one of the neighbors kids (hes in his early 20s) just purchased a 1976 corvette, the outside paint looks decent , (its silver) the interior is better than average (silver/gray) and it has an odometer thats reads just over 31K miles... I have no idea if the gauges work as the battery is long gone!
he had it towed over to my house, by a friend, who owns a flat bed tow truck,
he bought it at an estate sale for only about "$12K,"
because it does not run, and according to the guys at the estate sale it sat in a garage untouched since about the mid 80s.
well I start checking it out and I get it up on a lift in my shop and I don,t think its ever had an oil change ,
because the oil filter looks original, and the dipstick does not read any oil,
and the zerk grease fittings don,t look like they have ever been greased,
as they are either rusted or covered in dirt and rust.
needless too mention I checked the brake master cylinder and its almost dry,
the power steering is very low and the radiators empty.. no coolant at all and the radiator hoses and belts look original...
I'm amazed it rolls, but I guess the wheel bearings are still semi-functional.(the brakes sure are not) the battery is long gone, and
the tires had to be replaced before they could move or tow or even roll the car.
the kids got a decent start point,for a nice long term project...
but its sure too be a longer term project than I think he originally anticipated it would be ,and surely will be a bit more of a almost bottomless money pit,
at least for awhile, than a classic daily driver. After placing it in neutral, removing all the spark-plugs and squirting a couple tablespoons of M.M.O. into each cylinder,
the engine can be spun over manually and it seems to turn reasonably easily with no clunking or binding.
I gave him a list too collect, he will need to buy, parts too get the car back toward being functional,
he will need,
the fan belts & radiator and vacuum and heater, hoses,
a new t-stat, a couple valve cover gaskets,
several quarts of brake fluid,
a new fuel filter,
air filter,and
oil filter,
7 quarts of 10w30,oil, two gallons of coolant,
spark plugs, distributor cap, rotor,
a battery , starter fluid, new ignition wires, etc.
so I guess, when he gets back.. I ask if he wants to pull the oil pan and inspect the bearings or just fill it with fresh oil,
,fresh anti-freeze/coolant and flush out the old brake fluid, power steering fluid, other fluids, replace the battery,
all the hoses, and belts etc. bleed the brakes replace the brake pads,
and if required the brake rotor discs, maybe the calipers, and pray hard!
he had it towed over to my house, by a friend, who owns a flat bed tow truck,
he bought it at an estate sale for only about "$12K,"
because it does not run, and according to the guys at the estate sale it sat in a garage untouched since about the mid 80s.
well I start checking it out and I get it up on a lift in my shop and I don,t think its ever had an oil change ,
because the oil filter looks original, and the dipstick does not read any oil,
and the zerk grease fittings don,t look like they have ever been greased,
as they are either rusted or covered in dirt and rust.
needless too mention I checked the brake master cylinder and its almost dry,
the power steering is very low and the radiators empty.. no coolant at all and the radiator hoses and belts look original...
I'm amazed it rolls, but I guess the wheel bearings are still semi-functional.(the brakes sure are not) the battery is long gone, and
the tires had to be replaced before they could move or tow or even roll the car.
the kids got a decent start point,for a nice long term project...
but its sure too be a longer term project than I think he originally anticipated it would be ,and surely will be a bit more of a almost bottomless money pit,
at least for awhile, than a classic daily driver. After placing it in neutral, removing all the spark-plugs and squirting a couple tablespoons of M.M.O. into each cylinder,
the engine can be spun over manually and it seems to turn reasonably easily with no clunking or binding.
I gave him a list too collect, he will need to buy, parts too get the car back toward being functional,
he will need,
the fan belts & radiator and vacuum and heater, hoses,
a new t-stat, a couple valve cover gaskets,
several quarts of brake fluid,
a new fuel filter,
air filter,and
oil filter,
7 quarts of 10w30,oil, two gallons of coolant,
spark plugs, distributor cap, rotor,
a battery , starter fluid, new ignition wires, etc.
so I guess, when he gets back.. I ask if he wants to pull the oil pan and inspect the bearings or just fill it with fresh oil,
,fresh anti-freeze/coolant and flush out the old brake fluid, power steering fluid, other fluids, replace the battery,
all the hoses, and belts etc. bleed the brakes replace the brake pads,
and if required the brake rotor discs, maybe the calipers, and pray hard!
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