Advice for Corvette Inspection Trip

ck99

Hey guys,

I was hoping someone here could give me some advice for an upcoming inspection trip I have planned. I am travelling to continental Europe to take a look at a '74 Chevrolet Corvette. The car has been off the road for a while and was part of a collection (apparently). The seller has told me that mechanically, the car is in running order and has been recently serviced etc. On the other hand, they said that there is evidence of rust on the car which they have not repaired. They say that it is because they made a choice between an economical repair for quick sale, or leaving the rust for a potential buyer to see, so that they may decide if they want it repaired "correctly" or economically (I assume the seller was referring to getting it repaired in line with Corvette standards or something)

I've never done this kind of thing before so I think I'll defer to some experts for some advice.

The seller says that the rust is on the chassis. It is a car dealership and they offered to jack the car up to let me see underneath properly, and since the Corvette has a fiberglass body (??) I think that the rust can only be underneath (or on door hinges etc) What should I be looking out for? Since I know there is rust, how can I tell if it is really bad, "deal-breaking" rust, or just some normal wear and tear type rust for a 33 year old car from Europe?

What else should I look out for? I know that it is very important to give the tyres a good kicking, and that should tell me 90% of the potential problems with the car , but what about the other problems that are not so apparent from the responsiveness of the tyre to a good thrashing?

Thanks in advance,
CK

MercMad

Can you get photos from the seller, that may help. Get an exact description of where the rust is and exactly how extensive it is !

rover-v8

what price is it going for is it worth your while going so far how about the UK

Dades

Seems a long way to go to check out a rusty 'Vette! When the vendor actually tells you there's rust it's time to worry...

Are you planning on seeing any other cars while you're over? And have you somebody lined up who will deal with the rust issues if you buy? It getting hard to find people to do that work, so it might be worth checking.

ck99

I have requested photographs from the seller, will post 'em up here if/when they get here.

I only heard about the rust this morning: I've been watching this particular car online for a while now, wanted to wait until I was going to be in that part of the world on business before I spoke to the seller to arrange a visit.

By the by, is it "normal" for there to be some rust on a car like this? I mean, does rust need to be dealt with a.s.a.p or is it possible to "live with it"? I could possibly ask for a deal from the seller (a car dealer and auto-repair shop) to fix the rust for me, in their own words "economically" and get an adjustment on the selling price maybe....

Dades

ck99 wrote:

I only heard about the rust this morning: I've been watching this particular car online for a while now, wanted to wait until I was going to be in that part of the world on business before I spoke to the seller to arrange a visit.

Ah that's handy!

ck99 wrote:

By the by, is it "normal" for there to be some rust on a car like this? I mean, does rust need to be dealt with a.s.a.p or is it possible to "live with it"? I could possibly ask for a deal from the seller (a car dealer and auto-repair shop) to fix the rust for me, in their own words "economically" and get an adjustment on the selling price maybe....

It will all depend on the extent of the rust - and the price of the car. If the car isn't big money you might be better off getting the vendor to look after the rust for you.

I doubt it needs to be treated immediately though. Sounds like a heads-up for future costs more than anything.

superboy

Don't worry too much about rust on a Corvette chassis, unless there are very crusty/ holey areas. The chassis itself is very sturdy and should be fine unless the car has been abused or off roaded! welding a few small areas would not be too difficult. what is of more concern is the state of the body.

Glassfibre can crack, split and needs a specialist to fix. and its way way more expensive to rectify than the chassis. check also the interior - any electrical "toys" that aren't working, could be expensive to fix also. personally i hope its a good 'un, and you have many happy miles on the road. hope this doesn't put you off!

rover-v8

don't forget them pictures

ck99

Thanks for all the replies guys, it really helps for "peace of mind".

I also wanted to ask whether it makes a difference (legally|insurance wise|?NCT? wise) that the car has side exhaust pipes fitted? I hope not, but just wondering if anyone else has side-pipes or knows if they are an issue or not....

