Very nice. I’ve seen this car and been for a white knuckle ride in it. Very impressive. This guys is a perfectionist with amazing attention to detail. You will not find another DIY guy with cleaner nicer better looking and performing stuff.
Hands down the best corvette video I've seen. John is articulate, attention to detail and knows his stuff. Refreshing to see that he cares more about the safety and performance of the car vs. flash and dash! Can't wait for Episode 2.
I just purchased a running functional 1971 which i plan to slightly modify. All my questions were answered about seats and offset trailing arms. John is a natural in front of the camera. No extra words. Just the facts. The first UA-cam video i subscribed to. Thanks
Hey John, Great job doing your thing and sharing it with us. We are all going to own many Corvettes over the years and I appreciate super cool guys like you sharing the hard work, the wins and the learns along the way. Big fan and Love it !
I’m just at the beginning stage of my 72 C3 restoration and it’s horrifying when first starting. Things are not cheap for Corvettes that’s for sure. Appreciate the video. Thank you. I subscribed
Really looking forward to future episodes. I have a '69 rag top ready for some TLC and this is just the inspiration that I need. Amazing work and attention to detail like I have rarely seen!
Subbed, I’m looking into building a C3 or maybe a C4. Your information is fantastic that you give specifics short and sweet and what actually works or makes a difference. 3.70 vs 3.08 vs 3.31 rpm at cruise, carb vs fuel injection torque and real world driving/fun or no fun, commuting in the car, where and why the frame rusts out, exact product how to protect it and cost, lots of suspension information and specific options and issues… fantastic information
I broke my rear V&P composite spring twice. I re engineered the kit to use a C6 Zo6 spring and never looked back. Love the vp kit but weak rear spring. Great looking work BTW. 👍
Fantastic video!! I've always loved the lines on the c3, and this is by far the cleanest I've ever seen. Out of curiosity how much does the car weigh after all the mods?
Thank you! I haven’t weighed it yet, but a stock 350 C3 comes in around 3700 lbs. I figure with the aluminum LS, rear end and suspension upgrade I figure around 3150. I’ll let you know when I get it weighed.
A very nice video on modifying the suspension of the C3s! I wonder is your front suspension set up also from C4. If it is how did you go about modifying the frame etc? About the back suspension, C4 rear suspension has got dual link bars from the factory. I notice you've left the 'original style' of trailing arm configuration in place. How much did you have to modify the C4 rear axle to make this set up possible?
The suspension is all from Vette Brakes and Products. It’s all bolt on. The rear carrier isn’t from a C4, it’s from 80-82. But it is a Dana 44, but still differs from a C4 Dana 44. Completely different. Unfortunately, VBP has gone out of business.
I watched the video on your suspension upgrades to your C3. Did u happen to do anything in the way of reinforcing the factory frame? Keep up the great work. Pete
I'm all eyes and ears. I want to upgrade my 67 and 68 vettes with Ridetech Streetgrip Performance suspension kits. My know- it- all kid says OEM parts are superior. Give me a break! What do you think about my upgrade plan? How good is Ridetech at making a real difference for these vintage cars?
Ridetech makes a great suspension. If I did it all over again, I would use Detroit Speed’s kit. Anything is better than stock! Tell you kid he can whatever he wants to his own car! Lol
Hi I have a NOS chassis for a C3 with same chalk marks etc ..The paint you used on chassis was that spray applied or brushed? Did you coat inside thru the holes to inhibit corrosion ? Is there a video you did showing you paining the chassis.... Car looks FAB ... cheers
Steve Green It is spray on bed liner. Raptor Liner is the brand. You can buy it on amazon. Look for a kit with the gun. Very easy to use. You can spray it around 50 to 75 psi depending on how you want the texture. It comes in black or tintable. Some call it clear, but it says tintable on the box. Go to NAPA or any paint store and tell them you need a pint of tint in what ever color you choose. You need tint and not paint!! The tint doesn’t have any of the harding properties that paint has and will mix with the bed liner. Or you can use the black. Hope that helps.
It did coat the inside of the frame. I use Eastwood products. I used their green zinc chromate in a aerosol can that comes with a conical nozzle and a lot of tubing. You run the tubing in the frame, hold the nozzle down and slowly pull the tubing back out. The conical nozzle sprays 360 degrees and gets everything. It will work on the rust just like POR-15 and does not required to be painted over. The outside was also Eastwood rust inhibitor. It’s a brush on and you let it dry. It’s designed to be painted over.
