Must Haves

C3 Corvette Must Haves What I've Learned So Far...

My Corvette learning curve was long and steep. I made all the mistakes, expensive and otherwise, many others have made. My goal is to share my experiences with you, so regardless of where you are in the Corvette hobby, you may be able to learn from my mistakes...

So here goes it:

1. Don't rush in and buy the first car you see. There are many cars out there. See every car you can. Spend time on e-Bay. Watching their auctions is a great way to become familiar with the values of cars.

2. Spend a long time inspecting the car you think you want. If you don't know what to look for, bring someone who does. For a C-3, the biggest issue is frame rot. Look at the frame section just in front of the rear wheels. This area should be solid. If it's not, walk away. There are too many nice cars out there, with solid frames. If you buy it anyway, realize the appropriate way to fix the issue is to remove the body and weld in a repair section. Or replace the frame all together. If you know a skilled welder, he or she can box in a new section. But this can cost upto $1000 to do. And people skilled (i.e. experienced in working on Vettes in this matter) are hard to find.

3. Be realistic about your finances, and buy the best Corvette you can afford. There is no such thing as a $2000 or $4000 Corvette. The $4000 will most likely cost another $10000 to make right. In the end, you'll have a car that's not worth what you invested. At least not in the immediate future. These cars will nickle and dime you to death. I've gone week after week, spending a $100 each, just on the small things, only to be hit with an $800 bill the next week. If you want reliability, buy a new generation Vette, or a Toyota.

4. Learn to work on the car yourself. Two years ago, I couldn't do much more than a basic brake job and an oil change. Now, I know how to do engine work, serious brake work, custom work, electrical troubleshooting, suspension work, interior work, vacuum system troubleshooting, you get the idea. The lessons never stop. I only take the car to the shop to tackle those items I don't feel comfortable handling. I had a shop build my engine and I generally send the car out for alignments and rear end work. The rest, I try to handle myself.

5. Find a mechanic who knows his/her way around C-3's. You don't take a C-3 to the dealer. The dealers no longer no how to work on our cars. You need a specialist. Ask around. And when you find someone good, treat them well. They are your life line.

6. If you don't have a quality set of tools, get them. By quality, I don't mean the cheapo import tools. Buy a set of American made tools (Craftsman, Kobalt,Snap-On etc.) Also, you'll need: 2 sets of jack stands, a timing light with advance control, a spark plug gapper, vacuum gauge, torque wrench that reads in foot pounds, good breaker bar, utility light, and a floor jack. If you can swing it, buy an air compressor and a full set of air tools, and a set of micrometers.

7. The most important tip, is one you probably already know: Join the Corvetteforum. The people on this forum will show you the truth, the light, and the way, where Corvettes are concerned. There isn't a trouble you may have, that someone on the forum hasn't already solved. So use the forum, enjoy, and learn.

Now that you have your car...

1. O-ring the brakes. C-3 rear calipers can pump air into the brake system whenever rotor run-out is off, or if the bearings are worn. This can and will leave you with little or no braking power. Buy a Vette Brakes O-ring kit, and rebuild your rear calipers. This will prevent the air pumping, firm up the pedal, and improve overall brake performance. And its cheap and easy!

2. Install a hot water shut-off valve. C-3's constantly circulate hot water through the heater core. It is nearly impossible to get cool, unheated air moving through the vents, without running the A/C. Install the shutoff, using common plumbing supplies, and cool off. When cold weather returns, a quick trip under the hood will bring warm air back. I actually waited two miserable years before doing this.

3. Get a set of headers. If your car doesn't already have them, get them. You can save the old manifolds for originality issues. But use the headers. It's one of the fastest, cheapest modifications you can make. The car will sound better and you'll gain horsepower you can feel.

4. Re-curve your distributor. Here is another cheap and easy modification you can make. You will feel the change in horsepower.

5. Add an adjustable vacuum advance cannister. Do this the same time you do #4. This will give you more control over your ignition timing. And it's not at all expensive or difficult.

6. Replace your rubber fuel lines with steel and add a high quality fuel filter. Your fuel is as important as your oil. You want it to be clean, clean, clean. The paper units in the Quadrajets are garbage. And depending on rubber lines for carrying your fuel is dangerous. Making this upgrade is easier than you think. Lars has a great paper on it, available at corvettefaq.com.


