My dilemma! Help needed.

**Kevin Whiteley** · August 11, 2003, 01:26 AM

Re: My dilemma! Help needed.

Brandon, the 361959 part number you refer to is not the bellhousing, it's the block casting number, and you are correct, it isn't correct for a 72 Corvette. The C 24 76 is more than likely the block casting date. It decodes as March 24, 1976, so your block is from a late 76 vehicle. I don't know which application the block was for, so it very well could be a truck.

You also seem to possess two very important attributes, which are common to others on this board - the willingness to learn and get "dirty". As far as I can see, as long as you possess those characteristics, don't sell the car. Most people don't get into the hobby to make money, rather it's a life-long dream and love for the car.

Of course, money is always an issue and will depend on what you want out of the car, NCRS Top Flight or daily driver or any where in between. For any of these categories, buying a correct block isn't difficult. Again, the question is what is your final goal? For a Top Flight car, you will need to find the correct block (read part number), and correctly dated for YOUR vehicle. For a daily driver, as long as it runs, your engine is fine. The price of correcting your engine will run you between approximately 2 and 5 thousand (conservatively), from oil pan to carburetor.

In the end, my advice is to live with the car for a while, research it as best you can, get "dirty", and figure out where you want to take the car. Remember one thing, whereever you are with your car, someone in NCRS and this board have been there before, so you won't be alone.

And your next investment should be the 72 Tech Info Manual & Judging Guide. It is available from the NCRS bookstore (on this website) and is vital to understanding your car. Good luck.

**Chuck S.** · August 11, 2003, 08:01 AM

Re: My dilemma! Help needed.

Brandon, my advice would be about the same as Kevin's...keep the car and drive it awhile. Use it as a learning tool to see how not to buy your next Corvette. You could put a LITTLE money into it to make it run and look a little better, but I would be careful with the spending. No paint jobs and no interiors re-dos. The money you're going to lose on this car hasn't been spent yet. This car is essentially a driver, but with the big-block in it, you will probably always be able to get close to your original investment back or maybe even make a little money.

I definitely would not embark on trying to find a correct engine, keeping the frame and body, etc. The cost of finding a correct engine will just be on top of the ususal big bucks of restoration, and when you get through, you will still just have a mongrel with mis-matching numbers. My advice is learn on this one. If you don't put a lot of money into the car, it will be a relatively cheap tuition...you could have bought a fake L88. And, oh yeah, one other bit of advice...I believe I would eschew ebay for car buying, especially cars of special interest, in the future. :-)

**Rich Grant** · August 11, 2003, 08:59 AM

Re: My dilemma! Help needed.

Brandon

The advice that you've received so far is great, but if you want to take the next step into understanding what engine you car should have in it, I would look to drop the gas tank and look for the tank sticker, or look underneath the dash, sometimes a second copy is stuffed behind the dash. The tank sticker of the build sheet will indicate what engine should be in the car; heck it might not even be a real BB car, maybe an LT-1 or some other engine. Hence; drive the car and finish your research.

As for ebay, be careful. I have to say that I've had some luck finding a car for myself and a couple of friends, but you have to take the time to go look at them before you bid on it. Good luck and make sure you buy the NCRS Judging manual.

Rich

**Chuck S.** · August 11, 2003, 09:21 AM

Caveat To Above

I would consider this car a restoration candidate IF two conditions were met: (1) The remainder of the driveline (transmission, differential) is original, the body and frame VIN match, and the VIN plate/trim plate are original and unmolested, and (2) If I could find the tank sticker or a copy of the build sheet that documents the car as a big block 454 car, preferably one with options. In my opinion, that tank sticker should be carefully protected ON THE TANK; not ripped from the tank and encased in plastic for viewing.

Figuring maybe five grand (?, maybe low) for a correct engine, bell housing, and clutch assembly, you might be able to break even after the car was restored. You are actually into a big block car pretty cheap. In judging, the car would have the same handicap as any other NOM car; not insignificant, but not fatal for good scores.