@@C3Mods Hi John Thanks for the useful advice, I have heard of Eastwood products so will research those. I live in the UK so product sourcing is kinda different, but Amazon may help. My car is currently complete and up and running....but I've had this frame for 4 years with the intention of using it. ....just need to make that first leap into the rebuild. Your videos and what you have achieved are inspirational. ...cheers
So what is the best solution for the water pooling thing, just drill two holes at the front and the rear of the framerails for it to drain out, or just coat the hell out of the top half of the frame with everything installed, as how much of an issue is this really on these cars, like was this just something that happened with the really early ones, or can this happen to all of them, as it seems like the more I look at one of these, the more that can go wrong. also how much in the ballpark do you think you've spent on upgrading the suspension, and what did the most improvement? also the poly bushings, what lube do you use on them?
So, first off, the frame rust issue is problematic from 1963 to 1982. They all use the same chassis. The best fix is to shell out a ton of cash for a custom frame. I wanted to, but could never afford it. So, the next best solution is body off, media blast, repair, coat the insides and either powder coat or bed line it like I did. After that, if you seal the tops of the side rails you will be fine. Water will drain out the holes in the bottom where the side exhaust mounts. Unless, of course, you’re running side exhaust. The easiest way to do it, is find another frame and have all that done instead of doing it to the one on the car. Less mess, less like to misplace parts, and if your frame is good, sell it and recoup your money. You’re more likely to finish the car instead of having a 16 year project like me! I was waiting to try a buy a custom chassis. Never happened. As far as suspension, the VB&P performance package suspension was the industry standard for years. It was about 7k all in, and offers a wide range of adjustability. The best result I’ve seen is EVERYTHING! Lower car, lower center of gravity, better handling, smoother ride than stock. I leave mine on the softest setting and still race it around and drive it hard. Unfortunately, they are out of business. If I was to do it again (and I probably will) it would spend the 12 or 15k on the Detroit Speed C3 full suspension. Top of the industry in my opinion, easy install, not complicated. There are other brands, but like I said, just my opinion.
The poly bushings I installed with Energy Suspensions poly grease. It was about $30 for a small jar. It’ll last you forever and it’s sticky!! Use nitrile gloves!!
@@C3Mods Well that does explain why in that video i watched of a guy who took an old C3 that had been left out for 20 some years and turned into a 24 hours of Le-Mons racer the guy described the chassis as being like a wet noodle and did a bunch of chassis reinforcements to it just to get it ready under the 500 dollar budget with it, specifically around that area. but never actually ADRESSED that area, he wielded in reinforcments AROUND It. the damn thing was probably rotted out from the insides and he never knew pity though that theirs not some sort of a tool that can be used to scan the metal and its density to see how its holding up however as then it would just be a matter of grinding the cap off on the end of the frame rails, clear it out, primer it with an epoxy primer and some wield through primer and you'd be ready to go if you found one that was still in good shape. also FYI this isnt the first frame area on the C3 I've found that had issues, the control arm post wield can come undone and fold in on itself and its this one dumb spot where its like a straight wield too, and yet this doomed someones 79 when he went over a damn speedbump and the wheel collapsed in on itself and in talking to someone on the thread, the guy had his vette in for resto, frame off, found the same damn wield coming undone on his and I relayed the message to another corvette owner, this time the owner of one that got used on a famous TV show, and while that one was fine, it was an 81, which might be signficant given they changed production facilities in 1980 I think, unbeknownst to me, the guy had a 68 he had owned since 1972 same damn thing like I guess with a 30 year old car you really do have to check everything and not take anything for granted. heck maybe the answer is to find a failed resto and a good car and just have the frame prepped and transfer it over as you suggested lol either that or one that is like a time capsule, like some 78 pace car someone saved. on the other matter, with that VBP Street Package, the website is still up and dated 2019 judging by the copywrite at the bottom, what happened, did the owner pass on?
@@kavinskysmith4094 No ones really sure why they went out of business. I had a lot of problems with them as far as actually fulfilling my orders and getting the right parts. Every time I talked to them on the phone it was like they were just trying to get rid of me. So I’m not really surprised. You can’t run a business like that.
@@C3Mods Hmm that's not the first time I've heard of that happening with a private business like that, well not happening, I had that happen to me too I should say lol I do wonder if its some case where they wanted some middle man to be the one taking the orders and just relaying the information to them to make the parts, hence the hostility.
