I know there are a lot of people who come to this site to ask for help and tuning and fixing their vette, I am not asking for help but i am asking for information. I have inherited a 1980 corvette coup from my father when he died in 1998. It has sat under my carport for the last 15 years, it was not prepped for storage,(he passed suddenly) it was not started on a weekend basis, He ran the hell out of it, I do not have all the details on what has been done to the engine(or if it is the original 350) all I know is that the carbuerator caught fire once, my father put a sport camshaft in it, it was parked running, it was exposed to some rain but is under a carport, my rooster had a panic attack and hid in front of the radiator for a week, and the radio is stolen.
My uncle, me and a few good friends are going to revive this Vette and clear off the dust of time soon. I am working on getting information about it's history(my father was not the first owner) and get new keys cut(info where the VIN is would be appreciated).
Any information on how bad time has taken its toll on the car and what might be still good and bad will be much appreciated.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...3&l=d52b4db9c1

 

I bought an 80 a couple of years ago that had been sitting very similar to yours for almost six years. It needed everything. All weatherstripping, every seal for every moving part, tires, A/C, all hoses and belts, the radiator rotted from the inside out, gas tank, you name it...it leaked something and all over my nice garage floor. The car looked great, though, which is why I took it on as a project. I'm driving it now after two years of work and enjoying the heck out of it. If you want it bad enough and can afford to spend a bunch at one time to get it on the road then go for it.

 

Oh, my!!! Fifteen years outside in Louisiana. If you are anywhere near the [saltwater] coast, there's probably a lot of frame damage. But, I truly do hope that's not the case.

First thing to do is get under it and inspect the frame. If it just flakes off in big chunks and/or you can push holes in it with a Phillips screwdriver, you'd probably best sell it for a "parts" car.

However, if you find the frame to be pretty solid, you might still have something you can work with. Whoever takes on this task needs to be good with tools, have some available funds, and have lots of patience. All rubber parts (seals, weatherstripping, tires, hoses, flex brake lines, etc) will need to be carefully checked and/or replaced. Wheel bearings will need to be [at least] repacked. Brake system should be completely bled down and calipers rebuilt (new piston seals). Fuel tank should be drained and contents examined to see if there are chunks of rust in it. Can't imagine a fuel tank that is less than almost-full that will still be clean after 15 years sitting in LA.

Remove spark plugs (and leave them out, for now) and shoot some PB Blaster into each cylinder. Allow to sit for a couple of days to break any corrosion loose in there. Check/change coolant, change oil, filter, belts, and hoses if necessary; replace battery; fuel system should be tested before pumping bad/cruddy gas into the carb. Once it flows clean...and there is a new fuel filter in the line...give her a crank and see if the engine turns over. If it spins without resistance, let it crank until oil pressure builds up some. Then, put the plugs back in and see if it will fire. If it does, DON'T REV THE POOR THING! Just see if it will idle a bit and keep running. If it won't run or won't keep running, the carb likely needs a rebuild.

Lots of work ahead...even if it runs. But, that should give you an idea of how to proceed.

 

VIN is on the driver's windshield post visible from outside the car. It is also typed on the vehicle certification sticker on the driver's door, but the VIN plate on the windshield post is the most reliable location.

 

im just outside of baton rouge(not near the coast) there should not be much rust on the frame( the only time it gets wet is during a really bad storm or hurricane) but the link I have is to my facebook and the pictures there were taken a few days ago and the pics depict how sits as is now and for the last 15 years(I did not clean off the dust!)

 

Just another question, how do you remove the T-top roof?

 

sit in the driver seat. look up to the top left, should be a handle that pulls down to release it. unless it has a lock cover over the handle, you see a place for a key if it does. pull down the handle and the outer edge should lift straight up and then pull out to remove it.

 

Look for the owner's manual for your car. It covers tops and lots of other things. If you cannot find the original, order a reproduction.

 

I am an owner of a 1980, I really like mine, although it was a money pit/project car. Let's put it this way...prepare to open your wallet and keep it open for a very long time. As Caseyjones mentions above no doubt every bit of rubber on that car has suffered dry rot and a lot of it to the point where you will be replacing nearly in not all of it. Obvious things like tires, but less obvious items like vacuum hoses, seals, gaskets will be less than enjoyable project tracking down leaks, etc. Hunting down wiring faults are a joy too! Good news is that lots of parts are readily avail for that year and when you are done, you will thoroughly enjoy!

 

I am planning on replacing hoses wires and gaskets, I just hope that the frame and other parts are not rusted out.
And thanks for the advice on the T tops

 

thanks man