Another 1st Time Vette Owner

[ducvw2004]

New owner of a 1981 C3 here.
Body is good (going to need a repaint soon), frame is good, original engine runs good. Car handles decently (time for new bushings and sways) and stops great.
The climate control will need troubleshooting. Fan blows, but no control over what it's blowing. AC does not work.
Headlights operate, though they appear to be both working off of the same actuator.
T-tops good but could use new seals.
Electric seat, cruise control and electric mirrors currently inoperable, however the electric doorlocks and windows do work.
Leather seats have been recovered, carpets good but faded. Doors panels and dash in good shape.
Speedo and oil pressure gauge don't work.
All in all, I'm pretty happy with the car. Lots of little things to fix, but that's part of the fun!

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BTW, does anybody know what interior color option 741 is supposed to be. Can't seem to find it on any of the colorc configuration charts.
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[CAPS Z]

Congrats!!

 

[bill81vette]

1st welcome to CAC!!
2nd be sure to check out the L-'81 registry and register your '81!!!
3rd,Trim code,741...Looks like you should have a dark red interior.
When the headlite doors are up, do you see 2 actuators,one on each side.
as far as the other stuff not working,check the fuses!
also buy your self a factory service manual and the assembly instruction manual,these are invaluable to working on and knowing where to find components!!

 

[6 Shooter]

Welcome

Congrats on your 1st Vette! ​

​

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter​

 

[vett boy]

Welcome .My first Vett that I didn't steal was a white C3 Lots of work but truly a labor of love .

 

[XLR8]

Congrats on your first and - you know about the wave, right?

Jane Ann

 

[jrose7004]

Welcome

Welcome to the CAC!

 

[Evolution1980]

New owner of a 1981 C3 here.
Body is good (going to need a repaint soon), frame is good, original engine runs good. Car handles decently (time for new bushings and sways) and stops great.
The climate control will need troubleshooting. Fan blows, but no control over what it's blowing. AC does not work.
Headlights operate, though they appear to be both working off of the same actuator.
T-tops good but could use new seals.
Electric seat, cruise control and electric mirrors currently inoperable, however the electric doorlocks and windows do work.
Leather seats have been recovered, carpets good but faded. Doors panels and dash in good shape.
Speedo and oil pressure gauge don't work.

Welcome to the

Suggestions: stick with rubber bushings, not the polyurethane. The polys are too stiff and make the car rider harder and creak more than it already does.

If your A/C is not working, then it sounds like your climate control is working just fine. With no A/C, we have three settings in these cars: warm air, hot air, and really hot air. :L

Headlights: use the search function here in the C3 section for threads with the words headlight vacuum. I know that 82ColEd last month or so posted a somewhat comprehensive write up about successfully troubleshooting his headlight issue(s).

If your T-Tops leak, new seals may fix it. But don't be upset if it doesn't. They are somewhat of an enigma.

Plenty of threads about checking your speedo gear. Usually it's a broken, pinched, or seized cable. If you need replacement parts, check with Red Line Gauge. (You can search for them as well).

Oil Pressure gauge not working may simply be your sending unit. It's probably not the gauge itself or the printed circuit tape that it attaches to...unless someone has torn apart the center console a few times. Then maybe it's the circuit tape. It's rather fragile after almost 30 years.

 

[73shark]

Welcome to the
With no A/C, we have three settings in these cars: warm air, hot air, and really hot air. :L

Gosh, before I added factory A/C to mine, I only had two settings, Hot & Really Hot. Plus when it was rainy out and you had to keep the windows up, Sauna. otfl

 

[Evolution1980]

Plus when it was rainy out and you had to keep the windows up, Sauna. otfl

Yeah, no kidding! There are times that I figured, "What the hell...rain is going to leak in to the car anyways from the T-Tops, I may as well just open the windows and cut down on the sauna effect!" Yep, I done fergot about that darn rain! Fortunately, my car rarely sees rain; maaaaybe once per year.

 

[ducvw2004]

Thanks for the welcome and the info guys!

I do appreciate it!