I use Energy Suspensions poly grease. Part number 9.11104. An 8oz container is about $14. I apply it upon installation and it lasts forever. Any time I would remove parts for service or maintenance it would check the grease and reapply if I felt it needed it.
Also, don’t be shy putting it on. I wore nitrile gloves and coated every surface of the bushings. You don’t need it thick, just covering every surface. It is SUPER STICKY! I’m mean like glue! So watch where your touching when you have it all over your hands. My car DOES NOT squeak!!
I have 4.5” bs in front and 5” bs in the rear. The fronts are 245/45/17s on 17x8 wheels. The rears are 265/40/18s on 18x9 wheels with offset trailing arms. They are tight!!! Episode 3 is all about wheels and brakes. Hope that helps!
@@plexidust5101 Directly above then”gills” on the front fender of his C3 is Stingray used on top of rear fascia on the C8. It looks like a dead fish, and if I were buying a C8, that would be the first thing I’d remove and throw away. I sure wouldn’t put it on a C3.
@@C3Mods he not a hater LOL, hes just saying.... Like when you tilted your head and said about the alumionum rear, If you throw enough money at something you can make it strong....LOLOLOL.. I mean Throw enough money at something... Your banging around in a c3 not a porsche 959
Very nice. I’ve seen this car and been for a white knuckle ride in it. Very impressive. This guys is a perfectionist with amazing attention to detail. You will not find another DIY guy with cleaner nicer better looking and performing stuff.
Hands down the best corvette video I've seen. John is articulate, attention to detail and knows his stuff. Refreshing to see that he cares more about the safety and performance of the car vs. flash and dash! Can't wait for Episode 2.
I just purchased a running functional 1971 which i plan to slightly modify. All my questions were answered about seats and offset trailing arms. John is a natural in front of the camera. No extra words. Just the facts. The first UA-cam video i subscribed to. Thanks
Thanks Peter, I’m honored!
Hey John, Great job doing your thing and sharing it with us. We are all going to own many Corvettes over the years and I appreciate super cool guys like you sharing the hard work, the wins and the learns along the way. Big fan and Love it !
I appreciate that! Hope to have more C3 videos out I. A couple years. Searching for another one.
Listening to him reminded me how little I really know about cars. lol
I’m just at the beginning stage of my 72 C3 restoration and it’s horrifying when first starting. Things are not cheap for Corvettes that’s for sure. Appreciate the video. Thank you. I subscribed
ATP Customs LTD I understand completely! Let me know if I can help.
John Villotti C3 Mods oh I will be hugging you for sure on this one. Lol
Really looking forward to future episodes. I have a '69 rag top ready for some TLC and this is just the inspiration that I need. Amazing work and attention to detail like I have rarely seen!
Wow! Great video, will be doing a marathon and watching all your C3 videos. Mahalo for making them.
Thanks! And you’re welcome!
I love the channel! I’m binge watching. Have a 79 all original that I’m about to completely tear into!
Sounds awesome! Good luck! You can do a lot to it!!
Subbed, I’m looking into building a C3 or maybe a C4. Your information is fantastic that you give specifics short and sweet and what actually works or makes a difference. 3.70 vs 3.08 vs 3.31 rpm at cruise, carb vs fuel injection torque and real world driving/fun or no fun, commuting in the car, where and why the frame rusts out, exact product how to protect it and cost, lots of suspension information and specific options and issues… fantastic information
Thank you, I hope it helps you in your build!!!
"All ya gotta do is crack your nuts" ;P Jeez, John, you did an incredible job on that car. I hope I can make mine that badass some day!!
You will!
I can’t wait to be scared silly, in this car!
Great video!
I broke my rear V&P composite spring twice. I re engineered the kit to use a C6 Zo6 spring and never looked back. Love the vp kit but weak rear spring. Great looking work BTW. 👍
That’s good info to know since VB&P went outta business. Thanks!!
Bad ass set up. Well done sir!
Thank you sir!
Very impressive car. Sounds great also.
Thank you.
Great video John! Love the 'Vette!
Fantastic video!!
I've always loved the lines on the c3, and this is by far the cleanest I've ever seen.
Out of curiosity how much does the car weigh after all the mods?
Thank you! I haven’t weighed it yet, but a stock 350 C3 comes in around 3700 lbs. I figure with the aluminum LS, rear end and suspension upgrade I figure around 3150. I’ll let you know when I get it weighed.
