To make a long story short I bought an 80 corvette last Sept. I was told the car had been parked in a garage for the last 20 years. Shortly after purchasing the car I lost my job so I put the car in my garage. I have since found another job and have been slowly getting the car back on the road. I have replaced all 4 brake calipers and master cylinder and have great brakes now. I have a set of new Mickey Thompson tires all the way around.
Over the weekend I fired up the car and took it for the first drive. I found it a little hard to get it in 1st gear but after a few stops and starts it seems a little easier.
I was going around a very mild right hand curve at a speed of maybe 25MPH the car did not seem to be making the curve so I turned the wheel a little more and started to go towards the ditch so turned the to the right but it did do much so I turned it more. Then it started to shoot to left of center so I pulled it back to the right. I nearly lost control of the car. It was comparable to driving on ice. My knuckles where white and I was puckering like mad man.

Before I went on this drive I did notice my power steeering pump was emplty so I filled it up and when I looked under the car I could see power steering control valve was leaking fluid but I figured it was just bad seals due to how long it had been parked. I assume this is my problem but I figured I would ask here before replacing it. The car drives great straight and making a turn from a complete stop is fine.

 

Nice save. I had pretty much the same thing happen to my '72 almost 1 year ago. . . but I wasn't so lucky. It was like the Titanic hitting the iceberg, once it hit the fan…there was no avoiding it. My '72 slammed into a concrete ditch after brushing a tree and a telephone pole. Speeds were similar (40-45) …and now I am rebuilding essentially a brand new car. It got the frame too. So after spending crazy amounts of money…it is on the road to recovery. For me, it was probably the worst night of my life so far. My car didn't turn when I wanted it to, it has 49-50K original miles and had been sitting for 2-3 years. All of the old extremely worn suspension bushings and entire set up gave out, I had air in my brake lines, tires are pushing 7-8 years old,etc. So check your bushings, tie rods, full suspension. What probably saved your car is that you have newer ( I assume) tires and brakes and the speed was a slightly less than mine. Glad to hear you got another job, and are starting to enjoy the car again. Post some pictures of the progress.

 

80 vette

A suggestion is to get your 80 up on jack stands or a lift and carefully inspect the systems from underneath. Get rags and dry anything that is wet. Attempt to assess what is leaking. Get it clean so when you inspect it in a week or so...you can see and identify leaks.

Sounds like you've addressed brakes and by default, power steering. Also check your tranny, differential and engine seals. Pickup an 80 chassis shop manual that will assist you with checking those fluid levels.

 

I am sure it was the new tires and brakes that made it possible for me to save. It was very close to being beyond the point of no return. Not only was this the first time to drive this car it was also the first time I have ever driven a vette. I had a false sense of security because it seemed to drive so nice when it was going straight. After the curve I started to notice there was a lot of play in the steering.

 

I have had the car up on jack stands and have pressured washed the entire undercarriage. The car was parken in my garage for 7 months and there was not a sigle drop of fluid or oil anywhere. The only leaking is coming from the power steering control valve. Will a bad control valve affect the steering the way I described in my original post? I did notice when I greased the fron end is one of my tie rod boots has a hole in it.

 

To address the steering issue I plan to replace the power steering control valve, tie rod ends and idler arm. This car has 77,000 original miles on it so the suspension should not be worn out but I am concerned about dry rot of the bushings.

Before the car was parked the previous owner had put new tires on it. After sitting for 20 years the tires had a flat spot on them and were dry rotted. When I added air to the tires they sarted to seperate.

 

For a little more money and some extra work I would replace everything. Then you know everything is new and it should handle like new.

 

Once the control valve has been rebuilt or replaced it must be balanced. The chassis shop manual describes the process. If you have not done that and need it, I can scan and post it for you. If not done, it will pull one side or the other.

