Abandoned 454 4 speed Corvette rescue

That's something I hope to never experience!

 

The Corvette has developed a differential issue. The right side slip yoke in the differential has excessive play. It should only have .010" play in and out. We're now at .103"! According to Van Steel in Florida, total failure is around .125 where the yoke wears to the point of the snap ring groove. It seems to be a common issue. There are no c clips, just a snap ring. The end of the yoke wears against the cross shaft. Hopefully I can get away with just replacing the yoke.

The issue is....you can't just take the diff cover off. The rear suspension needs to come apart. So basically hours of labor to replace a $149 part. Love it

Now I have think about refurb-ing the half shafts since they are coming out along with the transverse leaf. Do I just have the trailing arms redone too? I can see this getting real expensive real fast!

I'll probably start on it in a couple weeks after the 68 vacates the shop.

 

The only saving grace in the whole thing is it has side exhaust. At least there are no mufflers to get in the way!

 

I do! I use it as a second car. I take it to work once in a while, grocery store, cars and coffee on Sunday morning.

My intial plan was to flip it, but I really like driving it. Runs well and it's fun to drive. I am getting the bug for another 70-72 convertible, so maybe come spring I might let her go. We'll see

 

I couldn't take the condition of the front carpets. They're ratty to put it in mildly.

So I open up my favorite Corvette vendors website, Zip Corvette and order a set of front carpets. 74 with a silver interior with cut pile carpets

A week later a box arrives. They sent me "silver" carpets. The carpets aren't silver! They're a charcoal color from the factory. Plus the nap isn't even close either. This what they sent me. That little piece of dark carpet in the middle is cut from a piece of my original from under the sill.




Here's a closer pic of the color and texture differences



I realize that I'm not going to find a perfect match. But c'mon!

In researching this after the fact, ACC makes two kinds of cut pile. What they sent me and another, thicker shag called "Essex". So I called Zip and I have to admit, they're awesome. Send me a return label and contacted ACC. ACC sent me 4 color samples today.

These samples are against the door of the battery box which is faded. I think the upper right sample is the closest to the color of the majority of the old carpet. That piece of old carpet with the rust stain is from under the seat.



The nap is still too short for my liking but I think that's the best it's gonna get. Nothing can ever be simple...

But, Since everything was apart, I did manage to clean the dirty seat belts in hot water and laundry detergent.

 

I've really spent way too much time on this....

So I went to my local upholstery guy who did the top on my old limemist convertible. He had every carpet swatch that ACC makes! After looking at all the grays, we picked out "Dove Gray/ 8292" . Almost a dead on match for what's in the storage compartment behind the seats.

So the good news is we have the right color, bad news is that it doesn't come in the ultra plush Essex carpet, only the regular cut pile. The closest match in Essex is "medium gray". So I'm going with the Dove Gray in the regular cut pile. Both btw are on the blue side of gray.

I'm really surprised that there isn't a better material out there that matches the factory plushness.

 

Correct carpets are finally here in the right color. Ironically, while the carpets were out of the car, I noticed the car has a pretty severe water leak. Both floor pans had puddles on them. So now I can't put the carpets in until I address the leaks.

The water on the driver's side is coming in from the upper part of the cowl where it curves down behind the fender. There's a seam there and it's leaking plain as day. I'm not sure I can get up in there with the cluster in place. So that means the dash has to come apart.....again. I'd honestly rather get a root canal. It'll have to wait till spring

 

Nothing makes this Corvette happier than leaking stuff...

Another power steering leak! Aarrgh! This time the power steering control valve starting dripping. Oil leaks btw drive me nuts!

So off came the control valve. I'll spare you the details on the removal from the car. Suffice to say it was a PITA.

Here is the valve in its greasy glory




Took it apart and cleaned it in solvent. Absolutely filthy. Rubber seal were rock hard. This is the same valve after a bath and compressed air.



I bought a rebuild kit from Zip Corvette. Not much to it at all. I think it was $24. I'll throw it back together this weekend and hopefully that will be it. I bet you anything the pump is going to start dripping next. Lol

 

I'm gonna sell it in April when everyone gets their tax returns lol

 

Installed the rebuilt control valve this morning. Of course it was ice cold outside and it snowed last night. But I managed to get it back together. Thankfully, no leaks. Such a ridiculous system

 

That's the best part about this car- you can't tell it's got rubber bumpers on it from the driver's seat! Plus it was a hell of a lot cheaper.

 

So I did something that no car guy should do- I added up what this project cost me.

So the car cost me $3600 to buy from the auction. Amazingly, I wound up putting $8600 into it including the $1500 for the body work. So I have about $12k into it "all in"

So whats it worth on the open market?