I Bought a Corvette Basket Case! (Big Plans!)
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- Опубліковано 17 січ 2022
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Normally, my videos are focus solely on cool engine builds, but I've been dying to branch out a bit. So I purchased a project car -- a 1980 C3 Corvette. Unfortunately, the car is a basket case, and it still has a few surprises for me. But it's also a blank slate. How do you think I should build it? As long as it has tons of horsepower, I'm good with just about anything. Let me know in the comments what you think we should do with it, because I'm definitely open to suggestions! - Авто та транспорт
I honestly didn't know that the horsepower monster did car builds, I'm super stoked to see this I love this channel.
Hey, thanks!
Me ether and I’m digging it!
My cousin had a 68 Vette when we were kids. He let me drive it often. It was a hand full with a huge steering wheel, wide tires, no power steering, narrow shift pattern and about two feet of heavy clutch travel. Had the leg burner pipes under the doors. Man what a ride! I loved it! I look forward to watching this build.
A corvette is never a basket case. They're all gems.
A high revving small block would be really cool. Like a 377 with top shelf heads.
GREAT CORVETTE PROJECT !!!!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!!! CORVETTE CENTRAL HAS ALL THE PARTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR PROJECT!!!!
I’m a 20+ year Corvette technician who specializes in 63-96 Corvettes. I’ve seen solid good condition later C3’s $15-18K The interior will run $2k give or take, paint up to $10, and suspension obviously has many options. As long as the body is virgin and the bird cage is good then it’s a solid start. Looking forward to the build.
I’m starting a ‚79 restoration. I’m figuring I’ll have $20k to $30k invested in a car worth max $15k by the time I’m done. All hoses,wires, suspension rubber bits are going to add up as well
I’m two years into it with a ‘78. Frame is solid & straight. The old 350 block was cracked. See the ongoing tale of restoration, resurrection & mechanical redemption on the Corvette Forum thread, 'Hillbilly Garage.'
Man I'd love to have a small journal 327. They are capable of spinning to the moon!!
Love the C3 with side pipes, when I was younger that was my dream car 😆
Yes! Side pipes are a must!
@Steam-Boat-Willie Yeah, you're probably right about that
Yep, they are great for removing skin from the back of calves! I've never burnt myself on mine, but lots of friends have on my car
who cares about that? side pipes look awesome period
@@gumballer133 Lol ! I thought calves were baby cows !
A Tremex 6 speed would be a wise choice. That 3 rd pedal is always a wise one. Good luck my bro, your builds and motors motor work is so interesting and very cool. Thanks again from Vancouver Island, Bob Yates😮😊
Sweet project. I have a clapped out 76 that had no motor or trans. Dried out cracked interior, and bad suspension. So I dropped a 4.8 in it backed by an m21 Muncie, hydraulic t/o, hurst super shifter, made my own dash from engine turned aluminum, New fuel system, I mean I needed everything. At the moment I’m finishing the spindles refresh to install the whole steering assembly. I rebuilt the power steering valve and cylinder. And about to rebuild the stock calipers with sscb hi temp kit. Almost there!! Lol
Sounds awesome! I'm sure you will appreciate all the more when you are finally driving it.
@@TheHorsepowerMonster thanks. I’m sure. Been a dream of mine since I was a kid!
This is why I bought a C4 lol.
But good luck and keep at it. I'm sure it will rock.
Good luck 🤞🏽
Thanks!
I did that with a 74 been sitting a long time!
These c3 vettes of the early eighties were an excellent platform to build on It's great to see them being refreshed With more power
Lol, basket case is exactly the description I gave my 1975 corvette I've been working on over the past year. Wound up with new motor, tranny and wiring is all screwed up but I'm gonna stay with it for now. Good luck with yours
Thanks! You too!
Im hopin you got it because nobody else wanted it. Score in my book dude.
Good Luck with project!!
Looking forward to following along on this project. I’m a Charlotte native, myself. Keep the updates coming!
I also have a 1980 Corvette. The one thing I did was to change the steering box to Borgeson 12.7:1 ratio box. It will make the drive much better. Plus, it eliminates the steering ram and the valve for the ram, they always leak. I also changed the transmission to a 700r. That will help the gas mileage.
Great advice, thanks!
EFI is another nice add no carbatootors and rough rich starts.
Save the crank and put in an overbored 283 and end up with Chevies famous 302 killer motor.
You're making me feel better I got one with a great body 1977 hardly needs paint had a bad cam 2000 thousands number matching
Looks like it came with some tricked out 6x9 speakers. This C3 is so lucky that you found it, it’s going to be clean and strong when you’re done with it. Congratulations on your new project
Thanks a lot!
