txdoglover

We drove to Waco to see/get the '79 vette I've been waiting for. Decided to break the trip in to two parts both coming and going. San Angelo is 1/2 way and our friends there have a guest condo. Didn't want to drive the car for 7 hrs straight the first time driving it for any length of time. So we left SA Sat am and get to the owners house in Waco. Very nice man and his wife, the car is beautiful, the interior is nice, he detailed it that am. My husband and I both drove it and it felt great. The man had the car at his mechanics for 2 weeks while he waited for parts to get the headlights to raise up and got the axcel seal fixed. He also told the mechanic that we had a long drive and to make sure the car was in order for that, my husband and I also spoke to the mechanic to make sure he understood that we were going to drive back to Alpine. The mechanic said the car should be fine for the trip and that he would make sure it was. The mechanic didn't rush the job as he knew we couldn't come out until this weekend. SO, we spent 5 hours at this guys house they took us out to lunch, got to know each other. He gave me the original sticker, the owners manual, etc, all the original paperwork. Gave me a BIG Corvette book ($90.00) and signed it and put a personal note signifying the day, etc. So, we left and started on our trip to stay overnight in San Angelo. Got 40 miles and the temp gauge was 1/2 way up which I expected it would be. Never got to the red area on the gauge. Drove about 65-70 mph as I knew the car hadn't been driven a whole lot and didn't want to push it until I was in Alpine and in my own town. Then my husband stopped for gas and when I pulled in and turned off the car, the radiator started gushing brown water. Looks to us like the mechanic didn't even flush it or check it out? Waited until it cooled off completely and refilled it with water, drove it 3 miles to the Chevy dealership in the very small town (nothing open late Sat afternoon), wrote a note, locked it up and put the keys and note in their drop box. So, here we are Monday am, going to call the dealer when they open, make sure the car is okay, get it fixed and find someone to trailer it back here. SO pissed at the mechanic, partly at the owner for not driving it hard enough to know the radiator was about to go. We have a couple of friends here in town that have trailers, one with a closed one, we are going to see if anyone is interested in going to get it or let my husband rent the trailer to go get it with a friend this next weekend. We are very lucky it happened in a town and at a gas station with water. If we had broken down on the highway we would have been in big trouble.
Now a question. If I want to make this car more powerful one of these days, what is the easiest way? I read the post about making a SB into a BB, and someone posted getting a bigger radiator. So is that something I should do now since it seems I will be getting a new one? Not sure I want to just have them repair this one, since it may be the original one. The owner told me after I phoned him Sat afternoon that he thought he replaced/repaired that one years ago but isn't sure as he has a few cars and didn't keep all receipts. So it could be the original one and I think it should go, not just repair. Thoughts?
signed: want to cry.

txdoglover

I also wrote an email to the mechanic telling him what happened and how disappointed I am in his service. The previous owner told me if I need him to go to the dealer and talk to them, he will. We paid for the car, it's ours now, so he really doesn't have to do anything, but I think he really did feel bad that this happened.
While I was waiting for the car to cool down, quite a few guys stopped to check out the car and make sure I was getting help. That's a nice thing about being a girl with a nice car, guys crawl out of the woodwork to help. One guy said the car was REALLY sweet! I said yeah, it was a few minutes ago.

scottw

First of all, congrats on the car. Once it is home and you do a few repairs, you will love it.

The basis of your question is what do you really want the vette to be when you are finished? Do you really want a big block or is that just a thought? You can probably get the radiator re-cored if you are not sure yet. It would beat buying a new one while you figure out what you want the vette to be. If you get a new one and you are considering modding the car, think about going with an aluminum one. Plenty of threads here if you do a search.

Good luck with the car.

LudemJo

Unfortunately, this is life with a nearly 35 year old car. I have a 74 coupe that I paid a premium for based on the place I bought it and the outward appearance, and my mechanic has given me a laundry list of things that need to be fixed. It has nearly left me stranded twice and my wife refuses to ride anywhere in it now. Just keep fixing things a little at a time and you will end up with what you want.

I would replace the radiator with a top quality SB piece. As noted by some posters in the thread you mrentioned, a SB radiator can handle a BB conversion unless you go crazy with the build in which case you can probably afford to replace the radiator again.

I know the feeling of just wanting to cry, but these type of things will happen as you are getting to know your new old car. Keep your chin up and keep plugging away at the issues you find...and remember why you bought a C3 in the first place. I love everything about mine and will work hard to make it reliable so my wife and I can enjoy the car together.

John

txdoglover

Thanks Scott, I think I need to get the radiator replaced now anyway, so shouldn't I just go with what I will eventually want? Instead of having to do something later? I'm not sure if I would want a BB or not. Just want it to have more power. It's a L82. I will post pics when the car gets here. My husband took pics on my cell phone, not sure how to get those over to Photobucket. I thought he took some on the camera, but he didn't.

Indiancreek

I'd get an aluminum radiator if it were me. I picked up DeWitts radiator with an electric fans for mine. You can get additional power from your small block. A few add ons here and there and a set of headers you can get there. You'll be getting a bunch of suggestions shortly. They'll range from add ons to stroker motor to big blocks. The more you do the more you'll be spending. get it running in a dependable condition and enjoy it for a while during the engine opportunities are considered.

speedreed8

79 L82 was known to overheat at highway speeds, GM dealerships added a 2" front lower spoiler extension to help with the problem. i added one to mine and it does help. make sure the lower original plastic spoiler is in fact in place. sounds as if you may need a radiator cleaning or a new one, and the lower radiator hose should have a spring inside it to keep it from collapsing.

http://www.keenparts.com/pages/detai...partnum=450278

sjohnson2615

Get a DeWitts radiator and never look back. If a radiator is the only problem you have,consider yourself very lucky.

