x3ro321

Im wandering how many people my age are in the process of restoring a c3 corvette instead of hopping up a civic. Im 23 and am currently rebuilding a 74 while im off from college this semester and summer.
Before this project started i had no real mechanic experience but have found that these cars are easy to work on if you research and plan ahead.
Currently i have
1. installed a new engine and trans
2. rewired the interior and engine compartment
3. overhauled the fuel system
Im currently working on the brakes and suspension systems of the car along with getting the engine running correctly .
If your like me leave a message and tell about your project

88'Cubka

im 21......got the vette when i was 18. It's an 80. Currently, have done, full front and rear suspention rebuild, Rack and pinion steering, Autometer Phantom Gauges. And misc Engine and interior work.

Currently putting the interior back together, then smog it and yank the manifolds and exhaust and put headers on.


David

big matt

I just got rid of my 3000gt for a c3. Picked up the vette yesterday! Imports are way too expensive to modify, especially if they're not an econobox
Fixing up an older car fits the budget of a 20 y/o college student much better I think.
The best part is I have a car that I'm happy with plus a LOT of money to start rebuilding the car to my specificatons

Corvus

I'm 19, turning 20 in April. I had my car when I was 18 ( over a year ago ) No mechanical Experience before I bought the car. I learn somethign new everyday both from my car, and forum

88'Cubka

Imports = cheap in comparison unless you get a VERY solid C3 vette. I can't even add up what I have in my vette just to make it safe to drive, Brakes and suspention should be the first thing on any new c3 owners list.....

Corvus

I think he means Labor, since c3s are easy to work on.

chicken's73sting

I'm 24 (still a young gun right?), i bought my 73 about three years ago, and unfortunately havent had the time or money to work on it, but that will soon be changing, i've never been a fan of imports, i actually sold my '69 z-28 to get the vette, and yes the camaro had the 302 in it, and the rear disc brakes, and it was beautiful rallye green with white stripes, but although i miss it, i'm glad i bought the vette, so i can hang out with all the cool, and knowledgeable people on the forum!!-Danny

Larsson

I might aswell report in here too
19 years old, have had the vette now for a little more than one year, the 72 is more or less owned by my father but I have the responsibilty for it and I do all the work on it.



Wonderful cars to work on, I had no big experience with this kind of work before I got it but I learn new things all the time. In current process of rebuilding my front end completely, the biggest project so far!

L-82kid

I'm 19, I got the vette when I was 17 and just out of high school. My father has been driving and working on vettes since he was 18, so he helped me rebuild pretty much everything on the car.

I'm currently living 100 miles away from home, at the University of Rhode Island. So I only drive the vette about once a month. This summer, I plan on building a healthy stroker motor, installing new bumpers, and a high rise hood.

P.S. Its now 4am and I just finished homework/studying. I really hope this college stuff pays off. When I graduate I hope to purchase a C5 or C6 and build a supercharged/ Intercooled LS1.

matthud

23 and just got the '69 back in August. Have had about 3 weeks to work on it seeing how I'm at school and my car is 900 miles away.

KALAWAY

I'm young. Not 50 yet. Still got 10 months to go. Got my first Vette last summer. Learn something new about every weekend when I PUSH it out of the garage into the sunshine. It's been great having it. So many people see it and say "Wow, an old Stingray. How did you . . . . ". Should have had one years ago instead of buying those Hondas and Toyotas. Never again.

Bryan8412_2

Im 20, been working on my 77 for almost a year (damn deployments get in the way). I'm redoing everything. 350 RAMJET crate, 5speed, 3.73's, frame blasted and epoxyed, all new poly bushings, custom interior, custom gas cap, electron blue body with 80-82 front and rear end, solid red taillights, fiberglass rear spring, aluminum dewitts radiator, all rebuilt brake calipers, rack and pinion, jet hot coated headers, Torq Thrust II's.

thats all I can think of off the top of my head. I have all the parts except the wheels and the fuel pump (not sure what Im going to do there)

Bry

LFZ

23 here..I've been restoring things on my 69 off and on during my last year of college.I painted the car myself during christmas break before going into my last semester..and now that i'm out of college, got a job..i went with a new stroker motor, and more.

