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1971 Corvette Hot Rod Build
My NCRS Top Flight '71 Corvette has been in my hands for a week. I've had a chance to go over it and figure out what I'm doing. It became crystal clear the car has to come apart. Not only were the fasteners loose on the rear camber adjusters, the left hand exhaust is falling off loose, some of the bumper bolts are loose (ditto with a number of other parts -- some critical), the shocks (original) are soft, the steering box weeps at the pitman seal and car wet itself..:) ....the rear main seal leaks. This explains the wonky clutch. In the end I found roughly 3 dozen things that need attention and I haven't had the car up in the air long enough to have a really close look.
With that in mind, I've decided to blow the thing apart and check everything. And while I'm at it, the plan is to build it into a mild, stock appearing hot rod. Given that plan, I'll have a pretty good chunk of original parts for sale down the road. That includes an engine, two sets of wheels and tires (one set 1971 correct with almost new 54 year old tires), interior parts, exhaust parts and so on. If you have a "want list", keep me in mind! Here we go.... https://i.imgur.com/N3zSQGHh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/L4LGbVOh.jpg |
So how big it going to get????????
Brezinski always had a nice "stock" appearing cylinder head package |
Cool!!
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The plan is to clone my old LS6 car from way back when...:) |
Little addenda:
I hold absolutely zero animosity toward the original restorer. The cosmetics on the car are outstanding. He did the very best he could with his abilities, his tools, his knowledge and his shop equipment. He knew there were mechanical issues with the car and pretty much told me that. I just didn't know what they were and perhaps he didn't either. It's all part of the hobby. And I love spinning wrenches. W |
I'm going to be following this too, yay!
Anthony |
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Awesome! :drool: |
Subscribed!!
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Bold Plan!!
Going with a "Day Two" look underhood or stealthy stock look? |
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I have a few not great Instamatic pix from back then. I'll dig them up. W |
Here are three not so great Instamatic pix I found in an old album. Things to note: You can't see it, but it had a Lakewood scattershield behind the big block. The clutch was a dual disc (stock) setup. You can see the M/T valve covers. And if you look closely it had a trailer hitch! That won't be going back on. It also had an aftermarket eight track tape player with headphones (you could hardly hear it through the speakers over the sound of the big block). That won't be going back on either...L-O-L. I had planned on switching it over to an L88 hood and an open plenum L88 intake manifold. I sold the car before that happened. But I think the new incarnation will have those induction parts.
Basically, this is the blueprint. And by the way, my heart still goes pitter-patter when I see these old photos (for more reasons than one). :) https://i.imgur.com/ob49Vfvh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/0GT9Bcmh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vLmq0avh.jpg |
Moving right along...
Hour and a half spent on the little red Corvette this afternoon. Everything is unhooked topside. Need to get the starter wires and exhaust manifolds unhooked and then drain the fluids. At that point I can get to work yarding out the Muncie. In case some are wondering… roughly 1/2 the fasteners were loose (even the tach drive cable...yikes). Somewhere along the line someone took the distributor apart and didn’t install any shims (don’t need them…right? :)). Has about 1/4 inch of end play. When I started it before it idled pretty well but today when I winged the throttle it was breaking up right away. 😉....Hmmm.. Also, ordered a new crank and rods from Molnar today (Tom is a great guy and he's forgotten more about cranks and connecting rods than many in the business know). I already have a set of Mahle 4.500-inch bore pistons. Since I don't want to mix gas, this engine will be a little bigger than the LS6 converted to an LS7 I had in the blue Corvette. This one will be a pump gas friendly 509. It should amount to the same thing in terms of power. Having fun... https://i.imgur.com/LXHdTvWh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/gO05so2h.jpg https://i.imgur.com/z9DMlKhh.jpg |
Way cool! Big block coming soon :)
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Giddy Up, Giddy Up 509? L-O-L
W |
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Awesome everything, looking forward updates as you go through it. Car itself has had quite the life so far but is lucky also looks happy to have landed in your hands. :beers: ~ Pete . |
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W |
Since you are already going non original engine and a 509 BB to boot, Day 2 under the hood should be mandatory...:laugh:
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I meant like your Blue one, headers, valve covers, open cleaner. I did have a Mallory unilight electronic conversion on my '70 Chevelle in the mid seventies with their coil on the firewall, but that was it.
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We’re on the same page Mitch! Thank you. W
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Can't wait to see how this comes out as I'm a huge C3 fan as well as Day 2. It's gonna be awesome when it's done, I can tell. Thanks for sharing.
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I haven't posted about my Corvette build for a number of reasons, but suffice to say, I'm back...
