r/C3Corvette

I am looking at buying a car from an older lady she is asking 13K for the vehicle.
It has been sitting for a while it has 65,000 miles.
(she stopped driving it in the 90s only to car meets after that)

Upon driving the vehicle, I noticed the coolant reservoir was completely empty, and the water pump pulley is about to fall off (squeaking and vibrating bad)and leaking. Also, upon breaking, I found the pedal to be very spongy, and it pulls to the right when braking. When in the garage where she had it on carpet, there was both coolant and oil on the floor (looked like oil pan leaking aswell). And A/C does not work.

I understand that after sitting a while the seals give out, but do you think this will be a money pit and I should pass or is it okay for the price?

I also understand the reputation behind the “Cease-Fire Injection” and the issue that may come with that in the future.

What should I offer ?

That's my dad's C3 '76 that I'm purchasing back from one of his friend who purchased it from my dad in 1989 and keep it since then. He's willing to seal it back to me :) It will be my gift to my dad for his 80 years birthday.

C3 has not moved in 10 years.

What should I offer ?
and it what range should I budget the money to invest to make it pass the inspection to get her back on the road (new tires, breaks, etc.. it's there no major issue)

Thanks you guys 🥹

I see the red one regularly at the restaurant. I'm glad I finally had one to park next to it.

Now let’s have it all you haters. Over here on the left I want all you purist haters to get in line and tell me that a great “factory” wheel is the wholesome thing to do! Everyone else come over here on the right and let’s talk about who can now find me a set of Cragars for my boat dammit! I’m not going to be able to sleep now.

Looking for opinions on my birdcage. I posted a week or so ago about sinking a bunch of money into my vette. I was hesitant because I bought the car under the notion it must have a bad birdcage because the floor panels were rusted out and the section under the kick panels had surface rust.

Well, I finally just pulled the trim expecting the worst. All I found was some very correctable surface rust. The frame underneath the car is solid and for a 50 year old car with 115k, I am pleasantly surprised!. I haven’t yet pulled the corner windshield trim (the pieces that the t top mounts into because I don’t want to chance breaking my windshield) but I can see under them and it’s more of the same. Just some surface discoloration.

Wondering if I have rose colored glasses right now or if I’m not wrong in thinking this isn’t half bad and I’m good to sink some cash into my drive train.

Installed a 2101 performer intake and it does not have a hole for a temp sending unit like the factory one did, idk what to do here. The temp sending unit used to be where the yellow circle is on the old intake

I have rebuilt pretty much all of the steering related suspension and replaced the entire power steering system including the ram. It didn’t remove any slop. Pretty much all the movement in the vid is slop without actually turning the tires at all. I thought it was the rag joint but it honestly doesn’t seem to be moving at all. Is the steering box rlly that bad?

There is nothing quite like the sound of two separate banks off the engine having their own stereo sound.

I purchased this 1981 for $6000 last year. It has been absolutely awesome. I think it looks amazing. I have had a multitude of issues many already addressed and I want to make sure I don’t hit the point of no return with what I sink into this car. I bought this car so I can learn how to do some engine work and I am very well equipped with tools and very handy (I’ve rebuilt many marine engines and outboards and do all maintenance on my vehicles). This is a 4 speed car.

So far I have spent and redone:

Seat cushions and covers ($900)
Parking brake pads and cables ($200)
KYB Shocks all around ($200)
Brakes and solid rotors ($400)
Tires ($900)
Starter ($200)

My current cost of ownership is: $8800.

Here are my issues. My floor boards are rusted out, I need to tear those out and replace at a point. And I have lowish compression on cylinder 4. I ran a wet compression test with no improvement and I have a leak at the heads as well as the china wall at the manifold. I want to rebuild the top end and pop a cam in this thing. The lower has 115k on it, and I have to go pretty mild with my setup.

I have an upgraded Dewitt’s aluminum radiator with 2 inch hoses and a Holley street avenger on it now. So I’m thinking an edelbrock e-street top end kit.

Total cost of the refresh will be around $3000. Including top end kit, purchase of rockers and push rods plus a few hundred dollars of buffer.

I also need a throw out bearing and while I’m in there might as well do a rear main seal and clutch. I’ll obviously buy side pipes and headers (Doug’s) at another $1300.

I’m going to assume as things go wrong I’ll be another $5500into this car in no time.

At 14,200 I’ll be into this car more than it’ll be worth I think, but I will really enjoy the work and learn a ton. Should I pursue this further or just run it as it is. Help a brother out with his poor decision making.