First Vette
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: California City CA
First Vette
Hi,
I found a 76 Corvette for sale in my area for a price I just could not turn down. So today I drove her home and she is safe in my garage. This is my first Vette but not my first classic car. The suspension setup seems a bit eccentric to me but I'm starting to understand what is under there.
The car itself is in great shape for a daily driver. The frame is solid with little more than surface rust. The desert has done a lot to preserve it but the previous owners did a lot to help it along as well. The body was actually pulled from an 82 so the seams aren't present. The springs are relatively new as well as all the u-joints. Most of the bushings were replaced during the swap so most of the really hard work is already done.
There is some noise when I drop her into gear. I'll probably pull the trailing arms for rebuild just to be safe but personally I think it's the transmission. That's fine with me. I want an overdrive gear anyway. Most of the roads out here are very long and very flat so the constant torque isn't really needed here.
The interior is rough. I plan to just roll with it for now. Driving capability trumps looks in my book so my money is going into the suspension and drivetrain.
I found a 76 Corvette for sale in my area for a price I just could not turn down. So today I drove her home and she is safe in my garage. This is my first Vette but not my first classic car. The suspension setup seems a bit eccentric to me but I'm starting to understand what is under there.
The car itself is in great shape for a daily driver. The frame is solid with little more than surface rust. The desert has done a lot to preserve it but the previous owners did a lot to help it along as well. The body was actually pulled from an 82 so the seams aren't present. The springs are relatively new as well as all the u-joints. Most of the bushings were replaced during the swap so most of the really hard work is already done.
There is some noise when I drop her into gear. I'll probably pull the trailing arms for rebuild just to be safe but personally I think it's the transmission. That's fine with me. I want an overdrive gear anyway. Most of the roads out here are very long and very flat so the constant torque isn't really needed here.
The interior is rough. I plan to just roll with it for now. Driving capability trumps looks in my book so my money is going into the suspension and drivetrain.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: California City CA
When I was a kid in Texas my family actually owned a junk yard so I've had the chance to tear apart pretty much anything made before computers so I'm decent at general mechanics but everything I know about Vette's so far came from this forum. I spent a few weeks reading before I agreed to buy the car. It's a daily driver but it does need some work to make it right.
I've sketched out a rough plan for how to tackle this one. Steering box is leaking so it comes first (the slack made the test drive interesting), then a brake rebuild because one is dragging a little, then the rear suspension, then the front. Then the transmission. Interior comes last. I hate it when you see a beautiful car that runs like crap.
I'm a little rusty because I joined the military 12 years ago and spent seven years overseas. This is my first project car in almost a decade so I'm going to ease into it a little.
Update - trying to get a picture uploaded
I've sketched out a rough plan for how to tackle this one. Steering box is leaking so it comes first (the slack made the test drive interesting), then a brake rebuild because one is dragging a little, then the rear suspension, then the front. Then the transmission. Interior comes last. I hate it when you see a beautiful car that runs like crap.
I'm a little rusty because I joined the military 12 years ago and spent seven years overseas. This is my first project car in almost a decade so I'm going to ease into it a little.
Update - trying to get a picture uploaded
Last edited by chadprkns; Nov 28, 2013 at 01:06 PM. Reason: picture upload
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: California City CA
I did get one photo uploaded so far but I'm not sure why it won't display. I have to go in and manually chop the file size down one at a time to get them to upload.
Right now I'm just tinkering with the tach. The previous owners did some things with the wiring that I'm not a fan of so I'm going to be yanking the dash so I can replace some bulbs and check for shorts. Oddly the car will not start if the steering wheel is adjusted all the way up. I have to tilt the wheel down to get the starter to engage so I know there are a few gremlins in there to hunt down.
I'll jump over to the C3 section shortly for advice. Thanks for the welcome and Happy Thanksgiving!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,196
Likes: 58
From: Denton, Texas
I see you're in Tyler so you might have actually heard of Brownsboro. I lived out in the sticks on 314 but I worked in Tyler all through high school.
I did get one photo uploaded so far but I'm not sure why it won't display. I have to go in and manually chop the file size down one at a time to get them to upload.
Right now I'm just tinkering with the tach. The previous owners did some things with the wiring that I'm not a fan of so I'm going to be yanking the dash so I can replace some bulbs and check for shorts. Oddly the car will not start if the steering wheel is adjusted all the way up. I have to tilt the wheel down to get the starter to engage so I know there are a few gremlins in there to hunt down.
I'll jump over to the C3 section shortly for advice. Thanks for the welcome and Happy Thanksgiving!
…..so you might have actually heard of Brownsboro
I did get one photo uploaded so far but I'm not sure why it won't display. I have to go in and manually chop the file size down one at a time to get them to upload.
