Antz81

My friend has bought a 79 corvette most things seem OK. Doesn't seem to be any rust issues that I saw, no play in the steering. Parking brake not working (no surprise there). One front brake caliper may be leaking, but it didn't pull when driving, But I would still change all the fluid and bleed the brakes as the pedal was very spongy. Everything seems to be original from what I could tell except for the composite rear spring. (didn't check for matching numbers)
A couple of things seemed a little odd to me.
1- After the ignition is switched off the Tachometer seems to rise up. Reads fine when running. (probably no issue just seemed strange)
2- When in gear and driving if you put your foot down (easing it or mashing it) the engine dies. Any ideas on this? Its an Auto.
3- The trim tag in the door had been painted over. Does that indicate a respray? Or were they like that from the factory.

MelWff

1. May be normal for that year, see if others comment.
2. Could be a bad accelerator pump, with the engine off, looking down the primary carburetor bores, open the throttle by hand and see if you see gas squirting into both bores.
3, I would say it was repainted.

PatG

1. Mine does the same. The needle seems to stop at a random spot when you turn off the ignition but works fine when running.
2. Could be many things. Carb/fuel delivery, vacuum advance would be my first places to look.
3. Trim tag was not painted from factory.

Antz81

Thanks,
I didn't think there was anything to be concerned about with the tachometer.
He was told it was original paint but my gut told me otherwise, I guess I was right.

hunt4cleanair

1. Yeah, they either work or they don't and when they don't, 90% of the time its the tach board.
2. I'm with Pat and would lean toward a vacuum leak
3. In 1975-76, the tag booth was changed to a location between the paint booths and trim tags were painted...trust your friend's seller or whoever said paint is original. They were painted without primer so paint tends to flake easily.

Early C3 guys think all C3s were built the same but production changes were constant to accommodate the increase in production from 30k to 50k...think about it!

BKarol

The trim tag was painted. Paint did not adhere too well to the finish on the stainless steel and often it was peeled off.

C3 4ME

Now ya'll have got me questioning my 79. I'd swear the trim tag is unpainted on mine. I'll have to stroll out to the garage and confirm. I do know mine is not original paint, but I was thinking the door jambs were original paint.

Bikespace

1. I hadn't noticed my 79 auto doing goofy tach stuff, but it might. Grounds in the dash may have issues.
2. Accelerator pump(s) in the carb? Timing? Either way, search for Lars on this forum, and email him for copies of his timing papers, if search the forum doesn't fix it for you first.
3. As it was said, the trim tag is stainless, but was painted at the factory. The paint has come off both of my trim tags (79 and 80), but the original color paint is still in the centers of the rivets. Does the current color match the code on the trim tag? I found this site to be very helpful when decoding trim tags, checking engine numbers, etc.
http://corvettec3.ca/

Antz81

Since it's nnot my car, but everything electrical seems to work fine I'm not concerned about the tach. I believe my friend is going to get his mechanic to take a look at the engine and give it a good tune up since it needs one. All the numbers on the tag match, I'd never seen a painted tag before. The tag on my 81 has no paint left on it at all.

hunt4cleanair

1981 Bowling Green cars did not have painted trim tags. But ironically, St Louis cars in 1981 did! Go figure. Again, it has to do with the location of the trim tag station where the tags were attached...after body paint.