Henry Ford III

I'd only buy with a current MOT.

rover-v8

personally ill pass on that trip as to far to expensive and car sounds like it needs to much work , depending on your budget i will just save up a little longer and buy a good en from the UK or at home just a thought.

ck99

Thanks for the frank advice Rover, I'l take it on board. As I said earlier, I'll be in the same country on business, so it is not such a big deal to spend a day going to visit the car. At least I'll see it with my own eyes and know once and for all, one way or the other.

My feeling is, the rust is not too bad, and the rest of the car is in good condition. The pictures of the car itself look fabulous, (IMO, but no peeking for you guys until I decide if I want it or not , so I cant imagine it looking that good in some respects, and having terrible rust problems, but I might be proven wrong on that one.

My real question is, when I see it, how will I tell if the rust is too bad? I mean, if there is a gaping hole in the floor-pan, I'm sure I'll pass on the offer. But like I say, the car seems to have been kept well, from the pictures of the body and interior; so, what are the stages of rusting? I mean, what would the scale from 1 to 10 look like, if 1 was slight corrosion like what you see on a car that some kid has "keyed", and 10 being a gaping hole in the floor-pan? Also, by that scale, what would you expect a car that age to look like? (I assume *some* rust is par-for-the-course?)

Thanks again...

Dades

Having sold, and bought a couple of classics from abroad - pictures can be very deceiving. When I was selling my old Fiat Spider I had pics that made it look tip-top, when I knew it wasn't. I displayed the real pics as I didn't want to waste my own and other people's time. Are the pics recent, for a start?

ck99 wrote:

The pictures of the car itself look fabulous, (IMO, but no peeking for you guys until I decide if I want it or not , so I cant imagine it looking that good in some respects, and having terrible rust problems, but I might be proven wrong on that one.

You've nothing to lose by posting them up here! Nobody is going to gazump you - we don't even know where or how much the car is! Instead you might get some really useful advice when it comes to viewing or even bargaining.

rover-v8

How to buy a classic Corvette - with out getting taken for a ride.

So you want to buy an old Corvette to restore, well hopefully this is not your first attempt at restoring a car, Corvette’s a just a bit different then most cars, being as how they are made of fiberglass, but don’t get the idea that Corvette’s can’t rust, they still have plenty of steel in them also, Corvette’s are one of my favorite cars ever built, and I have done a lot of studying on them, I have never owned one yet, because the one that I’d like to buy, I can’t exactly afford just yet, but hopefully I can help you in your endeavor to restore a Corvette.

If you are looking to buy a Corvette to restore, I’ll give you a few pointers on what to look for here, the first thing you have got to think about, is how much money are you willing to spend to buy and restore your Corvette, you’ve go to remember that a Corvette is different then all other classic American muscle cars, a piece of crap could cost you $30,000 dollars to start with, this is of course depending on what Corvette your looking for, let’s just say that your looking for a 1967 L88 Corvette, which by the way is the car I want to get.

I seen an L88 427 engine for sale on ebay, and in it’s second day of seven days of bidding, it was already at $15,000, this has got to tell you something, this is just the engine for the L88 Corvette, not the entire car, and it’s worth every penny of what they sell it for too, a Corvette can be a costly adventure, so be ready to spend your cash on that wonderful beautiful piece of American motoring history, it’s worth every last cent that you spend on it, there is nothing like the feeling of getting in your big block Corvette and firing it up for a drive, my friend owned a 1968 L88 Corvette, and I got to drive it, which I’ll never forget.

Now I will expound on a few things to check before you buy that classic Corvette, these will be some reasons to get a better price on the car.


Check the numbers.
Check the Body id tag, the engine casting number and engine RPO number, also be sure to check the title of the car and make sure that it matches what the number tell you, check name, address, phone number of past owner on the title.

Body work
A. Make sure that everything look square.

B. Check nose alignment, door gaps, hood gaps, check how the headlight open and close.

Wheel well height:

A. Check from right.

B. Check front left.

C. Check right rear.

D. Check left rear.

Body Surface:

A. Check for ripples in the body work.

B. Check for visible seems.

C. Sinking beneath the paint.

Paint Work:

A. Original Color.

B. Overspray.

C. Paint surface problems.

D. Color Match.

Check The Gaps:

A. Front Bumper.

B. Hood.

C. Doors.

D. T-Top / Deck lid.

E. Rear Bumper.


Steel Work
A. Undercoat.