A very nice video on modifying the suspension of the C3s! I wonder is your front suspension set up also from C4. If it is how did you go about modifying the frame etc? About the back suspension, C4 rear suspension has got dual link bars from the factory. I notice you've left the 'original style' of trailing arm configuration in place. How much did you have to modify the C4 rear axle to make this set up possible?
The suspension is all from Vette Brakes and Products. It’s all bolt on. The rear carrier isn’t from a C4, it’s from 80-82. But it is a Dana 44, but still differs from a C4 Dana 44. Completely different. Unfortunately, VBP has gone out of business.
I watched the video on your suspension upgrades to your C3. Did u happen to do anything in the way of reinforcing the factory frame? Keep up the great work. Pete
I added welds in some areas and I’m using a spreader bar between the shock towers.
A Great looking car
Thank you!
Awesome car and video! Just subbed! I also make some c3 videos myself!
Your videos are awesome!! I need to make road videos!
I'm all eyes and ears. I want to upgrade my 67 and 68 vettes with Ridetech Streetgrip Performance suspension kits. My know- it- all kid says OEM parts are superior. Give me a break! What do you think about my upgrade plan? How good is Ridetech at making a real difference for these vintage cars?
Ridetech makes a great suspension. If I did it all over again, I would use Detroit Speed’s kit. Anything is better than stock! Tell you kid he can whatever he wants to his own car! Lol
Nice ride. Are those wheels hub centric or lug centric?
They’re hub centric.
Hi
I have a NOS chassis for a C3 with same chalk marks etc ..The paint you used on chassis was that spray applied or brushed?
Did you coat inside thru the holes to inhibit corrosion ? Is there a video you did showing you paining the chassis....
Car looks FAB ... cheers
Steve Green It is spray on bed liner. Raptor Liner is the brand. You can buy it on amazon. Look for a kit with the gun. Very easy to use. You can spray it around 50 to 75 psi depending on how you want the texture. It comes in black or tintable. Some call it clear, but it says tintable on the box. Go to NAPA or any paint store and tell them you need a pint of tint in what ever color you choose. You need tint and not paint!! The tint doesn’t have any of the harding properties that paint has and will mix with the bed liner. Or you can use the black. Hope that helps.
Make sure you frame is grease free!!!!
It did coat the inside of the frame. I use Eastwood products. I used their green zinc chromate in a aerosol can that comes with a conical nozzle and a lot of tubing. You run the tubing in the frame, hold the nozzle down and slowly pull the tubing back out. The conical nozzle sprays 360 degrees and gets everything. It will work on the rust just like POR-15 and does not required to be painted over. The outside was also Eastwood rust inhibitor. It’s a brush on and you let it dry. It’s designed to be painted over.
Check out the timeline video and you can see the frame prep.
@@C3Mods Hi John
Thanks for the useful advice, I have heard of Eastwood products so will research those. I live in the UK so product sourcing is kinda different, but Amazon may help.
My car is currently complete and up and running....but I've had this frame for 4 years with the intention of using it. ....just need to make that first leap into the rebuild. Your videos and what you have achieved are inspirational. ...cheers
Owning a C3 isn't cheap. It's less if you keep things stock, but its also less comfortable.
Exactly!
So what is the best solution for the water pooling thing, just drill two holes at the front and the rear of the framerails for it to drain out, or just coat the hell out of the top half of the frame with everything installed, as how much of an issue is this really on these cars, like was this just something that happened with the really early ones, or can this happen to all of them, as it seems like the more I look at one of these, the more that can go wrong.
also how much in the ballpark do you think you've spent on upgrading the suspension, and what did the most improvement? also the poly bushings, what lube do you use on them?
So, first off, the frame rust issue is problematic from 1963 to 1982. They all use the same chassis. The best fix is to shell out a ton of cash for a custom frame. I wanted to, but could never afford it. So, the next best solution is body off, media blast, repair, coat the insides and either powder coat or bed line it like I did. After that, if you seal the tops of the side rails you will be fine. Water will drain out the holes in the bottom where the side exhaust mounts. Unless, of course, you’re running side exhaust. The easiest way to do it, is find another frame and have all that done instead of doing it to the one on the car. Less mess, less like to misplace parts, and if your frame is good, sell it and recoup your money. You’re more likely to finish the car instead of having a 16 year project like me! I was waiting to try a buy a custom chassis. Never happened.
