Phalanx_vette

First I have to start with a disclaimer:
If you don't like hacking and modifying then don't read this thread.
I'm military with a wife and kid, therefor i don't have much money, so updates will probably be quite far a part. Due to lack of said funds I'll be doing what it takes to make things work. I'm not building a show car by any stretch. I'm after function over form. I just want to make this car run and have fun.

With that out of the way...

I got rid of my 93 Ruby, and picked up a "68" with a 454. I put that in quotations because I believe the chassis is about the only thing left that is from 68.
The further i dig the more I find. So here's to a grand adventure.
Here she is the day I brought her home.


Not pretty, but I'm going to do what I can.


first thing I decided to break into was the issue of the passenger window not working. Also the switches had fallen down inside the e-brake housing. after removing the housing I saw that the passenger switch wasn't even plugged in, and it wouldn't plug in, because the plug was the wrong type.. i guess.. since the driver works. and they're different.

So I'm going to purchase a repair plug for both sides and one switch, because it doesn't work. (checked everything with voltmeter. motors are good)

The switch holding plate was also glued to the housing. So many ghetto fixes.... So I came up with a solution. I don't think it looks bad, and it beats paying 50 bucks for a new plastic housing.

Just drilled holes where the studs are supposed to be located, and put a bolt through with nut on the back. Maybe some day I'll buy a new one.

So the car ran... like ****... The quadra-junk wasn't working right. So I yanked that and the cast iron intake manifold, So I could see more of what was going on. Discovered I have Truck heads.

Not such a big deal as I'd like to go aluminum anyway.

I have a bunch of receipts that came with the car showing the engine was just rebuilt in 2004. and it still looks pretty good inside so far. (Haven't pulled the heads yet, but valve train looks great.)


And finally for my last post of the evening from the weekends worth of work (I'm sorry this turned out so long).
I'd like to track down the person who painted this thing. SOOOO much overspray and improper prep. Just have a look.

obviously my wipers don't work. None of the vacuum stuff did actually.

Well I'm open to suggestions. Remember I don't have money, and honestly I don't know much about working on cars, but I learn fast and I'm doing this to learn and have fun.

7T1vette

Hey, a BB '68 is a nice place to start. That may be a rebuilt 454 from a truck application. Built for torque, but not high rpm. No matter, the torque will be plenty and the torque band will be wide and flat. Your first purchase should be a copy of the '68 AIM (assembly instruction manual). Since you will be doing a lot of disassembly/assembly of various areas of the car, it will help immensely in depicting detail construction and layout of parts. Your second purchase should be a copy of the Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual. It has a wealth of information on the various operating systems in the vehicle: diagrams, schematics, electrical logic tables, etc. You can learn and do a tremendous amount of work with just those two reference manuals. The AIM will have to be purchased outright from a Corvette vendor; the CCSM can sometimes be found used on eBay or Amazon.
If your goal is to get it up and running quickly, you'd best make a detailed 'punch list' of the various chunks of work needing to be done. Then, you can detail each packet (i.e. engine work) down to sub-items, parts needed, etc. Don't forget items like paint, general hardware (nuts/bolts/washers), cleaners. Focus your first efforts on the major systems that impact vehicle operation and safety: engine, trans, brakes, steering, suspension, lighting. Once you complete that "group", the car will be operational and safe. Then you can move on to the "accessories" and "appearance" groups of work.
Good luck on your project. You will learn so much through this effort, and you will have a fun ride, to boot! There will be "naysayers" on your strategy...just ignore them. The rest of us will be here to help with specific questions when you need to ask.

lvrpool32

I think I have a brand new repro e-brake console if you want it...never gonna use it.

SinisterC6

good luck on the build! Bet its going to look sick. Thanks for serving btw.

69427

Lots of free info here for the asking. A lot of us have had to deal with modifications done by previous owners, so you're in friendly territory here.

Keep the pictures coming, along with any questions.

And again, thank you for your service.

condor7

There are a number of things that lead me to suggest that the car is actually a 69 or later not a 68. 68 had push button door handles, had the ignition switch in the dash, not on the column, did not have "stingray" badges, and the front turn signal/grills have the small turn light assy's not the large ones I see in your photo. Looks like a front end from a 70 or 71. Your gauge cluster is not from a 68 either. Check to see if the gauge, speedo and tach are green lor blue when lit up. Green is 68-69, maybe 70, but I know for sure green is 68.

I think you have a much later shark and so a 68 assembly manual would really be confusing. I have a 68 built from the frame up and there are several major differences from it and the later years. Another important factor is the front wheel spindles are smaller than from a 69 on. GM used a carry over from the 67 up front. I changed my A arms, spindles and springs a long time ago to a 1980 model year. Heavier spindles and the added benifit is you can use 8x15 rims without the tires getting into the tie rod ends. (stock tire 225/70R/15 will rub the tie rod end of the spindle) The 68 came with 7x15, not 8x15. There is a tire clearance problem using 8x15 up front.

By the way, center armrest consoles with the power window option can be had for $30 on the bay. Your console is not from a 68. 68's had two recessed area's to store the seat belt latches.

It's kind of hard to tell what you have. Get the serial number from the drivers side of the a pillar or from the left rear top part of the frame (stamped in, very hard to see) to see what you really have.

Again good luck on your project.

7T1vette

condor7 is more observant than me and is exactly right. I didn't really look at the features on the car...just saw that it was a red coupe with a BB hood.

