250rider3

Hello everyone, I'm new to the site and i just wanted to introduce myself and say hello! I have a predicament I'd like to run across you guys, but more about that later....

So I'm 22, my name is Corey, and I have a 1975 Stingray. I've previously owned a 1985 Pontiac Fiero (yeah yea, if you would have seen it you wouldnt be smirking) that my dad owned for about a year using as a daily driver to get to work and handed down to me. I rebuilt the thing from ground up all through high school and by the time i graduated, the car looked completely different. I ended up taking a car my dad bought for 200 bucks, dumped my spare cash and spare time into and after 4 years resold it for 5 grand. I do miss it, sure was a fun project, but i needed the room for a new project.

Right after high school i joined the Air Force and soon after basic training i bought the Corvette. I've owned the Vette for almost 3 years now and I love it!! (thats my car in my avatar at a car show near base last year, won 1st place in the C3 class!)

Anyway, for whom it may concern (or interested) heres my dilemma. The corvette is nearly bone stock except for the 350 SB in it that pushes out over 400 HP, side pipes, and the look-like-stock-radio, and its in really really good condition. The only issues with it being the fact that the hookers rusted out on it so the side pipes need swapped (wont do chome again...) and the heater core took a dump (whose hasnt??) so it would be a huge shame to turn it into a project car considering the shape the car is in. **I still have the matching #'s engine for it too!!**

SOO... do i tear apart this perfectly good car to widen the fenders, ruining the paint job and otherwise flawless body, and store the immaculate wheels that wont look right on a flared vette in exchange for wider rims? OR Sell the car ( ) which would hurt, and take the cash that it would be worth to find a POS that i could actually tinker with? ORRRR have TWO vetts!!! which i very-unfortunately dont have any room for.

My final option would be to go non-project and just do minor repairs to the 30 year old car which, lets be honest, gets pretty boring...

AAAANNYWAY, I'm currently deployed to japan right now which is pretty cool but i cant do a thing until i get back in a few months... and you can bet I'm saving every cent of my pay to put into the long awaited wrench turning I'm itching to do now.

This forum is by far the best one I've seen so far, I'm very happy to be a part of your family and i look forward to meeting you all!

Thanks! Corey

Jig A Low

Hey Corey, and welcome to the site.

I'm no 'Vette expert, but I would immagine that you would be better off selling the car to someone who wants a nice "almost original" '75 and get a new project car, seems a shame to tear down something that really doesn't need it.

there are lots of these beauties sitting and waiting for someone to come along and save them from the scrap yards.

maybe we should start a new orginization "P.E.T.O.V" People for the Ethical Treatment Of Vette's.


oh, and thanks for serving and keeping our country "the only place to be".

Easy Mike

Why not wait until you return to the States to make any decisions? A lot can change between now and then.

John 65

Hi Corey, thank you for your service and welcome to the forum. When you are home and have the time, put the original motor back in it and sell it for a car that you can put your flares on to. These rubber bumper cars are still somewhat affordable and offer a big bang for the buck. Looks like now that the car is pretty much finished its time for another project. Nuttin wrong with that my friend!

Street Rat

Welcome to the club.

FASTAZU

Welcome, And thank you for helping to keep us all free. Ultimately its up to you, Good luck with your project.

oldsarge

Learning_Curve

If you sell your car for a beater you're going to be spending time and money just getting it up too where your car is now. I went that route and started with a parts car to build my restomod. I'm going to have way more in it than I'll ever be able to sell it for.

You can do a lot of projects to improve your current car that could still be undone when a 1975 becomes collectable. Just keep the parts you take off and don't cut anything up.

Btw, you can get (up) to a 9.5 inch wide wheel with a 285mm width tire in the back without adding flares. If you go with a 18 inch diameter, you may not even have to move the parking brake cable.

Black & Tan

Thank you for your service to this great country. You should do what you want to do and if you love this car go ahead and make it your own by making the changes you like. There are plenty of original C3 Corvettes (the best looking of all cars ever made, IMHO) so follow your heart and enjoy your Vette as soon as you can.

