It just never fails to happen................

[curtis]

Had been saving money to do my tranny swap and almost had enough, then just as in the past :duh some big bills come up and now the money is gone. :ugh The swap won't happen now. All my dreams shot to crap. :cry It is so dissappointing owning an old vette on a super tight budget. What to do now?

I guess a lottery ticket is only a dollar. :naughty:

 

[maxrevs85]

I for one understand this situation. I've been wanting a 6 speed for my Vette for quite awhile now. I did get a new trans though , but it went in my 3/4 ton truck that I drive and tow with and they dont give them away!! Believe it or not , not all vette owners are wealthy . Just like you and I they are an extra that we are working to afford and enjoy and then get put on the back burner way too often. Being responsible adults sucks somtimes.

 

[vetteboy86]

Through my short life, I have learned that what can happen will indeed happen. I also know that it never ends. All I can say is stay in there. Like you said tomorrow is another day, and a different lottery drawing. Some things happen when you least expect it, however not all of those things are bad. Keep your chin up, and look on the bright side, you own a corvette.


Craig

 

[Robin7TFour]

Curtis, i know exactly how you feel. i look for overtime money, just to make headway with my vette. sometimes that plan works, often like you, something else rears it's ugly head and whoosh!
i have contemplated selling my Vette afew times. neighbor came by today asking to buy it ,to take to Puerto Rico.yeah that would end the finacila agony, but i wouldn't have the car to drive.

Robin

 

[mike weyman]

i missed getting mine on the road this year because i just couldn't come up with the cash to put on A new carb.seems that when you get a bit ahead,you get an even bigger behind.i've been 2 years building this car , now it will be the spring. i haven't driven it yet.maybe 2005 will be the year. her 35 th birthday.mike

 

[ruby76]

I hear ya. I only have one comment:

Generic 350 parts at junkyards will get you on the road again. Any old quadrajet would be better than none. Any 3 speed or close ratio four speed manual will work in the vette with a short tail shaft (keep your shifter parts etc), same for any old used th350/400 etc if your looking for automatic. I paid $50 for a manual tranny once, paid $75 for a full car that I junked after taking the still working th350 with lock-up torque converter out. I paid $12.50 for a rebuildable 350 v8 at an auction- still ran. I drove it for about 2 years before I had enough money for new rings/bearings etc. Local guys will rebuile quadrajets for $20. I've done that myself also.

Some folks on this forumn won't like the above answer, but realistically, a small block chevy is a small block chevy, and anything that ever bolted on to one (including transmissions) can be made to fit on a vette without much effort. If your into vettes for numbers matching - your definitely in deeper than your wallet - at least deeper than mine

I'd love to put a 6 speed in my Vette, but I'll keep the 4speed as i just can't justify spending 2k on it. i just keep it clean, keep it runnin and keep drivin

 

[RodsnRides]

That's right...

Ruby76-you think like I do. While it doesn't specifically apply to keeping my Corvette running, it does apply to my daily driver and other car projects. I have 2 extra engines, 2 sets of heads, 2 T-10 4-speeds, 3 intakes, 4 starters, 2 alternators, and about 10 Quadrajet carburetors, chokes, springs and parts to keep my stuff going. Not too mention radiators, shrouds, water pumps, regulators, belts, pulleys, balancers, flywheels, etc. I'm set for a variety of projects and issues.

Drives my wife crazy when I tell her "the engine from this car goes into that car, but it gets these heads and intake and cam. The engine from that car goes over here with this exhaust." Etc., etc. I have been collecting bits and pieces over the years, can't pass up a deal, such as: 2 1970 El Caminos, one 307 3-speed with 69-70 SS wheels, other a 327 auto with 12 bolt, BOTH running, for $600. A little rusty, but quite repairable-good aftermarket for these cars.

I'm building the auto car with 307 and 10 bolt for sale. The stick car will be a 327, 4-speed, 12 bolt, headers/cam/intake, etc. (and the SS wheels) for a "fun truck". Selling the auto car should pay for my whole investment including transportation. The stick car will be for fun and pure profit when I decide it goes. Sure, there's time (and space) involved, but this is my hobby, after all.

My suggestion is to go to your local "pick a part" and collect the small bits (starters, alternators, carbs) that don't occupy much space but will serve as spares when the time comes. That will keep you on the road.

Rick

 

[Florida Guy]

Chin up, Curtis. Look on the bright side - some unexpected big bills came up and you had the money to pay them.
Hang in there, you'll get the tranny yet.

 

[lucky76]

I agree, my ol 76 still wouldn't be worth much if in perfect condition just because it's a 76. Everything on it has already been worked on. Everything I touch, every screw in the dash, console, everywhere has already been worked on or stripped out. I don't care if numbers match, just if it works.

My engine block number is correct but I sure wouldn't care if it didn't and was a stroker or something but it's not. OH WELL, use what you got and be happy.

 

[81 Corvette]

I'd love to drop in a manual tranny with OD, but i figure its gonna cost 5K~ Its gonna be a few years. I still love driving her.

 

[76L82]

Hey guys.....it says CORVETTE on the back end doesn't it? If you needed to be rich to own one of these, I'd certainly not be allowed in the club! I figure the parts industry needs guys like me...when I can afford a Vette, I am pretty much bringing it back from the dead! I figure that since I bought my 1976 26 years after it was built, I'll be putting my hands on a 2005 in 2031 I love to hear these stories of how others keep their cars going...I am form the camp that everything is fair in love and war...and keeping the Vette on the road!

 

[Evolution1980]

The time comes and goes faster than you think. I look at my car and see what I've done to it over the years. I smile. Although it seems strange to think it's already taken me 10 years to get it to this point. But all in good time.

I was all set on doing a conversion to rack & pinion steering this year. I wanted to have it installed in time for CruiseFest '05. But now it looks like I'm going to have to wait until next year as I'm gonna have to do some body work first. Someone backed into me the last time I had the car out and now the visible damage is beyond my acceptance level for showing the car. And so it goes...

All in good time...Hopefully you'll have your vette longer than your debt.
FloridaGuy makes a very good point also!

 

[gec]

I'm with 76L82, ya gotta look on the bright side, I got my vette in october, it is driveable but needs alot of work, I drove it till the snow started, things were good & I expected to have the rear suspension tore out over winter, trailing arms look rough & the front still has original ball joints so They need to be done, then the altenator on the van seized up, fixed that & the intake gasket on the #@!%^lumina gave out, I figured big deal I can change a intake gasket in a couple hours..NOT!..what a nightmare!...anyway fixed that then wife & son end up in hospital during Christmas now winter bills are rolling in & I'm laid off work so I greatly revised my order for my winter parts for the vette:cry Went out to visit her yesterday in storage,- 20, she started right up & I sat there and ,froze my butt off removing seats, I'm gunna replace the fuel lines & maybe ss brake lines, the driver seat foam is wore out so I'm going to attempt to make a new insert from another bucket instead of buying a new one, took apart the console cover & guage bezel so I can paint them, today it's snowing like crazy but I'm going to rip the speedo cable out of a 78 Z28 to see if it will fit the vette...save another couple bux...hell there's not enough time to do all the things that won't cost anything! If we can keep these things on the road for our grandchildren to enjoy I'll be happy!...I'm still thinking of making reservations for Kentucky...maybe 67heaven carries a tow cable