BKarol

"Thoughts?"

Since you said you are going to trailer the car home, don't have the dealer do anything. Bring it home and have someone you know check it out..

BTW where was the water gushing from? hopefully it is simple as a split hose, loose clamp, etc.

BKbroiler

This is misleading, at best. Brand new 79 Corvettes did not overheat just driving down the highway.
A 2" extension to the original front spoiler, added by dealers as a GM part? Let's see some pics.

vettebuyer6369

There's no legitimate reason for a 350, L82 or not, to just overheat at highway speeds if the cooling system is operating properly.

To the OP- spend the few extra dollars for a DeWitts aluminum radiator if you do in fact need a replacement and never worry about it again.

GRipp 73

I am with some of the others. Don't let a dealership work on this Corvette. Just because they are a Chevrolet or GM dealership doesn't mean they have a mechanic that knows how to work on older cars anymore. That's why they are called Technicians now and not Mechanics.

Trailer it home, assess what has happened and move forward from there. Make the Corvette what you want of it.

Delta26

Well, blonde Vette girl, I feel your pain and disappointment. After going thru 2 weeks of shipping nightmare hell I have an idea how devastated you must have been for this to happen. It will pass.

I agree with the poster who said get the car home to fix it. Then, before you know it, you'll be tooling around town with all the guys giving you the thumbs up and all the girls giving you.......

I would never get a big block. Kind of like carring a gun - carry a gun, you get gun troubles.

My 81 has a new Pace Performance Blackout 350/330 and it runs like a raped ape. Other, more knowledgable, guys on here have suggested things you can do to increase performance. Listen to them.

Get it home, get it fixed and get to having fun. You deserve it!

TexasTechDad

Its just beginning! There will be more to come but I found when I bought my '77 4 years ago we were new to each other. Through the many things I have replaced and repaired I now KNOW my Car and its just regular maintenance that keeps us humming along. Recently replaced my A/C (blows 40degees at the vents) took my Wife out to dinner... When I got home my drivers window was dead!! Out of nowhere the 30 plus year window motor died! No way to see it coming It's part of the mystic!! You will need a sock drawer to hide your Vette fund. I don't go to strip clubs or bars so it's a good healthy vice!

BKarol

If equipped with a heavy duty radiator or the L82 engine an additional extension is attached. This extension is die cut rubber and is attached to the front of the air deflector with 8 large head alum pop rivets. A two piece reinforcement is placed inside the air deflector to provide a sufficient attachment point for the rivets. 78/79 NCRS judging manual.

Think Dr Rebuild was the last to sell them and I do believe Willcox was going to start making them. jb78L-82 bought a gm one and put it on his 78 a number of years ago. It makes a difference in cooling. I made my own and brought the highway temp down.

Not stealing the thread since op has a 79. Might be helpful

scrappy76

As others said, do not let the dealership touch it. You said it was gushing brown water, from where ? Most likely the water is brown because it is dirty and the Rad and motor need a flush. Might have popped. If you need to replace, get your self a 3 core aluminum radiator. Trailer her home and fix it yourself. This might be the start of many things that need to be replaced down the road . I hope your not stroking a check every time for repairs, could get pretty costly.

qwank

is it too late to find a different car?

my 76 ray

Lots of good advice about deciding what you want before buying anything. My approach has always been to upgrade to what I really want when something breaks. My alternator failed so I got the chrome one I wanted. Caliper leaked so I upgraded to O-ring seals. That way I have never spent the money I need for a repair on something I just wanted ... OK sometimes I will do an upgrade if I have to take something off on my way to repairing something else.

Hopefully you won't have a lot of problems. One thing I would do is to recurve the distributor to get the most out of the L-82 and drive it a while so you can decide which way you want to go to get the power to the pavement. It might be that you'll be happy with it or you might decide that an upgrade to a 5 or 6 speed will be a better option than an engine upgrade. As for me, if my transmission needs work I'll seriously consider going to a 6 speed but if my engine needs work first then I'll probably go with a roller cam. Can you see how driving it first can work to making better decisions?

txdoglover

Kinda stuck at the dealer's. They said they would replace the radiator after we order one and have it drop shipped to them and it would end up costing the same as our mechanic would charge. They would charge $500.00 more for the part than what we found online. I understand not letting the dealer do the work, though. I am going to check out the prices on the aluminum radiators, but don't they need modification to fit? Can it be stock? The water was gushing out of a hole on the passenger side of the radiator, I don't think it's a split hose or loose clamp. If there's any way I can get it trailered soon, I will do so and have my mechanic fix. Don't think the dealer will let it live there very long though without making any money. I put in a price quote on Uship.com. Don't have anyone here right now that can go get it. Only 2 trailers in town. A friend offered to loan us a trailer and the truck to pull with, but only the front end will be up, the rear would be on the road and I don't think that is safe with the low status of the car. Thanks for responses. Yes, quark, it is too late for a different car. I don't blame the car, these things happen, the timing sucks though.

Arkyvette

The hole isn't underneath the radiator cap is it? If your lucky it would just be an unhooked overflow bottle and an overfull radiator. If not, I bought my 3 row direct fit aluminum radiator from amazon.com from a place called sheppards. Its been working just fine and was 138 bucks shipped to my door. You could buy a factory replacement from your local parts store for around a hundred, or buy a big name aluminum from a vendor for lots more. The install is no cake walk though. Hope you get your car fixed!