79 corvette

[Dennyboy]

So my dad wanted a hot rod. I helped him pick out a 79 corvette last year. She wasn't to expensive so shes a good project haha. The guy we bought it from had a new interior put in it last year and a couple years ago it was repainted. That was all he knew about the car. while i was looking at the car i found the engine codes and figured out the motor is for a 74 chevy truck and the car was originally blue. it doesn't mean anything to my dad but was a good way to work the price down. The PO tried to do work himself but didn't do it very well. The interior is professional but that is all that is correct about it. The brakes squeak bad the motor leaks alot and there is brush on paint all over the motor...... the wiring is canbalized and it goes on.

I got it running for him last year so he could drive it a couple times before it snowed. Now that the snow is gone I will start start the work.

To do list:
freshening up heads and top end
new cam
new distributor
new carb
stripping old engine paint
fix rear main leak
fix rear end leak
redo front and rear brakes
check rest of the suspension

I put an intake on it last year because the old one was cracked. Here she is



picture with the cutlass


engine is ugly so no pictures of that. i will update as i work on it in the weekends to come!!

 

[Dennyboy]

so an update. I got the car on stands and started ripping the motor apart tonight. I am going to do a cam swap with new push rods and rockers and lifters. double roller chain and a new dizzy. To be honest I am like 8 bolts away from pulling the motor out..... so i might just do that and make it easier to clean and paint the engine bay.

heres how she started at 7PM


here I am about an hour later



Don't know why people think corvettes are hard to work on.

 

[DRIVEN]

To be honest I am like 8 bolts away from pulling the motor out..... so i might just do that and make it easier to clean and paint the engine bay.

Sounds like a good plan.

 

[Dennyboy]

Motors out dont mind my messy garage.

motor doesn't look to bad other than being really oily from the old cracked intake. I forgot how fun it was to do this stuff. im taken the motor out of the cutlass after this is done haha!

 

[DRIVEN]

I've always enjoyed detailing engines too. Gives you more final gratification than just about any other task, short of a full paint job. Are you planning to go back closer to factory stock or something different?

 

[Dennyboy]

well I do this everyday, but working on hot rods is so much more fun then a POS honda or something. It will be mostly stock still with little better throttle response and a little more power. perfect crusier for my mom and dad.

 

[Dennyboy]

started getting the motor apart. motor hasn't had many miles put on since it was rebuilt clearances are all really! good. just gunna do new gaskets and rings and get the heads cut 10 thousands and throw her together with some other goodys!!



Dirty!!

 

[Blake442]

Don't know why people think corvettes are hard to work on.

If you put A/C back on it you'll see. It's all tucked into the passenger fender, and it's not fun.
That little engine compartment fills up fast...
I've worked on a lot of disco vettes, I can live without them lol...

 

[Dennyboy]

luckily it didn't come from the factory with A/C or atleast I can't see it on the build sheet. but here is an update on the motor. I have it cleaned, honed, ringed and painted. I have the new cam in and as you can see a timing cover. I'm still waiting on the new ballancer and then hopefully ill have time to finish the motor up and starting striping the engine bay.

 

[DRIVEN]

Making good progress.