Yup, you're right, this is an Automotive Horror Movie! GOOD LUCK!
Good on you for taking up a project car like this! Excited to see the build progress
Awesome Video! I can’t wait to see what you decide to do with this classic. You should totally send the motor over to the fella who runs the “I do Cars” channel. He takes apart gorey destroyed rusted out old motors all the time. Great channel for gear heads too!
This going to be a great journey. Your filming is always topnotch. To bad can't do something with the 327.
Thanks for the compliment, and thanks for watching!
Get a remote mic you can hook on your collar. I watched on a Jeepsolid video where Dale got one and it made garage audio much better.
Yeah, the used car market is up too, with your skills you might turn this into a win.
Just discovered your channel! Following and can’t wait to see how it goes with this build :) we’ve got a lot of cool projects too, I think we need to buckle down and document some of them too
Definitely. And thanks for watching!
Really looking forward to this, very interested to see what you go with for an engine. My vote is for a solid lifter 383-406 sbc and a 5 speed TKX. Once work on the channel. Another vote here for a remote mic.
Awesome show I have a oldie but goodie Corvette blocks complete in my garage waiting for a project to put it in when I feel better
That needs a hell of a lot of work , this should be good
The title is accurate huh, “basket case” lol definitely look forward to seeing how it goes too 👍
There is nothing wrong with small journal 327's they rev to the moon! and make plenty of power!
My thought exactly. This guy is clueless if he thinks you can't make power with a 327. I prefer the 327 over the 350.
Love the project, I've been building my 1980 for the last few months. The 1980 did have a normal QJet carb, it wasn't until the 1982 model year that they started using the crossfire injection computer controller. Good luck on the project!
I used to think those old C3s were tacky. Now I love them!
Same! I thought they were so cringe. Then my Dad bought a 78 to keep miles off of his 64 and I fell in love with it. Funny how that works 😂
hello from the Houston space center area Dont feel alone about buying your 1980 corvette I I just bought a 1976 corvette I had to pay 12000$ for it it has a good 4 speed transmission in it andit came with a running 383 stroker motor but I took that out and put in a brand new 454 chevrolet performence engine in it I completely restored the entire interior in the buckskin tan and now I am in the process of doing a beautiful paint job to it Im painting it orange the car looks and drives a lot better after what i have done to itso far it has cost me 25000$ altogether but I still would rather have this 1976 corvette than a brand new 1984 corvette.
I’m 90% done with a 78. Get ready to spend on suspension bushings, fuel system, cooling system, A/C, brakes and motor/trans. They really gig you on anything interior, even if buying used. Really excited to see how you progress.
You are right. And thanks!
496 probably has not been squeezed in one yet. Good for moving your house to a bigger lot
Looking forward to this build! Just please don’t LS swap it 😬
@Jack Russelle Lewis 😂
Can't wait to see how this goes! I just picked up a 75 vette convertible with less than 33K on the clock. Unfortunately, it has been sitting with limited us for about 15 years, so there will be lots of replacing worn out parts. Looking forward to following your progress on this C3!
Thanks, and good luck with yours!
I am looking forward for more episodes of this build! Good luck! I love your channel!
Thanks very much! And thanks for watching!
Wow project car, I just saw a Trailblazer SS with a ls3, 4l80, fast intake, headers, $10k. Gone in 2 days before I could snag it.
Cool project, I like the change up for a whole car build!
Thanks!
Great car! As long as the bird cage is good to go! Your ok! Now me personally if the motor is useable. I’d go for a striker crank with EFI and a manual 6 speed. That way you can dial up the air flow number from 12 to 17 at 1300RPM when the cruise control is selected. I’ve seen it done with NO BAD EFFECTS!!! And you can achieve 40 MPG!
Or go for a LS swap and do the same looking at the state of the motor!
Whatever you do! I can’t wait to see you start it!! Good luck bud! We’re right behind you!!!
I feel you got the short end of the stick on that deal, hope the build works out.
That’s what I was thinking! 😆 the guy selling it probably didn’t even know what was in there, maybe he bought it just for the trans 🤷♂️
flood car? that would explain the water that or vandalism
The guys in the South East Gasser Association have no problem revving a built 327 to 10 grand and dumping clutch. Bummer it’s rusted solid. Best of luck to you on your new project. I’m sure you’ll do great things with it. Just hope it’s not another LS swap. I’d rather see an old sprint car engine in it with Hilborn injection converted to EFI.
