comparison from a newbie wrencher

[BarryK]

well, earlier this winter i did the first real work on my own car as many of you already know as I posted about my trials and tribulations on my '65 engine clean-up project and to a smaller degree the interior project.

Many of you also know that early this month I picked up a '78 L82 C3 car that's a bit of a project car (to say the least).

i've made some progress already on the '78 and the motor gets pulled this weekend (should be interesting as it will be my very first engine pull) but luckily my new buddy, Qwik-Trip, is bring his hoist over and helping me out with it.

Now, the point of this post and my mentioning a C3 in the C1/C2 forum is actually quite simple.......... A while back as I was working on my C2 I mentioned (complained) that I thought some things were difficult because there wasn't much room to work under the hood, it was cramped and tight spots to try to get to, etc.
Well, after working a couple weeks on the C3 already, I'll NEVER complain about working on a C2 again! The C2 engine bay is cavernous compared to the C3's.
some things are just ridiculously stupid in the way they are in there and trying to get to. :eek
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sure the C3's are also roomy to work in compared to even more modern cars like C5's and C6's but I don't see myself ever working on them myself.

i like this C3 but to be honest, I really can't wait to finish working on it already and get back to working on easier and simpler cars like C2's again!

 

[4WDVETTE]

Barry - even with a big block stuffed in the C-2 it's not all that bad. I had a 67 Mustang (I know - although I wish I still had it) with a 390 in it. Had to be a contortionist to get a the rear 2 spark plugs on the left side. Oh yeah, my little Chevy Monza, disconnect the left side motor mount and jack up the engine to get at those spark plugs. My 66 with the big block, no problem.

Steve

 

[IH2LOSE]

Thanks for the information Barry.

This just re-affirms why i love to work on the pre 70'S cars

Have fun with it

I am really proud of your progress going from a pay for every thing collector car owner to one who is pulling a motor and doing his own work.

Best of Luck and be carefull 2 seconds of stupidity can effec you for the rest of your life (I know this as a fact)

 

[IH2LOSE]

I had a 67 Mustang (I know - although I wish I still had it) with a 390 in it. Had to be a contortionist to get a the rear 2 spark plugs on the left side.
Steve

So from a fellow Big Block Mustang owner. I was lazy and used to just cut a hole in the shock towers and get it from the fender well with the tire off.

Those old 390's had alot of tourque but ran out of steam past 3800 rpms

But those 69 428 SCJ were a good pulling motor

 

[BarryK]

thanks Larry

it IS gratifying working on my own cars. Well, i guess I should say SOME days are while other days it just seems frustrating as h*ll and i wonder why I ever bother to start these little projects but in the end it does feel good.
Linda and I took a short spin in the '65 the other day and she and I were talking about just that. i'm just AMAZED that I was able to take apart as much as I did, especially my first time really doing anything on a car, get it back together again (a miracle in itself) AND the car runs again.

this other car is getting a LOT more involved with having to pull the motor, all the vacuum system stuff, etc so again i'mm be completely amazed if I can manage to actually put her back together again and get her running. It will feel good if I can though regardless of the cases of bandaides I'm going to end up using during that process!

BTW, I always take your safety warnings seriously. I try to think 2, 3, 4 steps ahead before I do anything to know what i'm doing and how that may affect something else so hopefully there won't be any unpleasent surprises.
As it is, i'm still not completely comfortable while under the car while she is jacked up but I make sure the jacks are placed correctly, and the car is solid on them before getting under there. I figure once she is up on jack, if i can push or try rocking the car as hard as I can and she won't budge than she should be OK for me to get under her. I figure i'd rather risk knocking her off the stands by pushing her too hard over having it slip off somehow while i'm under her.

 

[4WDVETTE]

That's what I ended up doing also - used a rubber floor drain hole plug to close the hole. Traveling back and forth to school, I could pass everything but most gas stations - what fun though.

Steve

 

[alps66]

even with a big block stuffed in the C-2 it's not all that bad. I had a 67 Mustang (I know - although I wish I still had it) with a 390 in it. Had to be a contortionist to get a the rear 2 spark plugs on the left side.
Steve

The Brits had the solution. I had a Sunbeam Tiger in the late '60s with a Ford 260 shoehorned under the 'bonnet.' To get to the left rear spark plug, they provided a knock-out in the fire wall. The plug could be removed with a socket wrench and extension from behind the clutch pedal. Now, if Uncle Lucas could have been half as resourceful with his darkness issue...