B. Surface Rust.

C. Flaking Rust.

D. Patch Repairs.

E. Check windshield posts.


Under Hood & Engine
A. Condition of painted surfaces.

B. Condition of chrome.

Check for originality:

A. Exhaust.

B. Carburetor.

C. Intake Manifold.

D. Air Cleaner.

E. Check wiring harness.

F. Check the belts.

Check for maintenance:

A. Coolant Level.

B. Engine Oil.

C. Hydraulic Fluid.

D. Transmission Fluid.

E. Power Steering Fluid.


Check Engine For Condition
A. Engine exhaust smoke when revved.

B. Examine inside of oil filler cap, look for an off whit residue, it indicates water in the oil.

C. Examine coolant for oil in the water, indicates cracked heads or block.

D. Check radiator for leaks.


Check Engine For Leaks
A. Check the valve covers.

B. Check around the distributor.

C. Check the front and back of the intake manifold.

D. Check the oil pan for leaks.

E. Check just in front of the transmission for oil leaks, indicates a bad rear main seal.

These are a few things to check on a Corvette before you buy it.

NOW PRINT THIS OUT AND TAKE IT WITH YOU OK DUDE

Adam
Rover-V8 man

rover-v8

The Atheist wrote:

Having sold, and bought a couple of classics from abroad - pictures can be very deceiving. When I was selling my old Fiat Spider I had pics that made it look tip-top, when I knew it wasn't. I displayed the real pics as I didn't want to waste my own and other people's time. Are the pics recent, for a start?

You've nothing to lose by posting them up here! Nobody is going to gazump you - we don't even know where or how much the car is! Instead you might get some really useful advice when it comes to viewing or even bargaining.

great advice there post them pictures

ck99

The Atheist wrote:

You've nothing to lose by posting them up here! Nobody is going to gazump you - we don't even know where or how much the car is! Instead you might get some really useful advice when it comes to viewing or even bargaining.

LOL! WTF then, here are some pictures

rover-v8

ck99 wrote:

LOL! WTF then, here are some pictures

yeah looks pretty good but remember to print the sheet i posted

Rover V8 man

ck99

Cheers Rover, that was a great list. I'll certainly print it out and take it along.

Dades

ck99 wrote:

LOL! WTF then, here are some pictures

To my untrained eye that looks like a very nice car!
Just wondering - do the roof sections come out?

ck99

The Atheist wrote:

To my untrained eye that looks like a very nice car!

Yes, it really does look sweet :cool:

The Atheist wrote:

Just wondering - do the roof sections come out?

Yes, it has a Targa Roof. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targa_top)

ck99

Got some more info from seller...

1. The car has been off the road, in storage (part of a collection) since 1998. The seller has tidied it up and tended to various oil leaks, engine stuff etc due to the extended non-driving period. The "hardware" of the car, engine and gearbox, are running well.

2. "Not all of the electrical equipment is working perfectly".


I also got some more pictures. There seems to be a minor (?) crack at the nose, nothing that will cause me to loose sleep I think, but I have some concerns for some other damage that is visible -- some sort of gouge/gash in what looks like one of the wheel arches. As Superboy pointed out earlier, glassfibre can be a pain to fix. Anyone care to make a guestimate based on the photos? Or even suggest a patch up job that will keep me happy for a couple years until I become rich and famous.

It seems that the seller is very open and honest, and I am happy to see these further photographs before I go. I dont notice much rust in the underbody photos, but I'd like to hear some thoughts about that wheel-arch damage.

As you all might imagine, I kinda have my heart set on this car, and it would take a serious problem to put me off it. Does anyone think any of the above problems are serious enough to make me re-consider? (ps. I want you to say no!!!!):p

ck99

More pics...

gn3dr

I wouldn't worry too much about that glassfibre damage from what I can see. Main concern I would have with that is getting an exact match for the paint when respraying those areas. Colour could be a custom job.

