Hey everybody, I am new to the forum. I am 16 and have no experience with corvettes yet. I saw a 1985 corvette for trade on craigslist, and I talked to the guy and plan on doing a straight up trade for my dirt bike. The dirt bike is probably worth 2500. The reason the guy is trading is because he was in the middle of a carburetor swap and has too many other projects building up. He put a new single plane intake manifold on it and that's about it as far as I know. he also has the original setup, and I would like to get it running before I trade to make sure the car works as it should. I plan on going up there this weekend so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Question #1)-what do I have to do to reinstall the original setup
Question #2)-would I need new gaskets, if so which ones
Question #3)-how long would you expect the swap to take
if there is anything else you think is relevant for restoring it to its original state, please post it

 

A. 85s didnt come with carbs
B. post where your from and you might get some hands on help.
C. keep in the back of your mind why the car is willingly given up for a bike..( been riding bikes since 1964)
D. might be better off asking a menber to look t the car for you..vettes are made of glass but there are places where rust is an issue.
E. welcome to the forum.
Question 1..the factory setup is better than carbs..a Helms may be able to help you ( barely). I would replace the injectors
(2) auto zone will sell you the gaskets..not enough info here to reply more than that.
(3)depends on you ,..4 hours to 6 hours
caution..once you own a vette..you will never go back to other cars.

 

I would say that you are about to either; A) get the deal of lifetime, or B) spend a lifetime regretting this deal.

I have learned that 9 times out ten, "lost interest" is another phrase for "in over my head". If you are mechanically inclined and looking for a project, this might turn out good for you. However, if this going to be your only car and you want something you can drive right away, I would rethink this one.

 

I know that it wasn't originally carbureted, it had tuned port injection, but he was in the middle of converting it, and I wanted to put it together just to be able to test drive, I already have some plans for it, but I want to drive it before I trade, plus my jeep broke down on me last week and don't have anything to tow it with right now.

here's a link to the add. http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/3591695613.html


thanks

 

If you can't find someone who is intimately familiar with this generation of Corvette - it will be a very steep and frustrating learning curve.

If you do decide to take this assignment - the two volume Factory Service Manual will be your most precious textbooks and the first purchase on your list.

[Also... by looking at your avatar - please no stoplight racing stories - not an appropriate topic.]

 

If I end up getting the car, I would definitely get the manual but I rather not put any money into until I actually get it

 

Whatever this guy has done you can count on having to rip it out and do over (more time and labor).

 

if anybody here knows these corvettes well and wouldn't mind meeting me up there this weekend and taking a look at, send me a message, its located in Moseley va

 

Welcome to the forum. I know you're jazzed about the '85 but I would proceed slowly and with caution if I were you. Get as much history on the car as you can.

There's a lot more Corvettes out there for sale.

 

what's wrong with the 85 vette

 

In my opinion it isn't a good deal for you,if he swapped to carb probably electronic was gone,lots of bugs... search a car in better conditions.But,i own an 85 and for example the ECM is the slowest compared to the next 86 year,difference is from 160 baud to 8192 baud,very slow and not the best to tune on.engine is a cast iron heads very heavy heads and not a masterpiece in flowing performance 86 late has aluminum haeds.Maf system (mas air flow sensor/meter) uses ,in this particulaly model year, an expensive and discontinued device called Maf Module not the best if you have to change and find (180 $),next year 86 uses two simple 15$ relais.Again from late 86 the block uses a 1 piece rear seal instead of two piece rear seal prone to leak.,from 87 block becomes roller cam and roller lifters instead of flatt tappet hydraulic,from 87 you have a better automatic becouse th700r4 was upagraded to 4l60 with an internal new auxiliary valve body and others modds.Rims are now 17" with 275/40 ZR17 tires.Many guys here that like me own an 85 will say that is a good car,but these differences an many other are facts not words.If i was you i will look for a honest 89,as MAF
equiped car,or a 90' as a MAP equiped car (Two different technology metering the air at the plenum,the last one more cheap than the Maf car 450$ maf VS 80 $ MAP).Lots of particulars can direct you in a specific model year,economy,best technology solutions and upgrade:generally newer car are best car,troubles solved during year of productions and redesign as well as power generally increases every next year...think about and make a real good deal

 

Walk away. The car is a POS. From looking at the engine the world is missing off it. I don't know what the pollution control laws are where you live but if they are strict you'll have to add all that back. If your bike is worth 2500 sell it, save up a bit more money and buy the BEST lowest milage C4 you can afford. 1987 and up.

 

Sell the bike use the $$ to fix the Jeep. Save some more $$, buy a decent running Vette.

 

I appreciate the feedback, but the question was, how should I go about putting it back together. I understand that it is pretty risky buying/trading for someone else's unfinished project, but I plan on reassembling it to it's original state before I make the deal. thanks.

By the way, I already have a 350 Chevy engine sitting in the garage that my dad had the top end rebuilt on, low miles, not sure if it has the aluminum heads or not, but I could always swap them if it is aluminum.

 

You better make sure he has every single piece needed to put the top of that engine back together. It isn't going to be fun even if he does trying to figure out what goes where.

The reason the guy is trading is because he was in the middle of a carburetor swap and has too many other projects building up.

I'm holding my nose reading that complete and total BS!! That tells me his swap is a disaster he can't make work and he's looking for somebody to dump it on. Too many projects in a pig's eye. Wish i had a nickel for every crashed project i've read about being sold with that excuse.

 

He never had a carb for it, he hadn't gotten that far, so I don't think it is because he couldn't get it to work right. I am pretty hard headed and when I get stuck on an idea, that's all I think about. My dad keeps telling me the same thing that you guys are telling me. But if I didn't get, the thought of, what if just needed a little reassembly and be complete again, would haunt me.

 

Stoplight I have been trying to find the proper words to answer your questions but all I can come up with is RUN. I'll wager that before you can put thay pig back in running condition with most of the acessories working you will have invested far more than the car will ever be worth.

 

I don't really know what your dirt bike is worth, I have no knowledge base in that area. I especially don't know what it is worth to you. Perhaps you have no plans for using it at all in the future. If that's the case, there's no reason not to do this.

That said, I would be very careful about the idea of putting together before buying it. What if, you get it running and then the guy backs out? You've just fixed his car for free. No, if you want it, and don't want the bike, check the car out. Make sure everything else checks out as good as you can. If so, make the deal, and tow the car home, and then you will be working on your car.

But know this, there is a very good chance that there are more demons in this project than meets the eye. Like I said, if the dirt bike has no real value to you, it's a good deal for you, but if this car is crap, and you're gonna miss the bike, it may not be. It's really a roll of the dice. If you're mechanically inclined, and have the time, go for it. But know that it may take alot longer to get it in good driveable condition than you anticipate.

I would also ask your parents what they think. Afterall, they will have to walk through this with you, and believe me, those "I told you so's" will follow you the rest of your life.

 

Have at it then. The best lessons that taught me the most in life were learned the hard way.

 

Yeah, I don't really ride the bike that much anymore, but I do have 2 of the same bikes, but the other one is currently being rebuilt. I really like the car from what I see, but do say that about a lot of things. can someone please post how to reinstall the original tpi for when I get it.