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I just got a vette that has a 74 vin number but the body is an 80. I am just going to make a hot rod out of it so don't care about the combo years. I was wondering what parts are going to fit what. I assume the body bolts are the same beings the body is sort of installed on the 74 frame. The front clip is only held on by some bolts in the front. The fiberglass piece that goes across under the windshield is busted on each side. I haven't found exactly how it's held on. Anyway if I want to keep the insides a 74, although it has 80 seats in it, can I just buy all the inside parts for a 74, the problem comes in the rear where the 74 rear window comes straight down and the 80 window slopes to the rear. Any help in this rebuild would be greatly appreciated. Pros and cons on doing this. I have a 76 to go by as far as insides. thanks
The first thing to do is determine what you have. It could be a 74 with 80 body panels installed. It could be an 80 with a 74 VIN tag on it.
Post some pics.
OK will do, what shots would help? Is it possible to replace the front clip and the rear and leaving the 74 body in the middle, that is the doors and windshield and T-tops?
So if someone had a 74 and the body was bad and they wanted to replace it with an 80 body, they could have taken off the 74 body and set the 80 body in its place and replaced the 74 vin tag with the 80 vin tag, if they didn't have the vin tag for the 80 body? I think this is what I have, if this is possible.
The rear support bracket that goes from rail to rail is not there. I think the 74 bracket got in the way of the 80 tail lights so they either took it off or cut it off, so there is no support for the body in the rear. I will have to fabricate something to support the 80 rear body. https://www.dropbox.com/s/52pmjo54m1lh81e/HPIM1284.JPG
Last edited by KRUST; 05-10-2014 at 10:12 AM.
Reason: add a photo
After all these years it could be a number of things - 74 with conversion parts, 74 with 80 body, 80 with bad frame swapped, 80 with bad/no title and vin swapped, 80 with vin swapped for emission reasons, it could even be parts of several cars put together. The dash and obviously the rear trim is different on the 74 & 80. If it was me, I would leave it like it is before swapping front and rear clips, especially if they just need minor repair. You could sell it and buy the other body style for less work/money if that is what you want. You can swap around most parts, people put all types of seats in the C3. I have a 74 that I put a 82/Daytona style front clip on and 82 style rear bumper (100 years ago) because that is how I wanted it to look. You can take a project like you have now and make it your own, but if you want a numbers matching type car you might be better off with a different one.
After all these years it could be a number of things - 74 with conversion parts, 74 with 80 body, 80 with bad frame swapped, 80 with bad/no title and vin swapped, 80 with vin swapped for emission reasons, it could even be parts of several cars put together. The dash and obviously the rear trim is different on the 74 & 80. If it was me, I would leave it like it is before swapping front and rear clips, especially if they just need minor repair. You could sell it and buy the other body style for less work/money if that is what you want. You can swap around most parts, people put all types of seats in the C3. I have a 74 that I put a 82/Daytona style front clip on and 82 style rear bumper (100 years ago) because that is how I wanted it to look. You can take a project like you have now and make it your own, but if you want a numbers matching type car you might be better off with a different one.
I guess I will just have to dive in and see what comes up one thing at a time and take care of it and move on. First thing is to get the body off the frame so I can tear it apart and get everything sandblasted and painted. thanks all for the help.
pics of the dash, engine, and rear end/suspension would be a big help in identifying what you have...
The dash is defiantly not 80-82 because of the two part dash, like my 76, with the map style compartment on the passenger side. On the inside it has the three compartment doors behind the seats, but the middle section floor is higher than the other outer compartments. I haven't looked at my 76 to see if it's middle section is shallower in the middle section. The floor pans are fiberglass, not metal. I think they changed to metal in 77 or 80. So I'm pretty sure the frame is a 74 and the body, that is the front and rear sections are an 80. Don't ask me why someone would put that much work into cutting and welding and fiber glassing on the front and rear sections and leave the 74 in the middle section? The steering column is out but looks like a 76 tilt style. The engine and tranny are gone. I have plenty of 350s and 700r4 trannys so didn't care about that. Also the rear end is not an 80. Like I said before I am going to make a hot rod out of it anyway. I want to take the body off and get the frame sandblasted and painted so I can start with clean parts. I have built two hot rods in the past and did them from scratch with all new parts so like all new or at least restored parts to work from. Again thanks for the help.
