Winter Projects, Whats yours?

[Scott Winebarger]

Winter is upon us once again, what is your Vette plans for the winter months.
Maybe before..
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-3/1156516/Corvettes01311.jpg

Maybe after.. http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-3/1156516/RedneckCorvette.jpg


OK Maybe not that extreme.. I have internal mod.s planned for the engine in the 71, other than that Its just a good cleaning and checking out for the 77.

So.... What is your project?

 

[The73vetteman]

I'm thinking of dropping the 4spd and doing a rebuild. It leaks oil from the cover plate where the shift enters the case and has a very loud whine when the car's in motion.

Any tips or suggestions for this anyone?

 

[Tom Bryant]

The '81 needs a drivers door hinge spring and I think there are a few other minor items that need attended to. The '59 will play the role of parts shelf for the '69 stepside project.

Tom

 

[bill81vette]

lets see, this year I am going to change the intake manifold gasket,Install some spark plug wire guides,figure out why my steering column is loose( I hope it just needs to be tightened insidethe column) and turn my mirror gaskets around so the mirrors are the corrcet way.

I'm sure I'll find a copule of other things once I get into it!!

 

[BarryK]

funny you should post this yesterday as I started a thread in C1/C2 about my list of winter projects on both my cars also.
here a section of my thread:

I have a lot of things to take care of on both cars this winter but with my new job my time is now going to be severly curtailed compared to last winter but hey, I have all winter long.

Some of the projects are new, some will be things to correct that I didn't do just right or as good as I had hoped last winter.

On the '65 I know I need to:
1. take off the intake manifold again and replace the gasket as the one I instralled last winter has the crossover ports blocked off and i do not like how it affected the sound of the exhaust at all so new gaskets will go on with the crossover ports open again.
2. I'm STILL trying to track down that stubborn high RPM missing I only get over 4,000rpm with the top distributor cover installed. I have a few ideas from John Lolli to try to solve that issue.
3. on the interior I need to find and eliminate a lot of squeaks and rattles I get and I'm thinking about maybe adding some sound damping material such as dynmat to the inside surfaces of the interior molding panels to help eliminate some of that noise unless you guys have other suggestions. Also work on still getting rid of some shifter rattle as per JohnZ's recommended method.
4. If I get the extra funds and really get motivated I may also pull the original tranny out and get that rebuilt as it likes to jump out of 2nd gear if I get on it hard.
5. redo the valve covers again since they somehow got spots on them that will not clean off using anything so I guess I'll need to put them back in the media blasting cabinet to clean them up.
6. a few other minor things.
7. install the A/C system finally if I have the funds??!!

on the '78 I have LOT's of things to take car of:
1. determine if the puff of exhaust smoke I get on start-up is only valveguide seals or the valve guides themselves. I'm hoping it's only the seals so I can do it myself. If it's the actual guides I guess I'll have to pull the heads and send them out.
2. fan still at times hits the shroud so need to work on that issue (again!)
3. some interior work (i'm DREADING that on the C3!!)
4. thinking of doing a carpet replacement (again, a question of funds)
5. need to have the power antenna rebuilt or replaced and also replace the antenna cable
6. a bunch of other little things

d*nm, I'm already exhausted just thinking about this list plus as we all know as I'm working on the above list I'll come across and find other things to add to the list........

 

[bmotojoe]

On your 78, how many miles are on the motor? I have a second run around car that was doing the same thing at startup. I decided to try some Valvoline MaxLife motor oil. It has a very good conditioner in it that helps restore engine seals. In a matter of a few hundred miles the startup puff of smoke was gone. On the fan hitting the shroud at times, do you have a bad motor mount? I know that original OEM motor mounts were of the locking type and will never break completely loose but they will let the engine lift a little.
Just a few thoughts I had that may save you a little time. So that is your web site, I found it some time back and went there a few days ago and it didn’t work? Now I know why! Very nice informative site!

Brian

 

[BarryK]

Brian
when I got my '78 in Feb last year is only had 9,400 miles on it but it had also say outside under a plastic tarp for a few years untouched and barely used even before that.
It now has 10,600 miles on it.
Trying additive in the oil was recommended for a few other people but not sure if I like the idea. to me it sounds like it's would just mask the problem rather than actually fixing it. I figure the seals dried out during the cars long sitting period of unuse.
on the fan shroud issue, i'm almost positive the issue is that that when I pulled the motor out last spring to clean everything up I had also removed the radiator for a repair and removed the core support to repaint it. The car sat for a few weeks on jackstands without the core support in and the nose must have sagged. It was MUCH worst when I originally reinstalled the everything back in but I ended up lossening all the core support bolts, putting a floor jack under the core support and jacking it up to lift it a little bit. Now it still hits but only sometimes and just barely enough that it rubs just enough to hear it now and than. I an going to try loosening up the core support again and see if I can't jack it up futher and get another 1/8" or so of clearance (hopefully!).
When I had the motor out and the motor mounts off the block they looked fines. A bit of aging on the rubber but otherwise fine.

thanks for the kind words on my website.
Yes, i've been doing some upgrades on it and a few other people told me the links were dead a few days ago but i had run into a few technical issues but it should be working again now. I know next to nothing at all about building, running and maintaining websites so when I run into tech problems it takes me a while to figure out why and than try to fix it.

 

[grapeknutz]

Replace the D36 to a D44 and maybe a trans rebuild.

