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Most chevrolet dealerships could not get more than a few Corvettes at most, some only got one.
IF they could not dealer trade for an Orange roadster I am sure they would paint the one they had...
I was really wondering about the stripe.
Red with a white LT1 stripe... sweet!
your right, my wifes dealership still has a silver grand sport sitting on the floor paid for! they cant get there new one until they trade or sell the GS...the weather has been crap here too move in..i am crossing my fingers for today..
So, what is the preferable color? Apparently this car has 2 original colors...
I never thought of it that way? But I guess you could say that ! I am a purest, if the tag says red then it needs too be red. As much as I can’t stand a red car. I can appreciate the originality. And would never say someones red car is ugly. I just never cared for red. Thanks Troy.
Nope, cant be, what it left St.Louis as is the original color, What does the paint & trim tag have it as. ? I'd much prefer an Ontario Orange one as opposed to a Red one but hey, its yours so I really think it oughta be what ever color YOU want it to be. Peace,,, moosie
Congrats the story gets even better... Millie Miglia red is a good color and especially on a roadster...
I mean how many Millie Miglia 71 LT1 roadsters are known to exist?
Can't be more than a handful - in one of the more desirable colors.
I had a nice '71 LT-1 red convertible for 13 years. Mostly original car. Sold it to someone in Ohio or Indiana in 2006. I can remember extrapolating the production data back then and figured there were around 200 red LT-1 convertibles produced, give or take.
Rich
Well here it is at home.
I am going too power wash it off and vacuum it out. And prob remove the seats too clean good. I sent in too NCRS for the shipper paper work. But they sent my money back?! They said there are gaps in the info, and that they did not have mine in the data base! Damn!! I asked why, and they said that there are gaps all through the years. I guess I was lucky with my other cars. My buddy joe says the paint is very savable and wants too wheel it out?! So that may happen.
I'm very glad to see that you got this car! I think it's going to be a really fun job bringing it back up. Interesting story about the paint too. I like the Ontario Orange. Like others here have said, I'm just over-dosed on red (apologies to my brothers with red Corvettes). I think if the paint buffs up well, even though it does not match the trim tag, you have an interesting enough story, with pics to confirm, that it will not be a $$$ hit against the car. You know we all want to follow along on this one brother, so keep your camera handy! Greg
200 Red roadsters... total all three years correct?
The estimate is what 400-600 roadsters per year?
I would find it nearly impossible to believe there were 200 red LT1 roadsters in 71 alone.
You're right- that doesn't sound right. Red cars made up 10% of the total, so it's probably more like 55-70 for '71. Ontario Orange was just slightly higher.
I think the 200 figure was the total of all red convertibles that year, not just LT-1s.
Power washed and it don’t look bad. I am having a heck of a time loading pictures?! I don’t know if it’s my phone or what ?
This is the only damage that is on the body! And I probably did most of this when I pulled it up on the flat bed.
Original bias ply Goodyear blue streak f70-15. Rim looks like he used it a couple times. It’s got a little curb rash on it.
Head casting number and date. Both heads are the same.
I adjusted the valves they were real loose. I am hoping the cam is ok. I set them at .030 cold and once I get the motor warmed up I will adjust them too spec. I pulled all the plugs and they looked like crap! I am guessing the PO did not do much maintenance. I did check my local dealership for service records. And they only go back too 2000 unless it’s a car still coming in.
i am hoping i can start it friday.... i drained the tank of all the dead gas, pulled the aftermarket filter off where the PO had cut the oem line and spliced in the filter.[need to find a original pump to block line] the tank was spotless so i am good there.. there was several bottles of stable in the storage area, so he at least do that. the motor roles over good, so as long as i have spark i will be posting a video!
Looks like it has the correct “0” stamped rocker arms, and a clean top end. So far so good!
When i first got mine home, it was running like crap. My rockers were way out of spec. I adjusted them, and the engine runs very smooth now. Unlike hydraulic lifters, the solid lifter engines do need attention periodically to keep them in spec.
Google 'Duke Williams LT-1' for several treatises on setting valve clearances. Very detailed, excellent results.
Are you going to pull distributor to prime oil galleys, etc?
Way cool. Have fun!
Agreed. Duke's revised LT-1 lash specs are critical especially when using factory rocker arms. Your valve train will thank you for it. If you have trouble finding his specs, let me know. I have the paper somewhere and even a copy of the raw cam lift data.
Myself I don't think I have ever seen another orange corvette , can't stay the same for red. I thought Red was the only color they came in . Something like Henry Ford , you can get a model T in any color as long as it"s Black!!!!! Your car though, do as you want. Looks pretty good setting on the stand.
Speaking about fouled plugs reminds me of when I bought my brand new '71 LT-1 from Reedman Chevrolet in Langhorne Pa.back in November of 1971, All the paperwork is taken care of and I'm ready to drive off but the car will not take the gas needed to get going, it stalls time after time so the salesman calls the service dept. to find out why. The service guy nurses the car into the service area and they start to scratch their heads to figure out why this brand new car wont drive, One guy pulls a plug and it is so sooty black fouled it was a wonder the car even started, they clean the plugs, wouldn't put a new set in, and start it up, WWOW, what an awesome idle, like a lion ready to pounce. So I drive off happy . I was wanting to put the top down for the ride back to New York but it was very cold, being the Saturday after Thanksgiving..
Speaking of color. The luggage racks were dealer added accessory. Nobody yanks them off cuz they weren't on the build sheet. Your orange was painted by the dealer in 71 on a brand new car. Not bodywork and paint 15 years later. . And you don't like red. Also it could be superior to the orig paint. I think you stay with the existing (paid for!) color at least for the time being. You wanna paint? I think you mentioned another C3 project... Do this guy as a survivor for now.
Last edited by derekderek; 06-01-2019 at 07:35 AM.
Speaking of color. The luggage racks were dealer added accessory. Nobody yanks them off cuz they weren't on the build sheet. Your orange was painted by the dealer in 71 on a brand new car. Not bodywork and paint 15 years later. . And you don't like red. Also it could be superior to the orig paint. I think you stay with the existing (paid for!) color at least for the time being. You wanna paint? I think you mentioned another C3 project... Do this guy as a survivor for now.
i agree with you darek! for now its staying this way...i tried getting it running friday with no luck.. my battery was too weak too roll it over decent, even with the charger on it.. it has a bad cell in it im guessing.. and i think i got the starter a little too wet when cleaning everything off.. so i may have too pull that and check it out..the carb still squrits fuel good so i may not need to do much there.. the fuel lines are all clean.i did find a big bottle of stable in the back area so im sure thats why the tank looked so good..
i agree with you darek! for now its staying this way...i tried getting it running friday with no luck.. my battery was too weak too roll it over decent, even with the charger on it.. it has a bad cell in it im guessing.. and i think i got the starter a little too wet when cleaning everything off.. so i may have too pull that and check it out..the carb still squrits fuel good so i may not need to do much there.. the fuel lines are all clean.i did find a big bottle of stable in the back area so im sure thats why the tank looked so good..
You have an Ontario orange that should be red and I have a recent purchase LT-1 that is yellow and should be Ontario orange
05-29-2019, 09:40 AM
