So, my dad picked up a '76 Stingray this past week and we're having a hell of a time finding out anything on the car and I mean ANYTHING.

So I've decided to turn to this forum for any help I can get...

All I know is it was a show car from late '70s to the early/mid '80s, mild 350, M21 or M22, Started life as a Nevada car, ended up a couple hours north of here and sat in storage for the past ten-ish years, supposedly been on the cover of a Corvette mag back in the same era it was being shown...

So yeah, that's where I am at and here's the car... Thanks in advance.

 

G'day,

Welcome to the world of Corvettes, especially the C3 section. A very nice looking car you have there, the paint and wheels look GREAT!!!. The induction system however, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I've never seen one like that and I'm guessing that it has four side draught twin choke Webers, Dellortos, etc. It might run fine, it might not. You need to make a decision to keep it or toss it.

I can't imagine anyone on the Forum actually wanting to buy that, so you might have to advertise it elsewhere if you want the best money. You will then have a big hole in your bonnet and an empty space on your inlet manifold or engine block.

For easy driving, I would suggest replacing the inlet manifold with an Edelbrock Q-jet Air Gap manifold and have a good Q-jet fitted. You can either build a custom air scoop that fits through the opening, or try to find one that fits under the bonnet and think about closing the hole up.

If you want and can afford more power, then an Edelbrock supercharger kit would probably fit under the bonnet, but the carb might stick through. There are a ton of options to look at, but first you have to tell us how the car drives with the existing set up, and whether or not you are happy with it.

Remember, you have to be able to see out of the car to safely drive it, and that can of worms up there is not helping.

So tell us how it drives, what you would like to do with it; i.e. just a show car, a "weekender" or a daily driver. What trans does it have? What is your budget if you wish to modify it? Just remember, there are no stupid questions here, we were all ignorant about Corvettes at some point in our lives. Be open and the answers will be too.

Regards from Down Under.

aussiejohn

(1974 L48 Coupe and Convertible owner)

 

That is a sweet ride!

Welcome.

Are you looking for a possible history of the car?

 

I believe he is looking to see if anyone recognizes the car and can provide a bit of its history......beautiful Vette BTW!

 

Very nice. Welcome to the forum. Enjoy.

 

aussiejohn, twin Holleys sitting atop a nice tunnel ram, runs like a champ once warmed up... That intake ain't going anywhere, something about having to look around it when driving tickles my fancy and it's not all that bad, just have to make sure you're in second for driving around town in the 25mph zones, IF I could get away with it and afford it I'd DD the car and I, or my dad, really have no desire to change anything, it's a '76 Corvette, cammed small block with a Muncie, it looks like it belongs in the 70s/80s and I absolutely LOVE that. Oh and 0-100 in roughly less than half a mile...

Yes, history this car is a needle in a hay stack so to speak.

 

Corvette summer or fever, Mark Hamil??? Looks kinda like it .Nope just looked it up no blower on Hamills Vette.Ill keep looking ,I would go to the DMV see if they can help.

 

i am not sure how you find info on the car other then to post pictures every so often to see if any body remembers the car.....

 

What did the seller have to say about the car?

 

I think I remember seeing that vette on a mag cover. I have always been obsessed with the C3 vette. I may even have that issue hidden away somewhere? I used to buy magazines if they had vettes on them. Nice ride.

 

Thanks for all the thumbs up, I've never been a Chevy guy, only vehicles non Ford have been three first gen RX7s, but this car has given me a bit of Corvette fever... kinda funny sitting with a '65 fastback, '67 coupe, and a '79 Capri RS.


What I posted in my OP is all we've been able to find out about the car

Thanks again. And about the C3s, I think they're the last good looking Corvette, IMO of course.

Also, that's not a blower, just a tunnel ram with a pair of Holleys.

 

ewolfkiel,

I din't mean to offend about the inlet, it sure is unique! I'm glad to hear that it has some "proper" carbies underneath and they are easy to tune so driving it shouldn't be a problem. If the carbs were as I'd originally thought, then I assumed that you might have run into trouble trying to tune them, and was merely suggesting a way to make the car easier to drive.

And driving them and watching the expressions on people's faces as we go by is half the fun of owning these beauties. Good luck with your research into this unique car and keep us informed.

Regards from Down Under.

aussiejohn

 

I saw a car very similar years ago in a car show. The car was from Gothenberg Nebraska...not sure why I remember that but hey?

 

No offense taken, just clearifying. And yes, if I could afford one i'd get rid of all my other cars, because it turns the head of even most of the die hard ford/dodge guys...

 

i love custom vettes and this one certainly is unique!

i assume you have run the VIN to see what comes up? I would start there, you should be able to get a pretty good history from a certain perspective. Beyond that I think it's like bobs77 says, keep posting pics or bumping the thread once in awhile and see what turns up.

are the carbs red? it looks like it in one pic but in the other it is hard to tell. Could be a reflection?

 

No haven't run the VIN, wouldn't know where to start. Yes the carbs have been done to closely match the car.

 

just a stab in the dark of sorts, but see if you can match up the VIN on the C3 registry. perhaps an older owner registered there and you can try to get in touch with them for some history.

good luck

 

Nope, nothing on any Corvette registry I can find...