1976 Questions...
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 34
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1976 Questions...
My father called me last night and informed me that I had to take him to pick up the 1976 Vette he bought after work today.
Being a lifelong VW owner, I don't know much about Corvettes. Are there any major issues with the 1976 model that I should be looking out for??
Being a lifelong VW owner, I don't know much about Corvettes. Are there any major issues with the 1976 model that I should be looking out for??
Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 570
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From: glace bay nova scotia
as with any car this age, the seals in the tranny, engine ,and rear differential may well be leaking or going to soon,also all rubber bushings and mounts are probably on the way out.the brake calipers leak on all old vettes until they're rebuilt or replaced(use stainless ones).
weather strippings are a probable must.the door bushings are probably worn, door closures.
unless someone rebuilt this car recently, he will have to decide wether he will keep the car forever and invest another 5 grand or drive it for a couple of years, do the bare minimum ,and ditch it for most or all what he spent.
as you can probably tell by now, i took the expensive route,but you can not readily buy an already fixed everything vette,once someone rebuilds it they want to wear it out a bit themselves.
weather strippings are a probable must.the door bushings are probably worn, door closures.
unless someone rebuilt this car recently, he will have to decide wether he will keep the car forever and invest another 5 grand or drive it for a couple of years, do the bare minimum ,and ditch it for most or all what he spent.
as you can probably tell by now, i took the expensive route,but you can not readily buy an already fixed everything vette,once someone rebuilds it they want to wear it out a bit themselves.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 584
Likes: 0
From: Okemos MI
Welcome to the 76 brotherhood
Tell you Dad he has made a wise choice!
It is a very closely guarded secret that the 1976 Stingray "is the next big thing" in vintage Corvettes. Ask any 76 owners, its just now starting to be discussed by the masses.
Affordable, fun to drive, still turns heads, easy to work on, lots of parts, make as original or as wild as you like, some of the safest of the C3's, (door guards, energy absorbing bumpers, extra weight (I know that’s not popular here but that can be a good thing when it comes to your life.) still contemporary looking (molded nose & tail) looks perfect with 17's did I say affordable?
Welcome to the Forum.
John
It is a very closely guarded secret that the 1976 Stingray "is the next big thing" in vintage Corvettes. Ask any 76 owners, its just now starting to be discussed by the masses.
Affordable, fun to drive, still turns heads, easy to work on, lots of parts, make as original or as wild as you like, some of the safest of the C3's, (door guards, energy absorbing bumpers, extra weight (I know that’s not popular here but that can be a good thing when it comes to your life.) still contemporary looking (molded nose & tail) looks perfect with 17's did I say affordable?Welcome to the Forum.
John
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Thanks...
Thanks to everyone for the quick feedback and input. I'll be sure and give an update of the status of the car as soon as I see it. I'm excited about this as I was about to pick up an older GTI to work on and "soup up" as a third car. If this works out, I may just have to follow in dear old dad's footsteps and pick up a C3 of my own...
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,269
Likes: 3
From: St. Charles IL
Cruise-In 5-6-7-8-9-11-12 Veteran
A CI-6 Car Show Winner
Look for rust, rust, and more rust. Frame corners in the kickup areas, rocker channels, bird cage, windshield frame. Everything else can be fixed real cheap in comparison.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 10,258
Likes: 1
From: Calif.
Originally Posted by Lotus76
Tell you Dad he has made a wise choice!
It is a very closely guarded secret that the 1976 Stingray "is the next big thing" in vintage Corvettes. Ask any 76 owners, its just now starting to be discussed by the masses....
It is a very closely guarded secret that the 1976 Stingray "is the next big thing" in vintage Corvettes. Ask any 76 owners, its just now starting to be discussed by the masses....
Bad news? Mine's been modified. And I have no desire to restore it to it's original blazing 180 hp. configuration.
Good news? That makes everybody else's Bicentennial Baby that much more "valuable" and "rare."
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 896
Likes: 1
From: Thomasville, home of the Big Chair NC
Unless I missed it, nobody has mentioned the major problem.
RUSTY FLOORS!
Yup, in 76 they switched from glass to metal floors and the 76 rusted out badly. You can still get replacement panels, but they are not cheap.
Why am I saying this? Cause one of my vettes is a Flinstone mobile!
I have just finished replacing the floor on the drivers side, now the passengers is next. funny thing about my car, the frame was not rusty, but the drivers side cowl and the floors were terrible.
If you can fix stuff like that you are ok, but beware.
My .02, from someone who has been there.
RUSTY FLOORS!
Yup, in 76 they switched from glass to metal floors and the 76 rusted out badly. You can still get replacement panels, but they are not cheap.
Why am I saying this? Cause one of my vettes is a Flinstone mobile!
I have just finished replacing the floor on the drivers side, now the passengers is next. funny thing about my car, the frame was not rusty, but the drivers side cowl and the floors were terrible.
If you can fix stuff like that you are ok, but beware.
My .02, from someone who has been there.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,165
Likes: 950
From: Keizer Oregon
Originally Posted by Corvus
Welcome to the 76 club 
We're the heaviest and have the weakiest engine but we're the coolest
We're the heaviest and have the weakiest engine but we're the coolest 
but with a little work you can be up with the lightest and strongest of vettes, and still be the coolest
