Is it wrong that JG and I have been discussing 1978-'82 Corvettes?

Must

Have

Greenwood

Can-Am

Flares

...

Woody wrote: I propose a C3 Corvette Challenge. Let's see who can build the best one for $2014.

I will confess, this statement pushed me out to CL to see what the local market is like.
What I found were more '84/'85, early C4's less than $4k asking than C3's.

I will say though, I think this seller is right:
http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/4452224220.html

'85 w/ 79k miles, asking $4k Great condition for 29 year old car that has never been restored. Never drive in winter. You can insure cheaply thru Haggerty. You can buy antique plates. Drive for free - buy it - drive it or fix it up - sell in 5years for what you have in it

nicksta43 wrote: Danny Popp's C3 is not floppy.

that's cool.

In reply to oldsaw:

This is an example of why flat black is not dead and will never die. The rest are in denial.

Woody wrote: For all the time that guys around here spend talking about Europas and BiTurbos, these just seem like a far better starting point.

Yes, absolutly

I like the C3, I had a '76 L82 4-speed. Autocrossed it and did a drivers school. Fun car, not competitive without a bucket of money thrown at it, but fun.

Woody wrote: For all the time that guys around here spend talking about Europas and BiTurbos, these just seem like a far better starting point.

I have to admit that it'd be nice to walk into a parts store and have them know what I'm talking about. Maybe even have stuff in stock.

Wayslow wrote:

Woody wrote: For all the time that guys around here spend talking about Europas and BiTurbos, these just seem like a far better starting point.

I have to admit that it'd be nice to walk into a parts store and have them know what I'm talking about. Maybe even have stuff in stock.

Always wondered what that was like.

Some things I'd like to see tried if you do a C3 Corvette project:

1. How far will boxing the frame rails and adding a roll cage go towards solving the stiffness issues?

2. What does it take to resolve the suspension geometry issues? Could this be done with a template and hand drill like on a '60s era Mustang? Or would it be more involved?

C3 chassis are already boxed, so if you are looking at one check the rear of the rails ahead of the rear wheel because that's where they will rust from first generally. If you can look for a factory four speed car. The chassis pictured is from an automatic so the transmission crossmember bolts in, on a four speed car there would be a crossmember welded across the center of the car to help stiffen it a bit. Most of the old racecars I have seen the only big changes they made to the suspension were metal bushings or spherical bearings and the lower arm in the rear was usually adjustable. The nicest built of the production based ones were the Greenwood cars, They had extensive for the time rollcages and the bodywork was broken up to be removeable for repairs.

^Good info there.

Best looking Chevy truck ever built. And it's mine. Since June of 2001. Not the best handling car, nor the most powerful, but it looks great, people gravitate towards it, and it IS fun to drive (or haul).
75 L48 auto, w/pwr steering. A/C removed, spare tire and carrier ditched, headers and duals all the way back. Edlebrock carb and manifold. Currently puts out 185hp at the rear wheels and 249 lb-ft. Recaros from a Jetta GLI. Yes, those Recaros. Considering putting the 95 LT1 Police interceptor motor and 4l60e in that's on my bench.

I don't care what you guys get. Just get one. You won't be sorry. Would love to see a build thread by guys not on Corvette Forum or the Crazies who over restore. Make it your own and flog it!

I need one of these.

Up until now, I've had pretty much nothing to add to this thread other than the standard DO IT! encouragement. But tonight I gained some very important experience. It all started a little over a week ago. I was at a gas station near PIR filling up on the non-ethanol good stuff in preparation for my first track day. A nicely dressed man comes up to me in my very inconspicous, bright yellow Corvette and starts up a conversation. Turns out he lives in Redmond just like I do. I give him my card and we part ways. Fast forward to today. I run home at lunch to put my Dad's birthday present in the mail, a Tagua Remora pistol holster. On the way I see George driving by and he sees me in my covert Corvette and gives me a big wave. We pull up next to each other in town at an intersection and make plans to meet up tonight. I call him after work and he invites me over. When I get there he says I have to drive his '69 big block because he's "had a couple cocktails." Gladly. Side pipes. 4 pt harnesses. 4 speed manual. Unassisted brakes. Big cam. Gold's Gym certified clutch pedal. Sitting here now I'm not sure if I've ever really driven a muscle car before. This was a muscle car. Not a sports car. My C6 is a sports car. This '69 big block 427 Corvette was a muscle car.

