Educate me on 68-72 Vettes
 

I'm kicking tires. :angel:

What are the major body differences?

Suspensions I assume are the same?

How much power is reliable through a reasonably stock driveline?

Can you actually get a roll bar in these things or is a convertible superior?

How much tire can I get on a stock chassis? I don't care if it rubs a little.:lol:

Stock weight?

Who is the #1 aftermarket source for budget suspension?

How many seconds per lap will I smoke a 1969 Ford Torino with sub par equipment?

Is the mullet optional?

My initial thought is a decent driver quality car, suspension, wheels, max rubber, small block, roll bar, beat the snot out of it.:snapout:

"Suspensions I assume are the same?

How much power is reliable through a reasonably stock driveline?

Can you actually get a roll bar in these things or is a convertible superior?

How much tire can I get on a stock chassis? I don't care if it rubs a little.

Stock weight?

Who is the #1 aftermarket source for budget suspension?

How many seconds per lap will I smoke a 1969 Ford Torino with sub par equipment?"

1. Suspensions are interchangeable for all chrome bumper cars. The 68 has some unique stuff but mostly body and interior pieces.

2. Autoweldchassis.com makes roll bars and cages for the C3. The car may fit a small gym bag and a box of kleenex once a bar is installed. The luggage rack on the back will have to be used for traveling.

3. You can get a 10" wide wheel under the car or go with fender flares. Duntov makes L88 flares.

4. Stock weight is 3200-3400lbs

5. VB&P and Sharkbite suspension systems will bolt on to a stock frame. A top of the line Sharkbite will run $10k but have all adjustable suspension, steering with bump stops, and C6 Z06 brake package.

6. Stock drive line is good to 500-600hp, maybe more if you dont drag race. Duntov has some upgrade options and several vendors have other upgrades to include a solid axle.

7. Custom chassis with C4-C6 suspension and rear diff are very common with SRIII and Street Shop vendors being the most popular. A Custom chassis with C4 stuff is $20k with C6 at $25k or so including a fuel tank. Tubbing kits are available to put 12" wide wheels under a stock body but can only be used with a custom chassis.

8. Decide early on whether you are going to upgrade your current frame or go after market chassis. Resale between the two will be vastly different as modded stock is worth less.

9. Very few after market seats will fit in a C3. Corbeau A4s fit and have custom rails for C3 installation. If you 6' tall or more, buy the short rails for a little more head room.

I did a C2 with custom chassis and am planning a C3 with upgrading the stock frame. Join the Corvette Forum and hang around the C3 section and the road racing section, lots of good information. Not all vintage Vette's sit in the garage waiting to be polished, lol.

The Camaro Gen 3 mullet is not an option for cruising in a Corvette, but polyester pants and white loafers are ok.:lol:

Take Care - Jerry

Stock Frame Mods and Examples
 

Attachment 42485

Attachment 42486

Attachment 42487

Ive included some examples of a 64 recently completed, (not mine). C2 and C3s have identical frames and suspensions. The last photo is of the Shark Bite rear coil overs. I think that looks cool and is the main reason Im leaning towards modding a stock frame. I also want to save $20k or so from the expense of a custom chassis.

Note: Consensus on the Corvette Forum is this car does not qualify as a resto-mod as it does not have a custom chassis.

The major choice is between a 68/69 with the Shark gill and no glassed in mud flaps on the wheel openings or the 70-72 with the egg crates in the front fender and the mud flap lips which are functional but well it's up to each individual. For me only the gills on a 69 make sense so I'm sure you'll want a 70-72:catfight:

68 was the first year and has a few one year only oddities like the door handles and a bunch of minor things that were changed because they were problematic.

Convertible or T top hardtop are the two choices. The LT 1 and big block cars did get a cool looking raised hood.

http://www.vansteel.com/

http://www.vbandp.com/

Van Steel and Vette Brakes and products make a lot of good bolt on suspension stuff for C3s.

Pretty much nothing as far as the brakes, steering, differential parts interchange with any other GM product.

If you find a Torino with sub par equipment you'll have to let us know how you do against it.:lol:

I would assume with you the Mullet is mandatory in all cases.:lol:

:cheers:

I was told a Mullet wasn't but pork chop side burns are.

Cages work but if your over 6' 2" it can be a PITA.

Someone is coming out of retirement.:popcorn2:

Thanks for all the great info guys. I'll use it to start doing some real research. A C3 seems like a good platform for my ideals. When the timing is right, it will be a budget build. How much performance can I extract from how little. ;) Light, decent power, lot's of rubber, good suspension, alignment, tuned to perfection.

A C10 Shortbed also has my interest.

Todd,

Tried to send these comments as a PM, but your mailbox is full.

