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Hey y’all, I just bought my dream car, a 1976 corvette. Automatic transmission, power steering, a/c, etc.
However, there are a few areas of concern Id like to get to and I figured there’s no better place than those who have a c3 rather than a newer car with different hardware
Motor and transmission are great save for the transmission pan, which is probably the easiest fix I’ll do on the car. The vehicle came with a set of new bushings that I’m going to install first and foremost.
Areas of concern:
-When driving slow, there is a clicking noise from passenger side front that sounds like two legos clicking one another (maybe a new driveshaft is needed, perhaps just bushings and bearings??) the sound goes away as speed increases
-When going down a steep hill, the car likes to pull to the right and there is a clacking sound accompanied by a shift felt in the cabin but i can tell it isn’t transmission related
I was fully aware I’d need to put some work into the car when I bought it but that’s no issue. I have experience doing suspension work on my 2024 maverick, used to do my own maintenance when I had a Toyota, and i have all the necessary tools to do the work myself.
What should I focus on switching out first?
suspension related items?
driveshaft/axle related items?
etc
Thanks in advance and God Bless!
-When driving slow, there is a clicking noise from passenger side front that sounds like two legos clicking one another (maybe a new driveshaft is needed, perhaps just bushings and bearings??) the sound goes away as speed increases
-When going down a steep hill, the car likes to pull to the right and there is a clacking sound accompanied by a shift felt in the cabin but i can tell it isn’t transmission related
What should I focus on switching out first?
suspension related items?
driveshaft/axle related items?
etc
Thanks in advance and God Bless!
Pretty car.
As far as what to do first, make it safe: Brakes #1, then steering and handling (suspension/alignment) under hard braking and avoidance maneuvers.
Do you have any sense that the lego-clicks and the downhill clacking could be the same thing - exhibiting the same condition but with different stresses applied?
Any idea if the sounds are located toward the front or rear?
I think a first step is to lift it up and fully inspect all suspension parts for wear and the various frame connections for integrity. While it's up in the air you can check the driveshaft and axle shaft u-joints for internal movement. Rotate each tire to feel for anything that could be clicking (rears are hard to rotate if the suspension is hanging).
Good advice is given above about jacking up the car. Another thing I would check is the trim rings on those rally wheels. There notorious for making rotational noises. You could take them off and go for a drive to see if the noise goes away.
As far as what to do first, make it safe: Brakes #1, then steering and handling (suspension/alignment) under hard braking and avoidance maneuvers.
Do you have any sense that the lego-clicks and the downhill clacking could be the same thing - exhibiting the same condition but with different stresses applied?
Any idea if the sounds are located toward the front or rear?
I think a first step is to lift it up and fully inspect all suspension parts for wear and the various frame connections for integrity. While it's up in the air you can check the driveshaft and axle shaft u-joints for internal movement. Rotate each tire to feel for anything that could be clicking (rears are hard to rotate if the suspension is hanging).
I havent raised it fully in the air yet but have jacked it up and been able to inspect the underside. I believe everything might be original which is insane and honestly quite impressive given that newer vehicles usually need new suspensions and the like after a few years tops. The lego-clicks come from the passenger front wheel assembly area and the clacking from the same right-side area but sounds like it’s farther under inwards.
I took the lug nuts off the right front wheel and retightened them in a star pattern the other day but the sound remains. Personally, I’d like to replace pretty much everything.
I make enough money that I can comfortable make a 500$ purchase for parts monthly for the vehicle but It wouldn’t be plausible to buy all the parts right now altogether.
Any idea what I should start on first that wouldn’t compromise the integrity of the parts around it?
Good advice is given above about jacking up the car. Another thing I would check is the trim rings on those rally wheels. There notorious for making rotational noises. You could take them off and go for a drive to see if the noise goes away.