I really don't think its necessary to "replace" tie rods, idler arms, etc. They are static parts and unless heavily worn, should be fine. It does not sound like the 80 has that many miles on it, in which case, those parts should be ok. (I see after posting you wrote that it has 77k miles. That's your judgement but I would suggest a knowledgeable mechanic).

 

Is there a kit that can be purchased or is it better to just buy piece by piece.

 

I was told I am the 3rd owner of this car. The previous owner told me he bought this from his uncle and drove it a couple of years and then parked it. His intention was to do a restomod but never got around to it. I cannot really confirm that but I do know the last time it was on the road was 93 based on the inspection and tags on the car.

A few things the previous owner told me do not hold true though. For one I was told this was a rare 1980 L82 with a 4 speed manual trans. I later found out that all L82 in 1980 were automatics due to the manual transmission model not passing emmisions.

After degreasing and pressure washing the engine I discovered the casting numbers on the the engine were covered up by blue silicon. After researging the casting numbers I found that the engine isn't even a 350. It turns out it has been replaced with a newer 305.

I don't know how true this is but I have also read that the 80 and newer manual transmission vettes had a welded in crossmember and the automatics had bolt in crossmembers. This car as a bolt in crossmember and I can find no evidence of it being replaced.

 

If you could please scan and post the balancing process.

 

You are concentrating on the front end pieces, which is fine, IF they are wore out.

DON'T ignore the rear end also. Those trailing arm bushings, if shot will send the car for a weird ride also.

My '80 was handling bad the past few months to the point it was getting scary. Pulled both trailing arms and both bushings were shot. Obviously I replaced them, and car handles MUCH better.

Point being, check the rear also.

 

Yes there are kits. Most corvette parts suppliers have them.

 

Is there a way to check the trailing arm bushings without taking it apart? The reason I ask is because I was told the rear suspension was completely rebuilt along with a new spring; However, I have found most of the things I was told prior to buying this car were not true.

 

When you say you would replace everything are you meaning the power steering system including steering box or do you mean everything as in power steering system, ball joints centerlink, idler arm, tierods etc.? That sounds like overkill to me but then again I am new to the Corvette scene.
As I learned when working on the brakes Corvette's are a different monster.

 

Just bumping this back to the top. I really would like some direction on this. Would a new control valve and rebuilding the slave cylinder be a good place to start?

 

About 3 years ago I was driving near the Blue Ridge Parkway here in NC when I was not able to make a sharp turn. Rode the embankment for about 50 feet at a 45 degree angle to the ground before coming to stop partially back on the pavement. The DOT had thrown some sand on the road where is was freezing up a night. But I also attribute the near fatal wreck to the fact that I was not able to steer the car along the tire tracks in the sand. I was still riding with original front suspension and steering system. No leaks but everything was loose.

So, I pulled the oem steering system including my previously rebuilt power steering components, steering box and rag joint and installed a Borgeson steering system. Gave the vette a modern steering system and eliminates all the stuff that leaks.

I'm not suggesting that you spring for a Borgeson system right now, but wanted to share my similar white knuckle experience and how I resolved it.

 

80-Vette wrote:What kind of MT tires are they?

Yep. Just jack it up, pull both rear tires and take a look into the pocket where the trailing arms are. You should be able to see where the bushings are, won't be much sticking out on both sides of the arms. IF you see some rubber strands or chunks of rubber sticking out, they're bad. Also, make sure the alignment shims are all there. Should be, they're held in with a cotter pin.

A more difficult way is to remove the shock and the strut rod. Grab the whole assembly at 6 and 12 o'clock and see if it twists and or flops around.

 

MTT-6028 Sportsman S/T 255/60/r15

I will take a look at this tonight when I get home. I do know the alignment shims are there because I have seen the cotter pin on each side. I didn't know what it was at the time though.

I will say it again this Corvette is a different animal than I have ever worked on.

 

Everything but the box. And if you want to get into it I would put in a Borgenson box and be done with all the power steering stuff under the car. But I would replace everything. For a few hundred you would have all new parts, no more problems.