Well it's my first post, so I might as well start with an introduction. My name is Chase. I'm 21 years old, and I just purchased my first project. It was originally an L36 427 1969 Corvette 4-speed, Cortez silver and I believe a red interior. Now the car is helicopter red (Looks like a home job), a black interior, and what appears to be a Frankenstein L46 350. The goal: a reliable driver, restored/modified to my meager young man's budget and vast free time and energy. I'm creating this thread to share my journey and ask for lots and lots of help.
http://imgur.com/Gzx5Auu
http://imgur.com/F77ndbh
http://imgur.com/FtJYk9u
The night I brought her home:
http://imgur.com/ZMsvk5m
The best I could get the paint to polish up:
http://imgur.com/SP47XVN


Engine ID:
First, I could really use some help identifying what this engine is. PO states it's a 69 L46 in a 75 block. The heads are 186, the carb is off of a 69 L46, the block is indeed from a 1975 vette, and I don't know how to identify anything else without tearing it down. The intake manifold is stamped Bino Order (??? the stamp is pretty worn down) 8488672 (I think). I'm not sure how accurate the tach is, it bounces and the engine sounds pretty wrung out by 4500rpm reading. I don't want to destroy the engine, so I'm a little scared to take it another 1500rpm to supposed red-line. I'll be changing the engine oil soon, maybe I should try to take the oil pan off and try to get a look at the crankshaft? I have quite a bit on my plate with this car at the moment, so I'm hoping to avoid taking too much apart right now. Especially because the engine runs very well.

A bad differential?:
Second, I'm getting a whirring noise from the rear end. It is only with the clutch engaged with the car moving in any gear. Not really noticeable in acceleration, somewhat controllable while maintaining constant speed, and a shuddering during coasting/deceleration. In 3rd gear, deceleration around 1500rpm, the whole car shudders a pretty uncomfortable amount. The engine rpm remains constant. The noise, pretty clearly coming from the differential area. I put the car on jack stands and replaced the oil in the tranny and diff. Both were properly filled, but in pretty good need of a change. Small leak on the shifter linkage cover, but otherwise nothing. Noise and problem did not go away... can't really tell if it got any better, I don't think so. No play in the driveshaft or half-shafts, though they are a little rusty and dirty. I hear that I can't put the car in gear with the rear wheels in the air or it will bind the U-joints, so I'm not sure how to pinpoint it...I'm guessing it is the differential. My mechanic quoted me $350 if he can get it fixed doing the minimum, and $650 if it needs everything. I'm hesitant to attempt this myself with my somewhat limited tools and very limited experience, but I'm on a pretty tight budget until spring. I'm not sure how much I could save by attempting this myself (or screw up), but I would like to have the opportunity to clean and paint everything before putting it back on. Here is a short video my friend took while driving normally. It sounds louder in person, and more so since I fixed the exhaust manifold leak.



Electrical/Lighting Part I:
Third, when I bought the car the headlights worked perfectly, turns signals work, and a one taillight would go out when you hit the brakes. The turn signals still work great, headlight vacuum works great, the taillight started functioning properly on its own, but now I have a headlight issue. The lowbeams only go on with the highbeams. I click on the brights, and all 4 light up, otherwise it is dark up front. I'm not sure why this happened, but I lost one low beam at a time within 24 hours of each other. I checked the connection up front, and it all seems fine. I'm not really sure where to go from here. Could it be the switch in the car? I have a haynes repair manual and an assembly manual, but the instructions/diagrams aren't really that clear.

Things done:
Clean/Polish/Wax
Exhaust clamp replaced
Exhaust manifold leak fixed
Tranny/Diff fluid changed


Things left to do:
Interior lights
Gauge lights/Secondary gauges
Windshield wiper motor/switch
Seat and carpet replacement
Underbody restoration/protection
Sway bar linkage
Drivers side quarter panel replacement
Paint
Leaky T-top
Emergency brake
Shifter linkage adjustment/replacement
Reverse lights
Mirrors
Weatherstripping/window issues
Springs/Suspension

 

Nice looking corvette. Good to see young guys who like these cars and are willing to put work into them.

