1977 corvette - semi restoration

[Norm]

I’ve never owned a cool car, but decided I wanted some old iron. I found a 77 vette someone brought up from Southern California. It had decent paint, interior, drove, but had been mostly sitting since 94. From 77 to 94 the original owner documented everything, every tank of, every repair. The engine was rebuilt in 92, paint in 94.

Someone put a Edelbrock intake, cheap engine chrome, and fake ss line weave on it. Oh, and the 8 track still works. I wanted to make a driver that was period correct, but not necessarily stock.

The start of the winter project

 

[Norm]

I wanted a good driver, so first was a full suspension rebuild. The front got new A-arm bushings, ball joints, tie rods, steering control valve , power steering lines, brakes, calipers, brake lines, bearings and seals

 

[Norm]

The rear received rebuilt trailing arms, leaf springs, bushings, bearings, seals, brakes, brake lines, calipers, ujoints(6). And shocks, they were oem 77 delco’s

 

[Norm]

The engine bay received new radiator, water pump, fuel pump, fan clutch, H268 cam, brodix IK180 heads, 1.6:1 roller rockers, hooker ceramic coated headers, sanden 508 ac compressor, distributor, MT re-pop valve covers, cool round air cleaner. I repainted or replaced the chrome engine parts. New master cylinder Transmission also got new seals, bushings.

 

[Norm]

I’m still working on sorting out the ac fittings, and the exhaust needs welded, but it runs out well and drives like new. After sorting out the AC I’m adding a line lock for smoky burnouts. Maybe fuel injection this winter.

 

[dnsfailure]

what FI are you thinking?

 

[Norm]

what FI are you thinking?

Fitech looks like it works with HEI, the holly system requires a new distributor and module so it adds about $600 to the cost. I am still looking t fuel delivery options, 82 had fuel injection so I can use a 82 in-tank pump, pickup, and float. The other option is a frame mounted pump above the rear axle. Something to work on this winter.
.

 

[Fishnbeer]

You should focus on cleaning up that paint job. Keep sanding down those body panels til you hit bare metal and then start with some fresh paint. That will git er lookin reel gud

 

[Norm]

Round 2 , decided it needed to go faster.

SBC 383, forged lower parts, 11.3:1 compression, comp XR282 roller, Brodix heads with some mild porting. Holley 770 SA, Dougs headers with max flo side pipes.

Built 700R4, 3k FTI converter, fresh possi and 3.70 gears.

 

[707offroad]

You should focus on cleaning up that paint job. Keep sanding down those body panels til you hit bare metal and then start with some fresh paint. That will git er lookin reel gud

Sanding down through the fiberglass into the frame?

 

[dentedsub]

 

[Norm]

It runs, it's loud, I like it.

 

[Norm]

This winter I re-upholstered the seats, new carpet, and added a tunnel ram .

 

[Tiha]

Ha Ha, Not fast enough, that is awesome. I missed the update last fall. This 383 is quite a ways from just adding the 268 cam and heads.

I would imagine you won't have any problem breaking 400hp. Sounds nice. I am having that Fuel injection, carb debate in my head right now.

Still think carbs are better for just having fun.

 

[WaterH]

Not a fan of cutting the hood, but it sure sounds mean. Nice work on the seats.

 

[Norm]

Ha Ha, Not fast enough, that is awesome. I missed the update last fall. This 383 is quite a ways from just adding the 268 cam and heads.

I would imagine you won't have any problem breaking 400hp. Sounds nice. I am having that Fuel injection, carb debate in my head right now.

Still think carbs are better for just having fun.

I wanted to keep it mostly period correct, because I'm tarded so carbs it is. FI is probably better for a driver, but aftermarket FI has proven less reliable than factory stuff. The conversion is easy now, new tank with pump, holley/Fitech + ignition.

Desktop dyno says 477HP/504TQ, so I'm guessing it's 450HP/475TQ at the crank. It's fun to drive now. Getting parts was the big battle, I had to snipe the chrome carbs and used tunnel ram off ebay because edelbrock is years behind on production. Thats also why I went with AN fuel fittings because I couldn't get a dual quad fuel line. . It's mostly done aside from some wiring cleanup and I think I have a tranny line dripping.

Not a fan of cutting the hood, but it sure sounds mean. Nice work on the seats.

Well I had tunnel ram boner, plus I dig stacks. It's a 77, so not really high value collector and I can always add a L78 hood. The seats were a bitch because the new foam was almost too big, It too k a full day of stuffing and pulling with help. I'm happy how the seats turned out in the end. I now sit high enough my head is about an inch from the roof with new seat foam and I'm 5'10" , 6' + people would be in trouble.

 

[Tiha]

It's a 77, so not really high value collector and I can always add a L78 hood.

It's a corvette it will always have decent value. There seems to be two values. Cars driven and enjoyed vs show pieces.

Since it is not a show piece anything you do won't really change the value. Just keep it clean and drivable.

 

[WaterH]

It's a corvette it will always have decent value. There seems to be two values. Cars driven and enjoyed vs show pieces.

Since it is not a show piece anything you do won't really change the value. Just keep it clean and drivable.

I believe the C3 has highest production numbers of any vette. They also were held back on emissions BS. That is keeping prices low now, but I believe they are disappearing fast. It happens to be my favorite vette. To me, it is the last Vette to look American. My wife has a C7 and it’s a fantastic machine, but the C3 has it beat for looks.

 

[Norm]

I believe the C3 has highest production numbers of any vette. They also were held back on emissions BS. That is keeping prices low now, but I believe they are disappearing fast. It happens to be my favorite vette. To me, it is the last Vette to look American. My wife has a C7 and it’s a fantastic machine, but the C3 has it beat for looks.

From 68-79 the C3's are pretty much the same aside from engine and transmission. The emissions killed the power by 75, but that can be fixed. 75-79 are generally pretty low priced because earlier years had more HP. 80-82 use different rear ends and frames. I agree they are coolest looking vette's, that's why I have C3 instead of new one. Plus I enjoy building stuff the way I want it.

I wanted to keep the retro look while adding a few modern twists. It has a roller street cam, 700r4, plus a borgeson steering box so it drives pretty nice for a 77. It even has working 8 track, and the interior is all new original reproduction by al knock that meets original standards. Most of the cars mechanical systems have been rebuilt using original replacement parts. Almost everything I used is US made, aside from a few suspension parts we don't make here anymore and the exhaust is made in Mexico now.

 

[Tiha]

We are in the same boat. I have a 78. I think the C3 is the best looking. I really wanted chrome bumpers, but in the end I fell in love with the white/oyster interior.

Now what to do on the outside? Oe type colors and stripes, or something radical and different.

I just need to find time to get it road worthy again and decide from there. I love that you drive it though rather than sitting. I want to use and enjoy, not just look and talk.

 

[Norm]

The weather cleared enough to do some test runs, the dual edelbrock 500's pull way harder than the single holley SA 770 I had before. I jetted the edelbrocks down three sizes for the altitude and set the timing at 34 degrees. Plugs look good after a warm up and about 10 miles. I need to get my bubba AFR gauge working or get it on a dyno and finish the tuning. It tries to lift the front with the 275's I put in the rear, I thought the tunnel ram would soften the bottom end but it didn't. My first impression is it kicks ass .