What have you done today

[Chuffer]

Placed an order on Rockauto Tuesday afternoon. The bulk of the 23 items ordered turned up just a couple of hours ago. Decided after 25 years of ownership (and other than a set of rubbers and washers for the control valve and ps ram and copious quantities of ps fluid) it was time to order-up the necessary parts for a total front-end suspension and steering rebuild at some point over the next few months......and before Outspan features over the other side of the pond multiplies tariffs even further.......

Wise move before the Big Orange Man f***s up the world economy even more . Sounds like you will be busy Ross while the rest of the world goes to hell in a hand cart !!

 

[Chuffer]

Been over the workshop today fettling and tinkering on the C3 ready for getting out and about over the next few weeks to Silverstone and Bicester Scramble . A full service and general check over had been carried out piece meal over the last few weeks so it was time to install a new headlight switch I had ordered as the pull out knob that activates the vacuum pop ups and side / headlights had a propensity of coming out of the switch in your hand when operated . Also had the drivers side door card off to access the the rather tired electric window winder mechanism that occasionally jams when fully lowered and needs a helping hand to rise again . A bit of adjustment here and there seemed to do the trick but think the day is not far off when new innards are needed . Oh ! and not mention being called upon to help manhandle a newly constructed tub and space frame of a March 75B Formula Atlantic around the workshop for my mate as there are so many cars ( 17 including mine at last count !! ). So not enough room to swing a cat ! Three race cars are up for sale but the market has gone quiet at the moment , probably due to the Oran Utang as the Gentlemen Racer fraternity hang on to their money for a while .

 

[Roscobbc]

Wise move before the Big Orange Man f***s up the world economy even more . Sounds like you will be busy Ross while the rest of the world goes to hell in a hand cart !!

Questuin is - do I get on with it all now - and it take longer than expected causing me to miss some events..........or be a bit 'laid back' use the car for a few weeks/do a few shows/events and tackle it early summer (I think I'm gonna do the latter thing!)

 

[Chuffer]

Questuin is - do I get on with it all now - and it take longer than expected causing me to miss some events..........or be a bit 'laid back' use the car for a few weeks/do a few shows/events and tackle it early summer (I think I'm gonna do the latter thing!)

Do you not have any events lined up through the summer too ? If the work is not desperately needed right now I would be inclined to leave it until the Autumn . That way you can enjoy your car at will on all those lovely sunny days we are gonna have!!

 

[CaptainK]

Good job getting all those suspension items ordered. As a fellow 68 owner, is there anything "special" we need to worry about up front? (aka one year only parts etc).

As for me, yesterday I had some hours to kill after work as wife and child away. So I took out one of the vac headlight actuators and replaced it with the new electric headlight conversion motor. That was fun. Still got to do the passenger side sometime, but no rush as I'm not gonna be using the car for a while anyway..... but to be honest its still useable during the day as I've capped off the vac ports used by that headlight.

 

[CaptainK]

I also went to see Clatworthy Reservoir in the Vette - many tiny single lane / dirt tracks to get to it, including getting past the bin men in the single tracks. Who says you can't use Yank cars on tiny roads? In the first two photos, you can't see that well, but there is a stream running next to the Corvette with the road bridge over it just behind the Corvette. In the last photo, you can just see the top of the dam wall.

 

[Roscobbc]

Certainly looks great framed against the countryside. The only thing I have noticed is that major steering components (like spindles and associated stuff) has a dirrent part number for pre' '69 Vettes. I wonder if that was as with a number of other parts........carry over items from 1967 year run-out C2's?

 

[CaptainK]

Probably was carry over stuff from the C2. I found out recently an easy way to determine if a 1968 Vette is an "early 68" or "late 68" - presence of the "wiper override light" in the late 68, as early 68 didn't have one. GM apparently put one in quickly due to people accidentally leaving the override enabled, which because the 1968 wiper circuit is NEGATIVE switched (always has a positive) meant their batteries went flat quickly. 1969 onwards the wiper circuit was completely redone and was POSITIVE switched instead. All the fun I found out whilst doing my electric wiper door conversion on my 68 and having issues. I have the light, so mine is a late 68 (confirmed by VIN as well).

 

[Chuffer]

I also went to see Clatworthy Reservoir in the Vette - many tiny single lane / dirt tracks to get to it, including getting past the bin men in the single tracks. Who says you can't use Yank cars on tiny roads? In the first two photos, you can't see that well, but there is a stream running next to the Corvette with the road bridge over it just behind the Corvette. In the last photo, you can just see the top of the dam wall.

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Beautiful car , beautiful day , beautiful weather , beautiful scenery . How much better can life be !!

 

[Chuffer]

Yesterday was spent tinkering with the C3 and today was spent tinkering with a Class 33 ,this being the official class designation for the D6535 which we are cracking on with major bodywork repairs to get back in service for the Great Central Railways three day Diesel Gala in 2 weeks time . I think we will actually just make it but the blue livery paint might still be a bit tacky !!
More detail to follow om " Different Train of Thought " .

