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Hi Steve, welcome!! There are some VERY helpful members on this forum. It looks like you have a great C3! There is a lot of great advice already given.
Not to beat a dead horse, but the mentions of getting rid of the old gas are spot on. If it really hasn't been run in 20 years you might be a bit better off if there was not corn in the gas (that started about 18 years or so ago). Corn gas does terrible things when it sits for any length of time.
Take your time and enjoy the vette as you work on it.
Lots of other good advice, but I'm going to add a bit more on the tires. They can look perfectly fine and still be a ticking time bomb. If there really is no date code, you should replace them. If you find a date code (just google the brand of tire for the date code locations) and the tires are older than 6- maybe as much as 10 years, you need to replace them. See below for a visual (not my car). You don't want that to happen. I learned the hard way once on perfectly good looking radials that were 8 years old. If I keep a car long enough, I replace them at 6 years old. I'm about there on our '68 L71, so it will get new shoes this spring. And.........if you buy new tires for your vette, make sure you check the date codes on the new ones. I had to have a tire shop get a new set when the ones that came in were already pushing 2 years old.
Have fun, and keep us informed. Best, Paul
Hello Hopper, think your response was for the OP Steven.N. Fortunately the tires on my 76 are only two years old. I agree 100% with your comments on old tires, they could very well be a time bomb and the results could catastrophic.
Nice car Steve! I just bought a '78 L82 yesterday for my wife who has always wanted one but I'm here on the forum to learn as I'll be the wrench. Following on what others have said I bought her a low mileage car and we searched until we found a car that in spite of the mileage had everything you have seen suggested rebuilt or replaced. New fuel tank, pump and carb rebuilt by local specialist, all new master cylinder, booster, lines, pads, rotors and calipers. Full repaint with many pages of rubber trim replaced. All fluids, hoses and consumables replaced. Updated AC. Recent tires. Even with all of this I'm betting I'll be finding plenty to keep up as she enjoys her ride. I'm subscribed to your thread to see what else I need to check out so thanks for starting it.
I bought my first Corvette when I was 19, a 1977 like yours but it was running. I still felt like I had to work on it to make it perfect. Once you start you may also find yourself just taking everything apart. Don't get ahead of yourself, have a plan and only address what you can at the time. Whatever you do dismantle, bag and tag everything plus document with photos from multiple angles. Being your first domestic car it is a little different. I had five C3's over the years, rebuilt a few of them and feel like I'm still learning. You'd be surprised how quickly you forget how it went back together. I've been blessed to have owned 17 Corvettes over my 65 years. I enjoyed that first one so much that my last project was to replicate my first Corvette. She's all tucked away for winter now. Most of all enjoy the journey!