A couple of things have changed. My diagnosis of a bad main seal was all wrong. The problem was, the oil pressure gauge line wasn't tightened (at all) at the back of the block. The clutch was wonky because the fork alignment on the release bearing was wrong. I'll dig deeper in the issues the car had down the road. There were a lot of them. Another change was my idea of using Team 3 ET Wheels. They do not make a 15 X 8 wheel to fit over the Corvette caliper. So the car now has Torque Thrusts on it. Preview (no engine, no trans, no interior): https://i.imgur.com/99vErs5h.jpg With that out of the way, here goes: I forgot how much fun it is to extract a Muncie out of a C2 or C3 Corvette . I think the tunnel is bigger in a C3 like mine when compared to a C2, but it’s still a struggle. Reason: The transmission crossmember is not removable. So the driveshaft, exhaust, shifter, back drive cable, speedo cable, trans mount, etc. has to come out first. Then with a hydraulic jack under the engine oil pan, the trans can be unbolted, slid backward and rolled over as much as possible (side cover rotated upward). At that point the hydraulic jack can be lowered a bit and it’s possible (by holding your tongue just right) to barely sneak out the gearbox. Shifter bolts (big pain in the ass to access) were super tight…but the trans to bellhousing bolts were finger tight. Restored car…Figures! BTW: I'll show you my removable crossmember mod down the road. https://i.imgur.com/TPtpV4lh.jpg |
EZ does it. The engine came out from the side because my cherry picker doesn't have sufficient reach. There was no damage aside from the fact I broke a spark plug while removing the temp sensor in the cylinder head. FYI, Charles Atlas installed one flywheel bolt. The rest were finger tight (!). I dragged out my longest 1/2 inch breaker bar to remove the balancer bolt and almost tripped over because the bolt was ....you guessed it. Finger Tight! 😅Removing things like the spark plug shielding and exhaust manifolds was, uh, interesting. It proved to be the "standard" mix of flat washers in the wrong spot...loose fasteners...etc.😁. The Rad support and rad are next. Then I can go to the back of the car and remove the rear end. It's getting love...:)
https://i.imgur.com/G5bDfLDh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/4V53fdqh.jpg |
When working on the engine on the Corvette, I noticed the French locks weren’t folded over (as they should be) on the exhaust manifolds. Hmmm. Red flag…And this was in addition to many of the other issues I discovered even earlier.
https://i.imgur.com/A4kysr9h.jpg With that in mind, I decided to remove the back shock absorbers. I started on the passenger side. Thinking I wouldn’t drive my shop buddy Teddy nuts with the shop air compressor, I decided to use a breaker bar and a ratchet to remove the back wheels. Ooops. Lug nuts were just over finger tight. Didn’t need the breaker bar, let alone an impact gun. The lug nuts hardly moved this beam torque wrench.... https://i.imgur.com/MTkfLUeh.jpg Investigating further, the lower shock mount nuts were loose. On the driver side, take a close at the top (both sides), the sequence of hardware is wrong (lock washer on the bolt instead of the nut). This means there is nothing to actually keep the nut in place. In fact, there was no nut on the driver side. https://i.imgur.com/I0kfayEh.jpg Moving up a wee bit, I noticed the cotter key for the castle nut for the (extremely important) trailing arm bolt wasn’t bent over. It can easily vibrate out. And on the driver’s side, there was no cotter key. Okey-Dokey! https://i.imgur.com/iGX6Gjrh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/rVQfBXoh.jpg Since I was close, I checked the (also extremely important) French locks on the rear stub axles. They weren’t engaged either (you must tap the tab over the properly torqued fastener). There’s nothing to stop the stub axle fasteners from falling out. https://i.imgur.com/jk80oKFh.jpg And since I was in close proximity to one of the body-to-frame mount bolts, I decided to check the torque. I have a number of torque wrenches, and this is the right task for a good old fashioned beam job. Chevy specifications for these bolts call for 45 foot pounds of torque. The bolt I checked barely cracked 15 foot pounds. Oops again.�� The bottom line is, my Corvette sure is pretty and sure is beautifully detailed. Check it out: https://i.imgur.com/IHROjmch.jpg I absolutely love the car. But it's a beautiful train wreck. As a result, I’ll have to verify and fix pretty much everything on the car, from engine, transmission, rear end, suspension, steering, brakes, fuel system, cooling system, electrical system (I’ve found black electrical tape “fixes” here and there!!!) and so on. Essentially, a complete re-rebuild. |
I removed the small block rad and small block rad support.
