I've been working on my mom's 1976 Corvette. AC, 4 Speed, L-82 factory car. I've been searching for threads to answer my questions and have learned tons from all of you guys. I figured I'd make a build thread instead of making new threads for every question I can't find an answer for. I'm 16 years old learning as I go here, so bear with me.

Here is the story. The Car is a 1976 Stingray, L-82, 4 speed, AC car. Somebody told me it's a high spec car in its day. The story goes my mom bought the car in 1996 from a vendor in Longview, Washington. She paid 5k. The car was in tough shape when she bought it. As far as we can tell it had been stored outside its whole life before she bought it and was probably an Oregon/Washington coast car. Thats unfortunate because we get tons of rain, and the salty air rusts and rots everything 2 times faster than an hour inland. The floor pans were already bombed out and the windshield frame was also begun to rust. It was the first car she bought. She daily drove it for 2 months when a friend asked to drive it, she let him, the guy came back a few minutes later and told her it threw a rod. (The car burned oil and she didn't check it first.) She takes it to a mechanic, drops 5k on a new crate engine, (A 1996 350 Small Block.) She put 2k miles on the new engine and parked it in the garage for the last 25 years, Taking it out here and there. The story goes and she parked it 2002 where it's sat for the last 20 years. In 2005 they drove it up on a trailer and moved from Warrenton, Oregon, to Gig Harbor, Washington and parked it in our garage for 16 years. Thats the last activity it saw until this summer.

This summer we pulled it out, and got it started and it ran really well. Of course, the brakes didn't work at all. I replaced the calibers, master cylinder, hard lines in the rear, rubber lines all around, and the booster. I got brakes now. The power steering was leaking so I rebuilt the control valve. I went to put it back in and the lines wouldn't thread into the cylinders. Some how cylinders threads stripped out. Bummer. We have a new one coming in the mail rn.

We changed the oil a few months ago and ran it probably 5 times to test brakes just around the neighborhood. I just checked the oil, and it was 2 quarts too full, and smelled like gas. So, the fuel pump is bad, great. I got a new one coming in the mail and a carb rebuild kit.

Here is my list of things to do to get it back on the road in order assuming nothing else comes up.
Get wiring working correctly
Fix power steering
Replace fuel pump
Rebuild carb
Service Trans and Diff
Headers and exhaust
Replace Floor pans
Replace Window frame
Fix surface rust on birdcages
Repaint to Original 37L color
Restore interior
Burn Outs
New tires

 

Here are some pictures:







Temporary Floor Pan Fix



Front tires bald

Drives Side Bird Cage

Passenger Side Bird Cage

 

Look forward to reading about your progress.

 

Good luck on everything '76 brother. Make sure you dump that oil...

I was only 2 years older than you when I bought mine. Unfortunately that was over 46 years ago.........

 

Keep us posted, you have a great looking baby!

 

Update: I haven’t had time yet to figure out my electrical issues, so I pulled the carb to rebuild it. We’re going to Oregon tonight and imma bring it and my grandpa is gonna teach me how to rebuild it. When I get back to town the new fuel pump should be here along with the new Control valve. I tried to rebuild the old control valve but the threads stripped out on the retractable line hole when I was putting it back in. That pissed me off bad.

I bought headers and exhaust for the car too. The headers are used Hooker Super Competition headers and the exhaust is a Cat delete. The cat on the car was already removed along time ago. Imma gonna put it on without the mufflers first. If it too loud, if that’s even possible, I’ll put the mufflers on. I’m gonna clean them up and paint them nice.

 

Great progress!

 

Huge progress with the Vette over the last week or so! As I said I removed the carb. When I took it apart and it’s all been rebuilt. They must have rebuilt it when the engine was put in. So I put it back in the car, got it all adjusted correctly, and the car runs but there a pretty bad vacuum leaks that popped up. A guy is gonna order a new set of vacuum lines for the carb, and go over to Napa in the morning to get hose clamps. I’m hoping that will solve the problem.

I got the new power steering lines, control valve, and cylinder all in. And get this, the control valve was already balanced, at least so far. Fingers crossed. I haven’t had to bleed it either. But I only ran it up on the jacks for 5 mins, so I’m sure something will come up when it runs longer.

The fuel pump, what a pain in the ***. I haven’t gotten so pissed on the damn car until the fuel pump. I did the correct thing and ordered a Carter Mechanical fuel pump, that’s supposed to be identical to the original one. Spoiler: Its not. To start things off when I took the pump off and went to put the 90° elbow from the old pump to the new pump it didn’t fit, the thing is too big. It’s a 3/8 flare fitting and I needed a 1/4 pipe fitting. As I’m sure some of you guys know the elbow swivels so you can line it up facing the oil pan, so the fuel line that goes to the carb slips on perfectly. Turns out the elbow isn’t very common. I go to every freeking auto parts store in town. Nobody had anything like it. after 2 days of running around I end up at Ace Hardware and I had to settle on one that was fixed. No swivel. Somehow by the love of the Lord it tightened down perfectly so it fit facing oil pan how it should. So after I sorted that stuff out Im about to put and it and guess what? The gasket is 3/4ths on the hole for the pump arm. It needs to be 7/8ths. Now, I would hope the gasket that came with the pump is too small because it was made for the original L-82 and the engine that’s in it is a 1996 350 small block. Maybe some changes happened between the 20 years. After all I did order the pump for the original engine. Anyways. By now it’s to late to go to any auto store so I have to wait till the morning. Fast forward to the next day, I got the new gasket and I’m putting the new pump in. I tried the little trick with putting the pump bolt in the front of the block to keep the push rod in place. For some reason I couldn’t get it to work. Some how, I mange with a Philips head screwdriver, dental pick, a set of needle nose pliers, and red tacky bearing grease, to get the rod out of the way for the pump. After countless attempts I finally got the thing in. A 3 hour process turned into a 3 day process.

