Biggest Regrets?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
1) I love a good mod as much as anyone here, but urge anyone who isn't sure of what they have to do some homework before modding or selling a car in case it turns out to be an ultra rare/collectable model. That said, please don't confuse an odd color combination or low/no-option rubber bumper C3 as necessarily being a highly desirable specimen.
My regret; back in the day I let a '70 ZR1 fall thru my hands.
2) Unless you're absolutely certain you won't find yourself wishing you could restore a mod back to original, try not to do anything that will be difficult to undo later. If you don't understand how best to do this, become a student of the item in question first. And, if you aren't sure what to do with anything you do remove, hold on to it until you are.
My regret; rather than fully restoring a stolen, wrecked and recovered '69 GS Stage 1 convertible (100% genuine article), we converted it into a door slammer, tho a dead serious one.
3) Also, except for field expedient repairs (and in some cases even then), resist the urge to cut corners that will only result in extra work for you or the next owner down the road.
I plead the 5th here.
My regret; back in the day I let a '70 ZR1 fall thru my hands.
2) Unless you're absolutely certain you won't find yourself wishing you could restore a mod back to original, try not to do anything that will be difficult to undo later. If you don't understand how best to do this, become a student of the item in question first. And, if you aren't sure what to do with anything you do remove, hold on to it until you are.
My regret; rather than fully restoring a stolen, wrecked and recovered '69 GS Stage 1 convertible (100% genuine article), we converted it into a door slammer, tho a dead serious one.
3) Also, except for field expedient repairs (and in some cases even then), resist the urge to cut corners that will only result in extra work for you or the next owner down the road.
I plead the 5th here.
Last edited by TheSkunkWorks; May 17, 2012 at 09:49 PM.
1969/1971/2021 Coupes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,212
Likes: 80
From: Port Huron MI
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Pay attention to what the He11 I'm doing when ordering parts. Last night I recieved the 2nd part for my 69 that wasn't correct (but my fault) because I didn't pay attention to "with air vs without air." First item was a color coded wiring diagram from Doc Rebuild (not a real big deal). Big screw-up was when I recieved my new radiator support last night and found that it will work on my 71 that has air but not on my 69that doesn't. 
I don't know about all of you but I HATE returning stuff through the mail and rarely ever do it
Terry
I don't know about all of you but I HATE returning stuff through the mail and rarely ever do it
Terry
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
From: Cary NC
I regret not looking for the hard to get parts when I first purchased the car rather than scrambling to get them now. I'd probably change my spending habits back then a bit to if I had done that, and I'd have a lot more saved up for the project, rather than spending every paycheck on the car, and trying not to touch my savings account.
Also probably would have started on the car a whole lot sooner if I had the parts coming in. Even stupid stuff gets me excited when it comes in the mail. I also regret buying reproduction bumper guards. If I had the time to shop around for them I'd be able to find some originals cheap to rechrome, now I'm going to end up rechroming brand new repros because I hate them.
Also probably would have started on the car a whole lot sooner if I had the parts coming in. Even stupid stuff gets me excited when it comes in the mail. I also regret buying reproduction bumper guards. If I had the time to shop around for them I'd be able to find some originals cheap to rechrome, now I'm going to end up rechroming brand new repros because I hate them.
Last edited by Vinnievega; May 17, 2012 at 08:42 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
My biggest Corvette related regrets:
1) In the mid 90's I had a chance to trade my '69 Z28 for a fully documented '67 427/435 Coupe plus some cash. We were off by a coouple grand so I told the guy I'd get back with him. A day later I called him back to accept the deal and he had sold the '67. A classic case of snoozing and losing.
2) I listened to the seller's wife of a '72 454 convertible and stopped to see the car at 6:00 in the evening instead of 5:00 like I wanted. I arrived promptly at 6:00 as I was told just in time to witness the new owner had over a check to buy the car. Aaaarrgghhh!
3) I threw out my '68's old carpet before getting new carpet. I didn't realize that the seat belt grommets that were stapled to that old carpet were '68 only. It cost me about $80 to find a pair of used grommets. Live and learn.
For the previous poster who laments throwing out his old carpet because he lost where to put the new holes, I used a soldering iron and stuck it through all of the holes and used it to burn holes in the new carpet to mark where they should go.
1) In the mid 90's I had a chance to trade my '69 Z28 for a fully documented '67 427/435 Coupe plus some cash. We were off by a coouple grand so I told the guy I'd get back with him. A day later I called him back to accept the deal and he had sold the '67. A classic case of snoozing and losing.
2) I listened to the seller's wife of a '72 454 convertible and stopped to see the car at 6:00 in the evening instead of 5:00 like I wanted. I arrived promptly at 6:00 as I was told just in time to witness the new owner had over a check to buy the car. Aaaarrgghhh!
3) I threw out my '68's old carpet before getting new carpet. I didn't realize that the seat belt grommets that were stapled to that old carpet were '68 only. It cost me about $80 to find a pair of used grommets. Live and learn.
For the previous poster who laments throwing out his old carpet because he lost where to put the new holes, I used a soldering iron and stuck it through all of the holes and used it to burn holes in the new carpet to mark where they should go.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,352
Likes: 1
From: Westminster Maryland
I regret not buying a pair of mid-year 427 4 speed cars that were for sale by a dealer here when I was 16. $8500 for the black 67, and $10,000 for the white 66!!!
P.S. Both were convertibles....
P.S. Both were convertibles....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
Likes: 649
From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
I'm not sure I regret it, but when I was looking at 68/69's and eventually decided I couldn't live with the ugly interior I wish it would have occurred to me to look at 69's needing an interior and consider swapping in a 79 interior.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,644
Likes: 479
From: OK
Breaking in to Atwoods storage and stealing a whole set of tires for my buddies 67 corvette......this was back when I was high school. I hope the limitations has run out
...I still feel bad about doing that
......this was back when I was high school. I hope the limitations has run out...I still feel bad about doing that
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 912
Likes: 47
From: Kansas City MO
Got a bad case of "while I was at it" and now doing a body-off restoration. My 71 vert has been off the road for about 3yrs now with probably about 3-5 more years to go. Should have just stuck to fixing the little things and kept it drivable...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Putting in this dash "cap" that came with the car. After about 4 hours in the AZ sun it's so warped in the center it looks like a lasagna noodle.
Waiting so long to own a Vette. Should have gone for it YEARS ago.
Waiting so long to own a Vette. Should have gone for it YEARS ago.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 1
From: Belle River Ontario
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
I'm really not sure if i regret this yet or not , I removed my spare tire tub and bracket.
Repainted everything and re-installed but i'm not overly crazy about it.
Thoughts?
Repainted everything and re-installed but i'm not overly crazy about it.
Thoughts?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 1
From: Belle River Ontario
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
Thanks ...
Exactly what i thought , i didn't think it was going to stand out as much as it does.
I think over the weekend i will pull it back down and maybe go with a gloss black on the straps.
Tub itself is flat black.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 1
From: Belle River Ontario
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
