76 Corvette Restoration

[iron man]

My folks have a 76 Corvette that they've been having since 77. When we moved and we all started private school, it was parked and never moved again in 1995. I just got the curiosity of putting a battery in there and bumping over the engine for less than half a second and she still has life in her. Electrical still works but could use a little tune up. Anyone know a restoration business around the state somewhere? I want to have my brothers and sister pitch in for it to be restored to its original glory. It can move if its pushed, but starting is another battle.

[southern151]

Well, I got the cure. Old Vettes are high dollar machines. PM me and I'll get ya some contact info.

[iron man]

Alright, this one has my head sratching, I climbed into it today to clean it out and tried to open the door and the handles will move, but the door just doesn't want to open so now I get in it through the t top and work from there. Think it could be that the latch is stuck? and if so, how do I open it?

[Dink]

I got a Guy in basile that does it tires on up.....he does it right from beginning to end. All the way down to the factory paint......you want it done right and worth a Buck when its done, you bring it to this guy

[youmyboyblue]

Best thing to do in this situation. Put it on a trailer, Head east on 1-10, exit at the 2nd Laplace exit. Continue down until you hit airline hwy. Turn left airline and continue until you hit the spillway. Once you arrive at the spillway find a nice quiet remote area. Very carefully pour gasoline throughout vehicle, step back and light.

This will save you a lot of time, energy and money

[iron man]

Originally Posted by youmyboyblue

Best thing to do in this situation. Put it on a trailer, Head east on 1-10, exit at the 2nd Laplace exit. Continue down until you hit airline hwy. Turn left airline and continue until you hit the spillway. Once you arrive at the spillway find a nice quiet remote area. Very carefully pour gasoline throughout vehicle, step back and light.

This will save you a lot of time, energy and money

. I couldn't do that to a Corvette that my parents own. i'm ok with headaches, but I would like real solution. I can do the interior and suspension work myself, but when it comes to the engine and trans for these era cars, I'm almost clueless. I have a good bit of background doing mechanic work in the family and on our own vehicles. I'll be hard at work on it tomorrow. Want to have the interior cleaned mostly out by this Friday. It really needs a good wash down to get all the spiders and cob webs out and dirt and grime off of it. So I guess that will be on my agenda after I drop my dad off at the airport.

[bjhooper82]

Originally Posted by youmyboyblue

Best thing to do in this situation. Put it on a trailer, Head east on 1-10, exit at the 2nd Laplace exit. Continue down until you hit airline hwy. Turn left airline and continue until you hit the spillway. Once you arrive at the spillway find a nice quiet remote area. Very carefully pour gasoline throughout vehicle, step back and light.

This will save you a lot of time, energy and money

That would be pretty stupid!!

[iron man]

Originally Posted by bjhooper82

That would be pretty stupid!!

Yeah not only do I not have a trailer, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to re-enlist in the military...

[southern151]

For the motor, take it to a place in Prairieville called Joe's Auto(225-622-2231). I used to share a lease with him out there. He's good with settin up those older motors and going through em. I'll tell ya now, it won't be cheap! Nothing on a Vette is!! Get it running then bring it this way. I can get those doors open without tearing everything up.

If ya need factory parts, I have an uncle in Phoenix that has spent his entire adult life restoring old Vettes and has a warehouse smack full of parts for who knows how many years of Vettes. If he doesn't have it, he know's someone who does and can get it shipped.

Again, these old cars are time consuming and expensive to work on but, if they're done right, they can be worth a small fortune, depending on the year and options.

[iron man]

We've done business with Joe's before when we had my brothers 350 rebuilt, very good work. I'm about to go clean out the inside and see if I can't wash all the cobwebs out of her today. All the interior needs is a few panels and a new carpet and it should be purty good. This will take some time no doubt. But it should be worth it when I hand my dad back his keys.

[iron man]

This is what I'm working with in case you people was wondering. Would get more pics, but you can see half the car with all the crap piled around it. The body is in really nice shape and to my knowledge the frame is good. 15 years indoors has been good to her.

[booyagasha]

You got some work ahead of you.. my suggestion is to do a restomod and not a full out restoration (unless you got the equity to do so) use later model vette parts( late 80 s -early 90s ...looks of an old car handling and performance of a newer ...always wanted to do a 69 camaro with a ls1/ls2 or a 69 mustang with 03/04 cobra terminator 4.6 supercharged with full late model car donor interior/suspension /motor

[iron man]

Originally Posted by booyagasha

You got some work ahead of you.. my suggestion is to do a restomod and not a full out restoration (unless you got the equity to do so) use later model vette parts( late 80 s -early 90s ...looks of an old car handling and performance of a newer ...always wanted to do a 69 camaro with a ls1/ls2 or a 69 mustang with 03/04 cobra terminator 4.6 supercharged with full late model car donor interior/suspension /motor

Actually, my dad put new vette suspension in it in 89 I believe. But, all I want to do is either an engine swap for a "fresh" 350, or rebuild this one and redo the interior with cleaned up stuff and cover the seats in red leather with black inserts. and add a fresh black paint job. But its little nick nacks like window motors, door latches, wipers, and little other things that have me puzzled. I'll take care of the stuff I know I can do, then let a pro take over with the rest of the stuff.

[southern151]

I wouldn't swap the motor. Matching numbers are a big deal. As far as everything outside the motor, we can handle stuff like that. Depending on year, I don't know what year they swapped, but the wipers may be vaccuum powered. Door latches and window assemblies are easy to repair/replace.

[iron man]

Originally Posted by southern151

I wouldn't swap the motor. Matching numbers are a big deal. As far as everything outside the motor, we can handle stuff like that. Depending on year, I don't know what year they swapped, but the wipers may be vaccuum powered. Door latches and window assemblies are easy to repair/replace.

I think they swapped those in the late 77s or the 78s, but these still work, just need to replace the blades. We gotta have the thing out of the garage in a couple weeks on a trailer if not sooner as we're getting the garage doors replaced. Think you could work some magic with the door latches and handles and the other door panel?

[southern151]

Yeah, those old latches have a tendancy to freeze up after setting up for so long. Getting them to open the first time is the hardest part. After that, it's just a matter of taking em out, cleaning and getting them greased up again.

[iron man]

Originally Posted by southern151

Yeah, those old latches have a tendancy to freeze up after setting up for so long. Getting them to open the first time is the hardest part. After that, it's just a matter of taking em out, cleaning and getting them greased up again.

Yeah especially these. When we get it out, I'll give you a holler. I'm vaccuuming it out right now and cleaning out some old dirt and such all day until I go ride to Mr. Fixits and see how much it might run me to put on my new exhaust system.

[booyagasha]

Black is hardest to paint

[iron man]

Originally Posted by booyagasha

Black is hardest to paint

What you mean Willis?

[southern151]

Originally Posted by booyagasha

Black is hardest to paint

Gotta kindly disagree there. It'll show if ya if ya have a good body man but application is pretty easy.

My personal least liked is real high metallics, especially a bright silver. Oh yeah, a true candy color is also something that leaves a lot to be desired!