1971 Journal
Hi
I am creating a duplicate of my Australian thread here to cover the Journey I have taken on my 1971 Corvette purchased late in 2009. Hope it is of some interest to others. The Car as I picked it up...... https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...e/CIMG6324.jpg 1971 Matching Numbers 350-270hp Bridgehampton Blue Coupe Index of PagesPage 1 - December 2009
Page 2 - June 2010
Page 3 - September 2010
Page 4 - October 2010
Page 5 - November 2010
Page 6 - November 2010
Page 7 - December 2010
Page 8 - December 2010
Page 9 - January 2011
Page 10 - March 2011
Page 11 - June 2011
Page 12 - July 2011
Page 13 - July 2013
Page 14 - August 2011
Page 15 - September 2011
Page 16 - September 2011
Page 17 - October 2011
Page 18 - October 2011
Page 19 - November 2011
Page 20 - November 2011
Page 21 - November 2011
Page 22 - November 2011
Page 23 - November 2011
Page 24 - January 2012
Page 25 - March 2012
Page 26 - June 2012
Page 27 - July 2012
Page 28 - August 2012
Page 29 - September 2012
Page 30 - December 2012
Page 31 - March 2013
Page 32 - March 2013
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 47
Page 48
Page 49
Page 50
Page 51
Page 52
Page 53
Page 54
Page 55
Page 56
Page 57
Page 58
Page 59
Page 60
Page 61
Page 62
Page 63
Page 64
Page 65
Page 66
Page 67
Page 68
Page 69
Page 70
Page 71
Page 72
Page 73
Page 74
Page 75
Page 76
Page 77
Page 78
Page 79
Page 80
Page 81
Page 82
Page 83
Page 84
Page 85
Page 86
Page 87
Page 88
Page 89
Page 90
Page 91
Page 92
Page 93
The Car in 2012..... https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...e/P1050589.jpg https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...e/P1050577.jpg This thread was originally on the Australian Corvettes forum (Now Closed) but I had decided to also post it here given the wider audience and experience. |
December 2009
I ordered a number of interior trim parts in December and they arrived prior to Xmas. The only one I have fitted so far is the new console. The original was torn and needed replacement. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../CIMG6319a.jpg After straightening all the brackets etc etc I trial fitted the new one https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000066a.jpg Tossed the old radio and ordered a replica one with new electronics and ipod input I also found out why the fiber optics for the front lights were not working - They were not connected under the console. When I pull it out again to do the carpets I will refurbish the console top and repaint it etc. I also - removed all rust from the brake power booster and sprayed it. - tidied up a number of wires under the bonnet that went no where - re wrapped the loom where it goes down to the starter - pulled all plug wires and cleaned and tidied up including fixing a few cracks - new set ordered - added an inline fuel filter - connected all the vacuum hoses to the correct points on engine and re-connected the charcoal canister correctly. - made a temporary cover for the empty radio spot. Took the Vette to the Summernats, where it sat most of the time on the oval - got lots of great comments. |
January 2010
Late January I decided to kill any rust that i Icould find in the base of the birdcage and repaint it - not a lot there from what I could see but it was caused by a leak from the wiper cowl area that was wide open. Filled it up and put the water hose back onto it to test and it now seems to be ok. Possibly had front passenger side panel work done that caused the problem. I also found out that when they fitted my seat belts in QLD they did not enlarge the trim opening enough so they had rubbed and were damaged. Sent them back to the Supplier who is repairing them for me. Took the opportunity to get them re made in blue. Got samples from both Hemco and SeatBelt Solutions https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000069a.jpg Luckily SeatBelt Solutions color was the closest and they were the original supplier so new set on way in blue. However one thing leads to another...... To get the seat belts out I had to remove the the seats and the rear trim then take the webbing out of the belts etc....a bit involved but not too bad So I decided the seats needed some work. If only I could get back to the trim bits i got in December or the ones I purchased while in the US in January. Removed all the tracks and cleaned them up. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000065a.jpg Repainted and lubricated them https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000077a.jpg Then i decided to pull the seats apart to repaint the trims, better clean them and swap the base between driver an passenger side. Final outcome was not bad compared to how dirty they looked when i got them https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000080a.jpg They are out of the car still waiting for the belts to come back |
While the seats were out I thought why not take the carpets out and have a look....that led to cleaning up a number of under dash brackets and repainting them all.