Dustup7T2

Thanks for your service, Corey and welcome to the forum. Lots of good information available here.

Read up on how to post pictures because we love pictures of your current or future projects. A picture explains a ton of data when troubleshooting or collecting information.

IMHO, wait until you get home before making final decisions. If you show us what you have and where you want to go, there will be a lot of opinions to sort through to get there.

Meanwhile, good luck and save the wave.

my 76 ray

I like this suggestion best. If you put the original engine back in, you can keep the 400 hp engine to put in a car that isn't so original. You don't have to buy a basket case project. You can find a lot of cars that are already missing the original engines and can never be put back to original.

250rider3

Wow, really good suggestions here! First I want to thank you all for your support, all of us in the forces greatly appreciate it. Makes what we do worth it every day.

I had been thinking about what i want to do myself but you know how it is, sometimes you just need to bounce it off those who can appreciate the weight of the decision.

So, Easy Mike, Dustup7T2, youre exactly right. I'm certainly not going to make up my mind until a while after i return... and after i drive her again more than a few times because that may be the deciding factor in itself! Just gives me something to think about in the down time here.

John 65 thats a really good idea, to swap out the engines and sell it as original. That would be a fun project to do. Then to build on it, i like your idea My 76 Ray, to buy a car without an engine because one like that would be a much cheaper buy. Then swap the 400 hp engine in that one. I may just do that if I dont just take Learning Curves idea of swapping out stuff to customize it but keeping the original hardware.

I guess the first few drives will tell. If i can bear to live without driving it, time to trade it for a project. I have a feeling once i get behind the wheel again, though, it wont be going anywhere.

So heres the Fiero! Like i said i sold it but this was my project all through high school. Kept me out of trouble. ...for the most part...

**this isnt my old car, i couldnt find a true before picture**

Mine was in much worse shape with a terrible paint job that wore off, a busted front bumper, and a tattered interior.



Heres a couple progress pictures:


It was an SE with the body panels and bumpers like the car in the before photo but since they were pretty beat up i decided to swap them all out for GT panels, which in my opinion looked better.

Removed the luggage rack and swapped for a spoiler, new rims and tires, lowered 2" front and back, installed coilovers in the rear, paint job corvette blue (ironically, this was prior to owning a corvette), reupholstered the whole interior including the door panels, and i custom fabricated the hood scoops and added quarter panel scoops i found on a forum for Fieros.
Mostly just all body work, didnt really touch the engine.





And after:








And the Corvette:










Thanks to all for the replies!! I feel very welcomed!!!

kenpofan

Corey ,

Welcome aboard and a heartfelt thank you for your service..
As to the Vette.. I agree with EasyMike..take some time as much can change in a moments notice..

Patrick " Kenpofan"

John 65

They look great ! If you still had that little fiero, I think a fun project would have been to put a 350 in it. Stay safe.

my 76 ray

After seeing the pictures of the Vette, there's no way I would put flares on it. It's way too nice and nearly original. If you're not going to drive it I would definitely put the original engine in and sell it.

250rider3

I always wanted to do that! I actually did some research on it and a Buick 3800 or a Caddy Northstar were easily swapped in it. A supercharger would easily clear the decklid to (it was a mid engine car with the motor in the back instead of under the hood).

Unfortunately I never bothered to save the cash for the swap and decided to sell it as-was, a 4 cylinder lol

my 76 ray yeahh thats why I was leaning toward selling it for a project but man its almost too nice to even get rid of haha I'll play it by ear for awhile but i think I'll hold off on a project for awhile...

Thanks for the warm welcome Kenpofan!

Bremquest

If you want a challenge that will keep you busy when you return, your should become an NCRS member and go after top flight, all original, NO FLARES, and just a fun sickness to catch

250rider3

You have my attention... I'll do some research on that. I'm assuming the pipes and the non matching engine have to be swapped out to make it-excuse my ignorance if i misunderstood- top flight?