C3 battery tender?
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2025
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C3 battery tender?
- Hi everyone 👋🏻 My Girlfriend's Father has what I believe is a C3 and He has passed unfortunately. He told Her that the way He starts the car is a button that makes the car go from what I understand. This sounded like it was what a battery tender or trickle charger would be from investigating it online. It said the charger could be in so many various places, and I believe We found it behind the seat, and apparently the button or switch to turn it on was at the base of the steering wheel? I will include pictures, however We tried to turn the switch on and turn the key to start the engine but no go. I assume the battery behind the seat must be charged. Could anyone help me with this?
Just making sure this is a C3
Trickle charger?
I would imagine this is the trickle charger
I see nothing here in terms of the charger
Is this the button that could be for the trickle charger to get the Corvette started?
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
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Yes it's a C3, a later one.
No I don't see a charger in any of your photos.
The blade on that battery behind the seats needs to be swong over to connect those 2 posts. It's a battery disconnect. Connect it and try again. If the battery needs to be charged, (likely). You will need to connect a charger to it. There is no charger on the car.
perhaps find someone familiar with cars from the 60's and 70's to help you. This car will not start and run like a modern car.
No I don't see a charger in any of your photos.
The blade on that battery behind the seats needs to be swong over to connect those 2 posts. It's a battery disconnect. Connect it and try again. If the battery needs to be charged, (likely). You will need to connect a charger to it. There is no charger on the car.
perhaps find someone familiar with cars from the 60's and 70's to help you. This car will not start and run like a modern car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,824
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From: Wichita Kansas
Swing that lever on the battery up and over so that it completes the connection to the battery. Then turn the lights on and see if they come on. If the lights come one then there is some charge in the battery, but you still will not know how much. You can take the battery out and to many autoparts stores and they will test it for you.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
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From: Cool Northern Michigan
The little toggle switch under the dash was likely someone's idea of a "anti-theft" device.
I don't know how you can sit in a car with a bag of mothballs.
First order of business is to get the battery fully charged.
I don't know how you can sit in a car with a bag of mothballs.
First order of business is to get the battery fully charged.
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
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From: US-PNW
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2025
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From: Southern Ontario
Photos 4 and 5 here show a "knife switch", a very old fashioned battery disconnect. That lever needs to be flipped over so the two vertical "U"s are connected with the "knife".
That toggle switch is probably some sort of starter or ignition kill. Try cranking the vehicle with the switch in both positions.
That toggle switch is probably some sort of starter or ignition kill. Try cranking the vehicle with the switch in both positions.
