Bought a 78 l82 about a month ago, thinking it was in reasonably solid shape but had some minor bugs, and the longer I own it the more I see is wrong with it... so what should I tackle first?
Front wheel bearings shot
All weather stripping is garbage
Valve cover leak
Alternatator bearings toast
Headlight vacuum leak
Tachometer is pinned past redline
ac blowing warm air
... I feel like I picked up a good looking yet functionally neglected lemon

 

And how should I go about it? I got the haynes manual but it's really vague

 

frontbearings/might as well check the rears. alternator/.valve covers/headlights/tach. its winter! screw the A/C for now.

 

Thx sgt, I'm in Texas pcsing to little rock soon, so ac is a bit important to me, I'm loading the car on a trailer and hauling it there... also, it seems as though whoever had it before me jacked up the horn, and then glued the button back on the wheel... damn ghetto rigging lazy work

 

Know the feeling but any used car even 10 yrs old will have its appetite for repairs. If you really like the car go for it little at a time, if you arent sure dump it.

 

doesn't sound like much wrong at all

 

I like the car, and I've dreamed of owning an older corvette, I love the lines of the c3, I'm an avid hobbyist with a passion for cars, and already have a goal for what I want to turn this car into, its just a matter of keeping it road worthy until then

 

Also I have about 3 inches of play in the steering wheel of the car, how would I fix that?

 

One piece at a time. Safety first

 

Steeroids or Borgeson. Search this forum for info on either one.

 

First, put the Haynes manual back on the shelf and get the correct GM service manual. You'll want the AIM, (Assembly Instruction Manual) too. Haynes is vague for a reason.

Fix the wheel bearings, alternator and oil leaks. Make sure the brakes are good. The slop in the steering could be as simple as the idler arm or tie rod ends- and you'd want those to be in good shape anyway. Lots of guys swap the steering over to a rack and pinion or the Borgeson, but there's nothing wrong with the factory steering and it's already on the car.
Once you get it running and driving safely, then work on the weatherstrip, a/c, and the other things. You'll find more as you go. It's part of the game.

 

Thanks guys, the brakes are in great shape, I checked those first time I saw the car, the AIM? Where could I find that?

 

http://www.ncrs.org/shop/index.php?m...roducts_id=224

 

Buy the service manual 1st:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-Chevrolet-Passenger-Car-Service-Manual-CHEVROLET-CHEVY-/380688074912?pt=Motors_Manuals_Literature&hash=item58a2c708a0&vxp=mtr#ht_25wt_892
Also read through the owners manual as it provides a wealth of info. ie. capacities, anti-theft alarm, etc.

 

Try not to get sucked in to all the fancy upgrades that a lot of people will recommend. Get it safe, then get it reliable, then start looking at bells and whistles. Steering play, front bearings, Alternator,horn, then valve cover leak. Once it's running, then deal with the A/C ( might be simple fix, might not) weather stripping etc. Once you get a feel for the car running, you can make an informed choice about if this age of car is what you want. Might be the perfect car for you , might be a little too demanding of your time and $$$. But keep coming back here for ideas and encouragement. welcome to the club!

 

I have to agree. Several minor things to take care of. Alternator, a little front end work (do it yourself or find a competent shop. After all, it's just a Chevy underneath), A/C service (maybe a leak, maybe just low on Freon), etc. I wish mine had been in as good a shape as yours.

 

Way back.

 

There was WAY more wrong with my '79 when I bought it. Bad rear wheel bearings, bad u-joints, leaking brakes, headlights not working, seized distributor, broken seat, timing chain so loose I could swap a gear tooth, power window not working. And that's just what I can think of right now. Sounds like you got a real creampuff!

 

OK, let's not get carried away. Spending other people's money is fun, but it could very easily just be a worn out rag joint, which would cost about 10 bucks and a Saturday afternoon of the OP's time. The main thing here is that you need to find out why the steering is so loose before you can fix it. Fire it up, chock the wheels real good, and have somebody move the steering wheel while you look for where the slop is. Look at the rag joint, steering box, tie rods, ball joints, etc. Front end rebuild kits are not very expensive.

Valve covers are easy to do. If you ask around, there is probably a place nearby that rebuilds starters and alternators, front wheel bearings are pretty easy, but the back ones are a b!tch, you need special tools, and the trailing arm really needs to come off, (which I still have bad dreams about.) It's a big job. The A/C could be something as simple as a pressure switch that is inop, but if it needs a recharge, take it to an A/C guy.

Just pick away at it, and get used to doing that, too. By the time you fix all these things, other problems will surface. It's just the cost of doing business when you are dealing with an old car, but I think it's worth it. You have to decide for yourself if it's worth it to you. Good luck!

Scott

Scott

 

Or keep the Haynes handy since it can be a life-saver.......use the pages for blotting up drips on the garage floor.