10-4 I will have to find some wheels to put on to able to try that but that shouldn’t be too difficult. I thought it was interesting that I had to pry off the hubcap using a hammer and afterwards to tap it back into place just to access the lugs
10-4 I will have to find some wheels to put on to able to try that but that shouldn’t be too difficult. I thought it was interesting that I had to pry off the hubcap using a hammer and afterwards to tap it back into place just to access the lugs
No different wheels required. Here is a thread about removing and installing the trim rings.
10-4 I will have to find some wheels to put on to able to try that but that shouldn’t be too difficult. I thought it was interesting that I had to pry off the hubcap using a hammer and afterwards to tap it back into place just to access the lugs
Run your fingers around the hub cap and find the place that feels like there is more space to pull off the cap. I can pull mine off of both my '67 and '72 with only my hands using this method. When putting them back on, look at the wheel's securing hump placements. They're not equally spaced, two are closer together. Place the cap on so the cap's securing lip is inside the two humps and you only have to get it over the single hump. Give that location a pop with the pinky side of your fist and it pop into place.
The trim rings may come off by hand (which is what I usually do), but the jack handle has a short pry tooth to lever it off against the tire. Place the tooth between the securing clip fingers (if original securing style rings). As mentioned the 4 clips have a tendency to rattle and can be better secured by lightly tapping the backside lip of the stainless ring on each side of each clip location. If you find you have rings where there is a full band of clips all around, then it's not likely the trim ring making the noise but you can pull it off to test anyway.
This is a repro ring but the factory rings are the same/similar. The arrows point to where you can tap the lip to secure each clip location better.
Run your fingers around the hub cap and find the place that feels like there is more space to pull off the cap. I can pull mine off of both my '67 and '72 with only my hands using this method. When putting them back on, look at the wheel's securing hump placements. They're not equally spaced, two are closer together. Place the cap on so the cap's securing lip is inside the two humps and you only have to get it over the single hump. Give that location a pop with the pinky side of your fist and it pop into place.
The trim rings may come off by hand (which is what I usually do), but the jack handle has a short pry tooth to lever it off against the tire. Place the tooth between the securing clip fingers (if original securing style rings). As mentioned the 4 clips have a tendency to rattle and can be better secured by lightly tapping the backside lip of the stainless ring on each side of each clip location. If you find you have rings where there is a full band of clips all around, then it's not likely the trim ring making the noise but you can pull it off to test anyway.
This is a repro ring but the factory rings are the same/similar. The arrows point to where you can tap the lip to secure each clip location better.
Sound advice above. I once had a loud click if you would, coming from the front passenger side of my ‘69 (which I no longer have) that appeared and lasted a bit. It got louder one day as I was coming home from making a few passes at the drag strip. On the way home, I planned to pull off to my sisters house as her husband had a nice shop (roundy round racer guy) so we could take a look see. After turning off of the main highway, I got a few yards down the street when BAAAAAAM! The front passenger wheel took off and the front end slammed to the ground (pretty dang violently). About 2 weeks or so before, I had taken it in for alignment. They apparently over torqued the lug nuts, stretching the wheel studs. That loud click was the wheel screaming as it basically snapped back and forth against the rotor, stretching and snapping a few more studs. Ended up putting in longer, stronger studs. Never replaced, fixed the big chunk of fiberglass that busted from around the wheel opening fender before I sold it. Long story short, I applaud your checking the lug nuts.
One more thing you may want to check as there is apparently another thing can cause stress there, which is the mating surface on the back side of your rims, where they contact the rotors. Make sure that both the rotor face and the backside of the rims are clean. You can take a wheel off, pulling/separating crud & rust, then put it back on in not exactly the same spot. Now the spot of crud on the rim is stacked on top of a spot of crud on the rotor. You tighten up your lugs, but everything is now spaced ***** nilly because of varying layers of crud/rust. I hope that makes sense. As said above, BEAUTIFUL CAR!
Last edited by litevette; Aug 30, 2025 at 04:38 PM.
Help identifying issues