https://i.imgur.com/teSLJQfh.jpg Cleaned up the engine bay a bit and I’m finding more “restorer” stuff . I don’t think this is supposed to be loose and flopping around in the nose ...L-O-L https://i.imgur.com/rHOpZJlh.jpg It was another interesting day doing Corvette stuff (here I'm working on the rear end). I have everything out except for the centre section. Got tired and so did Supervisor Teddy. He regularly crawls underneath to inspect my progress. https://i.imgur.com/3spCOgJh.jpg The next photo (alongside my sled) is stuff I don’t need from the car (aside from maybe the Muncie) https://i.imgur.com/NZiEhPOh.jpg ...and the last photo is stuff I’m keeping, aside from the drive shaft and half shafts. Quite a difference https://i.imgur.com/epWedvQh.jpg \ Having fun I’ll have the centre section out next... |
Mission Accomplished! The rear centre section is out, and drained.
https://i.imgur.com/tx3nKBth.jpg https://i.imgur.com/myoSkngh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/1ByWQOph.jpg I sent it off for machining and other custom modifications. Basically, it's a mix of stock Corvette 10 bolt parts and Chevy 12 bolt parts, new 30 spline stub axles, a 3.70:1 gear set and a 1350 pinion yoke. While it's vacationing at Van Steel in Florida , I can begin the process of fixing things. Like what? For example, the rear "Corvette" emblem threads are stripped (of course) and the fuel gauge doesn't work. Most of the body mount bolts are finger tight (Yikes!). Since everything is out, it gives me access to the sending unit (and the back of the emblems). While I'm at it, I'll spend some quality time under the back of the car with a Chevy Service Manual and a torque wrench or two.�� https://i.imgur.com/jiiJ0frh.jpg I have to admit it's really nice underneath....and I'm inching forward! |
Glad to see you back on it Wayne!
FWIW, the shock bolt lock washers are configured as you found them from the factory. Not much room on the back side of the shock mount. |
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Grizzled old car builder tip ...L-O-L: If you bugger up the threads on emblem studs, gluing them on with dum-dum doesn’t work :). I replaced all of the back emblem letters and while I was at it tightened every bumper, valence and trim piece fastener at the back of the car. 90% were loose.
https://i.imgur.com/YZAFTmzh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/m7GV6qGh.jpg In the last photo I’m test fitting my 15X8 Torque Thrusts. They clear the calliper! But you already knew that... :) https://i.imgur.com/alzATN6h.jpg |
Previous owner mentioned something about replacing the fuel sender....It turns out he said it was replaced, but I had a look myself:
https://i.imgur.com/FH8r9JMh.jpg Oops...While it's possible to get a replacement sock, I just swapped the whole assembly out: https://i.imgur.com/cwE0Aamh.jpg Meanwhile, the fresh rear end showed up from Van Steel...note the flange stub axles: https://i.imgur.com/sDk7tqsh.jpg It's just about ready to go back in the car: https://i.imgur.com/0XvVjw8h.jpg |
A wee backstory: The previous owner obviously boogered something up and stripped one of the two crossmember bolt threads in the frame (next pic)
https://i.imgur.com/1O9zvN1h.jpg The passenger side was metric - I guess 12 mm is one size up from 7/16-inch thread was the rationale. It's a blind thread so I couldn't access it from the back. I thought about it and decided to use a crossmember reinforcement kit from Van Steel. They replace the bolts with a common stud. For the metric side in my car, I had a local shop make up stud that was 12 mm coarse on one end and 7/16-inch fine on the other. Meanwhile the parts from Van Steel are 7/16-inch coarse and 7/16-inch fine (next pic). https://i.imgur.com/5JAhOxah.jpg Worked out great. The finished crossmember reinforcement is shown here: https://i.imgur.com/FbBPcSzh.jpg Van Steel makes nice parts. Along with the rear end centre section, I opted for their adjustable camber strut rod setup. You can see the mount bracket installed on the rear in the next photo. https://i.imgur.com/BKuXLzWh.jpg And yes...I used a torque wrench on everything...:) Next up: Getting the half-shafts assembled on to the flanges, install a Van Steel composite spring, add Bilstein shocks and drop the thing down to Mother Earth. |
My old pal Mark Williams built me a new set of chrome moly 1/2-shafts (as usual for M-W components, they're awesome!).
https://i.imgur.com/BiIH0Zuh.jpg I added the adjustable camber rod setup from Van Steel, a Van Steel composite leaf spring and Bilstein rear shocks. It all went together smoothly (usually does with good parts). I still have to torque the centre spring bolts (must be done with the car on the ground) and install an OEM type rear sway bar (low HP small block cars don't have one). https://i.imgur.com/S61FENJh.jpg BTW...the car sits a little high on the back end but there's no gas in the tank, no wiring harness, no spare tire or carrier and a completely empty interior. I expect it will drop down at the back and obviously a bunch more in the front with an engine and transmission installed. I can't accurately set the camber until it's at ride height and ready to drive weight. In addition, one of the techs at Van Steel suggested I ditch the French locks on the half shafts and use lock washers and Loctite.... https://i.imgur.com/3OSZqN3h.jpg Small (accomplishment) happy dance... |
I bolted in the rear big block stabilizer bar in my Corvette. No drama. While I was at it, I decided to check the fit of the wheel and tire combination at the nose. Yippee! It fits. I can step up and buy two more "mud & snow" Radial T/A's! Actually, I eventually went with one size smaller in the front (P225-70R15 while the rears are P235-70R15’s).
