kgkern01

So I'm not the owner, but rather my girlfriend, her mom gave her (free!) a 1980 C3 with a 91 454 swap with side pipes.

However, it does need some work, which I have some questions about:
1) It appears the frame is rusted badly on the driver's side rail. If removing the body, is it better just to find a good condition used frame or try to replace/repair the current frame?
2) The rear inside of the car hatch area, including the battery tray, etc, was cut out supposedly to "begin tubbing the car". So now I need to replace the whole hatch area inside and any respective pieces. Any idea as to where to get this part of the car?
3) The floor pans need replaced as well. Weld in custom panels or buy new floor pans?
4) On a positive note, all of the interior parts, window trim, etc. appear to be there and good condition.

Any other suggestions that may help with this project?

Thanks!

F22

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...-corvette.html


Do yourself and your girlfriend a favor and get rid of the car. If the rust is so bad on the driver's side rail, is so bad, that you're contemplating a 'frame off' to replace it, you'll be surprised at what the bird cage looks like.

Just because it's free, doesn't even make it close to a deal, unless you have highly experienced mechanical skills and deep pockets. These already are tough cars to work on and what you're describing is a disaster.

Your girlfriend will freak on what it will cost her, to bring this car around. Of course, maybe I'm wrong, but post pics of the car, the hatch area and the frame rail and we'll look at it.

Brandons72vette

Post pictures of the car when you can.

kgkern01

When we picked it up, I knew we were going to have to do a frame up restoration on it. This isn't a temporary car that we will have for only a few years, she has wanted this style C3 since she was a kid, so I plan on doing a full restoration to get it back in great condition. Now here's the bad part, the pics







1991 454 with Weiand Stealth intake and new Holley carb








Here is where the rear hatch area was cut out. I have half of the panel that came out, but I may be better off finding new part or donor car to cut it out of?





On the trailer at home.

F22

Thanks for posting the pics, but we still need more pics of the interior and the drivers side frame rail. Did you read up on the link, about the ten rules for buying a C3 Corvette? I hope, both you and your gf, read this carefully. If the drivers side frame rail, along with the floorpans, has more than surface rust, and I'm talkimg, structural damage kind of rust, then you're very likely to have serious birdcage rust. The birdcage is the entire main structure of the car, and includes the windshield and the hoop behind the T-tops, as well as the frame rails. It's a one piece deal and replacing it is a huge undertaking. I can see the seats don't match and an interior will run you over $2K, easy and we're not even talking about what it's going to take to replace the entire hatch area! Where's the gas tank and the supporting structure? When it's all said and done, I'd bet that you'll. have at least four times as much, into this car, then what it would be worth. And that's not counting the hundred of hours you'll have working on it. I've seen guys on here, pick up beautiful 1980's for $8k, with nice interiors, ready to drive and do a bit-by-bit resto as they go along. Unless this car has serious sentimental value, I'll stand by my opinion.

F22

Also, what are your mechanical skills like? Welding? Fiberglass repair? Is that shed, that's open on both ends, going to be the spot, where you work on the car? Have you looked at the prices on the parts? Door panels can run up go $600 each! I don't want to be a downer here, I just don't want to see you and your girlfriend go through this. I hope she has deep pockets, because like many of us, she will be throwing thousands and thousands of dollars at a car, that won't even be worth near, what you'll have into it. Ask a bunch of us here. Most of us, are upside down, value wise, me included. It better be love, if you're going to tackle this and good luck.

tyancey00

ok, I have a 1980. I bought it about 6 years ago and it was a very nice car. I paid about 10 grand for it. you are gonna have a lot more in this car and still not be driving it. I would save it as a parts car and buy a nice one and have some fun. It has a big block, it has missing floor pans, it has rust on the frame. any one of these is a reason to pass on starting this as a resto project. The money you are gonna spend to make it safe you can buy another one that is done. Sorry to be a downer, but trust the guys here. I did and it has been a good ride....

kgkern01

My mechanical skills are pretty good, I've got a 95 TA that I've built the engine, transmission, suspension, etc. myself. Welding is the only thing that I don't have experience in, however both my neighbor and another friend of mine are welders so I should have help with welding. Also, my uncle owns an electrostatic painting company, so sandblasting, powdercoating, etc is free for me except for material costs. I haven't done much fiberglass work short of minor crack repair.

