Need help inspecting a classic car oppo

"gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun" (gbergey)
05/10/2016 at 20:30 • Filed to: Corvette, oppo help plz

I’m going to look at a 1974 Stingray on Thursday, and because it’s a couple ferry rides away from civilisation, I don’t have the option of getting it professionally inspected. However, I’m taking a mechanic student along with me, and between the two of us, might be able to spot a few problems

I’ve made a list here of what we should be checking for, can anyone tell me what I’m missing or don’t need to do? I have never brought or owned anything with a V8 or older than the late 80s, any advice is appreciated!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1va…

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http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/cto/557113…

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DISCUSSION (24)

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 01:31

Timing belt if it has one. Water pump. Tensioners. Engine matching numbers etc.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars
05/10/2016 at 01:42

Good points!! Thanks :D

Does a 5.7L Chevy V8 (L-48) have a timing belt?

blacktruck18 > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 01:58

It might be hard to tell but, check around the windshield, that is one of few places this will really rust.

Anywhere you can see the inside of the body panels look for shitty repair jobs to the fiberglass.

Check the bottom for any where the car could have bottomed again, for broken fiberglass.

http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c3-gene…

I found this link too, good luck.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > blacktruck18
05/10/2016 at 02:33

The pictures of how to remove the kick panels and check the birdcage were immensely helpful!

Gone > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 05:09

Chain. Shouldn’t be an issue. That’s a thorough list. That plus the CF list should do you well.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 07:45

As Black truck said, look around the windshield frame area. This is where C3s are notorious for rust. Be sure that the car has a solid birdcage, along with the body mounts, as this is also an area for rust. Check thoroughly for fiberglass damage because, if there is any, it will be pricey as hell to repair.

Car looks decent, but there are not many pictures either. Being that it is a ‘74, it should have a split rear bumper (meaning that it is two pieces). If it does not, it means it has been replaced with a newer one. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as many people replaced them for the hell of it, but I’d look more thoroughly if if doesn’t have the original bumper, as it could mean the car was in an accident.

Otherwise, your list looks pretty good. Just be sure to check the options as well. Looks to be either an L48 (standard 350), but could be an L82. ‘74 was a relatively light year for performance options. The two I’d really look for would be the FE7 package (Gymkhana handling pkg), and the J50 package (power brakes). Otherwise, most of the packages were comfort or aesthetics related.

crowmolly > Gone
05/10/2016 at 08:48

It may be from the years with the nylon timing gears. Those can be troublesome.

But the owner probably won’t let you pull the front of the engine to check it. I know I wouldn’t.

crowmolly > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 08:54

That’s a pretty solid list.

A few things I’d add:

Find out if it’s the original block based on the engine suffix code. If it isn’t, that’s a bit of a value hit.

It’s a manual trans so check the clutch operation. Be aware that it’s an old car so it may have long travel and be stiff.

It’s a 1974 Vette so the trans should be a Muncie if it’s original. Be aware that a countershaft leak (on the front of the trans) is very common.

Get the car in the air and see if it has a limited slip diff.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 09:50

Ask the seller not to start the car before you get there so you can do a cold start. Then once you take it for a drive and it’s nice a warm, shut it off wait a couple minutes and try a hot start. My dad’s 1969 doesn’t like to start when the engine is already hot.

jminer > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 09:52

One additional item to check is to pop the radiator cap while the engine is cold and check for sludge or oil. That saved me from a 924 that had a failing head gasket once.

My wife came with me and I checked the fluids and gave the car a pretty solid once over and was happy with it. She was poking around the engine bay and called my attention to a small amount of oil under the radiator cap.

There were no other external indications of a head gasket weep, compression was good, no coolant in the oil, and no strange fluid leaks.

This car would have been a project anyway, but that made it go from worth it to not so on my scale.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
05/10/2016 at 21:43

Thank you so much!

According to the seller, it’s a L-48, but the engine was out for a rebuild 3k kms ago, and the sale included the “original exhaust manifolds and heads and intake manifold plus Quad. jet carb”

Birdcage and window frames are for sure getting checked!

