Last night my son picked up his 4th 78 Pace Car, an L-82 Automatic. The previous owner had a lot of work done on the engine (R & R), ringing up a large bill. He claimed it just was not running right, so he took it to a shop that specializes mostly in exotic foreign sports cars. They replaced the entire valve train (cam, lifters, timing chain and sprockets, etc), and rebuilt the carb, distributor and alternator, including the transmission - some $9k worth of work - eek!
My son had driven the car before he bought it and said that after it was warmed up, it ran fine (has newly rebuilt brakes too). When I first heard it during loading, and again when we got it home and drove it, standing next to it it sounds like a Diesel!
Now I admit, I don't have much experience with 70's/80's emission Vettes, so I thought I'd throw it out there for some advice from the C-3 experts. Being as how the work was done by some Ferrari mechanic, I have concerns for the following:
- Exhaust leaks at the packings and/or heat riser valve
- Operation of the air pump system
- Operation of the EGR
- Distributor and valve timing/positioning
Mind you these are from my first observations on a dark street at night. We'll be looking at it closer when time permits. The car has a lot of redeeming qualities, i.e. 8000 miles on it since bought from Pro-Team in 2000 (42 miles on it then), it is all mostly original and in pretty good condition in, out and under, and the price was right.
Any thoughts appreciated, and I'm sure he or I will post more about it - specially if he decides to "cherry" it up for judging.
Stu fox
My son had driven the car before he bought it and said that after it was warmed up, it ran fine (has newly rebuilt brakes too). When I first heard it during loading, and again when we got it home and drove it, standing next to it it sounds like a Diesel!
Now I admit, I don't have much experience with 70's/80's emission Vettes, so I thought I'd throw it out there for some advice from the C-3 experts. Being as how the work was done by some Ferrari mechanic, I have concerns for the following:
- Exhaust leaks at the packings and/or heat riser valve
- Operation of the air pump system
- Operation of the EGR
- Distributor and valve timing/positioning
Mind you these are from my first observations on a dark street at night. We'll be looking at it closer when time permits. The car has a lot of redeeming qualities, i.e. 8000 miles on it since bought from Pro-Team in 2000 (42 miles on it then), it is all mostly original and in pretty good condition in, out and under, and the price was right.
Any thoughts appreciated, and I'm sure he or I will post more about it - specially if he decides to "cherry" it up for judging.
Stu fox
Comment