Hello all. I just acquired a '77 L-82 Vette, my first Corvette. From a 40 year friend of mine who has owned the car for 30+ years. A no snow or salt car that started its life in Las Vegas and has spent the last 20 years in San Diego. It has a decent history.

I know a build direction (restomod in a muscle car/pro tour look), but not sure on details. It will have stock replacement interior with stock-ish new paint. Tan cloth & red paint as original.
Looking for adjustable suspension so I can set the ride height where I want. The car has 15" Vectors now (great old school wheels IMO), so I will start with a fat-ish 15" wheel set up (ultimately I would like to have 17 or 18" wheels).
What would be one of the better adjustable ride height suspensions?
Can I fit upgraded brakes into 15" wheels? ...Looking to upgrade the brakes.
Motor - Crate motor or keep the matching numbers setup? I hope to have a 383 either way.
Transmission - Keep the 3 spd turbo or go up to a 4 spd auto? The car will just be a weekend warrior. Maybe I might try an autocross or make a 1/4 mile pass...
I want to keep it real as I don't have an unlimited budget, but I have funds to take it a ways. I know its not a super collectable car.
I would be glad to hear some recommendations and thought.
Thanks

 

congrats on your new ride, welcome aboard
Have you driven as is yet. That may help you decide on the transmission. You can take it to a dragstrip for the public events and see if you need a 4 speed auto. The stock brakes are prettty good and I believe the wilwoods fit a stock rim. I've been looking at QA1 adjustable shocks for the front and the rear is already adjustable, you may need longer bolts to lower it more. I run 17 inch wheels and I am super happy with them, you can search the forum for different wheel threads to see what you like.

Personally I would drive it as is and upgrade the motor first, that will let you know if you need a new tranny, or if you are really anxious swap out the tires/rims but the motor will liven up your car the most

forgot to ask for pics, its keeps the peanut gallery happy

 

Good ideas RR. The motor has been rebuilt, but that is about 20 years ago (probably minimal miles after the rebuild). The transmission has sprouted leaks and was never a great shifter IMO (I expect a trans rebuild). Good call on the Wilwoods - I will look at them. I have been considering the offset trailing arms in the back for bigger rubber in the future.
It has big porky tires on it now on the Vector rims. I hope to fit 235/60-15 & 295/50-15 T/A's on it, which I think the 8.5"(?) Vectors will support?
Gotta get the rear end ratio too...
I am picking this car up from my buddy the 3rd or 4th week of January (the car is not in my hands right now).
Pull the boxes off of it, roll it out, and rub it out. I hope to fire it also ...we'll see.
I have a tentative appt at Corvette Specialty in Riverside Ca to check for any serious body/chassis issues. My friend bumped this car off a curb years ago (he did have it repaired), so I want to check for chassis suspension straightness.
I will continue to study my choices (fun stuff)! Lots of options.

Oh... This car has always had the louvers on the rear of it. I always hated that, but in a retro sort of way I may try to keep them on
the car (fat tires plus louvers ). I'm getting old lol.
Sorry for no pics yet but I will have some soon enough.
Thanks for ideas!

 

The Wilwood brake that fits in the 15" wheel is an aluminum calipher. Better at shedding heat but doesn't stop much better, unless you have a $1,000 for 5 foot better 60 mph to 0 braking. Better braking will come from better rotors and pads. Wilwood rotors $400 are very good and I like Hawk pads $150. Also replace the rubber flex lines with stainless steel flex brake lines. The big brake rotor kits will definitely decrease your braking distance but bigger wheels are required. I like your idea on the offset trailing arms, both my C3s have them but you might not need them. Relocating the parking brake cable mount does allow some pretty big wheels in back, refer to the sticky at the top of the C3 tech section. Lots of eye candy there. T

 

Thanks Terry, I'm following you. I am learning what I want, and what I need lol. ...Could be a big difference. I have mentioned 383, but my friend tells me his rebuilt L-82 has very low miles on it. If its solid maybe I can get away with a top end on it - aluminum heads, roller cam, intake, etc (it might have too low of compression to get away with it). I don't need the biggest power, but I want it to lay a patch and hit 2nd with tire chirping power.

Got another question. Do headers fit decently under a C3? I do not want sidepipes but I will need headers for the above upgrade. Long tube, short tube??

