I have the opportunity to "inherit" an 80 T-Top Vette from old friend for my teenage son. It has been in storage for 8 years and will need some work. It could be a good father/sonproject, or ??? I would and will appreciate your collective wisdom as we go along. Firstly, can anyone tell me much about the car from the VIN number which is: 1Z87HAS434519. I have ordered the black book but it has not arrived yet. This is a CA car and I think that means other than L-48 or L-82 and that it may be a 305 Cu in. engine. How would that effect any advice or modifications I find on the site concerning small block cams, intakes, ignition etc.? How can I I.D. the auto trans,? I am guessing it is a Th-350 or Th-350C. From going over all of the receipts it looks like the suspension, brakes etc. have all been upgraded but I don't see that a head has ever been removed or the trans. opened. What would be the first and easiest performance improvements that could be done with the engine still in the car. It has about 130,000 miles and I imagine that before too long we will have to pull it and then mabe put in a crate engine or ??? so I dont want to modify the old 305 internally just to throw it away eventually. Any way the initial plan is to trailer it home and evaluate the project from all aspects to determine if is an opportunity to enjoy a project with my son or just blow my brains out financially.
Comments are welcome.
Terry Baumsten

 

Howdy, I just aquired an 80 project myself. I have pics on my homepage. I bet yours is in better shape than mine. :lol: Anyway I asked the same question and got this response from Ben Taylor.

1st digit - Make
1=Chevrolet

2nd digit - Model
Z=Corvette

3rd & 4th digits - Body Style
87=Two door coupe

5th digit - Engine
8=350ci 190hp, 6=350ci 230hp, H=305ci, 180hp (California)

6th digit - Year
A=80

7th digit - Assembly Plant
S=St. Louis

The last numbers are the unit numbers starting with 400001, so that is #7,320 out of 40,614.


Its definately a turbo 350.

You can go to http://www.ncrs.com and use the calculator to get the birthday.
Please post the info from your trim tag(driverside between dash and door), I am curious.


[Modified by 71,454,4spd, 12:48 PM 8/26/2002]

 

How much are you going to pay for the vette, and how much are you willing/planning to spend? Sounds like you have a pretty good understanding of issues, and if you can and are willing to do the work yourself (along with your son), this might be a "fun" project, but beware, you could be getting yourself into a lot of work.

130,000 miles and 8 years of storage can spell lots of work.........Be prepared for bad/rotted out suspension rubber parts, replacement of all hoses and belts, leaking radiator and heater core. Rusted brake caliper cylinders, unless replaced along the line with Stainless Steel lined calipers.

Would not personally spend any serious money on the 305, just pull it, and replace with a GM Crate 350 or better, if you want more performance, not necessarily recommended if your teenager will be driving the vette, but then you know him better than me.

Transmission seals may be dried out and leak, but with 130,000, you're close to time to do a rebuild anyway. I'd be surprised if exhaust system wasn't rusted out, and rememeber that you've got to pass smog test in Cali........so I'd make sure all smog stuff for engine is still there........(Don't think smog cops can tell that you've replaced the 305 with a 350)

Check interior out really well, as this can be replaced, but can get expensive.

 

The price is $0.00 if we decide to go ahead with the project. Suspension, brakes (stainless) exhaust sysytem, radidator and heater core all have been replaced. The Goodyears still have the rubber nibs on them. The issues as I see them without benefit of MRI are: Paint (and my son hates the original brown) carpet and reupholstering the seats along with freshening up belts, hoses, fluids, brake bleeding (has silicon now) and finding any leaks/seals. If it runs well, and it did when put in storage I'll see how my son does with the low HP version before comitting to an engine exchange and trans. upgrade. If motor N.G, then maybe a crate motor and trans. will happen sooner. I would like to do as much of the work as we are capable of together but realistically it's been a while since I tackled a hot rod project. Any suggestions of resources appreciated. BTW what is the AIM manual? I would hope the budget would cap at not more than 10 G's.

 

Wow, you are lucky, go for it. Can't beat it when its free. Post some pics.

 

If you can get it for free, then you should already be there with a trailer...

You can always get it on the road first for as little bucks as possible, then start into the cosmetics (paint, weatherstripping, etc...).

 

Whooo Hoooo. . . . A free Corvette project. It doesn't get better than that.
Post LOTS of pictures and let us know what you find while assessing it's condition.

 

Quote: "BTW what is the AIM manual? I would hope the budget would cap at not more than 10 G's."

Believe AIM is abbreviation for Assembly Instruction Manual, which is a photo copy of the actual three ring binder manual used by GM employees in the assembly of that particular year corvette.........different manual for each year, manual even has some 'margin' notes, and can be purchased from many corvette suppliers.

Based upon your additional description, I'd say go for it, pick up the vette, and start by changing all fluids, filters, hoses and belts, bleed the brakes, install a new battery, remove spark plugs and squirt oil into each cylinder, install new spark plugs, remove gas tank and drain all old gasoline, unless done before being placed into storage, add new gas, and fire that bad boy up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!