As far as suspension, the VB&P performance package suspension was the industry standard for years. It was about 7k all in, and offers a wide range of adjustability. The best result I’ve seen is EVERYTHING! Lower car, lower center of gravity, better handling, smoother ride than stock. I leave mine on the softest setting and still race it around and drive it hard. Unfortunately, they are out of business. If I was to do it again (and I probably will) it would spend the 12 or 15k on the Detroit Speed C3 full suspension. Top of the industry in my opinion, easy install, not complicated. There are other brands, but like I said, just my opinion.
The poly bushings I installed with Energy Suspensions poly grease. It was about $30 for a small jar. It’ll last you forever and it’s sticky!! Use nitrile gloves!!
@@C3Mods Well that does explain why in that video i watched of a guy who took an old C3 that had been left out for 20 some years and turned into a 24 hours of Le-Mons racer
the guy described the chassis as being like a wet noodle and did a bunch of chassis reinforcements to it just to get it ready under the 500 dollar budget with it, specifically around that area.
but never actually ADRESSED that area, he wielded in reinforcments AROUND It.
the damn thing was probably rotted out from the insides and he never knew
pity though that theirs not some sort of a tool that can be used to scan the metal and its density to see how its holding up however
as then it would just be a matter of grinding the cap off on the end of the frame rails, clear it out, primer it with an epoxy primer and some wield through primer and you'd be ready to go if you found one that was still in good shape.
also FYI this isnt the first frame area on the C3 I've found that had issues, the control arm post wield can come undone and fold in on itself
and its this one dumb spot where its like a straight wield too, and yet this doomed someones 79 when he went over a damn speedbump and the wheel collapsed in on itself
and in talking to someone on the thread, the guy had his vette in for resto, frame off, found the same damn wield coming undone on his
and I relayed the message to another corvette owner, this time the owner of one that got used on a famous TV show,
and while that one was fine, it was an 81, which might be signficant given they changed production facilities in 1980 I think, unbeknownst to me, the guy had a 68 he had owned since 1972
same damn thing
like I guess with a 30 year old car you really do have to check everything and not take anything for granted. heck maybe the answer is to find a failed resto and a good car and just have the frame prepped and transfer it over as you suggested lol
either that or one that is like a time capsule, like some 78 pace car someone saved.
on the other matter, with that VBP Street Package, the website is still up and dated 2019 judging by the copywrite at the bottom, what happened, did the owner pass on?
@@kavinskysmith4094 No ones really sure why they went out of business. I had a lot of problems with them as far as actually fulfilling my orders and getting the right parts. Every time I talked to them on the phone it was like they were just trying to get rid of me. So I’m not really surprised. You can’t run a business like that.
@@C3Mods Hmm that's not the first time I've heard of that happening with a private business like that, well not happening, I had that happen to me too I should say lol
I do wonder if its some case where they wanted some middle man to be the one taking the orders and just relaying the information to them to make the parts, hence the hostility.
What lube did you use for the poly bushings that don’t affect the composition?
It’s by Energy Suspensions. I just happened to find some in my local speed shop.
so what kind of lubricant do you put on poly's to keep squeeking away and how often do you apply it? thanks
I use Energy Suspensions poly grease. Part number 9.11104. An 8oz container is about $14. I apply it upon installation and it lasts forever. Any time I would remove parts for service or maintenance it would check the grease and reapply if I felt it needed it.
Also, don’t be shy putting it on. I wore nitrile gloves and coated every surface of the bushings. You don’t need it thick, just covering every surface. It is SUPER STICKY! I’m mean like glue! So watch where your touching when you have it all over your hands. My car DOES NOT squeak!!
You mentioned the 9" wheels, what tire size did you use?
I have 4.5” bs in front and 5” bs in the rear. The fronts are 245/45/17s on 17x8 wheels. The rears are 265/40/18s on 18x9 wheels with offset trailing arms. They are tight!!! Episode 3 is all about wheels and brakes. Hope that helps!
@@C3Mods Thank you much.
@@buchmannray You’re welcome..
That dead fish on the front fender turns me completely off. You own a C3, not a C8.
I guess that’s why it’s called custom. Don’t be a hater.
dead fish ? can you explain ?
@@plexidust5101 Directly above then”gills” on the front fender of his C3 is Stingray used on top of rear fascia on the C8. It looks like a dead fish, and if I were buying a C8, that would be the first thing I’d remove and throw away. I sure wouldn’t put it on a C3.
@@C3Mods he not a hater LOL, hes just saying.... Like when you tilted your head and said about the alumionum rear, If you throw enough money at something you can make it strong....LOLOLOL.. I mean Throw enough money at something... Your banging around in a c3 not a porsche 959