New Member

TimP

CCCUK Member
Hi Everybody,
My name is Tim and I have recently joined the club. I hope to be able to post a few articles about my C3 build over the next few months although I expect many of you will have been through this yourselves.

The project I bought is a 1972 with a small block 350, manual transmission, power steering and brakes, power windows and air conditioning. Barn find is a common term for a car in this condition but 'swamp find' (it came from South Florida via Los Angeles) may be closer to the truth. It shows just under 57000 on the clock.
The photos attached give an idea of the condition although the reality is even worse ..... and that's exactly how I wanted it - a long term project on which I can learn every aspect of these terrific cars. I have had the car just over a year now and although I have never done anything on this scale before the rebuild is coming along ok.

This is my fourth American car. I started with a 1968 Dodge Polara 500 convertible, then a 1970 Plymouth Satellite coupe and a 2017 Ford Mustang GT, the last of which I still have.
I am based in Sussex and hope to meet other members at a club meet as soon as is practical.
 

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Daytona Vette

Well-known user
Welcome Tim, it appears to be a loved car that has been sitting - enjoy your build and keep posting your pics and progress - any help you need, just ask, there are plenty of members on here with excellent knowledge.
 

TimP

CCCUK Member
Many thanks for your welcome messages. I hope to post an update every week or so and as I progress with the rebuild I'm sure there will be questions that club members can help with. It probably would have been better if I had joined earlier (I have had the car for about a year now) but some people just have to learn the hard way!
 

Paul Newman

CCCUK regional rep
Welcome to the club Tim, as mentioned already, if you need any advice at all then simply post your queries on here. Unless I'm mistaken the C3 seems to be the most popular generation of Corvette in the club so there are plenty of likeminded individuals out there to glean from - all the best mate ;)(y) 🇺🇸
 

CaptainK

CCCUK Member
Hello and welcome to the club. Nice to see another C3, and I look forward to the project photos. I also find it interesting to see the spare wheel container on yours - mine has always been missing since I've owned the car and never really knew what it looked like.
 

TimP

CCCUK Member
Hi Roscobbc
I'm fairly sure that the engine is a stock 200hp 350ci. I haven't done anything with the engine so far other than have a quick look under the valve covers to check it all seemed ok (it was) and remove a few things like the carb for safe keeping and a rebuild.
 

TimP

CCCUK Member
Hi CaptainK,
The spare wheel container had a few cracks and holes when I got the car and restoring this was one of the things I tried. Here are the 'after' pics (attached) which shows, on the inside of the grp container, which areas were repaired (eg the darker shade around the drain hole which was the worst damage). The eagle eyed will notice that I have also temporarily bolted into the carrier - this will be rivetted as per the original once this repair been finished and the fit against the car has been confirmed.

Please let me know if you need more detail.

IMG_1592-Small.JPGIMG_1593-Small.JPG
 

antijam

CCCUK Member
Hi CaptainK,
The spare wheel container had a few cracks and holes when I got the car and restoring this was one of the things I tried. Here are the 'after' pics (attached) which shows, on the inside of the grp container, which areas were repaired (eg the darker shade around the drain hole which was the worst damage).

Interesting - I had to re-glass my my C3 spare wheel carrier in exactly the same place.....:confused:
 

Invetterate

CCCUK Member
Welcome, good luck with the work and more power to your elbow!. I expect you will be taking photos as you go, so perhaps we can do an article for Vette News on progress at some point?

Cheers

Mark
 

CaptainK

CCCUK Member
Nice one thanks - my 1968 Vette has none of the spare wheel carrying stuff on it. It was like that when I got the car. Being a newbie at the time I didn't think about spare wheels until I changed my wheels from standard wheels to the alloys it has now. Then I thought I could shove an original wheel where the spare wheel should be ..... and thus found that other than not having a spare wheel, I also don't have the bits to carry one. Oh well, it just means I have a lightweight Corvette model :ROFLMAO:
 

TimP

CCCUK Member
Hi Mark,
I would be very happy to write an article about what I have done so far (in a nutshell: bought in USA, shipped over, rebuilt the gas tank assembly, rebuilt brakes, front and rear suspension and steering gear, some bodywork and other misc bits along the way) but I don't know what has been written about before and wouldn't want to repeat what has quite possibly/probably been done already. Is there a topic or perspective on what I have done that would be interesting to members that you could recommend?

Tim
 
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