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I'm getting a C3 handed down to me that I've wanted since I was a kid. I love the thing, but I have a feeling it's going to be expensive based on it's current state. The '77 was in a wreck in '80, and the shop my family took it to made it into a convertible by simply cutting the coupe top, installing a '75 convertible top, and the rest with an '81 body. It really is a frankenvette. My grandfather says that the frame isn't very strong and will sometimes flex, like when going over railroad tracks. I want to resto-mod it with a T-top and a roll bar. Anyone have an idea on the cost to re-coupe it?
Probably cooler as a convertible anyway. Frame is about the same between a coupe and a convertible so if it's wobbly I'd take a look at the repair job first. Welding in a roll bar should give you plenty of stiffness if the frame is fine. . Probably not worth the cost of "re-couping" a '77....... since you'd probably never recoup the investment.
I bought my car with a roll-bar already welded in..... not looking for that but just fell into my lap. Sometime over the last 39 years I welded in the gaps on underside stichweld gaps between the wheels, and sometime later, when I had the engine out, I welded in the topside of the stitch-gaps in the engine compartment. If ANYTHING welding in the underside stitchweld gaps between the wheels made the most difference..... I could not even tell much difference when I installed a spreader bar between the upper control arms.
SO- if the frame is ok then it's probably just the regular flexibility on a C3 corvette.
Originally Posted by Dauminator63
I'm getting a C3 handed down to me that I've wanted since I was a kid. I love the thing, but I have a feeling it's going to be expensive based on it's current state. The '77 was in a wreck in '80, and the shop my family took it to made it into a convertible by simply cutting the coupe top, installing a '75 convertible top, and the rest with an '81 body. It really is a frankenvette. My grandfather says that the frame isn't very strong and will sometimes flex, like when going over railroad tracks. I want to resto-mod it with a T-top and a roll bar. Anyone have an idea on the cost to re-coupe it?
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
All vette frames are a bit soft compared to metal bodied cars. They all flex or make noise over tracks. As for the body just resto mod it to whatever race car look you want. I wouldn't make it a coupe again though
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; 01-11-2024 at 06:17 PM.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
post some pics of it maybe we can help with a little guidance. If you were eager enough you could rebody it but that would taking the whole thing apart which will take sometime( years) If you want to enjoy it now make it a driver that you can work on while enjoying it. A Custom roll bar through the body to the frame will stiffen that frame up more than any random welding would.
Yea, I agree with leaving it as it is. Run it around and work the bugs out as you have fun with it. Best bang for buck, put roll bars in. Is there a convertible top in it. That would be great. Welcome to the crazy C3 world. Pics would be great,,,,,,,
After cutting the roof off mine, I only notice a little shaking of the steering column when going over railroad tracks. The doors still close without any binding or flex. However, with the removeable hardtop installed, the shaking over railroad tracks is gone. So why not just get a removeable hardtop. Except for the t-tops, the car still has the same basic outline. Plus t-tops will never leak if you don't have any.
The car is after all a Toy! Full stop! A toy. It's not the car you need to get to work everyday.
It's a really fun toy!
Convertibles are great! Are worth more than a coupe.
just put a weld in roll bar in it. It'll stiffen it up, add protection. Look cool, not cost a ton. And you get to keep the Convertible!
Why remove the coolest thing the car has going for it?
Besides, what about the car’s current configuration will cause unacceptable “flex?’’ These cars had the same frame coupe and convertible. Coupes flex, too, they are nose-heavy.
My ‘81 convertible conversion as seen in Corvette Fever.
These poste remind me of a trip that I made to Florida, in the winter of 1979. I was in Ft. Lauderdale, driving past a Chevrolet dealership, and the Corvette in their showroom caught my eye. It had the "soft" bumpers of the current year 'Vette, but it was a convertible, and as we know, Chevy didn't make soft top 'Vettes in 1979. Intrigued, I stopped into the showroom to take a look. The salesman that I spoke with, told me that they worked with a car restoration shop/Corvette specialist in the area, who did the conversions. He told me that they had sold 3-4 a year, since Chevy dropped the soft tops from the Corvette line......
01-11-2024, 03:21 PM
Un-convertible the coupe cost?
Pics would be great,,,,,,,
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