Right now I'm just tinkering with the tach. The previous owners did some things with the wiring that I'm not a fan of so I'm going to be yanking the dash so I can replace some bulbs and check for shorts. Oddly the car will not start if the steering wheel is adjusted all the way up. I have to tilt the wheel down to get the starter to engage so I know there are a few gremlins in there to hunt down.
I'll jump over to the C3 section shortly for advice. Thanks for the welcome and Happy Thanksgiving!
…..so you might have actually heard of Brownsboro
Heard of it? Yeah I drive through there all of the time (NOT much to see). I bought this last summer out in Athens, it had sat since 79, and it is a 75. It was $900. The orange 72 is my pride and joy. 
So you moved to CA?
..Wow, I am impressed man…Most everyone from Brownsboro stays in "The Boro" LOL
Where in Tyler did you work? What schools did you attend? College? Tyler has now like 200,000 people…but there is no way that is right…Tyler is becoming like Dallas.
Last edited by Brandons72vette; Nov 28, 2013 at 04:30 PM.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: California City CA
I'm not in CA by choice! I couldn't get an extension to stay in England so this is where the Air Force parked me for now. I'm trying to get over to the east coast where I'll fit in a little better. I guess I'm not a typical "Boro" kid. I've been to more foreign countries than I have states. I never live anywhere for more than three years.
When I was in high school I worked at various restaurants and tire shops - typical teenage jobs. The last civilian job I had was building and installing custom cabinets for new homes. Now I am an aircraft weapons specialist so it's a step up I suppose.
When I was in high school I worked at various restaurants and tire shops - typical teenage jobs. The last civilian job I had was building and installing custom cabinets for new homes. Now I am an aircraft weapons specialist so it's a step up I suppose.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,196
Likes: 58
From: Denton, Texas
I'm not in CA by choice! I couldn't get an extension to stay in England so this is where the Air Force parked me for now. I'm trying to get over to the east coast where I'll fit in a little better. I guess I'm not a typical "Boro" kid. I've been to more foreign countries than I have states. I never live anywhere for more than three years.
When I was in high school I worked at various restaurants and tire shops - typical teenage jobs. The last civilian job I had was building and installing custom cabinets for new homes. Now I am an aircraft weapons specialist so it's a step up I suppose.
When I was in high school I worked at various restaurants and tire shops - typical teenage jobs. The last civilian job I had was building and installing custom cabinets for new homes. Now I am an aircraft weapons specialist so it's a step up I suppose.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 15,996
Likes: 823
Hi,
I found a 76 Corvette for sale in my area for a price I just could not turn down. So today I drove her home and she is safe in my garage. This is my first Vette but not my first classic car. The suspension setup seems a bit eccentric to me but I'm starting to understand what is under there.
The car itself is in great shape for a daily driver. The frame is solid with little more than surface rust. The desert has done a lot to preserve it but the previous owners did a lot to help it along as well. The body was actually pulled from an 82 so the seams aren't present. The springs are relatively new as well as all the u-joints. Most of the bushings were replaced during the swap so most of the really hard work is already done.
There is some noise when I drop her into gear. I'll probably pull the trailing arms for rebuild just to be safe but personally I think it's the transmission. That's fine with me. I want an overdrive gear anyway. Most of the roads out here are very long and very flat so the constant torque isn't really needed here.
The interior is rough. I plan to just roll with it for now. Driving capability trumps looks in my book so my money is going into the suspension and drivetrain.
I found a 76 Corvette for sale in my area for a price I just could not turn down. So today I drove her home and she is safe in my garage. This is my first Vette but not my first classic car. The suspension setup seems a bit eccentric to me but I'm starting to understand what is under there.
The car itself is in great shape for a daily driver. The frame is solid with little more than surface rust. The desert has done a lot to preserve it but the previous owners did a lot to help it along as well. The body was actually pulled from an 82 so the seams aren't present. The springs are relatively new as well as all the u-joints. Most of the bushings were replaced during the swap so most of the really hard work is already done.
There is some noise when I drop her into gear. I'll probably pull the trailing arms for rebuild just to be safe but personally I think it's the transmission. That's fine with me. I want an overdrive gear anyway. Most of the roads out here are very long and very flat so the constant torque isn't really needed here.
The interior is rough. I plan to just roll with it for now. Driving capability trumps looks in my book so my money is going into the suspension and drivetrain.
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your acquisition! We're very happy to add you to the community
.William R.
Chevrolet Customer Care
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: California City CA
Thanks. I'm new but after a few days I am starting to become more familiar with the old girl. I certainly have no regrets about bringing her home! I still get e small thrill when I walk into the garage. I know that it will probably fade after she has been around for a while but I can always hope not.
Chad
Chad