scotty13

im 17 now and got the vette when i was 15. I have been restoring the car ever since. it is almost done and i have taken it down to the last bolt and up again myself. Rebuilt the motor, trans and whole drivetrain. Bodywork and paint also. Now in the process of finishing interior and last minute electrical. its been tough. i just keep my ears open here on the foum and this is usualy the first place i look when i cant figure something out.

ruby76

Ive always been WAY more interested in old American Muscle rather than small Asian cars. When I was 13, I bought a 1968 Chevrolet Stepside Pickup. I restored/modified it during highschool, drove it as a daily driver till 2000, when I got a real job after College. Sold the truck last May (2004) to by my 1976 Stingray in June (2004). I consider myself a 'gearhead'.

Shoehorned a smallblock V8 in my bro's 1979 Pontiac Sunbird for his highschool ride in place of the 3.8L V6. Then helped him with his LT-1 powered 68 Chevelle, with racing TH350 before he sold it (he was out of money).

I need to find more folks my age with same interests, Your right, most are into the Honda's etc. Some of them may be faster than my Vette, but I get more looks of respect when driving by. - sounds better too

I went to the local Corvette Club meeting last night, I was probably the youngest there. That's okay, the folks I want to learn from are the ones that grew up in the 50's and 60's. They are the 'do-it-yourselfers'. Im a do-it-myselfer.

majic1984

20 here....
When I got my 71 from a man in Tyler Texas, it already ran great and looked pretty good from the outside - the inside was pretty ratty the guages weren't hooked up, someone had butchered the wiring and bubba-ed it to how they saw fit....

Here's a list of some things I've done
1. Put headers on the car.
2. Ordered an entire interior from Al Knoch (including seat foam and covers) + new vent *****, chrome *****, etc.
3. Por-15 windshield posts to guarantee no rust
4. Wired my car with completely new harnesses

Here's a list of things I need to do:
1. Replace front windshield (yes, I broke it.. you have to be really carefull with these things)
2. Get everything rechromed.
3. Put down the carpet + Reflectix + peel and seal
4. Get all interior pieces back in the car.
5. Take it to the shop and stop the transmission leaks.
6. Fix vacuum system and AC
7. Put weatherstrip in from the kit I just purchased from the GP
8. Put some side mirrors on

That should keep me busy between work and school!!!

killervette666

Im 15, was 14 when me and my bro started working on his C3, its a 1979 L-48. When we bought it it had a true dual exhaust with chambered mufflers Also the front suspension was rebuilt but the rear was shot (sparks flying on bumps) and the Q-jet gave us hell. So we put in a 650 cfm speed demon carb with a performer RPM intake, and since we wanted to auto cross it we put in a gymkhana suspension with KYB gas-ajust and 17 by 12 three piece rims with 315s out back 275s up front, tossed the leaking front calipers for Willwood superlyte forged aluminum ones, also tossed the A/C compressor and condenser, as well as the heater box (dont drive it in the winter, and if its warm enough for A/C we'll just take off the t-tops).

Ive always liked muscle cars, my bro used to own a 1991 camaro RS and that got me hooked. Now im going to get a 1991 IROC-Z as my daily driver that i plan to turn into a street machine, mainly for drag racing. and since my bro is going to med school im gona get the corvette and turn into a weekend driver/auto-x monster. Two awesome muscle cars by the time im 16.........aint life sweet

80Xflags

I'm 24 (almost 25), and working on a frame replacement and a whole lot of "while I'm at it"s.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1020171


Matt

StudDawg380

I'm 18, got my '72 on my birthday in October. (Not FOR my birthday, though, haha.) I'm kind of a newbie to the whole automobile thing, but I've been learning slowly ever since I got my '78 Camaro. I've spent the last couple years learning about that car, so Corvettes are new to me and I need help...lots.

I wrote about my car and stuff a little earlier...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1030982

Edit: majic1984 - I want mine to look half as good as yours. = jealousy.

jerryjfunk

I'm 22, got my car when I was 18. I also didn't know much about fixing cars, and the only thing I had done before was change oil.

Over the past few years I've learned to do everything, and do it right (at least after a couple of shots... haha). I've completed a frame-off restoration of my '79 (before pics in my signature). With the help of my father I built a 383 and put it in. I can't wait to start driving again when the snow melts!