Underneath looks OK as well. Plenty of underseal on there - just make sure to tap it all and to check for solid sounding metal underneath. Make sure to check the centre section of the chassis - don't know if these have outriggers or sills. That would be an area to check, also any part of the chassis that the wheels throw muck and water up on (i.e. arount wheelarches etc.) should be checked for rust.

Pub07

That is one badass looking car ck99. How much will it cost and what litre engine is it, I might look into getting one myself in a few months when my penalty points run down. PM me if you don't wanna say here.

ck99

Pub07 wrote:

That is one badass looking car ck99. How much will it cost and what litre engine is it, I might look into getting one myself in a few months when my penalty points run down. PM me if you don't wanna say here.

Its a 5.7 liter engine automatic transmission.

There will be *some* change from 15K (euro).....

rover-v8

ck99 wrote:

Its a 5.7 liter engine automatic transmission.

There will be *some* change from 15K (euro).....

ummm

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (1976) Its a 5.7 liter engine automatic transmission


http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=799206

happy motoring

ck99

Cheers Rover,

I actually saw that ad myself a few hours before you posted it. It does make a good read, and sounds like a lovely car. I'm not too sure bout the color, and I cant quite see if the interior is in as good a shape as the one which is the subject of this thread, but I think it is at least worth a look, for comparison sake. It is within my budgeted price-range, but the other one has side-pipes and this one doesnt... Sidepipes are high on my list of must-haves. Anyone got any idea how much it will cost to purchase and fit a set like the ones in the European car? I've read a tutorial somewhere on the web about doing it, and it didn't look too difficult (even though I'm no mechanic :rolleyes: )

Also, not that I would be doing it anytime soon or anything, what kinda price would a full respray of a car like this be?

CK

Kevin_Herron

The one on carzone looks like a cracking car. Totally original spec. I'd be having a look at it before I'd travel abroad.
Its a California car so little if any rust.
The colour is very period in my opinion!

MercMad

I think the lads pretty much covered everything especially that cut 'n paste post of Adam's

Anyway, the underseal looks thick and fresh and generally that can be a sign that someone wants to hide something. I would get real familiar with the chassis of these cars before making the trip and I would poke around with vigour, dont be afraid. Bring overalls and get right in there !

Dont forget a good welder can sort out practically anything, once its accessable !

I wouldn't be concerned about those damaged areas, crazing or spider cracks in the glassfibre would be a bigger problem , but having said that I believe you will struggle to find anyone who will be confident enough to state they could match the paint colour, and actually do it !

Paint would be my final concern here !

Moneywise it sounds ok, will there be any VAT or Duty on it ? Have you figured out the cost of transport ?

ck99

AFAIK, no VAT or duty, but I know that this depends on the previous owner having paid it at some stage (the car has been in the EU for at least 10 years, driving on German "red plates"), so not completly sure yet. Which documents or proof should I have to verify that no VAT or duty is payable? ie. what will the Motor Taxation Office / Customs look for as verification of exemption?

I have had many shipping quotes, all in the region of 1,000 euro. (well, none were above 1,000)

Kevin_Herron

I think you would be mad to overlook the brown car. In my opinion it looks twice the car, it looks totally standard. Original wheels, air cleaner, steering wheel, interior etc. No silly exhausts sticking out from the side...

qazz

Kevin_Herron wrote:

I think you would be mad to overlook the brown car. In my opinion it looks twice the car, it looks totally standard. Original wheels, air cleaner, steering wheel, interior etc. No silly exhausts sticking out from the side...

standard look isn't any good. It's an oldboy's stuff. You have to make it your way to be happy. Be different...

rover-v8

see another great find by my self:D

every body likes the car i suggested

Hifive

Go on Adam, buy it. You know you want an American Classic anyway...
If you do, we know we'll see it on Ebay a few days later

ck99

No doubt, it looks like a nice car. The problem as I see it is that the side-pipes (which I WANT!) are on the Euro-car and not on the brown one, but the damage (which I DON'T WANT!) is on the Euro-car and not (as far as we know) on the brown one. The Euro-car will have an associated shipping fee (at least) and the brown one will be "instant delivery".

