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I have looked for a good starter C3 for years. This year I was clearing out my garage of a 94 Z28 to a family, the father helped me with some wiring and installing a sub-panel among some other things. His girl was getting old enough to drive in a few years, so I told him he could have it. Apparently he had been keeping an eye on a 77 Corvette that belonged to a friend of theirs. A young single mother, she inherited it from her father. She was considering selling it, however did not want to sell it to just anyone. I gave her a very fair price for the car and we both came out ahead.
The car is not without problems. I did drive it around the neighborhood carefully. The brakes were really bad, and with every bump, came a jerk where it felt like you needed to correct the steering.
Look forward to doing a resto-mod and learning from everyone here how to do it right.
Here is a video its an L48 and a solid place to start.
Thanks! Yeah I am warming up to the red interior. I guess the first part is also learning the proper terminology. The correct description may be that the half shaft yoke is pulling out of the differential?
Thanks! Yeah I am warming up to the red interior. I guess the first part is also learning the proper terminology. The correct description may be that the half shaft yoke is pulling out of the differential?
and even more specific, the half shaft is worn and allowing it to move inside the differential. Common issue, not terribly difficult to fix and not that expensive. That could also be the source of your steering issues.
My wife and I are the proud owners of a 1979 silver Corvette. My father-in-law owned this beauty for most of its life. We always talked about how when he was ready to hang up his wild side, he would sell it to us. This conversation went on for years and years. About 4 years ago, my father-in-law went to work and unfortunately never made it back home. He was involved in a work place accident that claimed his life. At the age of 72, he was still working his butt off running his own company and then cruising the Black Hills on the weekends. Several weeks after his accident, we approached his wife and asked about purchasing the car. We told her we would give her a fair price for it. She laughed at our offer and said there would be no deal. Now, as a side note, my wife values cars for insurance companies and knows her stuff about cars and car values. So the offer we made was more than fair. Anyways, after being turned down, we thought our dream was over. A month or so later, I heard through the grape vine that she was having an auction. And the Vette was listed on the flyer. The day of the auction, I got up early and drove 350 miles to be there and try to bring OUR car home. The auction proceeded and to make a long story short, when all was said and done, I bought OUR car. And.....for way less than we originally offered her. She actually tried to "no sale" the car when the bidding stopped, until I pointed out that the auction flyer stated "all sales final" - "no reserve". Needless to say, that was the end of our relationship with my wife's step-mother, but the beginning of what will be a enjoyable long term relationship with our 1979 Corvette.
I grew up around corvettes, with my father owning six or seven of them. I would say he was kind of a corvette freak! It was time for another corvette, so he called his local corvette dealer in Paramus, NJ and asked for a specific vette. He wanted a 76 L-82 with factory A/C and power windows. The owner stated that he had one coming in on the truck that day. My father instructed him not to touch the car and leave it on the hauler until he could get there and look at it. Well the hauler arrived, my father went and looked at the car and bought it on the spot. He then took it to a engine "tuner" near where we lived, in Jersey and had some engine work done to it. My father showed the car in car shows and won several awards with the car. Being that I was only three to four years old at the time, I only viewed then vette as being another car. Well as a year or two passed, a close friend of my father begged him to sell the car to him, which he did. The car, from what I understand remained with this person for years, until he sold it to a close friend of his. This close friend found paper work in the car with my fathers name on it and tracked him down. They kept in touch over the years as the new owner wanted more information on the car. As I grew older I remembered the vette's of my younger years and became very fond of the 76-79 years. My goal, to own one. Then, last year my fathers 76 was offered to us, for sale, to get it back into the family. It was still all original with really nothing done to it over the years. It has only 43K on it and still looked like it came off the hauler, in the pictures that were sent to me. So, I sold my Victory Cross Country, saved up some more cash, and last Saturday drove 14 hours to North Carolina, and am now the proud owner of my fathers 1976 L-82 Corvette.
I recently brought my dads 74 Stingray from Colorado Springs to Phoenix. My dad bought this his junior year at the Air Force Academy. When I was little I remember driving with my mom and dad - I could actually fit in the rear compartment! (Try that now and CPS and a SWAT team would be called....). He and I drove it from Jackson TN to Tampa - it was overheating so we had to turn the heat on (in the summer!) to cool the engine off. I was around 15 for that.
Always loved the car. Always wanted and dreamed of having it growing up. Unfortunately he passed away from Alzheimer's 6 years ago. It's almost all original - 80k miles on the odometer. Overall it's running well. Just starting to delve into the items that need replacing (starter, parking brake, seat foam are first in my list. A/C given that I live in AZ).
