So .... you wanna buy an inexpensive Vette.
PREMISE
You know something about cars, but never got to "play" with vettes. You have minimal bucks and are NOT looking for an investment (although you don't want to lose money on the deal). Mid seventies vettes seem to be in your price range ($4-10K). What do you look for? What's a desirable car?
SOLUTION
Mid seventies vettes are not "desirable" cars, they are kind of a lost generation. No models in this era are viewed as desirable collectable cars (except maybe the 75 convertible, or the 74 454), but you don't want a museum piece, you want a cool looking car that goes like stink.
Here is my advice......
RUST
Surprise, surprise, vettes RUST!!
The clue is the front radiator support. This piece will rust out along the bottom. Fortunately this piece can be UNBOLTED. Its replacement isn't cheap, but they are available.
Another strange place for Vettes to rust is around the front window frame. Check REAL close to see if silicon seal has been used to cover this up. It is most apparent at the top of the window. I have seen new replacement window frames available for over $1K for all the pieces. This is NOT a bolt in operation, we are talking cutting, welding, big mess!
The "main" frames typically rust over the hump in the frame for the rear wheels. Replacement sections are available, but you gotta pull the body OFF the frame (ie the term FRAME OFF restoration). BIG mess here!!
BRAKES
Vette brakes for these years are all 4 wheel disks, the rear have little drums for the parking brakes. If you take your car in for a "brake job" you could EASILY pay over $1K. If you can do brakes on another car, you can do vette brakes. There are some different tools you will need and BUY THE SHOP MANUALS, BUY THE ASSEMBLY MANUALS and maybe a HAYNES or CHILTONS. The calipers have 4 pistons that have to be retracted when you try and re-install them on the rotor, hence you need a special tool that holds the 4 pistons in place. This special tool is basically a piece of sheet metal bent to slip over the caliper and hold the pistons. After market parts are cheaper and better, see rule #1.
Rule #1:
Replace all brake components with as much stainless parts as possible.
Vette brake systems seem to have problems with moisture and bleeding. When the brakes work, they work great, but they can be a pain fixing them.
The most common mistake is to forget that each caliper has TWO bleed screws (remember each caliper has 4 pistons)! This can cause a "spongy" brake pedal. You will now be buying brake fluid by the gallon! (or 4 liters for those of us using that other funny system of measure.)
In 1976 power brakes were an option, but every car was equipped that way. Prior to 76 you MAY find a vette with non-power brakes. 73 and 74 offered an off road suspension and brake package (very rare!), which I don't have any details on.
FRONT END PARTS
Front end parts (aftermarket) are real cheap! However if you have steering problems with the control valve /power cylinder this could get pricey. Vettes use conventional ball joints and idler arms, but have this weird power cylinder arrangement that isn't used on any other chev equipment.
NOTE: Vettes go where they are pointed with minimal steering wheel rotation ie the term "quick steering". If you have never driven a car with quick steering do not experience this doing 60mph into a corner. You will roll the car, allowing you to inspect the transmission for leaks without bending over!
Power steering was not standard equipment until 77. You may find one without power steering, which would be a major downer unless your into body building. Kits are available (see Vette Brakes and Products) to add power steering, or you could round up the pieces yourself. In either case it will also take a weekend of heavy muscle flexing installing all the pieces.
ABNORMAL EXPENSES
The following are things that are common problems.
You will find that the parking brake console is busted, because people lean on them too hard. The fiberglass pieces on the back of the seats tend to get broken, I'm not sure why. These fiberglass pieces are not always available in the colour of the interior. They must be painted or dyed to match.
In the rear end you have a positraction rear end (all vettes from 69 on have posi.) That means that the clutch packs will need replacing at some time. Don't forget the posi additives for the rear end fluid!
The drive train uses 6 universal joints! Not expensive (approx. $10-$20 each), just a lot of em. This is the usual cause of rear end clunking type noises.