 

Not knowing the stance on your ride [we all like pictures], my 6t8 with long tubes has a dropped stance and it takes pretty high speed bumps before they scrape. Still have not found a driveway entrance they scrape but don't spend much time in the city. Always take into account manufactures differences.
To get the right parts for any engine build talk to the guys at local speed shops and the manufactures for their opinion for the right parts for your goal. You would be extremely impressed with the performance of a 383 over the 350, both build to the correct specs for different cid. T

 

A good flat tappet cam, 64cc or small heads and a decent intake can help out a lot. watch this for a good idea. Headers will help out above 5000 rpm. They have a lot of info in these shows and most of the big horsepower gains are above 5000 rpm

 

Good video. T

 

They do a good job and try to keep it a somewhat apples to apples comparison on most of their testing. Glad you liked it

 

I watched the video also. Good watch. I have the experience of what good heads can do. Cams, intake, exhaust, all need some good heads for good power. I ran into this with my built Sportster (and a 327 w/2.02 heads years ago).
Another topic is big valve heads vs small valve heads. I think (correct me if I wrong) modern 1.94" intake heads can make very good power at lower rpm's, potentially better than big valve heads at lower rpm's.
Many years ago I had a magazine that built a 383 expressly for a 4x4 purpose with heads ported for lower rpm usage (still big hp & torque). Seems like it would make for a good street motor.
If I replace heads, cam, intake, exhaust, etc, I would hope for 1 hp per cubic inch (or better), hopefully, with the stock 9:1 L-82 pistons?

 

After studying many threads, many pictures & many wheel combos, I think I have a build direction.

Mostly stock-ish, but in a poser road race fashion. Which means flares and wheels to fit.
I really appreciate all the Vette gurus here. So many possibilities to run with, and the dollar commitment to bring back a car (the wife & I have done it on a '78 Camaro..). Car pics as soon as I take possession.

 

I am very close to picking up my friends Vette from him. In about a week and a half now. He cleared it out from its corner of 20 years. On jacks the whole time amazingly, or at least a good long time.
Finally a pic... This is what I have to work with. A great base vehicle, but it needs a lot... The closer you look, the more it.... Oh what a project.
I will have a set of walk around pics soon.

 

Sounds like a good restomod project to me. Some of the mods to consider, 383 stroker, aluminum radiator, dual electric cooling fans, steering rack n pinion, 2" offset TA's, coil overs front and back with tubular A-arms. I'm running 275/60/15 drag radials on the rear.

 

All good mods DOUG, and my car will have some of that. I hope to make use of the rebuilt 350 motor in it (add heads & roller cam), although I would love a 383. I hope to go all out in a budget fashion.

 

State of confusion! F the budget. I built my exisiting smallblock into a 383, aluminum heads, forged bottom, it runs and looks great! But it ain't a big block! Everytime I open a Jegs and see that ZZ427 and picture it in my car...but no real regrets...just that the dreaming never ends!

 

LOL two octaves, that was my catch phrase for the day. I will upgrade quite a few things, but not over the top in any particular area.
Basic suspension upgrade, basic brake upgrade, stock interior. Yes aluminum rad & two fans... All kind of like that. The nose & tail and body work will not be as basic. ...Got an appointment. Saving money by doing a wrap. And it will all end up being an expensive deal.

 

Go for it !

 

Sorry to bring in pics slow. I put up this thread a bit ahead of picking up the car. Still don't have it lol. But my good friend has brought it out of the bat cave for the first time in 20+ years!
Stoked.
I'll rub it out and tune the motor to start. Then I am sending it to a shop for a mild restomod!

 

Looks like a keeper ! Best of Luck, Enjoy.

 

Looks great, congratulations with this and I look forward to following along. Be sure to get those 20+ year old tires off of it as soon as possible as dry rot will have them falling apart if they have dried out in that garage over time. First thing I would do is take off the Vectors and get a set of "Ralley" wheels and tires so you know you can drive it once it is running. Then you can safely get the tires off of those Vectors (good shops won't mar them up but some are not so careful, ask me how I know) off and you can restore them if you wish. I like the looks of the Vectors, very old school look. Anyway, have a great time with it and again congratulations.

David