My C3 restoration....

Brightgreenmeanmachine

Well-known user
Hi guys,

Firstly i'd like to say how welcome my area rep Paul Newman made me feel when I joined this club.

My boyhood dream of owning a Stingray started when i used to walk past one every day to school as a kid, it must have been early 80's , a bright yellow beast of a car that never left my head. Despite owning over 100+ cars over the years i never got the chance of an ' affordable' yank tank... My years have been spent on MG's of which i race a 66 Midget and various others over the years... I suppose it changed when i got the chance of a modern unit at a local farm to me, space at last and it was soon filled with various projects.. I decided that as banks offer very little return i would look to put some money into a couple of long term projects... Thanks when i started looking for a C3... it has to be an early one as thats the one i fell in love with as a boy... after viewing a few, some finished some rotten but none that felt right.... Good old eBay threw up an white looking '75 C3. This was a already started project that had come to a halt and i was soon to be the new lucky owner! So much has been done to this car already and its come with all the parts to get her back to her former glory.. So i will keep you guys updated of my progress, i'll post pics and as i have already found. Corvette guys offer so much help and seem keen to get the car back on the road as much as I do...

I'm luck to have my mate at Route52 AutoBodyShop on the case and opposite Strait to the Point Racing who will be doing the bodywork and engine. As much as i would like to take any credit that is only in a financial capacity!

We are 6 weeks into this and 300 x 40 grit da's have been used to remove several layers of paint and i have a plentiful supply of filler and all the sundries as thats my business, Wayside Adhesives, we supply and manufacture restoration and crash repair products.

The plan is to have her on the road for Feb '21.

She is going back to original Bright Green and engine will be around 450bhp when done. Fully adjustable suspension and uprated brakes already done.

So, thats my story so far, i hope its of interest and i will keep you updated as I go !
 

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Brightgreenmeanmachine

Well-known user
This was the car when i brought it. Any useful information or history would be great, from what I have been told it was sent from USA to Japan and then into the UK in 2004... Also its been registered as a 1978 when the vin shows its a 1975...
 

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Brightgreenmeanmachine

Well-known user
Its been difficult to get the code 42 bright green as it seems much darker the samples I got. So this scale model from USA painted by GM was scanned into the paint mixing machine. Its a dead on match but difficult to show in pics with shade etc... glad you like it .
 

Chuffer

CCCUK regional rep
This was the car when i brought it. Any useful information or history would be great, from what I have been told it was sent from USA to Japan and then into the UK in 2004... Also its been registered as a 1978 when the vin shows its a 1975...
Welcome to the happy family of Vette Heads Brightgreenie . Glad you have realised your dream , it sure looks like you have a project on your hands but that colour will surely `pop` when it`s finished . Your car has the mid 70`s rear end and a `face lift` 1980 - 1982 model snout grafted on so the 1975 date is probably the correct one . Your car has an amazing parallel history to mine ! My C3 is a 1980 model constructed in December 1979 and left the USA for Japan in 1989 and was imported into UK in 2016 . It even has the same rear wing bonded on that yours had . Very much a Japanese custom mod methinks and very probably an adapted Toyota Supra one . Mine has the wide body , front splitter and side skirts too . What do you have planned for the engine if you hope to wring 450bhp out of it ? It will make an interesting project to follow on the Forum .
Here is mine :
 

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CaptainK

CCCUK Member
Hello and welcome. Looks like a fantastic project, look forward to seeing the updates. Love the colour as well - and as said above, I'm interested to hear details on getting 450bhp - what engine you using and what you doing to it? etc etc.
 

Brightgreenmeanmachine

Well-known user
Welcome to the happy family of Vette Heads Brightgreenie . Glad you have realised your dream , it sure looks like you have a project on your hands but that colour will surely `pop` when it`s finished . Your car has the mid 70`s rear end and a `face lift` 1980 - 1982 model snout grafted on so the 1975 date is probably the correct one . Your car has an amazing parallel history to mine ! My C3 is a 1980 model constructed in December 1979 and left the USA for Japan in 1989 and was imported into UK in 2016 . It even has the same rear wing bonded on that yours had . Very much a Japanese custom mod methinks and very probably an adapted Toyota Supra one . Mine has the wide body , front splitter and side skirts too . What do you have planned for the engine if you hope to wring 450bhp out of it ? It will make an interesting project to follow on the Forum .
Here is mine :
Wow! Your car looks amazing! I was split when I got mine, Mod or Original....either way looks great in my opinion... thanks for the information too, im learning as I go..
 

Brightgreenmeanmachine

Well-known user
So , ill be able to answer questions about the engine and how he's getting that power when it gets that far , hopefully end Jan.

Here are some pics of the underneath before we get it properly sealed etc..
The last pic is the indicator in fills which have been cut in half..I am looking for a new pair if anyone has any for sale...
 

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Chuffer

CCCUK regional rep
Looks tidy underneath as best as you can tell on photos Kermit , just hope it is all sound and solid when you get stuck in ! Luckily the infamous rust in the bottom of the A post box section was only superficial on mine so nipped that one in the bud (y)
Hopefully your car will have benefited from the sunnier regions of Japan like I think mine did . It also lived in California at least some of its early life before export in 1989 as I discovered a Pacific Palisades Beach Club members windshield pass lost down the the top of the dashboard . Cool man ! :cool:
Now she`s freezing her wheel nuts off in cold , wet , miserable England !
 

Chuffer

CCCUK regional rep
PS , Kermit ( That`ll stick now ! ha ha ! ) What exhaust has yours got ? From the piccies they look a bit like Supertrapps . If so , even another big coincidence as that is what mine came with !
 

Brightgreenmeanmachine

Well-known user
I'm not sure, I was told its a race twin stainless steel with no back box, mufflers etc... the sound really is deafening...i love my neighbours...

I have some paperwork and service records in Japanese that came with a heap of other books and papers etc....

I was told the spoiler is an Eckler ? I am selling that along with the old rear end too and some doors minus the glass and workings etc..
 
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