I started to get tired of cleaning bolts and nuts so I purchased one of these https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...te/tumbler.jpg chemically kill any rust on the parts then drop them in here for a few hours and they come up great. Will look for some more abrasive media as it can take a while. So while the carpets were out i decided to work out how they had re wired my blinkers etc as there was no extra wire running from the brake switch to the back. That led to re doing all the connections with heat shrink etc etc. Found out how it was done - fairly clever. Take the wire previously used for back up and use that to run the new brake light signal. Then feed the backup signal from the transmission selector into the turn signal unit (where the brake light switch had previously gone) and all works fine. While I was looking at this I wanted to find out why some of the rear fiber optics did not work and I found a couple of breaks in the fiber. Thought I could fix it then decided to just replace the run. Jaycar sell 4m run of 2ml fiber that is exactly the correct size for $25. 45 minutes later I have all the lights working in the console. While looking around the taillights I notice the vapor return line is a bit old so i decide to replace it.....wow that was a pain as it is just a bit more than my arm could stretch. |
The wiper motor had been replaced before i got the car but none of the washer tubes were there so i found the plastic bag washer water holder under the fender and ran tubes to the pump and then into the windscreen wiper area.
However cant seem to find any tubes on my wipers to take the water : :cry: May have been replaced at some time with other wipers. Will need to see how I can get water on windscreen another way possibly. |
The Aircon was not working when i got it and the fan motor is dead.
Was thinking of getting a classic air unit but then decided why not try and get some air flow with the standard setup first, so I have checked out most of the vacuum operations and the heater box doors all seem to open close etc. Removed the recirculate air vent flap and will need to replace the seal on it (remove rivets etc) Will need to get a new motor for the system to see how much flow I get. Found this site that makes panels to allow the removal of the air con under bonnet. http://acdelete.com/pages/68-82_Y-Body.htm http://acdelete.com/images/covers/68-82_Y-Body.jpg Will give this some more thought. |
I started to clean up under the drivers side dash.
Took off some of the brackets and repainted them. Took out all the old under felt and created new patterns for as much as I could get to. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000139a.jpg Then glued them in place. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000149a.jpg Then I started to Dynamat the floor below that. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000148a.jpg https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000151a.jpg A lot more patterns to make, Dynamat to cut and roll into place .....but my son wanted to repaint his bedroom this weekend so time was very short. Dont let your kids use thumb tacks on plaster walls - one wall must have had 50 that needed to be filled sanded etc. |
Put all the drivers side brackets behind the dash back in that I painted and cleaned up the vent, put new felt seals etc then put them back.
https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000153a.jpg https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000154a.jpg On the passenger side I pulled the fresh air vent assembly apart, took out the rivets and will have to order a new rubber seal. Cleaned up all the brackets and dug heaps of leaves and rubbish out from behind the flap :-( Finished off the servo and brackets etc. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000155a.jpg https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000156a.jpg Put the carpet and seats back in so I can drive it again while I wait for new carpets to arrive. Once they arrive I will finish the Dynamat |
The drivers side mirror was a post 74 version and a bit wider then the passenger side so I replaced it with the correct size one.
Also this one stays in position a lot better. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000159a.jpg https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000157a.jpg I also found that the seat belt openings in the 71 seats are still a bit rough on the edges (and over time will damage the seat belt edges) so I spent some time smoothing them out. A bit more work on them after some usage and I will need to repaint the seat trim again. |
I decided to have a look at how the shelf for the rear window worked and found it was just full of dust and dirt.
Took it out and gave it a clean up and repaired a minor crack and blended in the paint to match original (was close to perfect match for black bumper/trim paint.) https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...0311-1008a.jpg Cleaned up the brackets and they are ready to paint. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...0311-1007a.jpg https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...0311-1021a.jpg The shaft uses the same nylon bushes as the wiper door. After cleaning out the drain areas behind the kick panels I now have close to 10 of them that have fallen down over time. :-D Finished and with window in to show how it goes. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...0311-1459a.jpg May add some foam pads to stop any vibrations. |
I had always thought the rear window was a tight fit and after having a better look it was because the weatherstrip was getting stuck under the window panel and was not stuck down properly.
https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000206a.jpg So I glued it all down around the edges and now the window fits so much better https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000208a.jpg Used a wooden template to hold it in position as the previous strip was cut for some reason and stretched to fit. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000209a.jpg Will order a new weatherstrip I think and do it all again to ensure it is watertight etc. as the cut as seen in the picture above does not look that nice. :-D |
Before replacing carpets etc i wanted to be sure I had minimized as many leaks as possible - Something that from what read was going to be a long process. (I am sure i will find new ones as time goes on)
Well after a number of days of painful positions in the car with a hose being sprayed outside I think I have fixed most of the culprits. Was using heaps of water (as some were only a drip every few minutes with the tap on full spray) ......so I may have been being a but anal but ....that me :? Should have done this when the seats were out. Down in the cowl the under the mechanism to open the wiper flap I found a few like this https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...vette/cowl.jpg Screws through brackets that were not sealed and water makes its way down the thread. Also a number of fine cracks in seams etc etc. The birdcage only had minor surface rust, as far as I could see up it with mirrors and torches etc. So I converted all that and painted as far as I could get up the inside of the pillars with grey killrust enamel. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...e/CageBase.jpg Then I took out all the pillar trims etc and sprayed fishoil into all the birdcage cavities through the screw holes. Next to replace the door open switches and make some craftwood speaker frames for the kickpanel areas of the birdcage. |
I had ordered a new heater blower motor so could I get some ventilation happening.
