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I have been waiting to post these photos of my rear lamp fiber optics on the shifter plate. I did this about a year and a half after acquiring my 68. Since 68's have four taillights, I wanted to monitor all four of them! I found a used wiring harness and removed the two taillamp fiber optics. I bought an extra rear lens and cut and glued the pieces to the stock one.
Last edited by loup68; 03-21-2012 at 12:15 AM.
Reason: remove one word
Awesome! Are you sure that's not a photo shop job, Lou? Seriously, that looks like the General himself intended it to be that way. Why didn't Chevy think of that?
While I'm generally not into gimmicks that don't add to a car's performance, the fiber-optic lamp monitoring system on these cars was seriously cool for it's time. I also searched for and found a used fiber-optic harness because my original one was damaged. I wanted to make sure it all worked!
The Corvette vendors should sell replacement fiber-optic "wires" to repair these harnesses!
Awesome! Are you sure that's not a photo shop job, Lou? Seriously, that looks like the General himself intended it to be that way. Why didn't Chevy think of that?
While I'm generally not into gimmicks that don't add to a car's performance, the fiber-optic lamp monitoring system on these cars was seriously cool for it's time. I also searched for and found a used fiber-optic harness because my original one was damaged. I wanted to make sure it all worked!
The Corvette vendors should sell replacement fiber-optic "wires" to repair these harnesses!
You can get the fibre optics from Lectric Limited.
LemansBlue68, I also replaced my rear cover with a Muskegon Brakes cover for future safety. I was laid off in construction in 1973 and worked for 3 1/2 months at my buddies Sunoco gas station. Yea, 260 powered! I worked the afternoon shift and one day when I went there, there was a 68 white/red convertible up on the lift. I had seen white C-3's before, but at that time I had never seen another red interior one. I opened the driver side door while it was up in the air and checked out the interior. I went to close the door and it would not close! I about crapped my pants! My buddy, the owner, was going to kill me! I tried and tried but the door would not latch. Finally I tried letting down the ramp lift and thank God the door latched shut. Later convertibles have a tapered sleeve to keep the door in position.
Another time I had to work on a carburetor and I had never done that before. I had to hook up the choke coil and I lost the little wire "U" clip. He finally found another one for me. I'm sure that Q-jet owners know this but Q-jets would be hard to start the next day because of two plugs in the bottom leaking gas out of the float bowl over night. I also had my 327/350 hp motor die out at WOT getting on the freeway. Someone finally informed me that, that was because the float bowl is so small, that you could use up all of the gas out of it doing that.
I know that when I went to purchase my 68, I had absolutely no knowledge of how different the parts were on it as compared to a 69. I didn't even know one had a 327 and the other had a 350. Early to middle 68's did not have the front, center nose rod, the twist bracket on the end bumper brackets and the triangular brackets under the headlamp header. My nose eventually developed cracks where the front hood corners are.
I will give you guy's a tip that I have learned. To save brake line end fittings from rusting up, use RTV silicone on the last 3" of the brake line and fitting and even on the caliper body about 1/2". I also coated the bleeder screws with this stuff, making sure to seal up the end hole. This really seals out the water and rust. I do it to all of my cars. The little screws that hold the back of the gauges to the gauge bezel are another pain. I brazed small 10/32 allen head bolts onto the heads of the self tapping screws to make removing the whole back real easy. I never put the nuts back on the two studs at the bottom of the gauge bezel. With all of the other screws holding it, it doesn't move at all.
I also had trouble with the interior light dimmer burning out and then having to replace the headlamp switch. After the second one went, If I remember correctly, I jumpered out the rheostat part with a piece of sheet copper so that they were on full brightness all of the time, which is what I wanted. I still have that switch in the car now for maybe 31 years! One time I was getting a weird thumping noise when I would slow down to a stop. I had to take it to a Chevy dealer because I could not figure out what the heck was wrong, and it sounded life threatening. It was the front rubber mount on the rear differential had disintegrated. I had the car many years and miles and one of the rear wheel bearings seized on the stub axle and was actually shooting out sparks when I took the car to the Chevy dealer to have it fixed.
Remember the 68 white convertible on the lift? Well, the next day I got to meet the owner. My PO had put a switch in the middle of the driver side front consol trim panel, to turn on the 8 track player he had installed in the rear jack compartment. I had recovered it with some vinyl material but the grain pattern was different. This guy was gracious enough to give me his pristine one, for exchange of my recovered and painted one, because my car was in better shape than his.
