Oh Happy, happy, joy, joy!

[BirdsThaWord]

Back in the 70's also, I worked in a muscle car performance shop and a guy offered me his 63 Split Window Corvette for $1500 and I passed on it. He was headed out to Nam and didn't want it just sitting in his back yard. My boss was one of the founders of the Tye Rods Hot Rod Club. It was Crosby's Garage, he was Jack Crosby.

https://www.ty-rods.org/

https://www.ty-rods.org/members.html

What a cool job you had. I bet you wish you had bought that 63. Another one that got away. But, I hope he made it back and got to enjoy it himself.

[BirdsThaWord]

Is that the 370hp LT-1? If so, great find for a fairly rare car! I bought a 72 Chev K20 about 8 years ago with plans of a frame off restomod that I should have already been driving for a few years. If I ever get may back squared away, and the wife loosening the purse strings, I'll be driving it in a year or two. That is a real nice looking 'vette and should be a fun resto. If you like car shows and don't mind travelling a bit, once you get it done, look up Cruisin' the Coast in Mississippi the first week of Oct. Most of the cars that participate are driven there, with just a few trailered in. Weeklong of festivities with quite of few car parades. Friendly folks all around and the local LEO's are very understanding of the cars the cars and the occasional "exhibition of acceleration" that happens from time to time. I used to be stationed down there and always looked forward to it every year. We still try to get down there every year, but usually make it every 2 or 3 years. Tried to make it this year, but didn't make it. Hopefully, we will be down there next year.

From what I’ve read, they dropped the hp down to 330 in 71. 70 was the last year for the 370 hp. But I think it will still have a little scoot to it. Those 72 K20’s are soo cool too. I just started watching (forget the name of the show) a show about cops on an Indian reservation. Never seen so many cool old trucks in one show. Good luck getting yours back on the road, and good luck with your back. That’s something I certainly know about and for years it was one of the main reasons I thought I’d never get back into wrenchin and roddin. I’m familiar with Crusin The Coast. I’ve read about it a few times and pretty sure that Dennis guy, with the funny mustache, had it on his show once or twice. Hope you can go as well!

[BirdsThaWord]

From what I found on line, the 1971 LT1 was rated at 330hp. 9.0 compression ratio. The base unit was 280hp, and the LS6 was 450 hp, 12.0 compression ratio. I'm sure with a little modern day add ons, you could get over 350hp on the LT1. Electronic ignition, throttle body fuel injection, tuned headers, etc...

I read the same. My initial intentions, as promised to the wife, is to keep it kinda base with the engine. I spent a small fortune on the 69, trying to go faster and faster. Stroker motor, aluminum everything, nitrous, lighter parts, tougher parts, etc. etc. I may one day get a hankering though. You know how those things go!

[BirdsThaWord]

Without a doubt, all iron BB's are heavy LOL!

Congrats @BirdsThaWord, fantastic score! You know that it'll be worth a mint when finished! A chrome bumper LT1 rag top equals big dinero $$$$$! Doesn't look that rough to me, does it include the original numbers matching drivetrain?

Good luck with the restoration! Are you going stock, or modernize like I did (mine was a used up drag car with a blown non-original 327 in it when I found her behind a local chassis fabricator's shop way back when, so she was missing her original engine, and she was just a base 270HP automatic anyway, i.e. nothing valuable like a 71 LT1 ragtop. I had just had my second knee surgery and wasn't sure I would ever be able to handle a clutch again, so an auto trans seems the way to go back in the 90's, though thankfully the knee is not a problem today. She was built to run with the Vipers and C4 ZR1's of the day, and pass CA Smog though thankfully she's exempt now in her old age. There's an easy to find 75HP awaiting with a cam change.

Love me those C3's, though sadly I'll be selling mine soon, gettin' too old and rarely drive her anymore "sniff". She's a 71 Coupe, 406/400 SB with 13* TFS Heads, Comp Cam, Headers, Steeroids R&P Power Steering, Vette Brakes Springs and Bars, Bilstein Shocks, Toy Shop built 89 Trans Am 700R4 OD Trans, 81 Wheels, 81 Seats, AC, PW/PB, everything rebuilt about 20K miles ago.

Here's she is...