 

[Allthumbs]

Well.. I Plan to fix the speedo cable, convert to a true dual exhaust with free flows and some nice chrome tail pipe extenders, and finally get my courtesy lights to go off and on when I open and close the doors !

What will I actually do ? hmm.... well I know I will spend quite a bit of time standing in my garage admiring my car and watching the snow come down outside !

Tom

 

[Scott Winebarger]

funny you should post this yesterday as I started a thread in C1/C2 about my list of winter projects on both my cars also.
here a section of my thread:

Hey Barry, you know what they say about great minds! :L
Most of the time before I start a thread I do a search to see if anyone else has one going before. I didn't get a hit that I thought would conflict so I proceeded , maybe I should have worded it different?

 

[zachh]

For my '79...
1. Swicth out the original turbo 350 trans with a brand new, custom 700r4.
2. Anything thats has to do with the trans will be replaced.
3. New intake manifold.
4. Replace all the rubber bushings and shims on both front and back suspension.
5. Paint almost like a '78 pace car, just more red and silver stripes on the hood, and on the rear, under the pc fin and the back will also be silver. (show quality)
6. Replace the Pace Car spoiler with a new one.
7. Run a one- of- a -kind cowl induction hood. (a liitle redneck, but it looks cool).
8. Rebiuld headlights.
9. Theres a little voice inside my head that says install a turbocharger or a side mount supercharger, but that depends if I can find one for a good price.
10. Remove, clean, and paint oil pan.
11. Install a oil filter relocation kit: put duel filters up on left side of engine compartment.
12. And anything else I find while Im in the process, the order is off, but pant is LAST! Hope to be ready by spring for car shows. Im doing everything on my own, in my garage, except for paint, but I sand, prep, and prime the body myself. Im 16, got school, and attempting to get a jod at a car dealership, so I dont have alot of time, trust me though, Ill make it. Alot of late nights and a pi***d off girlfriend. The car looks good now, but it'll look awesome next spring when its all said and done. Im sorta lookin' forward to working on it, thats kinda why I bought it, other than the fact that I LOVE VINTAGE VETTES! All my hard- worked money is goin into my "baby"!
Best Wishes
zachh

ITS NOT THE FALL THATS KILLS YA, ITS THE SUDDEN STOP!

 

[KANE]

... So.... What is your project?

Mine is to buy a C3.

God willing- that will be a few weeks from now!

 

[ripper]

installing 454 /hd 700r4 combo in my 1984. any suggestions? better yet pics?

 

[fine69]

Winter is upon us once again, what is your Vette plans for the winter months.... So.... What is your project?

Hi CJ...

I have my 69 torn apart and parked for the winter, and had started a similar thread http://corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87892

This is an excerpt from that posting... A tall order, but here's what I hope to accomplish this winter:

• Clean everything;
• Replace that old, dusty heat insulation;
• Replace vacuum hoses and get headlights to function properly;
• Get the interior lights to function (incl fiber optics);
• Replace speedo and tach;
• Get all gauges to function properly;
• Get the air vents to function properly;
• Replace (or repair?), top and lower left dash;
• Replace (or repair?), top and left windshield pillars;
• Replace seat foam and covers;
• Replace windshield;
• Repair or re-chrome windshield header;
• Replace weather stripping;
• Install radio and speakers (run new speaker wires);
• Replace heater core;
• Replace heater control.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get her back on the road after the ice thaws!

Ralph

 

[Eric]

I know this is the C3 forums but....

I'll be tearing apart my door panels so I can fix all of the speaker induced rattles per the tech. service bulletin. I'll also hopefully be pulling apart the seat tracks to fix the rocking chair issue. I'm also going to be doing some minor underhood stuff: plugs, wires, maybe more.

If I get brave I may pull out my dash pad and swap my guages to install a heads-up display.

Aside from that, I'll be driving it.

 

[arcticvette]

my project is to save money this winter so I can have a project for next year(suspension replacement)

p.s. I hate waiting so this winter project sucks!!

 

[74bigblock]

Winter cometh:

.5) Purchase membership to Volo Auto Museum
1) Oil pan replacement (oil plug nut stripped on inside, and it's all beat up anyway)
2) Re-seal aluminum intake manifold
2.1) Go to Volo and walk around
3) Swap out Edelbrock with Demon Carb
3.5) Install Spiral Turbo Baffles
3.6) Go to Volo and walk around
4) Shop for lifts
5) Install above lift once chosen and purchased
5.9) Go to Volo and walk around
6) Play with above lift once installed
7) Play some more

Spring cometh:

1) Drive

 

[BruceBed]

I'd like to detail the engine compartment, redo the(original) seats and convertible top, maybe door panels. I'm starting a new career- so don't know what's in store time wise.

 

[LVMYVT76]

Put in a heat barrior kit under the carpet for heat and sound barrier, replace the window side glass seals, refurbish the console and trim plates, rebuild the power steering pump and ram to stop the leaks. Get it ready for paint, if I can locate someone who can fiberglass.

 

[snydley55]

General Tinkering planned but until the snow actually locks me in nothing that will keep it inside when the outside allows.

Fix remaining oil leaks
install power antenna
Rebuild rear - shafts, check bearings, relube.

Then if money appears, the dream is to swap out the 4spd for a 5 w/ OD. Since it is meant to be a driver, the 'OJ' - 3:70 rear is a little much for interstate crusin with friends.

Dreaming of spring...