Last edited by loup68; 05-13-2012 at 04:33 PM.
Reason: added spaces for paragraphs.
I will give you guy's a tip that I have learned. To save brake line end fittings from rusting up, use RTV silicone on the last 3" of the brake line and fitting and even on the caliper body about 1/2". I also coated the bleeder screws with this stuff, making sure to seal up the end hole. This really seals out the water and rust. I do it to all of my cars.
Continuing my story, You guy's (and vette girl's) will cringe at this one. An old mechanic at the dealer, by me, told me this story. I guy had a brand new 69 big block and brought it into the dealer for the first time to have the plugs changed on his 427. I have heard that big blocks ate spark plugs back then, after 500 miles. This mechanic went on about how the guy got so upset because HE USED A HOLE SAW ON THE INNER FENDER SKIRTS to get to the spark plugs !!! He could not understand why the guy got so upset, and belly ached about how fussy vette owners are. Let's see, I bought a 350 1969 camaro, new and it was about $3,000. A new 69 vette was at least $5-6,000. I would be upset too!
One of the first things to crap out on my car was the clock. I had the 68 service manual, read it and tried to take out the center gauge bezel. Naturally the upper portion snapped when I tugged on it. I tried to get a 68 bezel but the dealers didn't have them any more. I bought a 69 shop manual and in big bold letters it states, do not pull on the upper portion because it is made to break in an accident. Thankyou, GM. Ever since then, I always remove the passenger side dash to work on the center gauge area.
The 68 coupe has two interior lights in the rear quarter panels, but the rear deck area is dark. So I added the 69-up rear compartment lamp to see things back there. I drove my car for 4 1/2 years through two of the worst winters we ever had in Cleveland,Ohio, thanks to a divorce. My rocker panel studs and screws rotted off so I had to convert my rocker panels to the 70-76 style, plus they were a lot more resonably priced than the two piece 68-69 ones. I had changed my radiator support to the 69-up style,after mine rotted out and Chevy never asked us ( MTD ),to make any 68's all the while I worked there from 9-1974 to 2007. I switched to a 69 brass automatic radiator for extra cooling, since I was having trouble cooling my L-79, and the original aluminum one sprung a leak, even though I had changed anti-freeze every year. The aluminum radiators cost a fortune after they quit using them in the production vettes. I used a later plastic shroud but no lower shroud extension because they were no longer available. One day I took my teenage son for a short ride in winter to drive the vette. We started smelling maple syrup, and it being Sunday morning, we were both thinking it was someone cooking pancakes. When we get home from the short ride, we are still smelling maple syrup. I popped the hood and the lower radiator hose had shifted enough for the fan blade to puncture it. I have it tie-wrapped to the upper a arm shaft now. I know...bubba, but it works until I can get the extension.
Another time, late in my original motor's life, I started it and it was idling very weirdly. Mostly changing idle and going too slow and the engine would stall. I finally figured out that the 68 only oil fill tube, original chrome cap, was loose due to a flattened gasket and the vacuum was changing. I had a new cap and that cured my idle problem. So take note all you original 327 engine owners.
I let my 1st wife drive the vette for the first time alone. She came back home, put in the clutch and proceeded to let the car roll into the garage door and cracked the paint behind the point in the front bumper. She never drove it again, thank goodness. The car was new to us and did not have a mark on it yet.
This is years ago,when only Mid america and I think, Zip were around. I wanted to touch up my interior panels after using Mid America's seat cover on my driver seat and installing their new carpeting. I kept ordering 68-72 red interior dye and the color was the brick red on my original dash pad, not the bright red interior color. After trying twice, I gave up and was forced to repaint all the interior panels with a slightly redder exterior red lacquer touch- up paint. And yes it has finally cracked in a couple of spots like the lower shifter consol. As I said, there were no other corvette suppliers. Ecklers only sold aftermarket custom fiberglass back then and M.F. Dobbins was selling the first repro corvette air cleaner,valve cover and emissions stickers. That is how he started out before making the Vette Vues fact book. Then Mike Antonick came out with the wonderful series, Corvette, The Sensuous American. I have the complete set and I really hated it when he had to quit making the series, due to work constraints.