https://i.imgur.com/gSSfsulh.jpg Next I worked my way up to the front end: Back up in the air and a job I don't usually like that much (changing coil springs). I have a good spring compressor but a long time ago (when I last lived in the city), I had a shaky borrowed compressor let go as I was compressing a spring. I launched it out the open garage door. It took its first bounce in the middle of the street. Eeek. Anyway, I’m still gun shy. https://i.imgur.com/ScifaPlh.jpg None-the-less this is the stuff that's going in. I'll fire up my shop compressor and dig out my big boy tools too (air ratchet, 1/2-inch air impact, etc.). And I kept my head down... I survived Removing & Replacing the front springs on my Corvette. But I also tie a ratchet strap from the spring to the opposite a-arm as a secondary safety check. In the attached pix, you can see the OE small block spring (long one) versus the big block high performance handling package spring. Since the 550 pound spring is so short, the install was a breeze. \ https://i.imgur.com/1mdOBFIh.jpg But wait! During disassembly, I had to knock out the tie rod ends. The nuts were loose and I didn't even have to use a ball joint separator or a pickle fork. Both tie rod ends fell out of the spindle. I struggled to get the cotter keys out of the tie rod ends. Now I know why (loose nuts....geez that sounds a little racy.. ). https://i.imgur.com/7gpwyTXh.jpg But then on the passenger side when the time came to knock out the upper ball joint, it came out by hand (no tools). Reason was, the same process the builder used on the tie rod ends: No correct tightening, and no proper lining up of the cotter key. I'm not finished yet... There's more: Builder didn't even bother with cotter keys on the the upper and lower ball joints on the driver side. And...Loose nuts again. And once again, no tools necessary to split the ball joint. Oops. https://i.imgur.com/4qRTK7oh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/lnAw5mlh.jpg I forgot to mention the brake caliper mount bolts (including the anchor bolts) were finger tight on both sides....More to come...W |
https://i.imgur.com/uQJoSoah.jpg
I finished the front end of the Corvette. Basically, it includes a large diameter front sway bar, the 550 pound springs I showed earlier and Bilstein shocks. It all went together well (aside from 90% of the fasteners being incredibly loose), but I also discovered the front end was never greased. None. Nada. Nothing! . I resolved that and by the way, I use John Deere severe duty Polyurea grease, thanks to my old drag racing buddy and big time farmer Grant M. Don't laugh...this is serious high performance grease that's very happy in an automotive environment. https://i.imgur.com/HexBt7th.jpg https://i.imgur.com/5LscgMmh.jpg With that out of the way, I just about ran out of parts. Plus I needed a change. As result I decided to work on the paint. The paint is pretty nice on the car but I dug into it with Meguiars fine polish and my go-to shiny maker for lacquer, which is Meguiars Number 7. As you can see in the pix, it works great. I have other Meguiars product, but I don't need it here (although I might use yellow wax on it when it's done). Besides some of it is for use with an electric buffer and I'm doing this all by hand. You can see how much red is coming out on the microfibre towels. FYI, I have a big variable speed Makita buffer, but I'm really (Really!) hesitant to use it because I don't know how thick the paint is on the car. I don't have a thickness meter and I'm not sure if they work on fiberglass. https://i.imgur.com/bp233vXh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/5iGvBGzh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/KO3yxAMh.jpg |
Looking great Wayne!!
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Next up, I went to work on the headlamp vacuum manifold system. Previous owner installed the vacuum manifolds with self tapping sheetmetal screws instead of 10-24 machine screws (if you look back, one manifold had fallen off and was held on by the vacuum hoses). Aside from not being right, it could have been a quick way to ruin fiberglass because the pointy end of the screw(s) was right up against the backside of the body. I tried running a tap through the holes in the mount plate, but the tap just rattled around. My fix was to enlarge the mount plate holes slightly and use stainless button head (Phillips or "cross head") AN screws with AN flat washers and nylock nuts to hold the manifolds in place. The button head side faces the fibreglass.
https://i.imgur.com/dcneOnzh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/mbDIBDsh.jpg In addition, I installed a new driver's side fresh air vent (mine was beat to crap and was missing the seal) along with adding a couple of 4X6 Kenwood speakers to the dash. I covered the speaker wires in GM harness wrap. The plan is to use an aftermarket radio conversion. I just want to listen to good old-fashioned Rock & Roll ....at least when parked. And yes...I have a new hood release handle to install. https://i.imgur.com/n26muMkh.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vGjRyewh.jpg |
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