I have a small attached garage next to the enclosed carport in the pictures that I will be keeping the frame out of the weather while working on it, the body will be kept in the enclosed carport, and covered, while either replacing or repairing the frame in the garage. I plan on rebuilding from the frame up.

I have a whole replacement interior (minus the seats, they are still stock red), it is black with new carpet, dash, console, door panels, misc plastic, etc, but it is not in the pics. I also have new front springs, all suspension bushings, new ball joints, end links, etc.

Revi

I'll repeat what everyone else has said, unless there is some huge sentimental attachment to this car, get rid of it and buy one that is complete and driving. I can see $20K worth of work needed on this vehicle and it won't be worth it in the end.
Do yourself a favor and get rid of it, this car is a can of worms.

F22

I'm glad you've got mechanical experience with the '95 Trans Am, but I'm here to tell, you, that C3's are a totally different beast, then your Chevelle, Camaro, Nova or anything else you might have worked on. There are shops, that won't even touch these cars!

While standing around with a group of C3 guys on a Corvette run earlier this year, they unanimously agreed, that they'd rather pull the engine, then pull the dash, that's how tough it can be to work on these cars. We're not kidding you here.

But it's your dime and your time...

Ibanez540r

You sound determined and likely are not going to listen to the advice, but I agree. You have no idea how much $$$ this is going to cost. From what you have described about the floor and frame, it paints a very clear picture for those of us who have went through the same thing - that the birdcage and frame are very likely to be WASTED. If it wasn't for the birdcage or frame, I'd be a supporter in going ahead with the project.

You have to realize that although it looks decent, and the "items" can be replaced / refurbished, the cargo area replaced, the floor pans welded in... the structure, the skeleton, the foundation, will still be bad.

I DO have a large sentimental investment in my car, and it had/has a bad birdcage and the frame was shot. I've recently required a new shell (firewall back body) to use for my project. Started with a fresh clean frame (3rd one!) and have been building from scratch.

Thousands and thousands of dollars in my resto-mod project and I'm just barely at a rolling chassis. (I weld, have a blast cabinet, press, copious tools, closed two car garage, experience, etc.)

Good luck if you take it on! But don't say we never told you so! ...oh, and if your going to do it, you have to do it right (should be seeing these again $$$$$). No one likes bubba around here!

qwank

Jack up the radiator cap and slide a good donor car under it.

kgkern01

Good advice. I'll end up going through the car more thoroughly this weekend to assess how bad it really is. From what it sounds, best case, if the birdcage is good, it may be fixable but a LOT of $$, if the birdcage is bad, just use it as a parts car for another car?

qwank

yes, the good thing is you look like you have a solid big block engine to start with. Even if it's a '91 with peanut heads. And interior can get expensive too, so if your's is good, that's another positive

skeptic

Ok, wow... Since it's free and you seem enamored by the 454, plus say you have good mechanical skills for things like engines and transmissions, this is what I'd suggest. Pull the engine, transmission (unless it's stock), hood, glass T-Tops, and possibly the power antenna and wheels. Then take the rest to a junk yard. Find a good condition '80/'81 for a decent price, maybe even something with a blown engine for a steal, then swap the 454 into it. If you have room for two cars, you could keep it for a parts car while swapping the engine.

It has some value as a parts car, but some cars just are not worth saving.

F22

Good advice there. Also, see if the rear suspension is worth saving or not.

kgkern01

The rear suspension looks good, but then again, I will be swapping out the springs/shocks of the car anyway.

F22

There's trailing arms, two driveshafts or half shafts (left and right) and a differential too. They're all separate pieces. The trailing arms aren't cheap either.

F22

Keep us posted on your project. We've got quite a few going on here. Most of them are never finished, even after you get it on the road and are driving it. These cars are infamous for the ability to never stop asking (or demanding) new parts and money, thrown at them at irregular or regular intervals. I've owned mine two and half years and I'm still at it.

kgkern01

Will do. We got this as a long term project, and given that it is free and are not in any hurry to finish it, we couldn't pass it up.