Hey fellow C3 owners!
I need some help. I have this vette and know very little about it. I know it's a 79 with a 350 small block... That's about it.

How do I find out information on it so that I can start ordering parts. I tried to do a VIN search online but nothing came up.

How does one go from knowing nothing to knowing enough. Where do I look? Who do I talk to. What do I do?

"Is she an L82 or an L48?" < I don't know what that means nor how to find out.

Even ordering from Amazon asks to pick between 3 engines and I don't know which one.

Any help is greatly appreciated.


Which of these 3 do I choose or how do I find out?

 

try these links

1979 Corvette Overview

1979 Corvette VIN decoder

 

Read the label at the lower right arrow -- specifically the top left corner of the label where the arrow head is pointing (at least I think that's where the L-48 or L-82 is specified). You can also look at the pad on the front of the engine, below the upper left arrow. This should carry a serial number that matches the last 6 digits on your VIN tag and an engine assembly date and option code. The pad faces up but is angled downward toward the wheel and is about 5" below where the valve cover meets the head. Lastly, your VIN coding, I believe, has what engine was originally installed in the car. Hopefully all three of these data points indicate the same engine.

 

be very careful with amazon. ebay is better for auto parts. you search 79 corvette 350 fuel pump on ebay and that is what they show you. on amazon you will have a camry and a saab fuel pump at the top of the list. yours looks like an L82, at least it has the pretty L82 valve covers. but my L48 has them too. this is not a daily driver? then don't order parts until you have researched the job and what it entails and if what you want to order will help the problem. google and youtube are good starting points to research most any repair.

 

I could not find the s/N that the upper left arrow points to.
The placard for the lower right is attached. I can't make heads or tails of it.

 

L46 didn't have finned valve covers (right?). 79 L82 automatic.

 

X6 on the emissions label indicates a L48.
Valve covers can be changed, or blocks for that matter but emission stickers are forgotten. Is there a L82 printed on the tachometer face?
What is the vin number?
Most of all you need to locate the engine stamp pad. Located below the passenger side valve cover in front. Will be difficult to see with the ac there but the suffix will tell you what block it is.

 

and last 6 small numbers will match the vin tag and title if still orig engine.

 

My recommendation is to allocate a couple of hours to start Googling to get a baseline of information. The interweb has anything you could possibly want to know about your C3.

 

The fifth digit of your VIN will tell you which engine your car started life with, "8" indicates the base L-48 350, and "4" indicates the optional L-82 350. Of course, after 40+ years, anything could be under the hood, that's why you need to locate the stamp pad, on the right front of the block.

The stamp pad should have two sets of numbers and letters. One set identifies the engine, and where and when it was built, the second set should match a portion of your VIN. The engine identifier should start with a "V" for the Flint engine plant, followed by two numbers for the month and two for the day the engine was assembled, and finally three letters to identify the engine. For 79 the engine codes are ZAA, ZAB, ZAC, ZAD, ZAF, ZAH, ZAJ, ZBA & ZBB. The ZA codes identify the various base L-48's, and whether they are automatic or manual trans, and which emission regulations they comply with. The two ZB codes identify either a manual and automatic L-82. The second set of numbers and letters stamped on the pad will be the VIN derivative. It will be made up of nine digits and will be in the following form, 19S4xxxxx. It decodes as "1" Chevrolet, "9" 1979, "S" St Louis assembly plant, the "4" is a GM control number and the "xxxxx" should be the last five numbers of your VIN.

I know everyone just loves Amazon, and their quick and free shipping, but you would be much better off buying Corvette parts from one of the many, reputable Corvette parts companies.

 

What you have is a very nice used Chevy that is light beige in color and says Corvette across the back. Nice ride, enjoy.

 

Changed the plugs last night, it was needed. Smoothed her out. Took it for a little drive this morning.

My God I love this car.

Needs a carb job and brakes. Turn signal selector needs to be replaced.

It has a holley 4011 on it, I found out. 🤔

 

Too bad it doesn't have the original Q-Jet, wonder what else the previous owners have changed? Valve cover, obviously. L82 should have had the L82 emblems on the hood.

 

I'm fine with it. This is just a toy and something to do this year. Next year it'll be something different. 🥂

 

 

Lmao! Fascinating.
So insightful.

 

Aaaand so it begins. I feel a frame-off coming on.

Enjoy it and drive it like you stole it!