Rear trailing arms/spindles are expensive and a real bear to remove. These drive train expenses are due to the independent rear suspension, ie one of the reasons you should be interested in buying this car.
Look at the clearance in the rear wheel wells. You will get to know how much is "normal", too little clearance probably means the rear spring is shot. Lots of aftermarket replacements of various strengths.
From the rear of the car, check the rear wheels for the "knock kneed" look. This could point to other rear geometry problems. I've heard that to properly do a rear alignment requires extreme patience. A quick way around this is to heat up some of the alignment pieces and bend them! Needless to say you now know that you don't drop off your car for an alignment. You stay and watch!
Check the rad for signs of leaks or loose cooling fins. Vette rads are a bit more expensive than rads for other cars. The air flow through the rad is not as good as other cars due to its steep rake. This means it has to dissipate much more heat than a conventional rad, making their design more expensive.
HEADLIGHTS
All of these vettes have vacuum operated headlights. There is a big reservoir running across the front of the car that stores vacuum to rise and lower the headlights, even if the car is off. NOTE: first thing you do is to rise and lower the headlights before starting the car. The control to do this may be difficult to find (some owners don't even know where it is). This will verify that you don't have a vacuum leak. All of these vacuum lines are colour coded to help you figure things out.
This assembly is major bucks and has about 5 miles of vacuum hose. Its usually damaged in a minor front end collision.
I imagine (I've never actually seen this) but a engine with a "hot" cam might not pop up the headlights too well. I goofed wiring up the vacuum lines and had all sorts of weird problem. (Imagine accelerating hard from a standing start, having the rear "squat", the front end "rise", and the headlights pop up! IT TOOK ME 2 YEARS TO FIND THIS GOOF! I got the vacuum hoses on a 3 way check value mixed up.)
KEYS
What's the big deal with the keys? Well you have LOTS of locks, and you want to make sure you have all the keys! You have a key for the alarm system ( on the drivers front fender), ignition, door locks, rear storage compartments, AND THE SPARE TIRE.
WHATS ALL THIS MATCHING NUMBERS CRAP?
Its nice to have, but the car you are looking at will never really be desirable collector car. You can quickly check the block by looking at the front of the block for a small "pad". A serial number will be there, it should match the number in the VIN (vehicle identification number). The transmission will have a similar number. I won't get into this any further, I'll leave it up to you to decide if its important to you.
HOWEVER, if you are going to start "hacking" at least SAVE THE PIECES!!! Similarly, if you buy a vette with a super duper stereo, at least ask for the FACTORY AM/FM 8 track. (some of these vettes even had CB units from the factory.) This may be important to someone in the future.
ENGINES
After the demise of the big block in 74. There was the only the L48 "wimp motor" and the L82. (I think California got stuck with a 305 for a year or two.Bzzt wrong! That was only in 1980.) I don't think there is that much difference between them (meaning I wouldn't reject a car based only on it being an L48). How do you tell which one you got? The plate on the console can be bought as can the L82 letters that appeared on some of the hoods.
These engines respond well to headers and aluminum intakes, again KEEP THE ORIGINAL PARTS. Can you imagine paying $600 for a set of crappy big block exhaust manifolds? That's the kind of abuse people are paying to restore mid sixties big blocks.
In '75 they introduced catalytic converters and went to a single exhaust system. You will be pleased to know the frame didn't change and you can install dual exhausts on these cars with no problems.
In '75 they introduced HEI (high energy ignition) and went to an electronic tach. Prior to 75 they used a mechanical tach driven from the distributor. For what ever reason these mechanical drive gears on the distributor strip the threads on the gears. Something to be aware off. You can't put a HEI distributor in a car with a mechanical tach drive indicator and expect the tach to work.