I don’t know if it has a J50 package, but as per the seller, he’s replaced all the power steering and power brakes components, and it comes with an extra set of window glass (both sides) and window regulators.

I updated with a few more pics

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > Gone
05/10/2016 at 21:48

Chain, sprockets, oil pump, water pump... engine got a rebuild 3k ago, but I need to find out what that included and who did it

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > jminer
05/10/2016 at 21:49

Added to my list, along with many other items thanks to you fine folks :D

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > crowmolly
05/10/2016 at 21:51

Original block, recently rebuilt though, and it comes with the original exhaust manifolds, heads, intake manifold, plus the Quad. jet carb, as per the seller.

It’s a L-48, power brakes, steering, and windows, and very freaking blue interior

Email from seller:

It’s an L48 , original block but a total re-build , rear end is stock , Tran’s is a Borg-Warner super T-10 4 spd. original .... no AC

My (long term) plans for the car involve a 3.55 rear end and a Tremec TKO500, for fuel consumption and drivability reasons, so whatever’s in there isn’t so important if it’s not original

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
05/10/2016 at 21:53

Good point, thanks!

Birddog > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 22:09

Look at the paint very closely. If these aren’t repainted properly you’ll see odd shapes under the paint. It’s hard to describe. Almost like air bubbles trapped under bad window tint.

The price seems fair with the extra parts. Good luck!

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 22:11

Ah, nice! Motor looks relatively solid. It’s nice that your will get some extra parts with the sale. I’d just roll with the aftermarket heads and headers that are on it currently, but it’s always good to have original parts on deck.

That’s good! Rust in those areas is why so many of these are abandoned or considered a total loss, sadly.

If he says he replaced most of the power brake components, then it probably is a J50 car. Most of the Vettes built in ‘74 had that option (around 33k of the 37k and change built), but you never know how cheap a buyer might have been in ‘74. The FE7 Gymkhana package was only a whopping $7 back in the day, and only around 1900 people bought it! The FE7 came with a thicker front sway bar and rear sway bar (‘74 Vette didn’t come with a rear sway bar standard), along with stiffer springs in both the front and the back. It was a bargain at $7, but not many cars have it. Definitely not a deal breaker, but it’s nice to have.

He’s pretty spot on for the price for a ‘74, maybe even below the average price. I’d drive it and consider the car as a whole, then determine how much you want to pay, since there is some room for bargain. Be sure to post pictures!

crowmolly > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 22:26

Nice!

3.55 or 3.70 gears with the 5 speed will work well.

Oh, and a power brake upgrade would be a good idea. And swap around the PCV setup.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > crowmolly
05/10/2016 at 22:35

It’s had the power brakes and power steering recently redone! I’ll look into the PCV setup

crowmolly > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/10/2016 at 22:37

It has not. There is no power brake booster on the car, and I don’t see a hydroboost unit near the master.

This car has manual brakes. It’s a real nice car, and I think it’s a good buy, but get power brakes on it.

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > crowmolly
05/10/2016 at 22:41

Thank you for pointing that out! So far that’s been the only inconsistency in what the guy has emailed me, hopefully the only one too

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage
05/10/2016 at 22:42

Suspension refurbishment is on the table for me, and I wouldn’t feel too guilty putting in a tremec TKO500 since it already has a non original 4 speed (Borg Warner, not Muncie)

Don’t forget price is in Canadian Loonies :P

gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun > Birddog
05/10/2016 at 22:44

I’ll give the paint and fiberglass a good feeling up and eyeballing!

Price is unusually cheap, especially considering it’s in Loonies! The guy is on the wrong end of two ferries from where I live though, so that partly explains it

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > gergey - Wishes vette was Datsun
05/11/2016 at 07:32

Nah, I wouldn’t feel too guilty either. If you have the money, I think that would be a legit call.

Oh yeah! Forgot about that then. That’s a damn good price for that car then.