My 82's re-assembly photos
09-04-2007, 03:33 PM
#861
Instructor
Member Since: Aug 2007
Location: Quincy MA
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That thing looks AMAZING!
Where abouts in MA are you picking up that 76? I should be picking up a 78 this saturday. Im getting excited, it'll be my first vette, and reading through this thread has really inspired me to fix this one up nice.
Where abouts in MA are you picking up that 76? I should be picking up a 78 this saturday. Im getting excited, it'll be my first vette, and reading through this thread has really inspired me to fix this one up nice.
09-04-2007, 04:16 PM
#862
Drifting
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09-14-2007, 11:52 AM
#863
Safety Car
MD its been sometime since I checked up on you and let me tell you that is a real show winner!!!!! Tell me have you dropped it into 1st gear with the shifter yet ?? IT'S NASTY LOW!!
09-14-2007, 08:39 PM
#865
Pro
Yes congratulations Christian 
I can only hope that my own frame off project which was inspired by members such as yourself will come out as great as yours did.
ikwhite
I can only hope that my own frame off project which was inspired by members such as yourself will come out as great as yours did. ikwhite
09-14-2007, 10:42 PM
#866
Drifting
Congratulations Christian, been following from the beginning and you have done a totally amazing job! I hope she last forever for you, you have earned the right to sit back and enjoy now!
09-21-2007, 06:01 AM
#867
Burning Brakes
She looks great!
I hope that when I am done with mine, it will look 1/2 as good as yours. I loved following the progress and still refer back to your thread when I need to look up stuff for mine.
KO
I hope that when I am done with mine, it will look 1/2 as good as yours. I loved following the progress and still refer back to your thread when I need to look up stuff for mine.
KO
09-26-2007, 05:24 AM
#868
Drifting
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The work has paid off!
Just to cap off this thread, I won Best of Show in the 1st show I ever entered. Was really shocked and pleasantly surprised. I am aware how political these shows can be and just went to test the waters and have fun talking with some fellow gear heads.
Photos from the show:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1820871
I will keep this thread going with any updates and a few changes I plan on doing this winter:
- Ordered the Hydratech hydroboost and lines to replace the current vacuum system. I have a hard pedal but low due to the 11:1 compression of the ZZ4. I had begun this install originally but went stock when the used hydroboost I purchased was the incorrect model
- Need to replace the headlight switch due to inoperable headlights
- Have a few gauges not yet working
- Build the sub box and amp rack
- And a few other minor bugs
Thanks again everyone for your kind words, advise, and knowledge. C3'S RULE!
Photos from the show:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1820871
I will keep this thread going with any updates and a few changes I plan on doing this winter:
- Ordered the Hydratech hydroboost and lines to replace the current vacuum system. I have a hard pedal but low due to the 11:1 compression of the ZZ4. I had begun this install originally but went stock when the used hydroboost I purchased was the incorrect model
- Need to replace the headlight switch due to inoperable headlights
- Have a few gauges not yet working
- Build the sub box and amp rack
- And a few other minor bugs
Thanks again everyone for your kind words, advise, and knowledge. C3'S RULE!
Last edited by 82MDVette; 09-26-2007 at 05:31 AM.
11-17-2007, 12:29 PM
#872
Drifting
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11-17-2007, 01:00 PM
#873
Drifting
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Destroyed the left front fender! @&%$_P$
I adjusted the suspension up 1/2 inch the other day to get the proper ride height and to keep the Bilstein shocks from bottom out all of the time. Swapped out the ZO6 rims for the OEM 15" wheels to bring it to the garage for a 4 wheel alignment. Made it down there fine, but the mechanic found a little too much play in the rear hub assemblies. So we decided it would be best to shim the hubs to spec and get the alignment done this spring. More winter projects. 
While driving the Vette home I have to go through an area where the road is all torn up and they have laid some patch work in the asphalt. I hit one of the patches at 20 or so MPH as I had in the past with no issues. I felt the Vette come down hard on the suspension and knew right there that this would not be good. Drove the 3/4 of a lime home and sure as sh!&, this is what I found. Brought the Wife to tears.
The ZO6 rims tucked neatly into the fenders, where as the OEM rims stuck out with the front spacers on. I tried to get the spacers off prior to taking it for the alignment, but the hubcentric spacers ARE NOT BUDGING OFF! I guess that is a good thing to know for safety reasons when the ZO6 rims are on...
Well, the only good news is that I had spoken with my paint guy last week and he was going to fix the bubble on the driver's side fender. Where he has filled the emblem holes, the paint had popped out on one of the holes. And the driver's side front fender needed to be built out to line up with the front bumper. He was going to add fiberglass the bumper out to match the bumper curve. I guess it was good that this happened prior to those repairs being made!
