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You are OBVIOUSLY in over your head. Your transmission has NOTHING to do with your brake pedal going to the floor. I mean, anybody with half a brain knows you're going to need AT LEAST a new cam and probably high compression heads to fix this. You are in this deep, you should install a 6 speed manual just to make SURE those brakes work.
Love those jack stands you have your frame on! I just told my son we need to do something like that once we get the body on the frame! Did you make those? And to the OP -yes it is a disease!
It's a case of Might-as-well-as-long-as-I-got-this-far-into-it.
Afflicts us all.
I have a particularly expensive case of it right now. As long as I have the engine pulled for rebuild, might as well have the transmission rebuilt, and might as well replace the engine wiring harness, and might as well do the forward and A/C harnesses while I'm at it, and might as well rebuild the master cylinder, and might as well replace the brake lines since they're so easy to change out without an engine in the way, and might as well change out the calipers for rebuilt stainless, and might as well change the u-joints in the remove driveshaft, and might as well... This COVID-19 stay-at-home gig is EXPENSIVE!
Everytime I crawl under my car to fix something, I find at least 3 more things that need attention. Then as I go to repair or upgrade those things I find at least 3 more things. And on and on it goes. I've had mine for over 30 years. It never ends.
But it's so much fun to drive!
This is the definition of the term, "Mission Creep". Go out to tighten the screw on the clock 'set' **** and end up redo-ing the interior.
If you are a meticulous person, you are in DANGER of this occurring every time you go out to the garage!!!
Solution: If the vehicle is actually doing something...or NOT doing something...that it should, jot it down and put it on the TO DO list. When you work on that, you WILL see many detailed items that do not look new or exactly like you wish them to be. YOU MUST IGNORE THIS and go on with the task at hand to complete your listed project.
Sometime 'down the road', you will have collected enough side-issues in your brain that will cause you to think about doing a complete restoration on your car. CHOOSE WISELY on whether to do so or not. If there is some REAL benefit to taking your car out of commission for years on end, spending $$$ hand over fist, and being chided by your wife and family that you spend too much time on a car that won't run, GO FOR IT! Otherwise, just go for another beer , then relax and come back to reality....
Last edited by 7T1vette; May 17, 2020 at 01:37 PM.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
"while I'm in there" lets see...every winter for the last 4 years the motor has come out to fix something,
the first year was the first engine rebuild to test some theories on the stock piston cylinders and apply some knowledge, and learn a few things while I was at it. Watching engine masters and having a best friend thats a drag racer doesnt help....
second winter I wanted to rebuild the tranny so the engine cam out with it, it was easier at the time. And it got a new bigger cam while it was out, and roller rockers
third winter I wanted to clean the engine compartment so the engine and tranny came out along with the suspension and rear end, I went with a VBP setup, pulled the 3.55 diff and stuck in a 3.70 rear. and painted the entire underside and scraped everything that wasnt supposed to be there off. put on the aluminum heads I had sitting around, newer roller rockers and stud girdle and new bigger cam
last winter i had an oil leak...... so the engine came out, stripped the block, decided to put the original motor back in, it was turned .030 over a while ago but was in great shape, used the crankfrom my experiment with new bearings , used the old new rods and of course new bearings and had to buy new pistons .I changed the 3/8 studs to 7/16 studs in the heads, of course that means new rockers, again. And since I was in there I put in a bigger cam, but his time I found some CompCams solid roller lifters for easy money so I bought those, which means I needed a roller cam, thrust button and the whole works. Then I found a used 5 speed that I just posted about, put that in too but found it needs a little more work, but I am still way ahead in cost on that and its under warranty so Im okay with some free fixing.....
So while the trannies out, I guess I need to put those side pipe headers on I just scored for a discount.
Sooooooooo, what was your original question......
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; May 17, 2020 at 07:30 PM.
Yup, I crawled under mine to check a leak. Next thing I knew it was 2 in the morning and I was covered in old oil and road grime that came off of the transmission after I ran a finger across it and discovered a deep layer of crud.
During COVID lockdown I cleaned as much of the engine compartment as I could reach with a toothbrush and simple green.
Repairing the clock led to new seat covers. Replacing the interior door actuator led to scrubbing the door panels.
Checking the charge on the AC led to a complete system rebuild.
A QuickJack, hundreds of dollars in new tools, more new parts than I can count. I’m pretty sure Willcox Corvette wonders about my health if I don’t order at least once a week.
I am an addict, and I have a problem. The brakes had to be fixed. When I go the brakes off I found all the boots in the suspension were leaking grease, so let's get all new joints. I don't like the steering, so lets try a new steering gearbox, after all it's just one more part. Oh and the master cylinder is leaking so replace that because it will make getting to the steering gear easier anyway.
While moving stuff around I found a spark plug wire that wasn't seated properly on the plug. Since I don't like the way the wires look, lets do a tune-up and route new MSD cut to length wires the way I want them to look better. It'll be easy.
Since the wheels are off I gotta clean those up. Oh, the black paint in the rims doesn't clean up that great, and I saw a picture of the rims from an earlier year that didn't have the paint, so lets strip that pain off the shine them up. That is such a pain in the butt I still haven't gotten that finished.
While it's in the air the transmission is leaking worse the worse from the linkage input shaft, so lets get that buttoned up. After all I fixed the transmission fluid leak that was up by the radiator a couple weeks ago, so I really want the fluid to stop gathering on my floor instead of the transmission. When my friend opens the transmission, the fluid is filled with clutch and shavings. So that's why the transmission is on the floor.
And now I still need to paint he exhaust that is now off the car and I think will look better black. And I need to lower the front end a little.
Oh I forgot I worked a deal with a friend to paint he bumpers by trading him a boat that was left by the guy that lived in the house before me that I just bought. So let's take the bumpers off cause that will make it easier. Easier for who?!?! Not me! I didn't realize how many rusted had to reach screwed held on a 40 year old rubber bumper.
And I still want EFI and a serpentine belt kit and new carpet and coil over suspension, just to mention a few things. Right now my biggest thought is an over-drive transmission, but that would probably then warrant 4.11 gears and a rear suspension re-build.
I will ask one serious questions if anyone has gotten this far. If I were to switch to an over-drive transmission, what gas mileage change might I expect? Since it's out, this would be the time right? It's got a 383 with about 500 HP and doesn't do very well on gas.
Is this normal?
, then relax and come back to reality....