As far as I can tell, the Euro-car + shipping will still work out cheaper than the brown one + cost of side-pipe installation. I suppose I could learn to like the brown color, I just never considered buying a brown car before.

The remaining difficulties for the Euro-car are:

1) Just how bad is that damage over the wheel arch (can I leave it for 3-4 years and fix/respray then when I can afford it); also, is there a minor patch job that can be done to satisfy me in the mean time.
2) Is there major rust problems underneath? How bad? How will I tell? The seller assures me that they will jack the car up overhead so I can get a good look underneath....
3) The seller has done some engine/gearbox work on the car. I have a concern that this might have affected the tune that the V-8 in a corvette plays. Part of my inspection trip will be listening to this music and making sure that I like it. The car needs to walk-the-walk AND talk-the-talk.
4) Are there any other surprises waiting for me when I go there? I doubt it, but I need to keep an open mind.

To be honest:
1) I want a car that looks as "bad-ass" to strangers as it does to me, and so far, the Euro-car has lived up to that. The brown car has had compliments for its originality and vintage: I am 26 with a shaved head: do the math :rolleyes: Part of looking bad-ass is sounding bad-ass, to turn the heads you know, so the side-pipes definitely score a point there....

2) I want a car that can be on the road now, at least as an "every-other-day" daily driver. I dont want to do any major reparation work for at least 3 or 4 years, this is where my concerns for the wheelarch damage and the rust come from.

3) The interior condition of the car needs to be impressive. I don't want crusty old seats, carpeting or dashboards that make people cringe when I take them for a spin (especially since there is no back seat, all my impressing will need to be done up front )

I am, however, a fair man, and I will give all comers their fair hearing.

3ps

it's a classic car, for fun, go with your heart.
as long as you set aside some funds to sort out any unforseen problems....

would you wear a brown suit?

MercMad

If you intend picking up a few chicks by telling them you have a 'vette parked outside then imagine their reaction when the see a brown one !!

Corvette's have a sexy image........................why GM made brown ones is beyond me................I suppose they were cool in the 70's but unless you are a 70's retro geek then I would pass on it !

rover-v8

Hifive wrote:

Go on Adam, buy it. You know you want an American Classic anyway...
If you do, we know we'll see it on Ebay a few days later

you know what my friend i just might go and have a look at it as it looks fabulous i love the old look and love the 70s look of the interior takes you back doesn't it. it is totally original i love love that in a classic car . Adam:rolleyes:

Kevin_Herron

Its all about matters of opinion- the brown car looks to be a better car, the other car in my opinion looks like a tarted up old Corvette, I think its a fantastic car that has been cheapened by the colour etc. And it certainly doesnt look to be in fantastic condition.

The chrome sidepipes are a personal thing, I think they look stupid, they look totally out of character.

The brown colour is 70's, its a 70's car, if you want a modern look just buy a modern car.
I get the impression from your last post that you want the car for image and not necessarily into the aesthetics of Corvettes, if this is the case, maybe the Euro car is for you.

I think the Corvettes are mean enough looking as it is without the bells and whistles attached.

ck99

Kevin_Herron wrote:

I get the impression from your last post that you want the car for image and not necessarily into the aesthetics of Corvettes, if this is the case, maybe the Euro car is for you.

Good point... I certainly am NOT in this to win trophys at shows or anything, BUT, the shape and lines of a Corvette really do it for me, compared to say, a Mustang, which I would definitely go for once I've satisfied my Corvette demons. Aesthetics to me is what looks good nowadays, since it is in the modern day that the car will be appreciated. Most average Joes on the street wouldn't be able to tell a Pontiac Firebird from a Mustang, or even a Vette for that matter. Thats why, to me, its more important to hear: "Wow, did you see that cool car?!?!" instead of "Wow! Did you see that matching numbers, factory spec, original paintjob 1974 Chevrolet Corvette C3 ??!?!?" I dont want a museum piece, I want an expensive toy

But like I said, it is a good point that needed raising, just so we all know where we stand.

