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You have an awful lot of work ahead of you. Don't try to do everything at once. Pick a section of the car and work on that, like engine compartment, interior, body, etc. Work on that section until it is good! Don't try to make it perfect all at once. I have had my 69 more than 50 years and it still isn't perfect. After you get one part in good shape, in another 20 years it will probably need some work again. Just the life of an old car.
I find it amazing some of the places that people have owned an older Corvette. Some of the places in Europe I never thought that an old Corvette would end up in.
Based on several photos you posted, i'm UNCERTAIN about rot / rust . You say the frame & bird cage are in great shape. There is an extensive amount of rust showing in these 2 photos, including but not limited to the chunk on the passenger seat, ebrake, engine compartment, & whatever that badly rusted piece is on the drivers floor. I can't see the frame, trailing arm kick up area, birdcage bolts behind the speaker grills or the windshield molding & wouldn't be surprised if many of these parts & areas are SEE THROUGH. Whatever material is on the floors may be hiding the Famous FRED FLINTSTONE DESIGN. Labor maybe cheap in the DR, but you will need what looks like a huge amount of money for parts. The DR is a very, very, wet, harsh humid environment conducive to rust. 900 BLACK IS SPECIAL !!
Hope for your sake it works out & you can save her. All the best to you. Keep us posted & the pics coming.
...
Thanks… I will keep updating this post with pictures and the progress!!
that rust you see is from the T top frame that we can fix, I inspect the BC behind the speaker cover and look ok, the frame and car didn’t move an inch when moving it and transporting it, really steady!
Hello,
Please say you paid very little or nothing for this car.
The original rear exterior photo made me think ...no flares.
But the later photo does show rear flares.
Rebody????
Regards...
The engine compartment photo is quite ....depressing.
Paid 4K for it and remember I am in DR, when we import cars here we have to pay 35-40% for import duties, so for a 35k corvette (68-72) here in DR that is 50k or more.
Welcome and congrats. I have been to DR, Punta Cana is a beautiful area!
Yes, you have quite a project ahead of you but anything can be repaired with the right attitude, help and $$$$!
I'd start pulling everything apart, take lots of pics first, do all the mechanicals first - engine, trans, brakes.
Here are top vintage Corvette part vendors in Florida, shipping from them should be the most reasonable.
C&S Corvettes: Located in Sarasota, they offer a 10,000 sq ft inventory specializing in 1968–2004 new, used, and reproduction parts.
Dino's Corvette Salvage: A major source for used, new, and rebuilt parts for older Corvettes.
Ecklers Corvette: Headquartered in Titusville, FL, they are one of the largest suppliers for restoration parts for all generations.
Corvette Shop & Supplies: Located in Tampa, they offer a wide range of new and used parts for C1-C6 models.
Corvette Generation: Based in Dade City, they specialize in C3 and C4 parts, with a large inventory from over 350 cars.
Corvette Parts Online: Based in Boynton Beach, specializing in rebuilt differentials and trailing arms for 1963–1996 models.
Davies Corvette: Based in New Port Richey with a long history of supplying Corvette parts.
Great information, thanks for everything and this is great news my sister lives in Sarasota, I think she’ll have to help a lot lololol.
I’ll try to do a mix between original and modern on some things.
but I am starting with a 4k car and any c3 I can bring to DR in great mint shape will be 50k, so anything less than 46k restoring it will be a great job and a great experience!
Welcome and congrats. I have been to DR, Punta Cana is a beautiful area!
Yes, you have quite a project ahead of you but anything can be repaired with the right attitude, help and $$$$!
I'd start pulling everything apart, take lots of pics first, do all the mechanicals first - engine, trans, brakes.
Here are top vintage Corvette part vendors in Florida, shipping from them should be the most reasonable.
C&S Corvettes: Located in Sarasota, they offer a 10,000 sq ft inventory specializing in 1968–2004 new, used, and reproduction parts.
Dino's Corvette Salvage: A major source for used, new, and rebuilt parts for older Corvettes.
Ecklers Corvette: Headquartered in Titusville, FL, they are one of the largest suppliers for restoration parts for all generations.
Corvette Shop & Supplies: Located in Tampa, they offer a wide range of new and used parts for C1-C6 models.
Corvette Generation: Based in Dade City, they specialize in C3 and C4 parts, with a large inventory from over 350 cars.
Corvette Parts Online: Based in Boynton Beach, specializing in rebuilt differentials and trailing arms for 1963–1996 models.
Davies Corvette: Based in New Port Richey with a long history of supplying Corvette parts.
Great information, thanks for everything and this is great news my sister lives in Sarasota, I think she’ll have to help a lot lololol.
I’ll try to do a mix between original and modern on some things.
but I am starting with a 4k car and any c3 I can bring to DR in great mint shape will be 50k, so anything less than 46k restoring it will be a great job and a great experience!