One of the younger die makers at work told me that he had bought a new 68 BB with the telescopic steering wheel. His wife was driving it alone and the wheel came off in her hands ! Talk about scarey! The car was only 3 1/2 months old and they sold it right away. Oh, this is rich, guess what type of car ALWAYS had to pass me on the freeway back then. And I mean always. A volkswagen beetle ! They would putt-putt by and act like they had really accomplished something by passing me! I guess it really made their day.
My 2nd wife and I, call my 68 coupe the RAIN MAGNET. Can you guess why? It can be a beautiful day here in Myrtle Beach with 20% chance of rain and the rain magnet will come through. I don't try to get it wet, because I am lucky to still have my driver after all I had to put her through in those 4 1/2 years after the divorce and could not afford another car for a daily driver. I have 110,000 miles now. We had to change the frame and that is another story that I will continue later. Hope you have enjoyed this, Lou Palfy.
Last edited by loup68; 08-07-2020 at 07:22 PM.
Reason: added spaces for paragraphs and some text.
H l68,
As a 41 year owner I'm enjoying some off your observations.
You mention that "they weren't meant to be daily drivers"....mine certainly was, and so were the Corvettes of most of the members of the Corvette Club I belonged to back then. Chevrolet certainly thought of them and advertised them as daily drivers.
Regards,
Alan
Alan, you old fart. I have owned my 70 454 coupe since early 71. It was most certainly my daily driver back then, driving back and forth to work every day. Gas was still cheap, less than $.40 if you looked hard enough. Prior to that,back in 68, after my dad was sure I could pay him back, he loaned me $3,400 for a 67 427 390hp roadster with air and two tops. Boy did I think I was hot chit Had it for about a year before it was stolen of a North St. Louis Mall Parking lot on Christmas eve in 69. The found it in a chop shop down in the fifth district near the old Sportsman ball park chopped to hell. If I knew then what I know now...... It then became my brothers turn for a loan, so he got this 69 convertible in 70. I now have it after his passing.
We drove the hell out of these cars back then. My 70 has been in and out of the ditch numerous times over the years. It was part of the fun of owning one.
Lets see, I think I have seen and worked all parts of the cars over the years.
timing chain gear
broken big block vave springs
rear wheel bearings
broken leaf springs
carburetors, Rochester and Holley...did I mention I hate carburetors
rear differentials coming apart from all the abuse.
lousy radios
water pumps....
to name a few of the more common issues.
Bullshark
BTW, they didn't drive worth a damn in the snow with those fiber glass bias tires back then.
MSRP on a '69 coupe in January of 1969 was $4781...$4871 in September 1969 a $90 increase.
MSRP on a convertible in January '69 was $4438...$4520 in September.
Somebody had to pay for that 10 week UAW strike.
PS Lou, multiple paragraphs are easier to read than all your thoughts jumbled up into one really, really big one.
69 chevy, You are quite right and thanks to "the boss", who worked in banking her whole life, I have corrected that.
Thank you for letting me know. I was in a hurry to post this after finding out about the 45 day rule.
MRSP is the base price, no? I meant that with options, the corvette was almost double what a new camaro was and I, or anyone would be upset with holes in a 6 month old car's inner fenders.
Last edited by loup68; 08-07-2020 at 07:37 PM.
Reason: added apostrophe.
I bought my 68 conv blue/blue on may 12 1973 from a friend who bought it new. I was 18 at the time and this was my first vette, it had 37000 miles. i also had a 69 camaro that i bought new when i turned 16. i was now a 2 car teenager. Yesterday was my 39th anniversary (5/12/2012) The vette now has 56000 miles, its had 1 repaint and new carpet in 2001, its always been stored inside and it looks like new.
PS Proposed to my lady of 39 years in that car the night of her high school graduation. still have her and the vette.