 

[Mad4slalom]

I also went to see Clatworthy Reservoir in the Vette - many tiny single lane / dirt tracks to get to it, including getting past the bin men in the single tracks. Who says you can't use Yank cars on tiny roads? In the first two photos, you can't see that well, but there is a stream running next to the Corvette with the road bridge over it just behind the Corvette. In the last photo, you can just see the top of the dam wall.

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Great photos! Love those side pipes are they the factory fibreglass covers or all aluminum?

 

[CaptainK]

Beautiful car , beautiful day , beautiful weather , beautiful scenery . How much better can life be !!

Beautiful babe in the car with me? Sadly not available that day as she was away visiting her mum.

But the irony is, if she WAS available, then I wouldn't have been out in the car on a beautiful day etc - because then we'd have to bring the baby too, and Vette only has 2 seats. So we'd be in the kid wagon, ruining the whole point of my scenic drive out.

 

[CaptainK]

Great photos! Love those side pipes are they the factory fibreglass covers or all aluminum?

They are fibreglass ones like the factory ones. I highly doubt they are original factory fibreglass ones (probably "pattern" aftermarket ones), as my car is a 1968, and the factory sidepipes was 1969 only. But I love the look of them. The covers were fitted in America by the previous owner, and probably part of what drew me to this Corvette.

 

[Chuffer]

Beautiful babe in the car with me? Sadly not available that day as she was away visiting her mum.

But the irony is, if she WAS available, then I wouldn't have been out in the car on a beautiful day etc - because then we'd have to bring the baby too, and Vette only has 2 seats. So we'd be in the kid wagon, ruining the whole point of my scenic drive out.

Fun for one then ??

 

[Roscobbc]

Fun for one then ??

And there lies a potential major issue. There are enough rattles, squeaks and other 'characteristic' noises, plus the exhaust sound to be getting on with in an old Vette. But, when you are driving the car, and enjoying it they all become all but inaudible...........however the extra high pitched cabin 'noise' when 'er indoors' (perhaps unwillingly) comes along for a ride, sitting in the passenger seat directly facing oncoming traffic with obvious significant dissatisfaction with the quality of your gear shifting and perhaps occasional use of the gas pedal (instead of steering wheel) to lightly drift the rear-end around those tighter corners...........you perhaps realise you should have taken the daily driver.

 

[Mad4slalom]

They are fibreglass ones like the factory ones. I highly doubt they are original factory fibreglass ones (probably "pattern" aftermarket ones), as my car is a 1968, and the factory sidepipes was 1969 only. But I love the look of them. The covers were fitted in America by the previous owner, and probably part of what drew me to this Corvette.

If it didnt mean loosing my lovely 70/72 rectangular tips I would love to go sidepipes with those covers ,.. gorgeous

 

[Nassau65]

Factory 1969 side pipe covers were aluminium, not fibreglass.

 

[CaptainK]

If it didnt mean loosing my lovely 70/72 rectangular tips I would love to go sidepipes with those covers ,.. gorgeous

Oh I have (fake) exhaust tips at the back of my car too. It arrived from USA with the sidepipes, but it has had the original decorative holes in the rear where the original exhaust came out. But I thought it looked wrong with just holes, so put some fake exhaust tips in there. My original intention was eventually to have exhaust valves switching between noisy sidepipes and quieter rear exhaust for cruising etc. Time and money meant I've never got around to doing that yet.

Here is a photo showing the sidepipes and the rear fake exhausts at the same time, taken ages back when the fake exhausts and new stainless sidepipes had just been installed, and the sidepipe covers had been repaired and resprayed after they were damaged in transit from USA. I've also realised that its my Corvette in the same place and day etc as when my avatar picture was taken.

 

[CaptainK]

...........you perhaps realise you should have taken the daily driver left the missus at home.

I've fixed your post for you

As an aside, I don't generally hear the missus much in the Corvette - she doesn't seem that bothered by my Corvette driving. That and sidepipes and the fact I'm slightly deaf in my right ear, which as us Corvette drivers know is handily the ear pointing towards the passenger

 

[Mad4slalom]

Oh I have (fake) exhaust tips at the back of my car too. It arrived from USA with the sidepipes, but it has had the original decorative holes in the rear where the original exhaust came out. But I thought it looked wrong with just holes, so put some fake exhaust tips in there. My original intention was eventually to have exhaust valves switching between noisy sidepipes and quieter rear exhaust for cruising etc. Time and money meant I've never got around to doing that yet.

Here is a photo showing the sidepipes and the rear fake exhausts at the same time, taken ages back when the fake exhausts and new stainless sidepipes had just been installed, and the sidepipe covers had been repaired and resprayed after they were damaged in transit from USA. I've also realised that its my Corvette in the same place and day etc as when my avatar picture was taken.

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Ah yes just noticed you have both , doesnt look weird either, to have it switchable like you say would be the ultimate, is that a thing that many have done and parts available , or would have to be a bespoke build? Yours is looking soo good