Glad to see you're alive and well. A C-3 should suit you -- throttle loose with lots of roll oversteer -- fix it with more throttle -- LOL. I've had a dozen 68-72s and I still have a ton of parts -- Guldstrand, Tom's Differential, VBP, etc. The weak link is the rear suspension -- roll oversteer and lack of real strength. Not hard to fix. Tom's differential 12-bolt rear conversion with stronger u-joints and hardened stub axles. Wider tires are easy with offset trailing arms, but that doesn't cure the geometry problems. I gave my son a 69 a couple of years ago with 17 inch wheels and 295s on the rear with no body mods -- just offset trailing arms (VanSteel). A Guldstrand 5-link helps and isn't bad to install -- a C-4 rear conversion is better, is cheap, and is relatively simple to do. You basically weld in a couple of tabs to support the batwing and add the pick-up points for the front of the forward links. A roll bar fits, but is easier with a convertible with a removable hardtop -- looks better too. If there is anything I can do to help you, give me a yell.

Pappy

That poor guy with the torino, Man he has to have skin like a turtle, Joe Dirt in a corvette.

That's awesome brother---hope to see you in one soon. I'll send the helmet back.

That's what I'm talking about! :idea:

Glad to hear the desire is coming back. :thumbsup:

C3 or C10 both have potential.

The "simplicity" of the C10 is attractive.

But then I see DP's Vette and it reminds me how cool the C3 can be.
http://www.forgeline.com/product_ima..._image-639.jpg

About time. You ain't getting any younger. :D

After seeing Danny's corvette in Columbus 2012 I been wantin one myself.

Thanks for the info and offer Pappy.

Danny's car is sexy.

You guys are like drug dealers. :lol:

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps1e8c7ed2.jpg

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/f...psd2141652.jpg

Have you ever driven or ridden in one, Todd? They are small cars on the inside. I love them though. Lots of good info out there on these cars. Be sure to learn how to look the cars over before buying one. It's easy to miss or hide birdcage damage that won't be easy to fix. Good luck!

Have you met Todd? He's a small guy. :lol:

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/f...psd2141652.jpg
This has to be the coolest vette ever.

http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/...ale_resize.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/...f1cf3b1a46.jpg

http://www.fotothing.com/photos/c29/...256f5a9854.jpg

http://www.xks.com/wp-content/upload...ette11_png.jpg

http://www.web-cars.com/images/vette...race-car_a.jpg

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/stagi...rofile_Web.jpg

http://www.sportscardigest.com/wp-co...1-race-car.jpg

http://www.velocityjournal.com/image...eracer5801.jpg

http://www.2ndgenrestorations.com/im...mmings_022.jpg

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18ri.../ku-xlarge.jpg

:D

Photoshopped...I must have been staring at Dub Renner's stripe-ped Camaro.

:innocent:



http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...03bc516424.jpg

:D

:beavis: :beavis: :beavis:

:beavis: :beavis:

I have not, but I have been in a C2 and they are tight. That was my main concern for a roll bar and street driving. Flash is right, I am small but I have a big head. :D

:bang: There is a point where a car is considered a low rider. :lol:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...1rearqtr-1.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...etterear_v.jpg

http://static.cargurus.com/images/si...pic-48868.jpeg

http://images.hemmings.com/wp-conten...rvette_700.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...amsfront34.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...corvette_s.jpg

Jeff Schwartz built/owned this red one.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...t2308191sm.jpg

L-88's. :cool:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...-88/804087.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...-88/804086.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...3.4drfront.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ear3.4pass.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k1...driverview.jpg

Since a roll bar is a priority for you, I'd do just like you see so many of these vintage cars do and that's start with a roadster and add the hardtop. It's a great look, allows easy access to the interior areas of the car, and the convertible top of these cars isn't great to begin with so one less hassle by not having it. Besides, you're in the desert and I'm betting you wouldn't drive it in the rain anyway.

To me, C3's are tighter than C2's. On the coupes it's the rear window being right there at the your head like a truck. You also have a feeling of being down lower in the car since the doors and body come up higher on C3's. I'd simply find any C3 to test drive before you spend too much time looking into them just to make sure you're comfortable. Being a smaller guy helps you out a lot with being comfortable in the cars.

I'd also consider the late C3s if you're serious about making it a track car. Yeah, they aren't as valuable but they are more comfortable in stock form, cheaper to start with, and the chassis is basically the same. Aero is much better on the 80-82 cars with the long front end as well. The worst thing about a late C3 is that they had to follow the early cars. They are great cars in their own right, ignoring the factory engine selection since you'll be building something better, but it's not easy following behind cars like the 68-72 models.

Hey Todd,

Clear some space in your mailbox. :poke: :D

Jake Blues: "Car's got good pickup."

This one sounds like it does. :cool:

:bigun2: :waveflag: :trophy-1302: :popcorn2:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :cheers:

.

Another phattie...looks/sounds like a beast.

Go out and pick yourself up a copy of anything that has the article by Peter Egan entitled "The Corvette Racer, A Sprite Driver's View, From a Safe Distance"

Trust me.

A sample...

"Male Corvette drivers had blonde wives who chain-smoked and had cattle ranch tans and pale blue eyes, while women Corvette drivers were always single because they couldn't find anyone who was man enough to marry them. Corvette drivers never lit their cigars. They just chewed them flat and walked around the pits until they saw the front suspension on a Lotus Seven or the engine in a Sprite. Then they threw the flat, wet cigars on the ground in disgust."

Go big or go home !