MercMad wrote:

If you intend picking up a few chicks by telling them you have a 'vette parked outside then imagine their reaction when the see a brown one !!

LOL! Well, I don't really need to pick up chicks, I'm celebrating an anniversary today, 7 years of faithful servitude to my girlfriend, (did I hear someone say 7 year itch?) But, you know, it helps to have an insurance plan and a few backups ready....

MercMad

LOL! Well, I don't really need to pick up chicks, I'm celebrating an anniversary today, 7 years of faithful servitude to my girlfriend, (did I hear someone say 7 year itch?) But, you know, it helps to have an insurance plan and a few backups ready....

Good point !

Its all about matters of opinion- the brown car looks to be a better car, the other car in my opinion looks like a tarted up old Corvette, I think its a fantastic car that has been cheapened by the colour etc. And it certainly doesnt look to be in fantastic condition.

...........very true also !

Dades

ck99 wrote:

Thats why, to me, its more important to hear: "Wow, did you see that cool car?!?!" instead of "Wow! Did you see that matching numbers, factory spec, original paintjob 1974 Chevrolet Corvette C3 ??!?!?" I dont want a museum piece, I want an expensive toy

Touché! That's my school of buying!

Personally I wouldn't care for the brown, either, though I'm sure in real life it's cool enough to carry it off. And it is shiny and convenient... Tough decision!

hi5

Whats wrong with brown?lovely 70,s colour.It could be worse it could have been born in the 80's and painted beige:)

ck99

hi5 wrote:

Whats wrong with brown?lovely 70,s colour.

Nothing, per se, its just I never considered brown to be my color

hi5 wrote:

It could be worse it could have been born in the 80's and painted beige

Very true, and apart from that, I feel that the styling of the '80s vettes suffered a lot, but thats just my classic-n00b position....

ck99

Hi guys,

I went to take a look at the brown 'Vette from CarZone yesterday. The guy selling it is a nice guy and the car looks great. I mean, its true what Kevin_Herron said earlier, the car is cool enough by itself to pull off the brown paint, and in the flesh, it certainly looks "bad-ass". Mechanically, the engine sounds great (I'm not a mechanic...) and condition wise, most if not all of the car is original. There are quite a few paint "blemishes" but to be honest, you can completely overlook them, the car is that cool.

I'm jetting off this afternoon and will be viewing the Euro-car on Thursday. I am really excited because I was so surprised by how mean the brown car looked in person, ( and as you all know, it was pretty much FACT that I wouldn't like it!) and I certainly would consider it, if the Euro-car is a heap of turd (I doubt it).

In summary, if anyone out there reading this was interested in a Corvette, but was put off by the brown color: trust me, that car is always gonna look cool, regardless of color. All that remains now is to go see this other car and make a decision....

PS: The car is still running around on the California plates. The seller assured me that all the relevant fees, taxes, duties had been paid (except the ca. €50 V.R.T).

hi5

ck99 wrote:

PS: The car is still running around on the California plates. The seller assured me that all the relevant fees, taxes, duties had been paid (except the ca. €50 V.R.T).

Thats probably true as customs usually wont let the car out of the docks compound until the duty and vat are paid,but make sure to see the receipts before handing over cash!

dave2pvd

I have to say that the underneath of the Euro-Vette would make me very worried. It is slathered in newish looking underseal that has been poorly applied. A major red flag. It's difficult to say for sure, but it looks like the camera flash has illuminated some brown in a chassis rail recess.

Also, keep in mind that a car that has sat for almost 10 years may need a lot of rubber and plastic parts replaced. I notice that the front anti-sway bar (not anti-roll bar ) bushings have been replaced with poly. That's a good sign. The old ones were probably rotten.

Budget for replacing all fuel lines and brake lines. Perhaps the fuel tank too?