Very much a sentimental thing for me. I even left his AFA graduate stickers in the rear window.
Great story. Our German Shephard Samson (Sam) used to ride in the rear deck of my '69. Sam is gone but my love of Corvettes (and Dam) is still in my heart.
I recently brought my dads 74 Stingray from Colorado Springs to Phoenix. My dad bought this his junior year at the Air Force Academy. When I was little I remember driving with my mom and dad - I could actually fit in the rear compartment! (Try that now and CPS and a SWAT team would be called....). He and I drove it from Jackson TN to Tampa - it was overheating so we had to turn the heat on (in the summer!) to cool the engine off. I was around 15 for that.
Always loved the car. Always wanted and dreamed of having it growing up. Unfortunately he passed away from Alzheimer's 6 years ago. It's almost all original - 80k miles on the odometer. Overall it's running well. Just starting to delve into the items that need replacing (starter, parking brake, seat foam are first in my list. A/C given that I live in AZ).
Very much a sentimental thing for me. I even left his AFA graduate stickers in the rear window.
Great story. My dad also bought his Corvette when he was at the Academy. Unfortunately I was too young to remember it before it was wrecked and he sold it. Nonetheless, I've always loved the C3 and his was the reason I bought my 68. The old man loves to ride in it!
Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of having a Corvette Stingray. Even to this day I excitedly have to point out Corvettes I see driving down the road. My idea of my dream corvette shifted and changed through the years, but I always knew I wanted a beautiful old C3.
I knew the day would come someday...but I had to be responsible first. Got through college, bought a practical car (a Honda Fit), got a nice job...
All of a sudden, just a month ago, I realized I was one payment away from paying off my car. It struck me that I could finally hunt down my dream car.
I started searching everywhere, and soon formed a fresh idea of what C3 I wanted - research formed strong ideas on price, car quality, year, options, everything. I wanted a 78 or 79, manual, as original as possible, and previously babied.
And then, I found it. On craigslist of all places, 1.5 hours south, I spotted a beautiful car at a great deal with literally everything I wanted. I stared at the pictures of it for days waiting for a response on the car. Finally went down to test drive it and I knew it was the one. Got it for a wonderful price of 8,700. Black with red leather interior, original everything, 65k miles, two owners where the previous owner had it for 25 years and only drove it on sunny days, not a speck of rust on the frame, L82 engine, fun as hell manual transmission... It was perfect.
I always knew I would be able to get my dream but who knew I could reach it so soon! I am so excited to baby this car for the next several decades. The previous owner was not driving it much any more and it feels good to know I will help breathe new life into the car (and I live right by Lake Michigan so lots of summery beachy driving ahead with the tops off!)
Driving it home the other night was one of the best moments of my life. I don't think the joy of owning this car will ever wear off.
Great Story!! I also live right by Lake Michigan and bought my 76 in May of 2017. I love driving along the lakeshore with the T-tops off. Hope all is going well with you and your dream car. Paul
My brother bought the '78 Anniversary edition in '81 with about 18,000 miles. He drove it for a few years around Chicago only in the summer. Then for the last 14 years, it sat in his garage until last Sept when he needed to sell it to make room in his garage for his new Tesla. So, I offered $6,000 and he accepted. It had 31,000+ miles. While I assumed that being garaged and protected, it'd need a couple grand to make it road worthy. Big Mistake. EVERYTHING was rusted out - including the notorious windshield cage. When I pulled on the emergency brake, everything underneath fell to the floor! Well, about $10 grand later, it runs just fine. Needs seats, carpeting, a little insulation between the firewall and floorboards and a new paint job but that's for next year. I plan on driving the Blue Ridge Parkway this fall. I Can't Wait!! I'm like a little kid. I've had five offers to buy it already.
My brother bought the '78 Anniversary edition in '81 with about 18,000 miles. He drove it for a few years around Chicago only in the summer. Then for the last 14 years, it sat in his garage until last Sept when he needed to sell it to make room in his garage for his new Tesla. So, I offered $6,000 and he accepted. It had 31,000+ miles. While I assumed that being garaged and protected, it'd need a couple grand to make it road worthy. Big Mistake. EVERYTHING was rusted out - including the notorious windshield cage. When I pulled on the emergency brake, everything underneath fell to the floor! Well, about $10 grand later, it runs just fine. Needs seats, carpeting, a little insulation between the firewall and floorboards and a new paint job but that's for next year. I plan on driving the Blue Ridge Parkway this fall. I Can't Wait!! I'm like a little kid. I've had five offers to buy it already.