 

Welcome, 69 Is a great year, I have had a great time with mine, good luck
David

 

I had a 65 fuelie when I was 20, just sold a 76 that's on the forum in the general area called my 76,lJust got my 69 and starting to rebuild rear suspension, Iam 65, never to young to young to start. Regards R

 

That noise in the differential may completely disappear with a fluid change. Use the GM lubricant and the positraction additive. Make sure you pour in the total contents of the additive first, then fill the case up to the lower edge of the fill hole with the lubricant. You will have some lubricant left over. Don't overfill, it will just come out the case vent when hot and make a mess.

Good luck with your project.

 

Hi C,
New, old, Corvette for you! VERY NICE!
This may be the perfect car for you since they respond well to people that may not have lots of cash but DO HAVE lots of time and energy.
PLUS, being a 69, the car is worth putting your time and energy into!
Perhaps you might consider buying the 1969 GM Chassis Service Manual. This was the book used by the service techs at the dealerships. Also consider buying the 1969 Assembly Instruction Manual, (AIM). This is the set of engineering DRAWINGS that were used to assemble the car originally in St.Louis.
Both these books are available from some of the parts vendors listed on the left side of this page. Corvette Central, Zip, Paragon Corvette Reproductions, to name a few.
GOOD LUCK!
Regards,
Alan

 

FYI,

An L36 would have a tach that would redline to 5,600 rpm, if it redlines at 6,000 rpm it was probably a 350 not a 427 originally.

Do you have documentation that it was a 427 at one time?

Looks like a nice car.

If the engine is not making any strange noises and it runs well, I would not pull the pan, don't see any reason to disturb the crank shaft etc. If you need more HP (and who doesn't) then you have a lot of expense ahead of you.

I would drive the car and fix what has to be done, then you can evaluate your future changes will getting to enjoy it.

 

Did you buy this car?
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3s-...350-350-a.html

Can't view the photos on my work computer but it sounds like the same car.

 

welcome.... reminds me when I was 23 and had that once raced 66 BB convertible , it was a mess, and yet it was my only car to drive 90 mies a day , gas was cheap , but it still hurt , wages were slim in the early 80's. lol.......me and my wife broke down an bought a used Plymouth horizon. .....hee hee hee.

that's a great looking year C3 .....you chose wisely my young friend.........

find ya BB. 502 or something to go back in it.......

 

Thanks for all the encouraging comments!

I was going through the POs receipts and I found a warranty card on the last rebuild. Apparently it is running a Comp cam Magnum 280h cam. Seems like a pretty hot street cam. All else from an L46 I wonder how much horsepower I should be making. I've still been too scared to take the tach reading above 4500 rpm, being unsure of its accuracy, but it feels like a mid 14 second car... I'll take a video of it going through the gears tomorrow and see if I can get any input. I suppose when I buy a timing light I could get one that reads rpm.

Here is a short video of my friend giving her a few mild revs fully warmed up.


I did actually try that first. It didn't effect the problem. I was a little concerned that I did not get enough of the old oil out (Really? No drain plug? I used a hand pump to get out what I could), but without any change in the sound and shudder after the first change, I'm not sure it would accomplish anything if I changed it again.

Thanks for the tip! I already have the AIM and a Haynes manual. I could probably use the Chassis Service Manual, as the Haynes doesn't really go in to much detail.

The tach redlines at 5600, it has an l36 shifter console, and HD suspension. No real documentation I can think of to confirm the 427, but I don't think it really matters, as the PO contacted every single owner and the original dealership with no luck finding the original engine.

That is my car. Cool find, I found him through craigslist.

 

[QUOTE=Chase1126;1584667202]


I did actually try that first. It didn't effect the problem. I was a little concerned that I did not get enough of the old oil out (Really? No drain plug? I used a hand pump to get out what I could), but without any change in the sound and shudder after the first change, I'm not sure it would accomplish anything if I changed it again.

My bad for not reading thoroughly. You'll notice I said "may" fix it. It did work for me on a rear with over 100,000 miles on it that sounded just like yours. You didn't say if you put the Posi fluid in when you re-filled. Seems like time for a look inside.

 

Chase, nice find! Good luck with her - it looks like you're going about fixing her up in correct order. Be patient, they can be frustrating at times, but it will be well worth it when you're complete.