Thanks djd! I would say that I will keep it mostly stock in appearance. I will modernize a few things though. Mostly for comfort and avoidance of aggravations that you know very well. I will foil insulate under the carpet, modernize the wiring (lots of grounds for it), go with led lights front to back, remove the vaccum system in favor of electric, do some suspension upgrades, maybe Vintage Air and things like that. Lots of help doing stuff like that with guys making entire youtube series showing how they did it and what they learned to do and not do along the way. My 69 was similar to yours in that it was base, not original, so I went all the way. Enjoyed spanking a few Vipers myself, along with a few snobs in new Vette’s Man, yours is a beaut, sounds like a beast and has had some really nice upgrades! Wish I could afford two of them!
No, the engine is not original. Strory is that the original owner blew it when new and the dealer replaced it under warranty. But, the engine code (from what I’ve read) does not match up to what a factory replacement would have been back then. So, not so worried about that and won’t feel so bad with the modernization touches. Just gonna be a nice cruiser.

[jeepster09]

Hmmm maybe I put this together backwards?

[340pd]

Love it.

[djd100]

Thanks djd! I would say that I will keep it mostly stock in appearance. I will modernize a few things though. Mostly for comfort and avoidance of aggravations that you know very well. I will foil insulate under the carpet, modernize the wiring (lots of grounds for it), go with led lights front to back, remove the vaccum system in favor of electric, do some suspension upgrades, maybe Vintage Air and things like that. Lots of help doing stuff like that with guys making entire youtube series showing how they did it and what they learned to do and not do along the way. My 69 was similar to yours in that it was base, not original, so I went all the way. Enjoyed spanking a few Vipers myself, along with a few snobs in new Vette’s Man, yours is a beaut, sounds like a beast and has had some really nice upgrades! Wish I could afford two of them!
No, the engine is not original. Strory is that the original owner blew it when new and the dealer replaced it under warranty. But, the engine code (from what I’ve read) does not match up to what a factory replacement would have been back then. So, not so worried about that and won’t feel so bad with the modernization touches. Just gonna be a nice cruiser.

Awesome, it's going to be great! I left mine stock in appearance as well, love the classic work, and tried to use later C3 parts where applicable like for the 700R4's shifter's lense which came from the 82 C3 which had that trans, and the late C3 seats which are not only way better, but also way lighter (save 40 plus pounds getting rid of the horrible early C3 seats), and later C3 wheels.

I would suggest you look into either the Steeroids Rack & Pinion conversion, or the Borgeson Power Steering Box Conversion, as the stock C3 steering came from GM's 50's pickups LOL!

The Steeroids R&P is a modern upgrade that really improves the steering, and while the Borgeson Power Steering Box is not quite as good in steering feel, it's still way better than the 50's linkage assist stock setup. The stock setup has play at center, then once you turn the wheel it activates the power cylinder via a valve, which then initially over boosts your steering input typically requiring you to reset your line through the corner, while the upgrade options are wonderfully linear like all modern cars (with the R&P being the tighter of the two).

Upgrading the steering and adding an overdrive for comfortable cruising were the two biggest things that I enjoyed with mine aside from the AC and 81 seats (in addition two the mechanical/electrical refresh etc). We used to drive her all over the western US back in the day, good times!

Can't wait to watch your progress, best of luck!

[skyler]

I like this color，so beautiful！

[BirdsThaWord]

Love it.

Thanks brother! Have not been getting notifications on replies here lately, so just now seeing this. Sorry for the slow reply.

[BirdsThaWord]

Awesome, it's going to be great! I left mine stock in appearance as well, love the classic work, and tried to use later C3 parts where applicable like for the 700R4's shifter's lense which came from the 82 C3 which had that trans, and the late C3 seats which are not only way better, but also way lighter (save 40 plus pounds getting rid of the horrible early C3 seats), and later C3 wheels.

I would suggest you look into either the Steeroids Rack & Pinion conversion, or the Borgeson Power Steering Box Conversion, as the stock C3 steering came from GM's 50's pickups LOL!

The Steeroids R&P is a modern upgrade that really improves the steering, and while the Borgeson Power Steering Box is not quite as good in steering feel, it's still way better than the 50's linkage assist stock setup. The stock setup has play at center, then once you turn the wheel it activates the power cylinder via a valve, which then initially over boosts your steering input typically requiring you to reset your line through the corner, while the upgrade options are wonderfully linear like all modern cars (with the R&P being the tighter of the two).

Upgrading the steering and adding an overdrive for comfortable cruising were the two biggest things that I enjoyed with mine aside from the AC and 81 seats (in addition two the mechanical/electrical refresh etc). We used to drive her all over the western US back in the day, good times!

Can't wait to watch your progress, best of luck!

Sound advice! One of the guys vids I’ve watched (every one of his, most 2-3 times each) did the Borg upgrade. He spoke highly of it. Others I’ve watched have said the same. It’s definitely on my list. BTW, I’ve since learned that the engine actually is the correct replacement (CE, 71 year stampings). Not that it means a lot, but a bit better than it having a whatever block. Heads, intake, rams horns, pully’s, etc. etc. are are indeed original.