ATTN: 1979 Corvette owners!

[stingrayl82]

I just thought of something else. My car, when it rolled out of Saint Louis, got the wrong door on it, because it has a different VIN sticker on it. How do I know that it's the wrong one? Because my father-in-law was the original owner, and he never did anything to alter the car. My VIN is 1Z8749S418330, an L-82 (which is the correct VIN). The door sticker VIN reads 1Z8789S418303, an L-48. Another tipoff that this was GM's mistake is that it would be one heck of a coincidence for me to get a used door with a VIN that was 27 cars ahead of mine. So, if anyone knows whether or not 1Z8789S418303 is still on the road, let me know. I'd love to see if he has my VIN tag on his/her door.

Frederic

 

[Yoda]

What a Great Story..

Frederic,

I plan to follow this. I bet stuff like this happened more than we know. Good luck in your search, PLEASE keep us posted with any information you find.

Do you have the window sticker or the build sheet? Also post your information HERE , (information wanted section here at CACC).

BudD

 

[stingrayl82]

BudD,

I have every bit of paperwork on the car that my father-in-law gave me, with the exception of the Maroni window sticker. Since the gas tank has never been out of the car, I'm assuming it's still up there, strapped to the tank. Here's all the info on the car:

VIN: 1Z8749S418330 (door VIN: 1Z8789S418303)

Body Tag codes:

Productin: F10 - January 10th, 1979

Interior: 122 - Oyster leather

Paint: 58 - Dark Metallic Green

Sidenote: The car had chemical spots on the hood, when my father-in-law bought it on August 28th, 1979 from Bay Chevrolet in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Somewhere around March of 1980, he took the car back to Bay Chevrolet, and they repainted the car, at no cost to him, with two-tone Claret (I think paint code 75 or 78). In 1981 Corvettes were painted this color, but the color codes were 80 (Autumn Red) and 98 (Dark Claret). To my knowledge, Vettes never got the two-tone Claret in 1980.

I finally got the original Rochester 17059228 Quadrajet for it, after a three year search. Slapped it on the car, and it roared to life. When I had the car in Hawaii (I'm military), I took the original 170589228 to Chuck's Corvette Clinic, in Honolulu. Instead of rebuilding it, he swapped it out for a piece of junk that lasted all of four years. The carb he put on there was for a 72 manual transmission truck (I decoded the carb). If you guys need an original Rochester, I highly suggest Mark Smith at Specialized Investments, in Texas. The price was a bit high ($555), but well worth it, in my opinion. The 17059228's are a rarity, come to find out.

I also took the TH700R-4 out of my 1982 Crossfire Injection Vette (which was stolen, while I was in Hawaii), and had it rebuilt and beefed up in Colorado and stuffed in the L-82. Holy Cow!!!! I highly suggest that anyone who wants better gas mileage and more top end do this. I didn't have to touch my crossmember at all (though my e-brake is disconnected....like those ever worked anyway), and I had to shorten my driveshaft a couple of inches (I don't remember the exact specs). What a pleasure to drive now.

I originally had OH (3.55:1) rear gears, but my father-in-law had them swapped out for 3.08's, in 1996, at the Corvette Center of Colorado Springs. Though I do get great gas mileage, I would like to get a little bit more oomph in the bottom end, so I'll probably go back to the 3.55's one day.

Original Miles: 66,718. When I bought the car from my father-in-law, in 1996, the car had 36,726 miles on it. It sat for 13 years and got 6,000 miles put on it. As a result, I had to have the motor redone (the rings had collapsed and the bearings were toast), when I was in Hawaii. I went to Service Motors Chevrolet, in Wahiawa. Their service manager at the time was the rudest person I have ever met in my life. Added to that fact, the service dept. never finished the car. I had the heads rebuilt by Ted's Machine Shop, in Honolulu. For $500 I got my heads rebuilt, though I just found out that they used shims, instead of putting in new valve springs, but the car works well. I took the car down to JN Chevrolet, in Honolulu, and they treated me right. If I ever get stationed there again, they have my business for life.


Frederic

 

[Yoda]

Frederic,
That is awsome to have all that history.. You are one lucky Corvette Owner. Good luck in your quest to find the right VIN tag.

BudD

 

[Don Losson]

79 rearend

I have a 79 that I want to change the rear end greasein. Now the problem i'v looked at the rearend and in manuals and cann't find a drain plug. Is there one

 

[stingrayl82]

Don,

There is a drain plug......it's also the fill plug.....way to go Chevy on that one. It's a pain in the butt to change the fluid, and what I've done is pump it out with a vacuum pump. I recommend using 2 tubes of BG additive to your rear end, if you have any chatter. I did, and the noise literally went away after driving a half a block. The regular GM diff additive just doesn't seem to do the job for mine.

Frederic