Congrats on your 2500 car
Knowing your skill level whatever engine you choose I hope an oddball and interesting
I owned a pair of c3 corvettes and living in buffalo ny in the rust belt well the frames don’t last first one I dumped the clutch and ripped the whole rear end out and so the second I pulled the whole irs out and put a ford 9 inch and a 4 link and honestly didn’t handle much different but launched way better
Are you on the Corvette Forum? They have a great C3 section.
Did you check the birdcage on it yet? Better do that before you invest any money into it.
About a year and a half ago I picked up a '79 with 53K miles, auto, pretty much stock other than shorties and 2.5" exhaust with FlowMasters for $4500. It also came with a set of chrome Hooker side pipes! It's got a good running L48 so going to de-smog it and then maybe heads, cam, intake, carb and distributor.
I think the car is worth a lot more now than what II paid but going to keep it. Looking forward to seeing what you'r going to do with yours.
Not a big block friendly car. I'm wondering how much trouble a 4.155 bore/3.625 stroke motor would be? Probably custom piston territory, but if you don't have matching numbers...have fun!
LS build. Reliable and FAST. You’re welcome. I am a Corvette collector.👍
It might not be modern or the highest tech but my 79 will get a classic big block. Way to many LS swaps.
cool video, keep posting on this project.
Thanks, will do!
I’ve thought about it I’d say build a classic sbc 355 but add sniper EFI.
Build a 700R-4 transmission and rebuild the differential with a 4.10 gears and Eaton Tru-Trac and you’ll have a All-Around vehicle to have fun at the drag strip but have the overdrive for interstate speeds.
If you have the funds convert the rear differential and suspension to a 4 link coil over setup and a Ford9inch with 4.10 gears ⚙️ and Eaton Tru-Trac unit.
Use the block as a target! Might as well get some more use out of it than just throwing it to a junk yard.
I can see why Corvette Ben chased a feild find so hard last year,in almost as bad condition.
great thing about builds like this:
The only way to go is up, and the sky's the limit.
Not so great:
The only way to go is up, and the sky's the limit. Y'all who've built cars like I have know exactly what I'm talking about.
Ha ha didn't realize I had already offered. Good luck! I looked have new seat covers too. Someone else project car failed drop off more parts.
5 or 6spd. I love the LS builds but do an LT build....something different. I believe I'd scrap that motor lol
OMGOSH!!! That engine is trashed. I just went through this exactly with a 318 MoPar. Ugh! Such a drag. Best of luck flowing your way!
Came with a 190 HP L48 or a 230HP L82... Its not hard to massage 350HP out of either engine, some dart heads for 350 bucks, new headers, slightly bigger jets and a little more spark plug gap and she'll do 12s without even trying that hard. Put her on the bottle and she'll wake the F right up. Could put her in the 10s with some tuning. 10 seconds is fairly sassy.
Ouch... Sorry about the new boat anchor. How about going really left field and borrowing some inspiration from the Pontiac Turbo Trans Am of the era? It would be "period correct" and with some cleverly hidden modern tech, could easily beat the factory rated 210hp!
I smell an LS coming
I like what your doing looks like that project is going to be fun i got to do alot of the same stuff to my 84 buick regal limited t top package, a chunk of the drivers floor was leaking cuz of th T tops had a bad seal and got the rug all wet andd rotted outthe floor board were you put your feet. I tore the 231 out and Im going with a 383sbc 4 speed set up in it. Anyways when i saw it was a 180 block i was hoping you were going to show us the suffix code on the passenger side deck there.. it would be cool if you could look and see what that 327 has for suffix codes. My dads got a 180 block its ben so long i forgot what the suffix code was butt we plan on dragging it out this summer and building it for his 68 el camino the cars not in the best shape butt it sure is fun the grab so.e gears wit that car. Your shows are gnarly and i like everyone you post aspesherly that the big blower engines cant wait to see what you come up with on that vette..
Low deck 598 from blue print engines would be awesome. You gotta go big block,please.
I just got my first c3 corvette for 4 grand ,and it is in much better shape then yours. Sorry, I am on a learning road that has no end. Your clips are helping me tremendously. Thank you.
Didn't hit the like button till you pulled the drain plug then I laughed my head off!!!
Since it won't be a #'s matching.. unless you go that route and try to hunt 1 down.. the sky.. well that and money is the limit. 427? 396? I mean might as well have all the fun put in her imo.
LS swap it from 5.3 iron block out of a junkyard. They are dirt cheap and you can put carbs on them if you want
Wish I knew you were in the market for a C3. I have 79 you would of loved.
Big Block with hooker super comp headers side pipes. It is easy swap and I have a 496 c.i. with built 400 turbo and Weld wheels, mickey thompson tires, full cage, fuel cell, etc bought in Aiken S.C. for $9200 plus truck load of extra parts. I love it plus paper work on all work including body beacuits! Thank You for Sharing going to Sub now!!!