For all of you "new" chrome bumper owners,I want to let you know how it is to have one for 38 1/2 years. First of all,back then in my case was July 1972, a vette was just another used car. In Cleveland, Oh where I am from, no one wanted a used vette on their lot because they were stolen for the motors,transmissions and rear ends. The girl I got mine from, bought it from a used car lot that had an armed guard and a chain thru all the vettes frames! Having a 68, the first thing I changed was the ridiculous 67 huge steering wheel to a used 69 wheel so that my right leg could get in the car with me. Next to go was swapping the heavy P01 wheel covers to trim ring and caps. In summer 1973 we had the gas crunch and the 1st wife and I go for a ride about 25 miles away. I stop in a parking lot and I hear water running. There isn't any water around and I look under the car and gas is running out of the gas tank. There were no gas stations open on Sundays then. Talk about a scarry ride home! Turn's out my 5 year old gas tank got a 1/8" hole from the pickup sock collecting a thimble full of moisture and holding it against the bottom because it was installed wrong. Next were the calipers leaking. SSBC just started selling the first SS sleeved calipers that they invented (bless them). I get a front pair and they leaked when the gas station installed them. Did I mention I have squat for luck. Jonas,The owner of SSBC,had just hired someone for a 2nd shift and he had run out of loctite for the last 5 or 6 pairs and I lucked out again. Then a few years later I drove home from work and the engine starts squeeling horribly. After a friend took apart my 327/350 hp motor, we found out that the nylon teeth fell off of my aluminum timing chain gear and the plastic pieces blocked off the oil pickup and all of the main bearings turned blue and need replacing. I still can not believe that chevy did this on an engine that cranks to 6,000 rpm. You have to love these cars because they really were not ment to be daily drivers. I hope that you guy's enjoyed this and I will write more.
I do love my car. I know that it will give me more headaches and heartaches than a new car/truck would. I have a new Ford diesel truck in the garage and that's where it stays most of the time. If I go a day without driving my car I feel like the day was a waste. I used to always say that you can't buy happiness. I was wrong. I am totally committed till death do us part and bad or good, I plan to enjoy the journey.
I do love my car. I know that it will give me more headaches and heartaches than a new car/truck would. I have a new Ford diesel truck in the garage and that's where it stays most of the time. If I go a day without driving my car I feel like the day was a waste. I used to always say that you can't buy happiness. I was wrong. I am totally committed till death do us part and bad or good, I plan to enjoy the journey.
I am the only member allowed to dig up a 2 year old thread and reply.
On the other hand.......some threads are timeless!!!
I have one story from Lou, who by the way him and his wife Linda are great people for sure. Anyway while on the forum posting pictures of my recent rotted out windshield frame from my 69 I was very upset. To the point of throwing in the towel. Next thing I know Lou is introducing himself and mentioning to me that he might try to stop by to help. Well I thought he was driving by Va. on a trip and he would stop in to say hi. No Lou and Linda drove about 7 hours from Mrytle Beach to Roanoke Va in his 68 vette just to try and cheer me up and continue my restore. They stayed a few days and Lou mentioned to me that when it rains the inside of the vette takes on water. Of course it started to rain shortly after he arrived. I had an open bay so we put his car indoors. A great guy that I will never forget what they both did. I did a surprise visit to Lou and Linda home in SC a few months later. Good Time.................................... ........................................ ..............
Hi Lou and Linda
1968 very clean vette. Lou's pride and joy Protected from the elements while visiting
Tony, doorgunner, thank you for diging this up in 2014!
Carl, cor66vette, thank you so much for finding and resurrecting my old post! And you have prodded me to have to continue my story as soon as I can.
Roger, rvzio, Thank you for the wonderful story and photos of my "Rain Magnet"! Linda and I had such a great time meeting you and Valerie on that trip. And you have no idea how grateful
I was to get my rusty "beater" out of the rain. It has suffered enough from being all I had from a divorce and me having to drive it for four and a half years through Cleveland, Ohio salt before
I was able to get another car to drive every day. Lou.
03-20-2012, 10:09 PM
68- All 4 tail lights monitored via fiber optics
I have owned my 70 454 coupe since early 71. It was most certainly my daily driver back then, driving back and forth to work every day. Gas was still cheap, less than $.40 if you looked hard enough. Prior to that,back in 68, after my dad was sure I could pay him back, he loaned me $3,400 for a 67 427 390hp roadster with air and two tops. Boy did I think I was hot chit
Had it for about a year before it was stolen of a North St. Louis Mall Parking lot on Christmas eve in 69. The found it in a chop shop down in the fifth district near the old Sportsman ball park chopped to hell. If I knew then what I know now...... It then became my brothers turn for a loan, so he got this 69 convertible in 70. I now have it after his passing.
