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Since buying my ‘72, people love to talk to me about how awesome it must be to own and drive a classic. I’ve taken to telling people that you buy a 50 year old car because you enjoy working on cars - not because you enjoy driving cars. If you enjoy driving, buy a modern one. After my first week of ownership, my power steering sprung a leak and I replaced everything besides the pump. I’ve driven it about 30 miles since then and today, during the first rain of my ownership, I came to realize that my windshield wipers do not function and my convertible top leaks like a wire strainer. 🤣
Now I have fresh new topics to search on the forum and I can share my experiences with the next guy.
Oh I see your problem. You drove it in the rain.
And yes you are correct. If you don't like working on old cars. C3 Corvette's are not necessarily for you.
I've grown old with mine. I don't really find people asking me anything about owning an old car. Except maybe at car shows.
Best of luck with current issues. I'm no expert on those earlier wipers and I certainly have no idea how to get the top to stop leaking. I've tried everything. Best method seems to be to avoid rain.
There is a large round black **** in line and below with your steering column. The **** maybe missing if it is use a wrench or pliers and rotate the shaft. This is a windshield wiper electric shut off switch so changing your wiper blade is easier.
There is a large round black **** in line and below with your steering column. The **** maybe missing if it is use a wrench or pliers and rotate the shaft. This is a windshield wiper electric shut off switch so changing your wiper blade is easier.
Oh ****! I know exactly what **** you’re describing! I forgot all about that! I’m going to feel like such a fool if that is the solution! Thanks for the recommendation!
Since buying my ‘72, people love to talk to me about how awesome it must be to own and drive a classic. I’ve taken to telling people that you buy a 50 year old car because you enjoy working on cars - not because you enjoy driving cars. If you enjoy driving, buy a modern one.
Ain't that the truth!
If it didn’t cost me money I would almost enjoy cleaning, rebuilding, and refreshing every component as issues come up. Not to say I don’t, but it’s a little demoralizing when the problems take away from driving the car.
My 78 is without a doubt a hobby. And since I retired 3 yrs ago it has become my therapy. I love playing with it. A good excuse to buy a new tool although I pretty much have everything I could need ( and my kids have no idea what any of them are for). I look forward to going into the garage in the morning and sometimes I even sneak back out after dinner. And my wife always knows where I am. But 3 yrs ago when we closed our business she came out one morning and said that although she understood my passion it might be a little more fun for us if we had a vette that we could actually drive. Two weeks later we were in Florida buying a 2012 C6 that is the best car I have ever owned. But I am not allowed to, go near it with a tool in my hand. I am a lucky man.
If it didn’t cost me money I would almost enjoy cleaning, rebuilding, and refreshing every component as issues come up. Not to say I don’t, but it’s a little demoralizing when the problems take away from driving the car.
Now if I had another C3 to drive in the meantime…
If you had another C3, you’d be wrenching twice as much and driving even less! 🤣
My 78 is without a doubt a hobby. And since I retired 3 yrs ago it has become my therapy. I love playing with it. A good excuse to buy a new tool although I pretty much have everything I could need ( and my kids have no idea what any of them are for). I look forward to going into the garage in the morning and sometimes I even sneak back out after dinner. And my wife always knows where I am. But 3 yrs ago when we closed our business she came out one morning and said that although she understood my passion it might be a little more fun for us if we had a vette that we could actually drive. Two weeks later we were in Florida buying a 2012 C6 that is the best car I have ever owned. But I am not allowed to, go near it with a tool in my hand. I am a lucky man.
My last one was a C6 and I actually found myself bored because there wasn’t much to do except drive it. I did a few mods, but it gets awful pricey if you want to actually improve a modern Corvette. I dreamt of owning an early C3 and having something that needed my attention. It looks like I got my wish! 😜
I to am a lucky guy my wife is totally fine with my hot rod projects. I like the build. Always have. Current hot rods are a 80 Camaro with a LS3/4L60E swap. It was a 28K original paint hit car. Zero rust. It's our short distance hot rod.
We have a 20 Mustang GT vert. Sweet car. It's our long distance hot rod.
My summer time mall crawler and winter time snow plow vehicle is a 98 Wrangler with LS6/4L60E swap.
Nothing better than spending the late afternoon and evenings building a new hot rod.
A few pics.
Back when the newest version of corvettes came out I was at a gas station with my c3 and I must have had 5 people looking at my car no one bothered with the other one.
D Definitely rain x my car hasn't had wipers in 40 yrs.
I ran out of garage and driveway space, so ended up giving my 73 to my Son In law. They have a three car garage, so the convertible stays inside, when not being driven. I miss that car everyday, but know she’s in excellent hands. Even better, I can visit her when I drive up to see their family. The other more important thing, is that I don’t have the heartache of realizing how little money the car would have sold for, after all the money I spent! 😂😂
I to am a lucky guy my wife is totally fine with my hot rod projects. I like the build. Always have. Current hot rods are a 80 Camaro with a LS3/4L60E swap. It was a 28K original paint hit car. Zero rust. It's our short distance hot rod.
We have a 20 Mustang GT vert. Sweet car. It's our long distance hot rod.
My summer time mall crawler and winter time snow plow vehicle is a 98 Wrangler with LS6/4L60E swap.
Nothing better than spending the late afternoon and evenings building a new hot rod.
A few pics.
where I live it'll look like that by the end of October.... Nice set up! Are you the one who LS swapped their jeep?
I done a couple of LS swapped TJ Wranglers. The one in the pic has a 2002 LS6/4L60E combo. 4:10 gears. Rubicon 241R transfer case. Explorer 8.8 rear end. Bought it as a theft recovery out of TX. Was a 4 cylinder 5 speed. So slow it was painful.
I started picking at at and then the body was off the frame. Powder coat the frame. Complete repaint.
Its been 15 years since the rebuild and swap. Its been bullet proof. Don't drive it in the winter except to move snow.
Couple more pics.
There is a large round black **** in line and below with your steering column. The **** maybe missing if it is use a wrench or pliers and rotate the shaft. This is a windshield wiper electric shut off switch so changing your wiper blade is easier.
So I posted this thread on the same day that I was leaving for 2 weeks of vacation. I spent every day of the trip thinking about that little black **** and whether or not that could be my issue. I finally made it home at 3:00 AM this past Sunday after a marathon day of air travel with layovers and delays and all the typical crap. When we walked in the door, we dropped the bags and my wife and daughter went straight upstairs to go to bed. I, on the other hand, went straight to the garage, got into my car, and started it up. I turned on the windshield wipers and nothing happened. I reached under the steering column and turned the black **** - THEY IMMEDIATELY STARTED WORKING!
By this point, my wife and daughter are dressed for bed and standing in the garage, looking at me like I'm a lunatic - car running and windshield wipers flipping back and forth in a closed garage.
Thanks to PJO for the timely and helpful response to my technical/operator error issue.
This brings a question to my mind.
Do you truly own the car if you do not work on it and pay someone else to do so or are you just the driver?
I am not talking legally cause obviously if the title is in your name then you own the car.
The YOU in this scenario is a collective you and not meant to single any individual or entity living or dead. (legal disclaimer)
Repair as a Hobby
lol
where I live it'll look like that by the end of October.... Nice set up! Are you the one who LS swapped their jeep?