I have a drivers side floor pan and gas tank for a 1976 C3 corvette. I’m not sure if it will fit your car but, if it does shoot me a message & we can work out a price. The 1976 tank is best for fuel injection motors. You should go with an LS swap!
Your nuts to take that engine to the junkyard! People are always looking for the small journal engines for restoration! I would clean it up & make sure it doesn’t look cracked in the normal places & put it up for sale! Don’t shitcan it unless it’s cracked! I know people who have paid quite a bit for blocks & heads belonging together! I’m sure there are corvette & others looking for them!
LS 3 that thing.
i could tell right away with alternator bracket is was pre 72
my favorite body style. Gutless power. it's in the right place.
I would go with the 383 stroker💪😁😁
A 327 is my favorite engine of all the small blocks they scream even on four cylinders
My friend had a horse that pissed just like that engine!
I have a pickup full of everything out of a 1978 Corvette...lol turn pro street 80's style. New pads for seats, new carpet, head lights complete plus boxes and boxes of parts/pieces. I am not a internet seller just a over the hill gear head building last hot rod. If you want everything will trade for what you value. For something I need from Summit...lol. These parts are over pieced online. I would like to help you out if you could use this few hundred pounds. Includes power windows too complete.
Thanks for the offer! What state are you in?
That will be a cool build when you get finished. I've been watching alot of your videos n you seem to do alot in the Mooresville area? Just wondering where you are from. I live right near Tanglewood in clemmons. Anyway like your videos keep them coming. I hear ya on doing that 327 too. I'm doing my first solo build. It's a 406 and it has grown out of proportion from what i intended on lol it happens. I've learned alot from watching your vids. Almost all of your cam vids really helped me degree my cam and i appreciate you taking the time to do your vids. I'd like to check your shop out if you ever let anybody stop by. You got some work cut out for you for sure. I'm sure you will get it right. Have a good day man. Todd
Do a junkyard lm7 conversion to get it running quickly
I would like to apologize for all the idiot commenters giving you advise on how to build an engine. I think you've got this.
Whoa, the C3 is my favorite generation of corvette, i just love the looks.
Are you gonna go with a small block or big block? N/a or with a power adder?
Still trying to work up that plan. Honestly, don't really care as long as it's fun. Thanks for watching!
Small journal 327 is likely a forged crank and rods
You got ripped.
I’ll tell you right now you’ll have people tell you it’s not worth rebuilding. You have to have a love for C3’s because it will cost way more to fix her up than you could sell it for. Screw that shit! Build it and have fun with it!
Hey it's Brian here is my channel. I have a few videos I've dine on my 1980 vette. This should be a great project for ya
With all your buddies that like to build odd stuff you should do a v10 dodge truck motor turbo. That would be a torque monster and you can pick them up for cheap.
that cool going to be a great build and content..BUILD A LS OR BIG BLOCK for it...
High compression, high reving small block, like 8k rpms !
When do part 2 and 3 come out? I have an 81. I love watching c3 builds.
I finally have part two up. You can see it here: ua-cam.com/video/7L0kJhzlxT4/v-deo.html . Thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching!
502!
That would be fun 😈 I was thinking a 383 stroker could be pretty wicked too and a lot cheaper
Destroked LS7 with a 8500rpm redline.
SBC and side pipes. Please!
Looks almost like a 'snowball system' - as if this car has already been going through various hands, each waiting a little time for the prices go up a little further, repolish the paint a little again, and make just a little next profit from it, 'arbitrairily'.
Maybe a good idea to consider? The one finaly doing the restauration will loose the most money, that's how it is?
Maybe just fitting a used engine fitting a little better, without doing too much to it, could increase the number of potential buyers for the car to be sold on profit again by now?
I am serious - this is not a restauration to be done in the US today? This is a job to be done in a low wage land - and i and the car need to go there, and i will make the superviser for this project in this foreign shop all day long, not letting an eye of the car or the workforce (!). And I would think to make weekly cash payments, they want to see cash as a reward for work more often than us here?
Damm!!!! Insane
Big block car now 68 to 82 frame is all the same early 60 to 82 the front core support was all the same I have a blown 505 in my 80 model with no mods except for the big hole in the hood
Even if you had a buildable engine, I'm not sure it would be worth a rebuild. So many better choices nowadays.
Exactly!
see if you can find a decent truck 6.0 LS. in the scrap yard
I think your in Concord and if so I'm very near you and would be glad to offer my help on this car if needed