	C3 Corvette Must Haves What I've Learned So Far...

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	My Corvette learning curve was long and steep. I made all the mistakes, expensive and otherwise, many others have made. My goal is to share my experiences with you, so regardless of where you are in the Corvette hobby, you may be able to learn from my mistakes... So here goes it:
	1. Don't rush in and buy the first car you see. There are many cars out there. See every car you can. Spend time on e-Bay. Watching their auctions is a great way to become familiar with the values of cars. 2. Spend a long time inspecting the car you think you want. If you don't know what to look for, bring someone who does. For a C-3, the biggest issue is frame rot. Look at the frame section just in front of the rear wheels. This area should be solid. If it's not, walk away. There are too many nice cars out there, with solid frames. If you buy it anyway, realize the appropriate way to fix the issue is to remove the body and weld in a repair section. Or replace the frame all together. If you know a skilled welder, he or she can box in a new section. But this can cost upto $1000 to do. And people skilled (i.e. experienced in working on Vettes in this matter) are hard to find. 3. Be realistic about your finances, and buy the best Corvette you can afford. There is no such thing as a $2000 or $4000 Corvette. The $4000 will most likely cost another $10000 to make right. In the end, you'll have a car that's not worth what you invested. At least not in the immediate future. These cars will nickle and dime you to death. I've gone week after week, spending a $100 each, just on the small things, only to be hit with an $800 bill the next week. If you want reliability, buy a new generation Vette, or a Toyota. 4. Learn to work on the car yourself. Two years ago, I couldn't do much more than a basic brake job and an oil change. Now, I know how to do engine work, serious brake work, custom work, electrical troubleshooting, suspension work, interior work, vacuum system troubleshooting, you get the idea. The lessons never stop. I only take the car to the shop to tackle those items I don't feel comfortable handling. I had a shop build my engine and I generally send the car out for alignments and rear end work. The rest, I try to handle myself. 5. Find a mechanic who knows his/her way around C-3's. You don't take a C-3 to the dealer. The dealers no longer no how to work on our cars. You need a specialist. Ask around. And when you find someone good, treat them well. They are your life line. 6. If you don't have a quality set of tools, get them. By quality, I don't mean the cheapo import tools. Buy a set of American made tools (Craftsman, Kobalt,Snap-On etc.) Also, you'll need: 2 sets of jack stands, a timing light with advance control, a spark plug gapper, vacuum gauge, torque wrench that reads in foot pounds, good breaker bar, utility light, and a floor jack. If you can swing it, buy an air compressor and a full set of air tools, and a set of micrometers. 7. The most important tip, is one you probably already know: Join the Corvetteforum. The people on this forum will show you the truth, the light, and the way, where Corvettes are concerned. There isn't a trouble you may have, that someone on the forum hasn't already solved. So use the forum, enjoy, and learn.
	Now that you have your car... 1. O-ring the brakes. C-3 rear calipers can pump air into the brake system whenever rotor run-out is off, or if the bearings are worn. This can and will leave you with little or no braking power. Buy a Vette Brakes O-ring kit, and rebuild your rear calipers. This will prevent the air pumping, firm up the pedal, and improve overall brake performance. And its cheap and easy! 2. Install a hot water shut-off valve. C-3's constantly circulate hot water through the heater core. It is nearly impossible to get cool, unheated air moving through the vents, without running the A/C. Install the shutoff, using common plumbing supplies, and cool off. When cold weather returns, a quick trip under the hood will bring warm air back. I actually waited two miserable years before doing this. 3. Get a set of headers. If your car doesn't already have them, get them. You can save the old manifolds for originality issues. But use the headers. It's one of the fastest, cheapest modifications you can make. The car will sound better and you'll gain horsepower you can feel. 4. Re-curve your distributor. Here is another cheap and easy modification you can make. You will feel the change in horsepower. 5. Add an adjustable vacuum advance cannister. Do this the same time you do #4. This will give you more control over your ignition timing. And it's not at all expensive or difficult. 6. Replace your rubber fuel lines with steel and add a high quality fuel filter. Your fuel is as important as your oil. You want it to be clean, clean, clean. The paper units in the Quadrajets are garbage. And depending on rubber lines for carrying your fuel is dangerous. Making this upgrade is easier than you think. Lars has a great paper on it, available at corvettefaq.com.