I don't think I'd change a thing on that '69.

I was following a C3 on the highway Sunday (beautiful day in CT) and we both took the same exit (onto 684 in NY, from 84). As we merged onto 684, we both moved to the left lane and I was easily gaining on him until I stopped accelerating at 75ish. 1999 Miata with an intake and crappy exhaust (i.e. not a fast car). And the Vette was on it, based on the terrible exhaust note and smell of unburnt fuel.

So this particular car was not very fast...but he still looked cool in a Boogie Nights kind of way.

Wifey had a very nice '78 L-82 with a slushbox. Red, of course. We got rid of it after the kids came along, and we got back what we had in it, but I think we should have held on to it. Considerably slower than the RX-7, but it got looks anywhere we went, and it was undeniably cool.

Wally wrote: C3 chassis are already boxed, so if you are looking at one check the rear of the rails ahead of the rear wheel because that's where they will rust from first generally. If you can look for a factory four speed car. The chassis pictured is from an automatic so the transmission crossmember bolts in, on a four speed car there would be a crossmember welded across the center of the car to help stiffen it a bit. Most of the old racecars I have seen the only big changes they made to the suspension were metal bushings or spherical bearings and the lower arm in the rear was usually adjustable. The nicest built of the production based ones were the Greenwood cars, They had extensive for the time rollcages and the bodywork was broken up to be removeable for repairs.

Interesting - I'll bet an X-brace and tied in roll cage could go a long way towards helping it.

MadScientistMatt wrote:

Wally wrote: C3 chassis are already boxed, so if you are looking at one check the rear of the rails ahead of the rear wheel because that's where they will rust from first generally. If you can look for a factory four speed car. The chassis pictured is from an automatic so the transmission crossmember bolts in, on a four speed car there would be a crossmember welded across the center of the car to help stiffen it a bit. Most of the old racecars I have seen the only big changes they made to the suspension were metal bushings or spherical bearings and the lower arm in the rear was usually adjustable. The nicest built of the production based ones were the Greenwood cars, They had extensive for the time rollcages and the bodywork was broken up to be removeable for repairs.

Interesting - I'll bet an X-brace and tied in roll cage could go a long way towards helping it.

The convertibles had a big X brace welded in. You cannot open or close the doors with the frame on jackstands. I have tried.

Why is that chassis inherently floppy? Is it the 'joint' between the front and rear sections or just the fact the the body itself does nothing to help?

A basic ladder frame like that has no real torsional strength. Flip through a copy of "Chassis Engineering" by Adams. He models frames and shows what helps them and why.

That Vette chassis is pretty much textbook "what not to do" stuff.

Ditchdigger wrote: A basic ladder frame like that has no real torsional strength. Flip through a copy of "Chassis Engineering" by Adams. He models frames and shows what helps them and why. That Vette chassis is pretty much textbook "what not to do" stuff.

Plus, look at the way the back is sort of tacked on in another plane entirely.

I am not a chassis designer, and can't really say what do to, but certainly it needs more material in the Z axis and a better flow of stress. If it were me, I'd buy a wrecked C5 and graft the C3 body in sections on the C5 tub. You'd still have crappy aero, but at least the suspension and rigidity would be handled.

I bought my one owner 81 C3 a couple years back with the intentions of cleaning it up and flipping it......that didn't work ...first real test drive and I decided I just might like to hang on to it for a while...

wife is still pissed...says now I have to try and buy & flip a 911 for her...