I was missing.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,403
Likes: 791
From: Redondo Beach, California
Haynes and Chilton are pretty much a waste of money IMO. It's pretty hard to find a clear detailed instruction on how to repair something.
Usually their repair instructions is something like (for a heater core repair):
1) Disconnect battery cables
2) Remove old heater core
3) Install new heater core
4) Reconnect battery cables
I may have exaggerated a little, but I think the point is there. They ARE REALLY GOOD on those battery disconnect and reconnect instructions however.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,666
Likes: 1
From: Where it's always hot as Hell-South Louisiana.
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
check out the used parts section (for c3's) there is a posting to sell 3 more 1980 shop manuals (new) for $50 with shipping. cant beat that price IMO.. I bought 1 of the 4 he had this am...
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
look at the used market for these manuals they are a lot less...manuals are like women some like blondes some like brunettes etc, etc etc......i like haynes manuals and i have all the manuals you can buy and yes even the crappy ones can have a picture or descrpition that the others dont have. the one i use the most is the haynes and then the GM shop manual, Chiltons i usaully take to work so i have a reference manual there for the "wild idea" moment
Platinum Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,309
Likes: 30
From: Mechanicsville VA
Definitely worth it, but you don't have to pay $100 for them anymore. You can get the CD version for much less.
See our link below:
68-82 Corvette Shop Manuals
See our link below:
68-82 Corvette Shop Manuals
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,720
Likes: 12
From: Chattanooga TN
Haynes is better than Chiltons IMHO, but the factory ones are absolutely the best. Year specific, nothing there that does not apply to your car. Accurate wiring diagrams, not generic. Yes, get the factory manuals.