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by acostaraymond
Thanks… I will keep updating this post with pictures and the progress!!
that rust you see is from the T top frame that we can fix, I inspect the BC behind the speaker cover and look ok, the frame and car didn’t move an inch when moving it and transporting it, really steady!
I Don't want to be overly negative ( JUST CAUCTIOUS ) but there is a very good chance that if your t-top frame is rusted that badly, so is your windshield frame &
many other hidden places. Once again, i'm hoping for your sake not, but based on what little I have seen i'm telling you it doesn't look good. I would check out the entire car very well before moving forward & investing $1 more on this car. $4,000 in the DR is a lot of money & I really do hope you don't have to junk it & can save her. Looking forward to more photos & wishing nothing but the best for you & Miss 69 Keep us posted
Just updating the post.... We started taking everything apart, removed the engine and trans from the car, and took the engine to the machine shop to work on that. It's a 327 from an earlier Corvette, apparently, with a 4-speed Muncie from that same Corvette. But the engine block and everything are looking good, and we can save it and use it.
We decided to separate the car from the chassis so we can work better, sandblast everything, and do better work.
IF I am reading my lime book correctly HCH came from a 66 Passenger Car (PA) and it had a PowerGlide and 4 barrel at 275 horsepower.
I have the Lime Book but am not really knowledgeable so feel free to correct me if I messed something up. That carb on there doesn't look like 4-barrel, eh?
"HCH 66 327 275 4B(Holley),PG PA"
Try to get some pictures o the frame after you remove the body ...... I'm really curious about how it looks. Sure looks like a lot of work to me.
Did the 69 have flares or not?
Last edited by carriljc; May 15, 2026 at 12:38 PM.
IF I am reading my lime book correctly HCH came from a 66 Passenger Car (PA) and it had a PowerGlide and 4 barrel at 275 horsepower.
I have the Lime Book but am not really knowledgeable so feel free to correct me if I messed something up. That carb on there doesn't look like 4-barrel, eh?
"HCH 66 327 275 4B(Holley),PG PA"
Try to get some pictures o the frame after you remove the body ...... I'm really curious about how it looks. Sure looks like a lot of work to me.
Did the 69 have flares or not?
Yes, this car was extremely modified over the years, the 68-72 corvettes are rare here in the dominican republic.
you are correct and that intake+carb is not from that engine.
also the front klip or whole body is from a 1972 but the vin is from a 1969. Lol
but I have to work with what I got! I was thinking on removing the flares and add the correct side skills.
Here is what a stock 69 interior looks like except for the leather cover on the steering wheel.
Considering that your car was built in Nov 69 it might be possible that they used some or a lot of 1970 parts that were waiting for the 70 series to start.
That might explain why so many part look like a later year. That might make it easier to get it useable.
Yeah. I would NOT undertake that project. Of course I'm old ....... and I reckon I could find a C3 in a lot better condition to play with if I wanted another project......BUT really---- I would pull that body and inspect that birdcage before doing anything else.
Some of you guys are way too harsh. It's an almost 60 year old vehicle that has had some panels replaced and painted a different color. Sure it needs work, but that's the whole concept of a project car.
Not every Vette is a Duntov Award candidate. It's ok that it's modified.
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by Tranz Zam
Some of you guys are way too harsh. It's an almost 60 year old vehicle that has had some panels replaced and painted a different color. Sure it needs work, but that's the whole concept of a project car.
Not every Vette is a Duntov Award candidate. It's ok that it's modified.
Jeez
Not even talking the cheap labor in the DR. I'm talking big rust, I think even bigger then he knows & the amount of parts, new or used from what I can see that will be needed is going to be HUGE ! ( modified or not ) better him then me & bigger *****, that's all,.................... MUCH BIGGER, just saying
KUDOS, for trying to save, her. I'm very much looking forward to following the journey !
...
Last edited by 427SIXPACK; May 16, 2026 at 01:07 PM.
I agree.
Nothing to do with needing work.
Need to find out the real status of that frame before doing anything else
Originally Posted by 427SIXPACK
Not even talking the cheap labor in the DR. I'm talking big rust, I think even bigger then he knows & the amount of parts, new or used from what I can see that will be needed is going to be HUGE ! ( modified or not ) better him then me & bigger *****, that's all,.................... MUCH BIGGER, just saying
KUDOS, for trying to save, her. I'm very much looking forward to following the journey !
All the best to you. Keep us posted & the pics coming. 
that we can fix, I inspect the BC behind the speaker cover and look ok, the frame and car didn’t move an inch when moving it and transporting it, really steady!
Once again, i'm hoping for your sake not, but based on what little I have seen i'm telling you it doesn't look good. I would check out the entire car very well before moving forward & investing $1 more on this car. $4,000 in the DR is a lot of money & I really do hope you don't have to junk it & can save her. Looking forward to more photos & wishing nothing but the best for you & Miss 69 Keep us posted 