The side-outs are tacky. If you really need them, the brown car could be retro-ed for not too much coin. Corvette aftermarket 'dress up' parts are relatively cheap. Of course mechanic labour in Ireland is not...

I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but you don't sound like you know much about Corvettes, or cars in general. You certainly don't need the enormous hassles of a rusty car that has sat.

There are a lot of Corvettes out there. Be patient.

deegs

nice 85 corvette in buy and sell for £6500
http://www.buyandsell.ie/browse.php?quicksearch=corvette&textopt=all

ck99

deegs wrote:

nice 85 corvette in buy and sell for £6500
http://www.buyandsell.ie/browse.php?quicksearch=corvette&textopt=all

Yeah, but it is only an '85 so no favours from the tax-man on an engine that size :eek:

Anyhow, I would like to thank everyone who was involved in this discussion, both publicly and privately through e-Mail, for all of the constructive feedback, especially those of you who did not fully support my choices, your advice was the most beneficial since it really made me slow down and think things through even more.

I have, however, decided to go through with the purchase of the euro-car, which turned out to be even more stunning in the "flesh" than it looked in the photographs. I have managed to track down the previous owner, the guy who had it in a collection, and have made contact with him to see if I can get any more information on the cars history. So far, I have had nothing back from him, but there is always hoping....

At this stage, I am signing contracts, wiring cash, and organizing transportation (Thanks PaulK_CCI!).

I am looking forward to getting the car over here so I can get driving and possibly meet some of you guys at shows etc.

Thanks again for everything,

Ciaran

sandt

just stumbled across this thread while looking for threads on american cars

so 'ck99' how is the car going since youve had it? pros / cons?? more pics?

kinda half looking for somthing similar myself!

ck99

Hey sandt,

The car is going great, the problem I have now is that it has some difficulty stopping :rolleyes:

The guys in Germany told me that there were some faults with the brakes, that they pulled to one side etc, and that they did not have the parts to fix them. I drove it around quite a bit when I got it back to Dublin, and for sure, the brakes pulled to one side for a while during the first hour or so of each drive, but then settled nicely. Then, the brakes failed one evening in December, while I was driving through heavy traffic dropping my girlfriend to her work xmas do on the quays. I got home safely though, since I had *very* minimal braking ability, rather than ZERO braking ability, luckily.

I am in the process of rebuilding the 4 disc brake calipers with new O-Ring seals, pistons etc, and am replacing one of the calipers completely. This should fix my immediate braking problems and also fix the pulling to one side. I expect that the brakes will operate like new, hopefully.

So, at this stage, the car has been off the road longer than I had it on the road, which is really making me realise that I took it for granted when I got it first. I am really enjoying working on the car, and at the beginning, I fixed various electrical faults etc. Everything is so basic, just nuts and bolts, and I bought Haynes manuals and Chevrolet 'shop' manuals which are very helpful. There is also a really huge Internet presence for Corvette owners, for Corvettes of all ages, so there is plenty of help in that respect.

As for pros and cons, I'll give you some examples.
Pro: Its a chick magnet.
Con: Rather than chicks stopping you to admire the car, you just get a stream of blokes of all ages telling you how much of a chick magnet it is.....

Pro: The roar of the V8 and the side-pipes, especially when you get it on the motorway at overtaking speeds is really amazing. It feels like you are in a small airplane.
Con: While I expected fuel costs to be fairly hefty, I dont think anything can fully prepare you for the sight of the fuel needle constantly moving towards zero.

Parts are readily available from the states, with shipping being the number one concern. I dont have a garage, or a car lift, so its a bit of a pain planning repair work around the weather and dark evenings etc, but things are looking up in that department. In the flesh, the car was even better than the pictures, and while I did figure out who the previous owner was (I bought it from a small Mercedes shop in the south of Germany), I still have had no contact from him.

All in all, I am really glad I bought it, and am enjoying doing the work on it, especially since I know that I'll have it back on the road soon and the brakes will be better than ever (which is nice, there are also no seatbelts....) and for a car that barely breaks a sweat to reach 120 km/h, brakes are a nice comfort