Well I can see how this is going to play out .
After a few years , he`s going to come back to you and offer about $12,000.00 then go up to as high as $15,000.00
Then he`s going to lay the guilt thing on you about taking him down hard (profit wise) on his own car !
When that doesn't work, he goes into the sentimental mode.
About how he got lucky in that car with Darralu. So , it has a special meaning to it.
After all else fails, he`ll come to you oh about 3 or 5 times a year and ask to borrow it for the day or the evening , and if he`s really bold for the weekend.
But it will take only once , just once , when you notice a scratch or chip and you go to him and point it out, when he replies " that was already there "
Brothers..................you gotta love em !
You just gotta.
Like many, love muscle cars. My Dad passed away several years ago and wanted to spend time with my boys, so purchased a '68 Vette. Knew there were issues, hard to tell extent, but believe purchased correctly.
Trailered it home, spent some time getting it running... basic start, run stop. Unfortunately, original 427 was gone, now Gen VI 454 and electronic fuel pump. Had new 4 speed M22 transmission built... electrical problems galore. Just finished rewiring entire car, new alternator, new distributor, radio and vacuum lines.
Up next, steering box and checking steering components. Problem is rear main seal is leaking... pretty bad. Hate to remove tranny or lift engine. Otherwise, going ok and my boys have been fantastic!
My brother bought the '78 Anniversary edition in '81 with about 18,000 miles. He drove it for a few years around Chicago only in the summer. Then for the last 14 years, it sat in his garage until last Sept when he needed to sell it to make room in his garage for his new Tesla. So, I offered $6,000 and he accepted. It had 31,000+ miles. While I assumed that being garaged and protected, it'd need a couple grand to make it road worthy. Big Mistake. EVERYTHING was rusted out - including the notorious windshield cage. When I pulled on the emergency brake, everything underneath fell to the floor! Well, about $10 grand later, it runs just fine. Needs seats, carpeting, a little insulation between the firewall and floorboards and a new paint job but that's for next year. I plan on driving the Blue Ridge Parkway this fall. I Can't Wait!! I'm like a little kid. I've had five offers to buy it already.
I know what you mean! All that glitters is not golden or in my case silver! My '79 has "gremlins" or a curse on it. The horn stopped tooting, the A/C failed and the electric antenna failed within a month of my purchasing it.. I've been able to marginally repair the A/C so it kinda' works on moderately warm days. I replaced the antenna after it failed but the new replacement failed, once again, after about a week. It went up and stayed up. Yesterday I tried hooking up another replacement antenna in exactly the same way and it refused to move up, down or sideways , no clicking or clacking from it. I've chased the power all through the system but,right now, I'm sort of convinced there is a "hidden hand" controlling my car. I thought I had the horn fixed by replacing a couple of parts in the steering column. It worked fine after that until I crossed the one week Rubicon snd then it quit. Yesterday while fooling around with the antenna, I accidentally hit the horn button and it tooted. I'm thinking about getting someone to conduct an exorcism on the car. Anybody know a car priest?
Phil
I grow up in Frankfurt am Main Germany and I saw all theese Harleys and Cool Cars from the Gi`s so i decide when I am 18 i need 3 things
1st A Chopper,2nd A Corvette 3rd Chicks which dressep up like Prostitutes.the 2nd Whish was the Last come true.I was over 3 Years on the way to find the Corvette that i need.I read Buyers Guide How to Restore Sevice Manuals an Spare parts cataloges to make me fit for Buying a C3 I saw in this time many expensive Dump,and than I saw the 76 with the Ecklers Front.The price was right in Germany the most people want a Original Corvette but I think you have 2 Choppers so F...Stock also by the Corvette-no Vac no leaks. The Corvette is rust free I only restored the Seats ,the rest is in good condition the car runs top German Autbahn prooved.No heat or Oil problems Iam a Lucky Customiser. Jürgen
Ever since I was a kid I was I was obsessed with the C3 Stingray, and I always have been. I had only actually been in one once, when a buddy of mine in high school had his dad's one day.
At recent family affair I learned a relative of mine had one a, '75 and was thinking about selling it. My wife, bless her soul, said "he's always wanted one of those."
He didn't really want to part with it, but as he is getting close to retiring and has a couple other cars, we made a deal.
It's a great looking car with no major issues that runs great.
So although the '75 may not be the most desirable year for a C3, a lifelong dream of mine has been fulfilled, and that's good enough for me.
07-17-2017, 09:01 PM
How I came about owning my C3