The front grilles are from a '71 or '72 car; and for them to fit at all, the front end has to be from that period, also. It can narrow down further by determining the color of the numbering on the gauge dials. Pure white numbers makes it a '72; faint greenish tint to the numbers makes it a '71 ['68-'71 had greenish dial markings]. And the VIN changed formats in '72, so if the VIN starts with "19437..", it is a '71; if it starts with "1Z37.." it's a '72. The sixth digit in either VIN code will designate the model year ("1" for '71, "2" for '72).

Is the car registered as a '68? And what does the title say that it is? If that sixth digit in the VIN is an "8", then it has a '68 frame/VIN, but a lot of work has been done on the car to convert it to a later configuration. Interesting. Let us know what you really have.

Imo Apita

Q-jet is a good carb. Forum member Lars is the Q-jet guru here. He can get you extensive papers on setting them up correctly. Send him an email.

Rebelrob

Nice look from the front of the car. I would not say that is overspray, looks like they just painted the wiper trough area without masking.
Good points made above about the actual year model. I got a friend that has a title for a 69 Vette, but the car is a actually a stock 73. No mistaken those two models. So the registration can be incorrect. It does happen.

Phalanx_vette

Thanks for the support guys!
I do have the Assembly manual, but I'll look into getting the Chassis one.

Condor7: Like I said this thing is a frankenstein's monster. I'm pretty sure the front end is a 71. I know It has later front suspension A-arms, spindles, etc.. because it's running 8x15's with 255's, and no rubbing. I believe the rear is 10x15's, because it's running 295's. I haven't gotten under the car much yet though so I don't really know much specifics. I know all the bushings need replaced.

I only bothered with the e-brake console this early because it was a cheap fix. I need to save up some money to pick up an intake manifold and carb. I know there's a lot of die hard qjet guys out there, but I'm not a fan. So I'm going to focus on cleaning things up until I can purchase some of the more major parts.
I'd like to redo the entire top end of the engine if anyone knows where I can pick that stuff up for a good price. I've been pricing around and I really don't want to drop 3K on heads, cam, intake, and carb.

lvrpool your car looks sick by the way. I might take you up on that console. Is it just the console, or with the window switches as well?

The VIN is a 68. and it's titled and registered as a 68. Like I said before I don't think there's much 68 left to it.

Phalanx_vette

That's just one spot where they did a shotty job. There's lots of bubbling in the back from poor prep work, and runs everywhere on the vertical surfaces. I had to take the door panels off to check the window motors and the entire inside of the doors were shot. Right on top of all the grime and grease. There's tons of overspray on the engine. It's like they didn't mask it at all.

condor7

Wow, I think you have your hands full. There have been a whole moltitude of things changed on your Vette if it is really a 68. Anyway it's a bumper car and well worth the time to fix it up and make a driver out of it.

Like a lot of other members, I'm a retired vet and know all to well about keeping costs down. Take advantage of everything members offer to include advice when you get into a jam and it will all work out. Tons of info on this site and members willing to help out.

I live on the east coast so won't be of much help for you concerning the engine and stuff. Now if you were here in Sunny Florida, well that's a different story.

Again good luck and happy motoring.

tshort

If you don't get a new center console might I suggest using rivets instead of the flat screws or maybe stainless allen button-head screws? Good luck with the project. Even with all the bubba stuff it's still a nice car.

Phalanx_vette

Yeah, I just used what I had laying around to see if it would work out ok. I plan on picking up some black allen head screws and using those.
A friend and I discussed it today, and I think I'm going to button the engine back up with stock parts. Make the qjet work, and then concentrate my money on the underside. Make it safe first. Bushings, work on the brakes, and maybe a few suspension upgrades.

Phalanx_vette

Anyone know where I can pick up a complete power steering kit at a good price?

My car is manual steering, and with the wide front tires and heavy big block, steering is a real work out.
Mid America wants a grand for their kit, and everything else I've found requires a core turn in, and obviously I don't have a core to turn in.

I appreciate any assistance.

7T1vette

If you convert to power steering, you will also have to swap out the Pittman arm at the output of the steering box and the center steering link. Those are different for P/S and it will have to be changed. Your options for power steering are: buy a complete new system (big buck$); buy rebuilt [stock] components and install them (pump and brackets, cylinder, control valve, hoses)...a decent option; buy a "used" system from a salvaged C3 and rebuild the components yourself (rebuild kit costs are very inexpensive...this option depends on getting a good deal on a salvaged set and how handy you are at DIY tasks). If you go with the last option, make sure you know what pump bracket you need for your car and make their inclusion a condition of purchase for the "used" system.

Phalanx_vette

Great info. Thanks!
I had a feeling piecing one together from refurb or parts car would be the cheapest way to go.
I'm assuming the difference in bracket is the BB and SB? What about the pulley? What do I need to be aware of for that? My car was originally A/C, but most of the components are removed and I don't plan to reinstall it. Only Accessories I plan on having are the power steering pump and alternator.

Time to start searching.

tshort

There is an aftermarket kit that works a lot better than the stock system. 427Hotrod installed one in his car and actually had an article published in Corvette Enthusiast about it. PM him for more details. His name is Jim.

whitehause

I'm thinking possible engine fire at some point in it's life that got into the passenger compartment. That's the only reason I could think to replace the dash,steering column and console with one from a later model. Is the rear half of the car still 68?(back-up lights in the lower valance). At any rate, if you got it cheap, it looks like a cool project, and not a bad starting point. I've seen much more challenging projects, but maybe not with that many non year parts.

hugie82

When I installed a 427 in my 74 vette I purchased all my brakets and pulleys from DrRebuild. He has very nicely drawn diagrams to help you pick your parts. The bad is he's not on the web you need to order a catalog.
Your car is cool!!! Have fun