The Lower Rad hose also had to be replaced because it was rubbing the Upper A Arm, and had developed and pretty sizable hole. I put a new one isn’t in and cut it down. No more rubbing. I hope I never have to do that again.

Next is the tail lights not working when the headlights are on. I made a thread on it and a lot of you guys mentioned ground, which is what i thought, but I had already tested the rear tail light ground and it worked normal. So I ruled it out. I pulled the dash chased every wire, took the fuse panel apart, cleaned every contact, replaced fuses, chased every wire, rewired the headlight switch, put an new switch in, and nothing changed. Spent about 2 solid weeks on that. After admitting defeat I thought about how if your dash lights aren’t working, hook up and ground wire to the socket and see if they work. During this time my dash light weren’t working, and still aren’t. So I did that with the tail lights and what do you know. The ground wire connection to the bulb was broken on both sockets. I wired in new sockets and that fixed it. I still don’t have dash lights tho. A few days ago they worked for a few mins but stopped. I have no idea why. I know it’s a ground problem because I tested them and when I gave the bulbs ground they lit up. If anyone has ideas tell me. I’ll tell you if I’ve tried it or not. I’m not in a rush rn the fix them because I put the dash back and I really don’t wanna pull it back out for a while. But I’m very open to suggestions. I know it’s a ground problem, yes, I replaced the ground strap.

That’s progress. 1 more header to paint and I’m waiting for so ARP header bolts. That’s my next project. I’m trying to have this road worthy by next Monday go I can drive it to get my license. I have my permit rn. Wish me luck.



Old Fuel Pump Elbow.


New Pump <- Old Pump->

Hooker Super Comp Painted

 

The new fuel pump may or may-not be the correct one as the length of the pump is different then the old pump.
The correct 90* outlet brass fitting should be 1/4" male to 3/8" F/M inv flare. Ecklers Link: https://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corv...-213639-1.html
Because of the fuel pump length a new steel fuel line may or may-not work?
Your A/C compressor and brackets have been removed so running a new fuel line will be easier to do.
Many, Many years ago my steel fuel line cracked at the upper flare.
I had no idea where to get a new steel line so I made one out of braided stainless, worked for many years until I purchased a new steel line.
2' of 3/8" braided fuel line, and a few fittings...
Just toughing this out there as an idea...

 

Thanks. I’ll consider a new line. The old one works fine tho. The AC compressor was pulled out when the new engine got put in. Then someone stole it. A lot of the AC stuff is still there so we’re gonna put a new one in. I’ll think on putting a new one is before then. Thanks

 

Good work young man! When I was 16 back in the 80's I had a 71 Cutlass that with the help of my buddies dad next door, we spent a month swapping the engine and all good parts from a parts car 72 Cutlass, so we made one good car from 2. You are way ahead of the game, because back then, I wouldn't have had any idea how to replace a fuel pump, for instance. Keep it up and and definitely keep us updated on your progress. Don't be afraid to ask questions either. You can't learn if you don't ask!

 

Thank you. I’m just learning as I go. Unfortunately I don’t have any help so I have to figure these things out, I wish I did. Lol. YouTube, and this forum is what’s got me this far.

 

Remember that there's early & late when it comes to the A/C in a '76, & you need to know which one you have when you're working on the cooling system.
GM started installing the R4 compressor in late '76 & lots of other things changed with it. The short list includes the radiator, support, shroud, upper & lower hoses...which might of been why the lower one was rubbing...could of been the wrong one. Mine was built late, 4/29/76, but it's early. I have the A6 compressor...

 

Thanks. The car was built in April of 76. I’ll look into it.

 

Should be early. I had a buddy with June built '76 that had the R4...

 

Last night the Corvette went on its first test drive around town! We waited till it was 9 or so because traffic would be dead if anything with wrong. First, I let my Mom drive it with my little brother. Everything went really good, then she drove me. That was probably the most fun I've had in my life. Sure, it ran like crap, and it was very low on power but that didn't matter. 5 months of work was paying off. Unfortunately, I have not learned how to drive a manual. But when the car is for sure running better, I'm going to learn. Here is the YouTube video: .

I changed the spark plug wires earlier and I crossed 2 and 4 so that explains why it ran so poorly and was misfiring. Rookie mistake, lol. I'm gonna also adjust the camber in the rear because its ridiculously cambered. Im just gonna get it better. I'll have to have it aligned to be perfect.
-Carter

 

That had to feel good, @CarterDawson . Soon you will have something to be very proud of that you drive around.

 

As far as progress goes, things have been pretty slow. Working on different projects. I got a friend that’s gonna teach me to mig weld so I can patch panels on my other project, 75 K-20, and do the floor pans in the corvette. I do have a question. It’s nearing spring, and sometime this summer I’d like to get a new window frame put in the 76 Vette. Does anyone know of someone around Washington or Oregon State that has done it in the past and would do a good job? I’m near Seattle area. Thank you.

 

This is the block casting on the 76: 10243880

It’s a new crate motor from 1996. 2k miles on it since it was put in brand new in 96. I found a hot rod forum saying at it’s got vortec aluminum heads and a roller cam. I put a magnet up to the heads and it stuck. So it’s cast heads. It does sound like it may have a very mild cam. I’m wondering if anyone can somehow get there hands on the specs for this crate motor?

 

You are passing up my project! Keep up the progress.