The original relay and wiring was toasted so not sure what had happened. So after getting all the vacuum system working for vents etc I took the old blower motor out and guess what it still worked ok. !!!! So I have re done much of the wiring with a new stronger earth lead from the alternator to the relay bracket on the firewall and then onto the blower motor relay and blower. I have been using crimp connectors but removing the colored plastic sleeve and replacing with heat shrink as it looks more period correct. All speeds seem to be working now for the fan big improvement. Not sure why they have these fans set so off still moves air but I can change that easy enough. Started to put the wiper door back on and then decided to spend some time getting the alignment better.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 6 refits later and its getting closer. Took off some the mounting brackets to re align them a bit and repaint etc and as usual you find a few new holes that are not filled properly underneath. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../P1000278a.jpg No wonder these things are prone to leaks. Will fill them in tomorrow and refit the brackets etc. |
Time to repair some of the AC vents. The race tape repairs by previous owners may have worked but....
It had a number of cracks etc https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../VentDuct1.jpg Sand it all and fiberglass over the problem areas. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../VentDuct2.jpg Then sand again. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../VentDuct3.jpg Then paint. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw.../VentDuct4.jpg Possibly could have filled all the fiberglass mesh and made it 100% smooth but it is under the dash. |
Cleaned up the passengers side under the dash.
Pulled out the old insulation and cleaned it up. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...ght-Before.jpg Then rebuilt the vent flap etc and put them back in https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...vette/flap.jpg Got a few scratches on it when i put it back together so may take it out again and re spray it. All vents etc now work well so happy with the HVAC at moment 8) Then re did under felt vacuum lines, cleaned rust off relays and sprayed with clear paint. Need to tidy up the wiring a bit more and make a mount for the under dash light as it is missing. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...ight-After.jpg |
Have been doing a bit of work trying to stop a squeak I had in the drivers rear brake as well as a tapping noise sometimes from the passenger side rear.
So after removing the caliper, rotor etc and cleaning up the parts, greasing the handbrake etc its back on and the squeak is a lot less. I need to do the same on the other side and then adjust the handbrake properly as I believe the taping noise could be a loose shoe on the passenger side. I have new rotors to put on but i kept them for when i can spend a bit more time doing it all up a bit neater. Have ordered a digital dial gauge in case the existing rotor has run-out issues. I found the handbrake cable was hitting the exhaust so that could have been part of the noise. Trial and error to find all the possible causes....in fact after filling up the tank and zip tying the cable out if the way of the exhaust i can hardly hear the noise...Empty tank may have been acting as an amplifier .... |
While I had part of the dash off I decided to have a closer look at the gauge cluster and see why i did not have a door ajar light etc.
Found that once I replace a few bulbs its all working.....in fact the clock is now also working after attaching the proper wires. The new one I have in a box will have to wait till it fails for real. The only thing I am missing is the socket to hold the light in the Seat belt warning area. Repco have ordered something for me (generic T10 socket for a dash) Hope it fits.... Very happy most is now working. All I need to do is then put the new bezel and radio in and it will look 100% better. |
I now have all the buttons and lights in the Gauge bezel working - Repco came through with the PC board fitting and now all operates as expected.
The clock works and then every now and then stops. May just be a contact inside - may pull apart to look or just install the new one I have. Now it all needs to be transferred to my new bezel that has not been butchered like the original one. |
Last weekend I decided to adjust the park brake and cables etc so they would not touch the exhaust.
Did one side ok and went onto other, removed the caliper so i could clean etc and noticed it was leaking. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...iperstands.jpg Time to do the calipers. After some deliberation I decided to try a rebuild. So if I am going to rebuild the calipers they need to be clean. First step clean off all the dirt etc. Then I used a citrus paint remover to soften the old paint on them. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...perafterOC.jpg Then a fair amount of wire brush work and they look great - almost a shame to paint them. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...liperclean.jpg I think I will paint them black. Now to clean up the trailing arm etc before i put it back together https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...Caliperoff.jpg First pass lots more to clean off. |
Did not get as much time this weekend but still got a bit done.
Cleaned up the trailing arms then rust primer and black paint. Needed to take the spring bolts out to do a good job. Will need another coat. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...ailingArm1.jpg https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...ailingArm2.jpg Rebuilt the rear calipers with VB&P O-Ring piston kits. Hope they work as they were a bit stiff after the install. https://filedn.com/lgpmSkDpNlKkX4Xmw...newpistons.jpg Now they need paint and it all goes back together. |
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