Just got my vette delivered a few days ago. I knew it needed work when I bought it and after a quick once over I’m seeing a few things that are necessary repairs.

Frame is solid. Some surface rust hear and there but it’s in better shape than I was expecting. The only significant rust is on the passenger floor pan. Gunna need to replace that eventually.

Main issue is the right rear is sagging so I think it needs new shocks and maybe some other suspension bits out back. Not really sure what to put in there or where to find them.

Second, it needs a good amount of interior renovation. Carpet and seats are pretty worn. Any suggestions on where to find those pieces?

Also, I had a pipe dream of swapping out the dash for a pre-77 dash. Has that been done before? I can’t seem to find anyone that has done that swap.

Lastly, if anyone has suggestions on paint shops around the Sarasota FL area it needs a good paint job down the line.

I used to work on 4th gen F-body’s but the C3 has always been a dream car so I think I can make most repairs myself but I’m not quite fluent on the C3 yet.

 

First off, welcome to the forum, and welcome to Corvette ownership! Pictures would be nice. Pictures will also help us see the condition of the car, and what you're up against.

Also, sounds like you purchased this car remotely without first looking at it yourself (or having someone with C3 Corvette experience look at it for you beforehand) - that is quite risky on these cars, as they can get expensive real quick. And it's not just the frame you have to worry about - it's also the birdcage, as the C2 and C3 box frames tend to rust from the inside out. Some folks try to hide frame rust with undercoating, so if your car has a good deal of undercoating, that's a red flag. Check for rust toward the rear of the frame and around the trailing arm mounts - that's where the worst of it tends to accumulate, but it really can rust anywhere there isn't fiberglass

What is a '81 396? There is no such thing (from the factory), and no C3 Corvette ever had a 396 engine option. The '81 had one option - the L81 350 sbc for that year, and the Corvette hasn't been shipped from the factory with a 396 (BB) since the mid-year C2 gen. No one does the dash swap because it's a huge PITA - the center console gauge cluster is also different.

It's easier to just buy a mid-year vette and update the front and rear bumpers to the 80-82 style than replacing the entire dash - Of course, you don't have the bubble window in the pre-78 years, so everyone who knows these cars would know it was a mid-year C3 if you did that. If you want the pre-77 dash with the big round speedo and tach (and round center gauges), consider selling your 81 and instead buy a mid year C3. IMO, it's just not worth the huge effort and expense.

Zip Corvette has a good selection of interior parts, but there are other vendors as well that can help. Also, your local parts swap meet may have parts too, so be on the lookout for those.

 

Thanks for the info.

I guess I could have been more specific. At some point a previous owner dropped a 396 in it. Not sure how long it’s been in there but it seems to run good and the car drives fairly well. I’ve only driven it about a half mile since I haven’t gotten it registered just yet but I’m hoping to give it a real test drive in the next few weeks.

 

I am new to the area. But paint is paint. And Maaco does the most painting. Get it prepped well and have them paint it. These cars do not deserve or need 10 to 20k car show paint jobs that take shops years to complete. The 396 I assume is old school big block? And not running the 81 electronic q-jet?

 

Hopefully it's a small block. Who would put in a 396 BB when a 454 or bigger was available?

 

Pictures, OP?

 

I disagree with the bold face comment above.......there is no more beautiful car than a C3 Corvette, and they absolutely deserve a great prep and a great paint job. The Corvette was, has always been, and still is Chevrolet's premium banner car......so why should it not have a good paint job?

 

Welcome to the forum

 

you’re right

 

Because you are going to turn a 15k car into a 20 k car by spending 20k on paint. It will never be a 60k car. Not the majority of C3’s. I wish it were otherwise.

 

We need to be realistic. There are too many 74-82 corvettes out there. Many are trash. But they are still there bringing down the overall selling prices of 2nd gen C3’s.

 

The value of a car for some of us is not measured in what it can be sold for. When that is your criteria......most cars are not worth the time or money.

 

Alright gentlemen take it easy on the paint argument. That’s an afterthought at this point.

Could use some help IDing this engine though. Can’t seem to find any numbers where I think they should be. From my limited knowledge of pre-1995 engines it seems to look like a 396 big block. Can’t find any numbers on the front of the engine though and the only stamp I can vaguely see on the back of the engine is so dirty it’s basically illegible.

of course my last can of degreaser decided to go empty as soon as I started trying to clean it off. Running out to Walmart right now to get some more.

 

it has pipe plugs on the front of the heads. so it is a Mark 4 big block. the pad you circled above right side of water pump. machined off smooth? common. it is a standard deck, not tall deck block. so it is a 396, 427 or 454. or possibly 496 with aftermarket crank but seller would have said so. there are block casting numbers and casting dates on back of block behind the heads. some later 454 also had 7.4 cast real big on the side of the block behind the exhaust.and there are head casting numbers under valve covers between cylinders-valves that nay also be informative. most likely it is the 396 the person you bought it from said it is. any bigger and they would not have id'd it as a 396. they are nice motors. nothing to sneeze at. post a pic without air filter.

 

welcome!!

 

Why are you not uploading more pics of the car? We would like to see it.

 

working on it. Haven’t had much time to take my own photos since it was delivered. Literally drove it 1/4 mile from where the transport truck had to unload it and put it in the garage and it’s been sitting there for the last week or so.

 

Awesome! Super helpful. Thanks! I should have some time tomorrow to pull the air filter off. Probably going to wait until the summer to really tear into things but I’m itching to take some stuff apart again. It’s been about 10 years since I’ve had a car that I can just rip open without having to put it back together by Monday.

 

Or worse, hafta put it together to get to parts store to come back home and tear back into it and then have it ready to get you to work.

 

The 396 big block is a great engine and is a perfect choice for a street driven Corvette or any car really.
Chevrolet put them in SS Camaro’s, SS Chevelle’s and many other cars.
Didn’t they put a 396 in the C2 for one year?
I owned a 70 SS Chevelle with the 396/402 and it ran really strong.
I also dropped one in a 17’10” Cole flat bottom that I skied behind for years and it was quicker than lightning.
They will rev quicker and run stronger from idle to to about 5000 rpm than the 454.
Looks like a cool build and I can’t wait to see more pictures.