I just came into possession of an 81 with 80k miles that as far as I know is all stock. Due to the current goings on I can't pick the car up yet but am starting to stock pile parts for when I can go get it. The number one thing that is needed right now is a paint job according to the person holding the car for me. Runs good, drives good, is currently receiving a general tune up of fluids/filters/plugs/wires. Besides a couple interior things and an electrical gremlin that likes to drain the battery (which is also being hunted down) everything appears to be in good shape.

The only thing I'm looking at doing under the hood right now is headers and side pipes. Weather stripping will come after paint.

What should I watch out for on the car, and what else can I do to get a bit more out of the engine without paying as much as what the car cost to begin with.

Any help is appreciated, and I apologize in advance if this is in the wrong section or not allowed, it's my first post on the forums.

 

Nice looking car. It sounds like you’re off to a good start. I have a pair of Doug’s sidepipes on my 81. If you’re still running the CCC computer then you will need to make provisions for the 02 sensor.

 

Don't buy anything yet. wait until car is home. take your time. the car is going to tell you what to buy next. side pipes? emissions? your state ok with you removing the cat? now, paint. you hear about these 10k paint jobs that have the car locked in a body shop for 2 years. a 10k paint job is acceptable on a 50k-up car. on a 10k car? not so much. AND shooting paint at home in 1/4 acre residential zoning will make your neighbors HATE you. ask me how i know, but i will take the 5th. MAACO!!!

 

Maaco is the plan after I take it down to fiberglass myself. I'm active duty military so I would get a pass in my state for emissions even if the car wasn't passed the 25 year mark which makes it so the state doesn't care.

 

Do/will you have all of the interior parts? The door panels are off right now. It looks like you have the power mirrors, so perhaps some of the electrical gremlins are in the doors, or door locks.

Before jumping into a restoration, take some time to enjoy the car! The paint doesn't really look that bad. See if you really enjoy driving it before you strip the paint off. You are also missing a third pedal.

I'm a big fan of sidepipes on these cars, as long as you remember that at best they make the car 10% faster, and 90% louder.

If you are really itching to spend money, buy a dialback digital timing light with RPM, a vacuum gauge, a handheld vacuum pump, and be prepared to swap out the carb and distributor if you aren't happy with the current setup.

Please keep us posted with more photos!

 

Take it from me as a 1981 owner, that it is VERY easy to put more money into your '81 than it will ever be worth in premium shape. Take your time, have a budget and try to stick to it. Most of all, enjoy your car and the time spent working on it.

 

Best mods my friend did with his 81: pre 81 gm Hei Distributor and Qjet carb (have Lars tune it), side pipes, and 3.73 rear gear. Pretty fast even with 8:1 c.r. 350!

 

I suggest getting it on the road and making it safe first. Have your guy check the brakes. I'm assuming it's going to sit for extended periods of time (active military) so you may want to investigate o-ring sealed brake calipers. I'd go over it closely and make a list of all of the things it needs and associated cost. Rank them based on priority and it will become clear what you should work on first. Plus you will find some inexpensive Saturday afternoon projects that can be quite satisfying. Enjoy the 81!

 

Dunno 'bout these days ... but in past many bases/posts had garages/workshops for DIYers personal vehicles ...many had tools to loan (w/ a chit) and even some sage guidance.

 

They still have hobby shops, but at this point my garage has more and better quality tools, generally the only time I end up going there is if I absolutely need a lift to do whatever it is I'm working on.

 

Looks nice.

81's are kind of unique. The computer controlled carb should be looked at as an early electronic fuel management system. When they run well, it'll sit and idle smooth and burn clean all day long, just like an EFI system. I've driven several early GM CCC cars for up to well over 200k miles, with few problems. With a lot of guys converting to EFI systems these days, this car is most of the way there!

That said, when burps start to happen things can get a little confusing for those not "in the know". Resist the urge to start 'ripping things apart'. All the stuff under the hood is there for a reason and makes sense if you take a little time to learn how it works. Usually problems are simple vacuum leaks or other things easy to fix. So you asked about preparing and planning for the car, I would strongly recommend the Factory GM Corvette 1981 manual which has the CCC troubleshooting trees you'll probably need one day ....and this book (below) which walks ya through what all the components do and why. I actually find it fascinating reading.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Product-...3/112678152637

The engine components can be checked and troubleshot with a multimeter and a few simple shop tools and jumper wires. Although with an engine scanner a guy can see a lot of real-time readings like a modern vehicle. You'd need a legacy OBD-1 scanner like a Snap-on MT2500 (or similar), which, with older cartridges are pretty cheap these days. Or if you had a newer Snap-on scanner, they're backward compatible to 1980 and will work on new and old cars (you'd need a different cable to connect to OBD-1 cars). I think it makes working on the engines more fun.

I second the motion of daubing some black paint on the boogers for now, driving it around for the summer and determine what else it needs before ripping it apart to re-paint. Whatever you decide, best of luck!!

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