I bought a 1976 Corvette for $2800. When I got it it would not run. It would start but the second you put it in gear and gave it gas it died. I checked the gas and it looked good, then found that the Eldebrock carb was not tightened down and the choke wasn't working. I decided to replace it with a rebuilt Quadrajet and the car fired right up and ran great. I changed plugs, wires and did other maintenance items and started driving it. After putting about 200 miles or so on it I was driving home and the car died when I went around the corner. It started back up but and would idle fine but the second I put it into gear it would die. My natural assumption was it wasn't getting gas, so I pulled the new filter out of the carb but there was nothing in there. After it sat a while I was able to fire it up and pretty much limp it home by just flooring it and pumping the gas pedal at stop signs. Just looking for any insights people may have on what the problem is. It has the same problem it had when I got it, swapped carbs and drove perfectly for over 200 miles, then it went back to the same problem... Weird.

I still assume it is a gas issue but I have a 91 Vette that is my daily driver with a leaky radiator that has taken priority over the 76 since it is my daily driver. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Check your fuel pump as "nothing in there" may indicate that your pump is bad, weak or in operative.

 

When I said "nothing is there" I meant dirt or debris,there was gas. It will idle, you can rev it up, but the second you put it in gear and try and take off it dies.

 

Do you have access to a vacuum gauge? If so, what is the vacuum at idle? What is the idle speed in neutral and drive?

I would like to know where the fuel pressure is at during all of this.

Does it rev up okay in neutral and only die under load? If so that makes me think that it isn't an ignition problem. Maybe disconnect and cap off the vacuum advance and see if that helps anything.

Also would be a good idea to cap off all vacuum lines at the carb and see if that makes a difference, maybe a vacuum leak is contributing to the problem.

Do you have access to a timing light? What's the timing at under idle?

Hopefully these questions will help get you thinking...