Educate me on 68-72 Vettes

[Vegas69]

I'm kicking tires.

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.

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.

[uxojerry]

"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.

Take Care - Jerry

[uxojerry]

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.

[FETorino]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

I'm kicking tires.

What are the major body differences?


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.

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

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.

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

[Vince@Meanstreets]

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.

[DOOM]

Someone is coming out of retirement.

[Vegas69]

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.

[mfain]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

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

[snappytravis]

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

[DFRESH]

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