Howdy boys & girls,

I've been building what I expect will be my last hot rod Corvette. Considering my age, loss of hearing (Hot rod induced), accelerating eyesight loss, and not making any money, it's unlikely I'll be able to sneak another one past the old girl.

This is my 8th Vette in 40 years. From a 65 396 convertible, to a 68 427/435, a 69 427/435, a 70 350/350, a 69 427/400, a 98 5.7, a 64 502/502, and now this one. This one is a 68 Coupe, with '70 body mods (eggcrates, 70 flairs), and an L88 hood. My engine is a 454 + 030 from a '71 Vette. I've spent the last 6 months making it road worthy...brakes, steering, suspension, etc. Even though the previous owner was driving it for at least 4 years, it didn't drive straight, stop straight, or go all that well.

Several thousand dollars later, it was almost ready to go. Put on a set of hooker sidemounts, bought from 66racer in Tucamcari, NM, and a HEI, and rebuilt q-jet to replace the holley spreadbore. Like I said the car just didn't run right.

I finally found the cause of the lack of power the previous owner never could find. A vacuum leak under the carb, cause by the lack of a sealing plate. The intake was from a 66/67 427/390. There are two little orifices in the carb mounting surface which are diretly conneted to the plenum. One of these was unsealed, and resulted in a direct vacuum leak. Never could find it by spraying carb cleamer, because it ws obscured by the carb mounting plate. Anyway, I found it only after I removed the carb and gasket. Spotted the hole, and all I could say was "sumnabitch".

Tapped the holes, screwed in set screws, then epoxied them closed.

Fired off fon the first try. Whoopee!

Then, the Vette sat for weeks.

Yesterday was the first day without rain in 6 weeks. I decided to sneak out for an hour during lunch to fire off the vette. Pulled her out of the barn and fired her off. Let it run for 15 minutes to get it up to operating temp.

After 15 minutes, I began to hear a strange noise (from my one good ear). Sounded like this:

Tinkle tinkle tinkle.
Silence.
Gaboink.
Plink.
tinkle tinkle tinkle.
Plink.
Blank blank blank blank blank.
pwong.


WTF is going on?

I shut her down, fearing the worst. Figured my old blind eyes didn't notice a nut, bolt, or washer that might have gotten dropped into the intake. Or, maybe I set the timing to far advanced, and she was knocking. Or, maybe a rocker came off a stud. Or maybe a pushrod was bent. or maybe......

Who knows? Not the first time I done blowed sumptin up.

Today is my brides birtyhday. Maybe she won't notice me out in the barn, tinkering.....

Ok, yank the plugs to check for damage.....None. Good, but CRAP..

Ok, start her up and trhow the timing light on her. Quiet now...OK, 8 degrees. Fine. That's not in.

Then, I look down and notice there is a teeny little red rock on the floor, near the exhause output. Where did that come from?

Got down on my knees and looked up the pipe. Red powder. Another WTF?

Pulled the side pipe off, nad when I do, a pair of golf ball sized rocks fall out, and a handful of dust....

WTF??????>

Mud wasps.

Remember where I got hte headers? Tucumcari, New Mexico. hanging in a shed in NM for 20+ years. Countless genertations of mud wasps building houses INSUDE THE TUBES, OUT OF SIGHT.

 

and you tell it so well!

 

Blow dem sumnabitches outta there with some old fashioned HP.

I would never have given a thought to look for something like that. Those guys will set up shop anywhere. Thanks for sharing, it will be something I will remember.

 

Good story

 

At least we now know what mud wasps sound like cooking. Did you get that on tape by chance...

 

Yes, definitely need to get video of blowing the rest out as well.

 

I did, in fact, save the remnants of the mud wasp homesteads for evidence. I'll post some photos later.

Next time I start her up, I'll record the sound of the exhaust, just in case there any more of the little darlings still in one of the tubes.

By the way, if you ever want to put an official, unerasable Sh..t eating grin on the face of your kids (all mid 20's), and their boyfriends/girlfriends/fiancee's, etc. (but NOT your wife, on her birthday), I recommend taking them out to the barn and firing off the big block vette with the muffler inserts OUT of the sidemounts. By the way, this is an excellent method of cat removal. Didn't think they could run that fast.

My oldest daughter had the biggset grin, along with a "holy crap, can I drive it?" Being her dad, I said "sure.

More wit and wistom to come.

 

Sure made me feel good,that you found the problem before you tore down the motor. Tell your wife Happy Birthday, and take her out to an excellent French Restaurant. It's hard to have two loves in a mans life. Have a great day. Gene

 

Well, I'm probably your age but fortunately in a little better health...today. Tomorrow is another day.

I enjoyed your story.

 

Great story
Not sure what I would do if I suddenly heard a
"Tinkle tinkle tinkle" from the vette other then say
"That aint right."

 

Me too. You DO tell a great story.

 

Yes, a good story.

I just gotta ask, Did you buy that vette from a sort of Kooky guy in Newington or New Brittain, CT who had it parked in his mothers garage with the rear suspension mostly removed, about 3 or 4 years ago? And is it painted Mitsubishi red? I looked long and hard at that car and then passed on it, but always wondered how it would have turned out if I had gone for it. Good luck to you with that "project". Any chance you would PM me with how much you paid for it, just to satisfy my curiosity?

Paul in Waterford.

 

Ha - good story!

 

The first story was great- follow up on that was every bit as good. "By the way, this is an excellent method of cat removal. Didn't think they could run that fast." The visual on that would have resulted in a coffee spew all over my computer but thankfully I wasn't drinking any at the time.

 

Mine with just 50 series flowmasters does a pretty good job of getting the dog out of the garage, and I even like the dog. Great story, and glad you found the problem.