Gutted!!!

[Adtheman]

As some will know been spending time refurbing interior fitting new bits to engine and waiting for a new dewitts rad and fans to come from the states. thought while i was waiting id spend some time painting the inside of the engine bay as a lot more will be seen with the fan and shroud delete. You cant imagine the disappointment felt when i found this. Both sides needing some pretty extensive welding. Ive got the experts at CK on the job starting next week but requires engine out and wishbones removed to get to it to do it properly. Im sure a lot of you guys on here already know about this area but also a check for guys thinking about buying a car.

 

[Chuffer]

Hell Fire that`s serious stuff and can feel your pain . Makes you wonder what other hidden horrors are lurking elsewhere ! I can`t remember back to your early posts when you were shopping for a C3 , did you buy it in the UK or unseen from the US . A full inspection should have picked this up I`m afraid

 

[James Vette]

Gorilla glue job?

 

[Adtheman]

Hell Fire that`s serious stuff and can feel your pain . Makes you wonder what other hidden horrors are lurking elsewhere ! I can`t remember back to your early posts when you were shopping for a C3 , did you buy it in the UK or unseen from the US . A full inspection should have picked this up I`m afraid

i bought privately from Maidstone and inspected inside footwell along with lots of other places just not where it mattered it seems. I only have myself to blame i'm afraid. The joys of classic car ownership i guess.

 

[Adtheman]

Gorilla glue job?

If only it was that simple James. Be careful buddy i know you are looking.

 

[Chuffer]

A salutary lesson for all methinks . Caveat emptor and all that !

 

[Rich]

That's a real shame, but at least you have Corvette Kingdom on your side to sort it out.
JamesVette - I know you were only joking about Gorilla Glue, but trust me, we all go through a lot of pain when something like this is discovered.

 

[Adtheman]

A salutary lesson for all methinks . Caveat emptor and all that !

This was my main reason for posting if it stops someone else missing this then it will be worth the post. I much prefer posting nice pics of cars which hopefully when it’s done I should be able to carry on

That's a real shame, but at least you have Corvette Kingdom on your side to sort it out.
JamesVette - I know you were only joking about Gorilla Glue, but trust me, we all go through a lot of pain when something like this is discovered.

Thanks Rich, Scott's definitely the man to sort it out and i'll have every confidence when it comes back. Its just annoying as I was on the verge of plumping for some nice chrome Hooker side pipes. Oh well guess they'll have to go on the back burner for now. No offence taken James. I took it as tongue in cheek as I guess that's how it was intended

 

[Chuffer]

If only it was that simple James. Be careful buddy i know you are looking.

I spent a full three hours looking over mine before buying and took overalls to crawl around and look at the underside even though the vender had sent photos taken when car was on a lift . I still inherited problems that manifested themselves later and cost me ££££ and grief to sort out

 

[Forrest Gump]

As some will know been spending time refurbing interior fitting new bits to engine and waiting for a new dewitts rad and fans to come from the states. thought while i was waiting id spend some time painting the inside of the engine bay as a lot more will be seen with the fan and shroud delete. You cant imagine the disappointment felt when i found this. Both sides needing some pretty extensive welding. Ive got the experts at CK on the job starting next week but requires engine out and wishbones removed to get to it to do it properly. Im sure a lot of you guys on here already know about this area but also a check for guys thinking about buying a car.
View attachment 9087

Sorry you’ve had this set-back Ad, as you say it comes with the territory with a forty-five year old car.
So that looks like where the front crossmember joins the front chassis rails. Not at all easy to see that area with all the ancillaries and fan shrouds in place, so easy to have missed. Has the weld fractured or is it the metal around it rusted away to open up the joint?
Im surprised the engine has to come out to get access. I would have thought wishbones off and p/s and fuel pump out would have been enough.....but CK know what they’re doing.

 

[Adtheman]

Sorry you’ve had this set-back Ad, as you say it comes with the territory with a forty-five year old car.
So that looks like where the front crossmember joins the front chassis rails. Not at all easy to see that area with all the ancillaries and fan shrouds in place, so easy to have missed. Has the weld fractured or is it the metal around it rusted away to open up the joint?
Im surprised the engine has to come out to get access. I would have thought wishbones off and p/s and fuel pump out would have been enough.....but CK know what they’re doing.

Hi and thanks, it appears to be just a fracture, its all pretty sound around there, there's surface rust on lots of the underside but pretty solid. I like you am surprised about engine out but like you say Scott knows his shit and I trust him 100%. I'm in need of a new clutch anyway which was going to be done next month so part of the cost of removing the engine will be absorbed there as it will save dropping the box later on.

 

[Oneball]

That’s bad luck. I didn’t know that weld was a common failure. I’ve heard about other parts on the crossmember but not there.

 

[Roscobbc]

A unexpected issue both time and moneywise - as much as it is an unnessesary expense that will most likely prevent you doing other things at the moment no doubt. I'd be thinking to myself 'what-if'. What if - the remaining part of the welds had failed? What if - with the structural integretity of the car comprimised in an 'extreme' handling situation it created a terminal handling situation? What if - that 'situation' had caused you, your passenger and others injuries?

 

[Adtheman]

A unexpected issue both time and moneywise - as much as it is an unnessesary expense that will most likely prevent you doing other things at the moment no doubt. I'd be thinking to myself 'what-if'. What if - the remaining part of the welds had failed? What if - with the structural integretity of the car comprimised in an 'extreme' handling situation it created a terminal handling situation? What if - that 'situation' had caused you, your passenger and others injuries?

Absolutely, see nothing for your money but peace of mind knowing its safe. 'extreme' handling situation I have absolutely no idea what you mean

 

[Roscobbc]

Absolutely, see nothing for your money but peace of mind knowing its safe. 'extreme' handling situation I have absolutely no idea what you mean

Extreme handling in as much as hammering around corners and potential major chassis flex potentially caused by the fractures.

 

[Adtheman]

Extreme handling in as much as hammering around corners and potential major chassis flex potentially caused by the fractures.

Oh yes I have been known to be a little liberal with the throttle on some of my favourite roads. I have an awesome 35 mile twisty road trip to my work which when were back up and running and out of lockdown I will be enjoying occaisionally. Its not the same in my daily driver (A Nissan Leaf, sssh don't tell anyone)Its a bit like Chalk and cheese. One you cant hear and the other you cant hear yourself think.

 

[Chuffer]

It might be worth having having strengthening gussets welding in at key areas while you are at it Ad. Scott at CK can no doubt advise on this . The front crossbeam and various suspension locating brackets were a potential weakness on C3`s from the get go which is why C3 race cars in the US were often strengthened to cope with the " extreme handling " conditions .

 

[Forrest Gump]

The cracks look like they’ve been there for years, and fortunately not started to fail anywhere else. I imagine impacts, like hitting big pot holes, would have caused this?

 

[Chuffer]

As the cracks look deep and wide there may well be flexing and distortion to the chassis to consider too . The cost of having it re - jigged and checked doesn`t bare thinking about on top of the repair work .

 

[James Vette]

This was my main reason for posting if it stops someone else missing this then it will be worth the post. I much prefer posting nice pics of cars which hopefully when it’s done I should be able to carry on

Thanks Rich, Scott's definitely the man to sort it out and i'll have every confidence when it comes back. Its just annoying as I was on the verge of plumping for some nice chrome Hooker side pipes. Oh well guess they'll have to go on the back burner for now. No offence taken James. I took it as tongue in cheek as I guess that's how it was intended

Trying to make you laugh! Lock me up Rich!