bj1k

Some people have commented that you can't depend on a 40+ year old corvette but this is my story to get there if you have the time to follow along. In the fall of 2014 I bought my 1972 convertible 350 with a 4 speed with 53k. original miles. It was totally dismantled in the owners garage including all of the suspension and had been stored since 1992. He had intentions of restoring it but lost interest. Everything was original except the engine which was from a 1970 Corvette fully rebuilt with high performance parts and was sitting on an engine stand and had only been test started. The engine was updated with a new HEI tach distributor and Edelbrock carb. When I got the car back to my garage I removed the bare frame from the body sandblasted epoxy primed and painted everything , then rustproofed the inside of the frame , rebuilt all of the A arms and tie rods with new ends and idler arm, newly rebuilt steering box and all new power steering parts including pump ,slave cylinder and hoses. I installed all new trailing arms with new bearings and emergency brake parts. The frame got all new brake and fuel lines and new brake calipers and pads all around. The transmission and rear end only had 53k. miles so I just had them inspected and new seals installed. I installed a new clutch disc, pressure plate and release and pilot bearings .I updated the shifter with a new Hurst Competition Plus. The frame got all new springs installed . New stainless steel headers and complete stainless exhaust system , aluminum radiator and new heater core. The Rally wheels were restored with new trim rings and centers and new tires installed. The body was re-installed with new rubber mount cushions for a better ride . The interior got all new carpet, new leather seats and new foams, new shifter console and new center gauge panel with new Corvette AM/FM Cassette radio for playing my stash of classic oldies. Since the car had some wiring issues from aging and Bubba doing his thing , the harnesses were changed from the dash forward. All that remains is shooting the Viper Red paint and installing the new Robbins convertible top and installing the newly chromed bumpers. I'm shooting for the first local largest cruise toward the end of May. Thanks for following along. I hope it will give someone the encouragement to get their project done.

tx75vette

Congrats!!.....that's a lot of work in just 6 months.
Finished just in time to enjoy the summer.

7T1vette

So.....where are the pics????

havesometo

bj1k

Unfortunately I'm not as good at posting pictures on this site as I am at building cars. If you send me your email address I will be glad to send the pictures that I have and you are welcome to post them. Not trying to bash the site but seems to be a problem for many with this site only. I have no problem posting on most sites. We need to make it more simple for us that are not so good with computers.

havesometo

PM sent

Mick71

lots of work done.

I live about 20 miles south of the city off of Route 88, between Monongahela and Charleroi.

bj1k

You are practically a neighbor . I looked at a white 69 with red interior in Monongahela when I was looking for mine last summer . It is still on the Pittsburgh Craigslist. He described it as body off restoration in good condition for $25,000. In fact it has crude patches all over the frame , ripped and broken down seats , oily engine and just overall beat into the ground and he continues to advertise it for $25,000. with the same description. If you get a chance , ride over and get a look.

doorgunner

bj1k..................great job on keeping History on the highway!

Posting pics can be a pain, but some members taught me a shortcut recently using the Forum tools (Photobucket scrambles my pics occassionally).

Keep us updated!

Torqued Off

Great summary, and so true to the header. Our C3 Corvettes can be made into great cars, all it takes is time and money and talent. I have said this many times, I could have afforded to buy a new C7, but instead I have built a brand new 1977 Corvette, and for way less money than a C7. Put both of them on the street and tell me I can have either one, I will take my new 1977. It is built like Chevy would have built the car if they didn't have to make money at it.

bj1k

Thanks havesometo Pictures sent.

havesometo

You did a great job on the car looks really nice. Glad I could help.

havesometo

briankeery

Very nice work, congratulations.

bj1k

That's exactly my way of thinking. I don't even like anything after the C3's and would rather completely build a C3 from scratch with absolutely every new part and still not even have a fraction of the money in it as buying a new one. Money is not the issue in whether I buy new or build new but in what I prefer. The technology in the new ones is a deterrent in me making a decision so it's a no-brainer.

havesometo

havesometo

havesometo

I think I got them all but if I missed one let me know I don't mind posting it for you.