When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I recently purchased a low miles (48,000 miles) original paint blue on blue 69 390 hp side pipe coupe. I owned this same car and sold it when our first child arrived in 1997 and recently got it back.
Air pump was never on the car when I first owned it.
Thoughts on adding an air pump to a numbers matching survivor. Will I see the approx. $1,500 added to the value or just adding weight that most won't appreciate.
Anyone have a 1969 air pump (date code around February - March 69) set-up out their that is complete with backers diverter, etc.
Unless your car is a pristine example of a 'special' configuration which qualifies as a museum piece and has the 'potential' of bringing in the Big Buck$, No.
Now, if you already had one and just wanted to put it on the car as an oddity for 'show & tell', that might be viable. But, so would be selling it on eBay for $1000 (and substantially undercutting your competitor).
Adding a "looks close" dated pump is not that hard to find. Take your time and scrounge up all the little pieces. Makes for a fun hobby for some. I have a wrong dated pump on my '69 and nobody ever looks at the date but the system gets noticed whenever the hood is up.
Will the system add to the price of the car? who knows. Will it add to the "wow" factor? Absolutely.
Who cares if the pump and diverter valve actually work? You could set it up to just turn the pump pulley with no vanes in the pump; it wouldn't matter if the diverter valve was functional. Block off the cylinder head lines internally and drive with a 'correct looking" AIR pump system (actually all that NCRS cares about). Why spend money on 'working' components if non-functional pieces do what you want?
Great looking engine bay restoration CanadaGrant (above tread photo).
I'm leaning toward air pump installation once I source a complete system. Anyone purchased from Crane Corvette out of San Diego? Looks like they may be my best option for a complete bolt on no worries system.
I have attached a couple photos of my no air pump dilemma.
I disagree with some of the opinions above. I feel if you reinstall it that it will help sell the car if and when the time comes. And I believe it will add the $1500 to the final price tag and maybe more. Why? Because the kind of person that would be interested in your very original 69 will be looking for it to be there. I know I would. I have always paid more for a more complete car.
The issue with getting your pump set up from Cranes is that it will be restored and the rest of your engine bay is not. He does have nice sets ups but some of the parts are repro, like the tubes. They are very nice however. As for his customer service that can vary.
If you do add it, make it non functional. A functional set up makes the car run like crap. You get backfiring and popping. Its throwing air into the chamber when you don't want it to. Also, if you block off the exhaust tubes they will stay looking nicer for longer (for a restored car) as the heat from the exhaust is not getting up the tube as quickly and burning of the finish.
Either way your 69 looks great. Does it have any docs? If the tank sticker is still there do what you can to protect it!
I added the missing smog pump assembly, disabled, to my ‘69 during restoration because I think a nicely restored stock engine compartment looks a ton better when it’s in place when correct. It reminds me of a missing spare time carrier when it’s missing on a ‘69; there’s just a big empty something missing there to my eye.
I disagree with some of the opinions above. I feel if you reinstall it that it will help sell the car if and when the time comes. And I believe it will add the $1500 to the final price tag and maybe more. Why? Because the kind of person that would be interested in your very original 69 will be looking for it to be there. I know I would. I have always paid more for a more complete car.
The issue with getting your pump set up from Cranes is that it will be restored and the rest of your engine bay is not. He does have nice sets ups but some of the parts are repro, like the tubes. They are very nice however. As for his customer service that can vary.
If you do add it, make it non functional. A functional set up makes the car run like crap. You get backfiring and popping. Its throwing air into the chamber when you don't want it to. Also, if you block off the exhaust tubes they will stay looking nicer for longer (for a restored car) as the heat from the exhaust is not getting up the tube as quickly and burning of the finish.
Either way your 69 looks great. Does it have any docs? If the tank sticker is still there do what you can to protect it!
If you make it non functional you will need to block the tubes to keep hot exhaust gasses from heating up the trees and ruining the seals in the valve at the top of each tree. I found the best way to do this is to insert a flat head robinson screw on top of the AIR extension tube inside the manifold and under the tree ends then bolt the trees to the manifold which blocks the tubes completely. This provides an excellent seal and you will not have exhaust coming back up the tubes. They are also easy to remove.
Do I have documentation? Back when I originally owned the car in the 90s, GM Canada still owned the data which outlined each imported vehicle and the options it came with. I believe their accurate records were to ensure they paid the proper import duties. I did receive on GM letterhead the specifics of the car with all options listed. Back then this was a free service offered by GM Canada. They have since sold this data and now another firm will provide it for a fee. Have not checked the tank but plan to drop it this summer.
Thanks for the other potential air pump supplier. I will check it out.
Agree that no one is guaranteed anything, but an informed buyer should look at a car with the original smog on it and think "+$1000 or more" whether he plans to keep it or not.
i'm in the (slow) process of putting the system back on my 350-72.
pump was locked solid when i got the vette, removed and placed it all aside.
couple of engine builds later and i'm tidying up the engine bay.
gutted the pump, obtained the correct pulley, 3D printed the plastic fan/filter on the front.
removed the tubes from the manifolds and have had some copper seals turned up to go against the pipe work.
have the correct hoses and clamps (original) in the spares box.
just doing it for the looks, as mine was a californian car originally.
makes a great talking point at car shows.
The base engine cars did not require them (SB). They were able to meet emissions standards by retarding the ignition timing at idle and low cruise conditions (TCS system, etc.). All of that "stuff" was eliminated with the inception of the catalytic converter in 1974.
Add missing air pump or not
If you make it non functional you will need to block the tubes to keep hot exhaust gasses from heating up the trees and ruining the seals in the valve at the top of each tree. I found the best way to do this is to insert a flat head robinson screw on top of the AIR extension tube inside the manifold and under the tree ends then bolt the trees to the manifold which blocks the tubes completely. This provides an excellent seal and you will not have exhaust coming back up the tubes. They are also easy to remove.