While driving the Vette home I have to go through an area where the road is all torn up and they have laid some patch work in the asphalt. I hit one of the patches at 20 or so MPH as I had in the past with no issues. I felt the Vette come down hard on the suspension and knew right there that this would not be good. Drove the 3/4 of a lime home and sure as sh!&, this is what I found. Brought the Wife to tears.
The ZO6 rims tucked neatly into the fenders, where as the OEM rims stuck out with the front spacers on. I tried to get the spacers off prior to taking it for the alignment, but the hubcentric spacers ARE NOT BUDGING OFF! I guess that is a good thing to know for safety reasons when the ZO6 rims are on...
Well, the only good news is that I had spoken with my paint guy last week and he was going to fix the bubble on the driver's side fender. Where he has filled the emblem holes, the paint had popped out on one of the holes. And the driver's side front fender needed to be built out to line up with the front bumper. He was going to add fiberglass the bumper out to match the bumper curve. I guess it was good that this happened prior to those repairs being made!
11-17-2007, 07:02 PM
#875
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sorry about what happened to your car, major bummer. 
How come you were getting it aligned with the old wheels? You are always supposed to align a car with the wheels that it rides on. 
How come you were getting it aligned with the old wheels? You are always supposed to align a car with the wheels that it rides on.
11-17-2007, 08:45 PM
#877
Safety Car
if you align it with the wheels sticking out that far when you put the other rims back on the alignment will be off.
11-17-2007, 08:46 PM
#878
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Aw man, that sucks. I'm cryin' with the wife. You didn't cry? No worries, it can be fixed. I get my Vette aligned with the Z06 rims on. I wonder why the spacers won't come off. I never had that problem, and I've been running spacers since '88.
Bee Jay
Bee Jay
11-17-2007, 11:13 PM
#880
Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '06
Ouch!
That sucks! I don't understand why you were aligning the car with the old tires, either. If they are not the exact size as what rolls on the car, the alighment will not be correct.
By the way, did you use the updated alignment specs for the C3 or whatever was in the machine?
Use these specs as a guide for your 1963 – 1982 Corvette Alignment. The original specs put out by the factory have been revised and updated for modern tires road surfaces and compounds. Most alignment computers have preloaded in them the original factory specs which are way out dated.
Front Toe: -1/8” Toe in *** Do not let them “toe out” your front end.
Front Camber: -1 to -1-1/2 deg negative camber (Wheels lean in at the top) More is ok but not less
Front Caster: -1-1/2 to -3 deg Get as much caster as you can get from your upper control arms. (This is angling the front wheels out like a chopper)
Rear Toe: -1/16” to -3/32” toe in. Total for both sides. Do not need much just do not “toe out”
Rear Camber: -1/8” to -3/16” (Top of wheel leans in) Most people use way too much camber on the rear, as the suspension compresses you get way too much.
Notes: Too much toe positive or negative will cause excessive tire wear.
Front toe out will cause the car to “dart” unexpectedly when changing lanes on roads with high crowns (i.e. Interstate)
Front caster aids in high speed stability and “straight” tracking down the road. You may not want to use more than 5/8” to ¾” of shims on the rear upper control arm position.
I did my '82 like this, and it drives and tracks like a dream!
By the way, did you use the updated alignment specs for the C3 or whatever was in the machine?
Use these specs as a guide for your 1963 – 1982 Corvette Alignment. The original specs put out by the factory have been revised and updated for modern tires road surfaces and compounds. Most alignment computers have preloaded in them the original factory specs which are way out dated.
Front Toe: -1/8” Toe in *** Do not let them “toe out” your front end.
Front Camber: -1 to -1-1/2 deg negative camber (Wheels lean in at the top) More is ok but not less
Front Caster: -1-1/2 to -3 deg Get as much caster as you can get from your upper control arms. (This is angling the front wheels out like a chopper)
Rear Toe: -1/16” to -3/32” toe in. Total for both sides. Do not need much just do not “toe out”
Rear Camber: -1/8” to -3/16” (Top of wheel leans in) Most people use way too much camber on the rear, as the suspension compresses you get way too much.
Notes: Too much toe positive or negative will cause excessive tire wear.
Front toe out will cause the car to “dart” unexpectedly when changing lanes on roads with high crowns (i.e. Interstate)
Front caster aids in high speed stability and “straight” tracking down the road. You may not want to use more than 5/8” to ¾” of shims on the rear upper control arm position.
I did my '82 like this, and it drives and tracks like a dream!