I got the 80 body off my 74? frame. I made a cradle out of 2x4s. I made it tall 32" off the ground so I can get under it for floor fiberglass repairs and be able to clean it and paint it well. It just fits under my lift. I have the frame on top and the body underneath. I have to roll out the body while I work on disassemble the frame on the lift, that way I can work on top or underneath to get to bolts.
Look for the VIN derivitives stamped in the top of the frame rail, driver's side. The first will be about where you left hip would be if you were sitting in the car.
The second stamp will be just in front of #4 body mount.
It must be an easy change over. I have a 77 with an 80 body. They spent some money getting the body right and painting it. Everything works but it is definitely a driver.
It must be an easy change over. I have a 77 with an 80 body. They spent some money getting the body right and painting it. Everything works but it is definitely a driver.
Thanks for the information about the stamped frame rail, I'll take a look to see if I can find something there that corresponds to the 74 vin number or not, stay tuned I'll let you know.
I was able to brush off the dirt and rust and it is part of the vin number that is on the title and on the windshield post, so it is a 74 frame but I think it does have a 80 gas tank in it. They probably used the 80 tank so the filler hole would line up with the 80 body? There is no support for the rear bumper so I will have to fabricate something to go across the back, under the lights in order to support the rear urethane bumper.
Last edited by KRUST; 06-07-2014 at 09:17 AM.
Reason: MORE INFO
Thanks again for the help and information on the stamped rail partial vin number, I didn't know they did that. I'll post more later as I take things apart and put back together and have other questions on this build, I'm not calling it a rebuild cause it is not quit going to meet that definition.
Update: I or I should say my wife just bought two red 76 Vettes to go with our silver 76 (covered)and my silver 03. So you can see I haven't had time to do anything else. I had to buy another four post lift to put her red one on top of mine and working on the other red one so my son can start driving it to college. I'll get back on the forum someday when things get a little more slowed down. The 74-80 is ready for the sandblaster someday?
How many vettes in this picture?
Last edited by KRUST; 08-27-2014 at 10:39 PM.
Reason: trying to reduce pic size
Update: I or I should say my wife just bought two red 76 Vettes to go with our silver 76 (covered)and my silver 03. So you can see I haven't had time to do anything else. I had to buy another four post lift to put her red one on top of mine and working on the other red one so my son can start driving it to college. I'll get back on the forum someday when things get a little more slowed down. The 74-80 is ready for the sandblaster someday?
05-09-2014, 04:23 PM
74-80 combo
I guess I will just have to dive in and see what comes up one thing at a time and take care of it and move on. First thing is to get the body off the frame so I can tear it apart and get everything sandblasted and painted. thanks all for the help.
The dash is defiantly not 80-82 because of the two part dash, like my 76, with the map style compartment on the passenger side. On the inside it has the three compartment doors behind the seats, but the middle section floor is higher than the other outer compartments. I haven't looked at my 76 to see if it's middle section is shallower in the middle section. The floor pans are fiberglass, not metal. I think they changed to metal in 77 or 80. So I'm pretty sure the frame is a 74 and the body, that is the front and rear sections are an 80. Don't ask me why someone would put that much work into cutting and welding and fiber glassing on the front and rear sections and leave the 74 in the middle section? The steering column is out but looks like a 76 tilt style. The engine and tranny are gone. I have plenty of 350s and 700r4 trannys so didn't care about that. Also the rear end is not an 80. Like I said before I am going to make a hot rod out of it anyway. I want to take the body off and get the frame sandblasted and painted so I can start with clean parts. I have built two hot rods in the past and did them from scratch with all new parts so like all new or at least restored parts to work from. Again thanks for the help.