The only way to tell which engine is installed is to retrieve the "tank sticker". This document was attached to the gas tank during the assembly process to describe which options the car was going to get. Most of the time these papers look like something the cat threw up, sometimes you get lucky and you can still read them.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR
Factory mags, really only available after 76, looks real sharp (IMHO)
Deluxe interior, optional interior on pre 76 cars. Added leather seats, carpeting on the doors (it really does look better), better carpets and some other trim stuff.
After market stereos sometimes cause people to cut away at the dash. There are aftermarket stereos that are made to look like original equipment. A replacement dash panel (where the radio get mounted) is about $75-100, if a the existing one has been hacked up to fit a after market stereo.
Factory luggage rack can be used to carry t-roof panels. Never actually done this though. These luggage racks do rust sometimes and I seem to remember that holes are drilled in the rear deck to mount the things.
BODY DAMAGE
Quality control on the body assemblies of these cars ain't to good. Gaps between adjacent panels isn't really that good, although it can point to collision damage. The places to look for body repairs is the wheel wheels.
Typically damage done to the fiberglass is very noticeable in the wheel wells because it isn't finished near as well as the exterior repair.
I've been told that side pipes can melt the doors due to the heat these things give off. Check this out on all cars, because the side pipes may have been removed for this reason.
SPOTTERS GUIDE
pre 72 chrome front and rear bumpers
73 plastic front, chrome rears
74 plastic front and rear. Rear is done in 2 pieces.
75 1 piece rear, individual letters
76 they really used a vega steering wheel (don't let this get around) and the last year a Corvette "stingray" was produced.
77 may have "bullet" sport mirrors, different script on rear and had the "stingray" script on the front fenders replaced by the crossed flags.
78 "green house" rear glass
FUTURE COLLECTIBLES
75 convertible SEEMS to be worth 2 times the coupe because it was the last year. Ho hum, personally I find convertibles don't look as nice as the coupe.
74 was the last year for the big block 454. This to me typifies what vettes are about! Still this 454 had no compression, and was a shadow of the BB of the sixties. I personally find this a MUCH more desirable collectable car than the 75 convertible, to each his own.
78 was the 25 th anniversary/pace car fiasco. Don't pay big bucks for one of these "collectibles". There is no way to actually determine if the car really is a REAL pace car, and they ONLY made 15283 silver anniversary cars. Having said that there does seem to be a huge number of these cars around with very low mileage (ie less that 1000). The fact that these are low mileage cars would be reason to value them as collectibles, rather than their designation. Remember you want a "cheap" vette to drive, not a museum piece.
Vettes from outer space. These are cars with blowers, fender flares, flip front ends, bordello interiors or other "wild" custom modifications. Personally I find this a bit upsetting, but I understand how this happens. I would TEND to stay away from these cars, simply because it must be extremely difficult to re-sell it later. Again having said that, it MAY be feasible to "normalize" one of these things depending upon your talents and parts availability. Or you make really like driving something that is "different".
OMISSIONS
Don't have any experience with air conditioners, convertible tops, or 4 speeds. But I imagine that like any other car the air conditioners need recharging, tops get ratty, and 4 speeds need clutches.
SUMMARY
The much maligned mid 70s cars are the cheapest way to wrap you ass in fiberglass. Typically you will find these cars expensive to keep running if you are paying MR Goodwrench to keep it going. These cars are not that difficult to fix and repair yourself. Buy a few vette magazines (Vette Vues is a different type of mag you may find interesting) and go look at a lot of cars. If you're not sure about a car, don't buy it. Another will come along.
Don't be afraid to offer a firm price and walk away, but leave your phone number. I've been called back over a month after making an offer.
BUY THE FACTORY AND AFTERMARKET REPAIR MANUALS!!! and read them to find out how things work and how they are put together.
It really is an experience driving a vette, people DO stop and look at you in a envious way. (I once had a cop in a cruiser roll down his window and say "...wanna trade?")
What got me into vettes was that I could buy a used 75 Corvette for less than the price of a (then) new Chevette. Somehow that logic still sticks in my mind.