Jester69Stingray

I always have done all the work on all my cars and always will. If i dont know how to do something i have friends who will help out. I will be building my first engine pretty soon a 383 to go in the vette. :cool:

Chris Fowler

More and more...still take the more major things to the shop...but I'd like to lessen what's considered major. :D

1yy07

Yes, I do all the work on mine!

Brutus

Sure do.........It's 50% of the fun and 100% of the satisfaction of owning a Corvette........especially a C3.

MikeC

I agree with Brutus.

I love working on anything other than a computer, I do that all week.

I have been known to break things just so I have something to fix.

Hershey

I had to have my front lower a-frame bracket welded, otherwise i have done everything that has been done to it. From mechanicals to bodywork to paint. I've done engine, trans, powersteering, brakes, suspension, and interior work. Seems whenever I read on the forum about someone elses problem area and think to myself, "thats something I don't have a problem with" it won't be long before I find that I have to do that same repair. These cars are really all alike. Of course C3'rs are hands on guys (and gals). Hershey :smash:


[Modified by Hershey, 8:16 PM 11/4/2001]

427V8

I do everything possible.
Setting up the rear end and alignment I paid for.

The exhaust is being done for the 4th (?) time. Hey I've owned it for 3 years, it NEEDED those exhaust changes!

MotorHead

This is a very interesting thread and I would like to add that after years of doing my own work because I could not afford to take it in to a shop I was in the position to let someone else do the lousy jobs.

Well let me tell you that was a mistake on both my cars, I have never seen such crappy workmanship, it is non existant. I think to so a proper job you have to spend some time on job to get it right. I believe some of these "mechanics" think torquing a bolt to the proper spec is an option.

I don't mean back yard mechanics either I took my car to Corvette shop that has been in business here for 25 years and they put on a new rear spring.

Six months later I'm under the car and one of the three main bolts holding the spring on was out by about 5 threads and you could turn it with your fingers.

Anyway to make a long story short I just bought an air compressor and some Chicago Pneumatic air tools. :D

I'll be doing my own repairs from now on.

stickben

I love working on the vette, to me its a hobby, and it gives me a sense of accomplishment :)

Nomad78SA

I do most of my work along with the help from a few friends.
Neil in Tenn

Fleetwood

The only way I can keep my vette is to do all the work myself,& we pay double for spare parts here in Australia.I have even done the conversion to right hand drive myself,when I found out it was going to cost between $8k to $9k.

redc3vette1

yep i work on my own also... the way i look at it is the more work i do myself the more new parts i can buy with the money i saved on labor and then the process repeats itself over and over again but i wouldnt trade it for the world :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

82 Super Vette

I have as much fun working on it as I do driving it. As a matter of fact I spent as much time this year doing unnecessary work & cleaning as I did driving it. The only time I would ever go to a shop would be when there is no other alternative. I feel there are no options when it comes to alignments or setting the rear end lash--these items must go to a quailfied shop. :smash:

Cruise on!!! :chevy

Captain Morgan

:cheers: I agree 100%. However some things I feel that I don't have the skill or knowledge for so I'll take it in for those items. But for the most part, I do the work. As a matter of fact, I'm in the middle of working on it right now but stopped to check the forum and update one of my topics. :chevy I sure am glad for all you guys and gals on here that give out advice.

Twin_Turbo

I do everything myself too, reason: I enjoy working on the car and since there's only one good shop here in the Netherlands (I only buy parts there). Parts are 3 to 4 times as expensive as in the US so doing it myself helps keep the budget alive.

And with working on the car I mean EVERYTHING! :D
look here: http://www.crossfire.webhop.net/twinnie (or http://www.crossfire.webhop.net/twinnie/rebuild.html for the rebuild project)

Marck





[Modified by Twinnie, 6:19 AM 11/5/2001]

norvalwilhelm

I once had an alignment on my car and the mechanic who had to test drive it said I had a miss at 7000rpm. I have never taken my car back anywhere since. I build my own motors, transmissions, rearends, trailing arms. Even machine alot of my own parts. Machined 4 17 inch rims from blanks last winter. Machined my own pistons inside the master cylinder also. I was going to machine my own stainless steel brake calipers but found out I can make more money shoing horses on the side and buy lifetime gold anodized ss calipers. i do my own alignments now also. I painted my car in the shop also. Yes I do all my work and take pride in it.

427V8

WHAT!??
Where on earth did you find equpiment big enough to do that!
I mean a 12" lathe is pretty darn big! 17" Wow!

1LE

I do as much of it as I can. I may be old, but I'm still learning new tricks.

UKPaul

Many years ago I shared a house with a friend who was training to be a mechanic at a very large, well known garage. He was taught to adjust the ignition points by using a hammer to bend the fixed contact to give the required gap. Adjusting the gap by moving the points in the correct way would have taken the mechanics longer to do, which meant less profit for the garage.
I do all my own work as I'd rather mess it up myself than pay somebody else to mess it up ;)
:cheers:

TedH

I just completed a $3,000 rebuild of my drivetrain. That's all parts and machining. I performed all removal and re-install. Had a shop perform the rear diff blueprint and gear install, driveshaft, half shaft, and caliper rebuild as well as trans kit (the trans kit is from Bow Tie in California).

I don't want to even think about what I would have paid to have a shop take my car and do it all (turn-key job) but given some of the receipts from prior owners' repairs I'll give it a shot:

Part/Repair My Cost Part/Repair Shop
Rear Calipers/Lines 240 * 500+
Both Half Shafts 160 * 350+
Drive Shaft/Shorten 100 250
New Diff/Gears $900 1500
700R4 Kit 1650 2500
Shop Supplies 100 250
New Tools 250 n/a

* Core not rebuildable; worn beyond rebuild.

I figure I 'saved' around $2000. I have a few trans adjustments to make in the coming weeks but I'll do it in MY 'shop'.

Cheers!!! :cheers: :seeya


[Modified by TedH, 9:25 AM 11/5/2001]