I hope you don't have the impression that I am all about money on this Corvette restoration thing. I am not against making a little profit on a car; it reassures me that my time is, after all, worth something. I am very much against throwing money down ratholes, and Corvettes is one area of the car hobby where this can be avoided by making good choices. If you want to throw money down ratholes for the fun of it, then you can restore 48 Dodge four door sedans. Some guys actually do that; maybe 48 Dodges mean something special to them.

**Brandon Metzger** · August 11, 2003, 09:29 AM

Re: My dilemma! Help needed.

Great advice. I do appriciate it. I use E-bay often and am aware of what you can get into. I was also aware that this might hapen but I figured for the price I could take the chance. I just didn't turn out in my favor.

I am just haveing this great debate with myself. a) to finsih the car the way I want to and have a great street car. or b) sell and look for a new one.

Honestly this is a childhood dream. Right know I feel that I have a "kit car". I think my heart is set on haveing a true vette, wether or not it is finished to NCRS show quality.

I think I am going to do bit of work hear and there untill I decide. In the mean time, if anyone wants to make an offer for the car---you all know what I have in it. I also have a whole new PVC system comeing this week, valves, hoses, and vapor canister. I bought it from Dr. Rebuild, $122. Engine will run even better once this is in.

Thanks a bunch,
Brandon

**Kevin Whiteley** · August 11, 2003, 10:52 PM

Re: My dilemma! Help needed.

Brandon, I don't think you should view your car as a "kit car", just because it doesn't have the original engine. I have a 68 427/435hp coupe, which doesn't have the original engine. I probably would have felt really bad, had I not dropped the tank and found the Order Copy, which revealed it was a true L71 car. It seems that every edition of the Corvette Restorer has a story about some restored/refurbished "basket case".

Remember, these big block cars were more than likely ordered to race, either street or strip, and raced until they died. How many race cars do you know of that have the original engine?

From your VIN (fifth digit=W), you have a 454/270hp car. You'll have to survey the Trim Tag to determine originallity regarding paint/interior.

Whatever you do, don't throw away any original pieces, they could be quite valuable. If you have any questions, the people here would be happy to help. Good Luck!

**Mike Cobine** · August 13, 2003, 11:00 AM

Re: My dilemma! Help needed.

>Remember, these big block cars were more than likely ordered to
>race, either street or strip, and raced until they died. How many
>race cars do you know of that have the original engine?

Here is the crux of the entire value of original cars. Most in NCRS and other circles have forgotten or missed this point.

************************************************** *********
The value of original cars was not that they were original,
but that they survived intact!
************************************************** *********

After all, you find a '67 Chevy in a barn somewhere parked since 1980 and odds are it has the original engine. You find a '67 Corvette in the same situation and odds are the engine is not original.

Racing, hot rodding, customizing, and stealing were high activities in the '60s and '70s. Corvettes were run hard and put up wet. Many were stolen so that the "Corvette engine" could be dropped into a deuce coupe or '55 or whatever someone had that they wanted to go faster.

This was part of the NCRS objective in 1974 - the restoration, PRESERVATION, and HISTORY of Corvette. It seems too many only concern themselves with the first word of that now.

The numbers are only important if you plan on NCRS judging and even then, they only have so much impact. It will in no way affect the way you feel cruising down the road with the wind in your hair and going to meetings or off to shows.

You probably got a good deal, not a terrific one, but you are worrying about things that haven't even impacted you yet. Clean it up, enjoy the car, use it to learn, and have a good time.

If you are going to worry about numbers that much, sell it now, lose some money, then buy one restored, has the judging certificates, and pay $40,000 for it.

Me, I can buy a lot of gas for the $30,000 difference. I got to drive a '72 convertible with the WRONG hood and WRONG front spoiler to Nashville for the 50th. Did that diminish my fun?

What do you think?

My dilemma! Help needed.

My dilemma! Help needed.

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment