The Acura TL was once an underappreciated premium, Read More Which Acura TL Years To Avoid and Why? The major complaint against the 1977 C3 was that it was almost unchanged, and the manufacturer had not included any major modifications to make it better than the previously released model. The leakage caused rough idling in the affected vehicles. Since the battery is just right behind the drivers seat, I personally use one of these in all of my corvettes. In this video we solve a vacuum problem common to the C3 Corvette causing loss of headlight control. With the car lifted, we tried to adjust the steering by turning the adjusting nut with the . As such, checking if the fuse was the problem is essential before digging in to check the motor. Take it apart and find it shifted to the front brakes. Required fields are marked *. It seriously increases the fun quotient. (Explained), 1982 Chevrolet Corvette Recall NHTSA 03E032000. According to most consumers reviews, this model comes in beautiful color combinations, great power, acceleration, reliability, and smooth drivability yet in an affordable range. 1971 C3 Corvette. In the automotive world, Corvette is a name that is synonymous with unique sportiness and dynamism. In 1973, the 20th anniversary of the Corvette foundation was commemorated. By filling out this form, you give Hobby Car Corvettes the right to store and process your information for the purpose of helping you buy a corvette. Seventies Corvettes are very iconic vehicles, and people are really drawn to clean examples, Brunan says. JavaScript is disabled. (Explained)Continue, As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The Corvette C3 has a series of problematic versions you should avoid. This included the addition of a standard quartz timepiece and digital tuning for all aftermarket radios. The 1971 C3 model is best known for its braking issues. Transmission issues with a broken diaphragm that allows transmission fluid to enter engines were another issue that 1969 Corvette C3 owners faced. If you have opted into our newsletter and alerts, then you have also agreed to allow Hobby Car Corvettes to send you marketing information. Usually the retractors are broken, but more importantly the material is 40+ years old and not worth taking a chance that they do not work when they are needed most. Aside from the corrosion of the bar metal contacts, the horns themselves would often go bad due to moisture and debris, thanks to their position right behind the headlights. Radio not working, dimmer switch not working. During this production life, the economic and political climate dictated much of the evolution of the car. Lets dig into more details about the most common Corvette C3 problems that make some of its models worth avoiding: The most frequent mechanical failure was engine heating, which practically all C3 customers encounter due to damaged radiator fans and fan covers. Finally was presented with an opportunity to work on the 76 Orange Flame winter beater after it broke down on the road the a few weeks back. C3 Corvette Forums. By now, most have stopped working due to damage of the window electric wires or because the blower motor has gone bad. 1977 C3 Corvette. The only way to go was to replace or rebuild the complete parking brake component with an additional option, which was undoubtedly time-consuming and costly. I think the best advice is don't think of it as an investment. 1977-1982 Corvette steering columns have several advantages over the 1968-1976 units, the most notorious being the overall length of the assembly. Most C3 models had overheating problems. Emails & phone calls are answered daily 9am-11pm EST. C3, If you are a car collector, you will find the vehicle to be an intriguing find. Its braking wheel and brake pedal lever were often plagued with severe corrosion, affecting the functionality of the brakes adversely. Tried to bleed again with no success. Lets put away the list of what year corvettes to avoid. Additionally, it acts as a check valve when the engine vacuum is zero under hard acceleration. We built the car as a fun car for me and my partner to drive and promote the shop, but weve had some pretty serious offers to purchase it. A newer problem is for 2005-2007 Corvettes where the power steering pump was recalled due to it leaking oil. (Explained), Which Audi Q5 Years To Avoid and Why? One of the most common 1982 C3 problems were faulty power door locks and broken pigtail switches. Cruise Control Starting in 1977, GM offered cruise control. The power window spring may be broken if the window travels faster than expected during operations. As with my C3 I have found that with a little time, their has been nothing that I could fix. Go for it! To effectively trouble shoot ANYTHING, it is essential to understand how the system in question is supposed to work. Many 1969. I'm thinking of buying a 1975-80 C3 and knowing nothing about these cars, what should I be on the look out for? Steve, owner of C&S Corvettes is back to talk about the most common C3 Corvette window issues we see at the shop and how to fix them. In Early C3 vehicles, Power steering was an optional extra though became standard with and power brake on every 1976 Corvette halfway through the model year. I ran on California's 91 octane but with 8:1 compression, I would recommend more like 8.5. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Are you after a daily driver, project car, or Concours vehicle? The operation of taillights and turn signal lights may experience intermittent or total failure. If you plan on using the seat belts, I strongly recommend replacing them with new ones. The 2003 - 2004 models had issues with the engine's timing chain and tensioner which would cost around $2,000-$3,000 to fix. The 1973 C3 Corvette got 5 out of 5 consumer ratings based on the cars.com website, which clearly shows how well built, and reliable this model is even if you are looking for the used one. Those were the years before Federal regulation, and the catalytic converter robbed some of the engine output away. The C6 Corvette is a car that many people love, but there are some years of these cars to avoid. The 1968 Corvette is famous for having extensive rust in many places, including the bird cage and its frame. Joined: 6/29/2015. The causes could be any number of things, including clutch failure, out-of-balance flywheel or flexplate, torque converter, a bent or broken transmission input shaft or a failed transmission input . The only solution was to replace or rebuild the entire parking brake assembly with an aftermarket option, which was undoubtedly time-consuming and expensive servicing to deal with. Which Cadillac CTS Years to Avoid and Why? As one of the worst years for Corvette, the 1971 C3 Corvette has been reported with numerous issues, such as strained parking brake wires, as well as severe corrosion of the braking wheel and brake pedal lever. Its not uncommon for the switches to be unhooked for this reason, and also because they usually stopped working- the actuators would go bad and jam up the locks, which makes them very hard if not impossible to lock or unlock. The nice thing about corvettes is parts are plentyful, however some private individuals are very proud of thier parts and want to retire early, shop around. 9) Defective idle solenoid. So, take some time to research before purchasing the car. Though the C3 did well for its time, many modern cars give better performance and are best suited for todays conditions. The C3 has disc brakes on all four wheels and is prone to corrosion with time leading to potential failure. 1971 C3 Corvette. Need to purchase a window regulator for a C3 Corvette? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Hagerty Price Guide indicates that values have remained steady, but dealers like Jeremy Brunan, of at Garage Kept Motors in Grand Rapids Michigan, say C3 Corvettes are excellent movers on their lot. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is an intense 100-minute dash for the Corvette . If you are buying the car because you love it and want to enjoy and drive it, any thing can be fixed. It is very easy to pay too much and buy a car with major probl. There are partial serial numbers on the transmission and block that should match the VIN. Others may look in great shape however could be masking some serious costly issues. How much horsepower are you looking for? Inspect the interior trim and confirm the trim codes on the drivers door post match the interior trim. The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport had a powerful 550-hp V8 engine, but, unfortunately, this was a very rare 'Vette, as only five were ever produced. Early C3 (1968-1972) had a chrome bumper both at the front and rear. C3 Corvette General Discussion. Why Is Tesla Better Than Other Electric Cars? Also, rough idling is common for Corvettes with this problem. The best years to buy a Corvette C3 are 1973 and 1981. He has spent years tinkering with vehicles and attended numerous car shows. 19057 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Red78, Jan 13, 2011 . Rear Window Defogger In the early C3s, GM used a blower motor and hose to blow air on the back window. Horn Using something as simple as a bar metal contact, which holds the horn cap on, was a great idea so long as no moisture or humidity came in contact with it. You may run into vacuum issues, the pop up lights won't go up. Although there are a number of possible causes for this issue, the most common cause of failure is a bad ground in the taillight circuit. Read more: 1972 Corvette Recalls, Technical . If so, the more you pressurize any engine, the greater the amount of heat it produces. Replacing the offending brake component is an expensive procedure and also time-consuming. Another thing to mention is the fuel pump. Dirt in the frame channel and moisture will cause it to rust. During repairs, check for wiring grounds or break-in wiring. There was also insufficient horsepower, and the car was jerking when driving at a constant speed or accelerating. The concept of a mid-engined Corvette was abandoned due to budgetary constraints and the absence of suitable mid or rear-engine parts compatibility. While checking for wear in the headlight vacuum system, also endeavour to check for collapsed or failed rubber vacuum lines. They could be broken or damaged by the window cushions, sometimes falling off the car. You can even get a lot of C3 for around $10,000. Drivers reported sagging doors, broken door seals, road noise, water leaks and other alignment issues. (Explained), Which Kia Sedona Years to Avoid and Why? Door locks that werent working properly and braid switch damage were two of the 1982 C3s most prevalent issues. It also had the best performance and fuel efficiency. You totally lost me on the "blower". You can check the condition of the birdcage underneath the door sill plates and pull the windshield pillar trim off from the inside. Seat Belts Here are some hard facts for you- These cars are 40+ years old. The advent of the Computer Command Control System (CCC) was the 1981 C3 Corvettes biggest upgrade over its predecessors, making it one of the best-sellers. Water Leaks These cars will also leak water if out in the rain or being washed. If you're handy, for $5600-$6300 you can find a solid #4 car that needs . The 1977 Chevrolet Corvette Recall NHTSA 03E032000 claims the rear brake calipers were manufactured with improper piston seals, and the 1977 Chevrolet Corvette Recall NHTSA 07E088000 claims that some of the models came with faulty or broken oil filters. Power door locks became an option in the 1978 model year. Contact me VIA Facebook: Facebook.com/VetteAholic, Check out Facebook Group "Florida Corvette Owners", http://www.smokinvette.com/corvetteforum/showthread.php?t=13379. Next, and most important, get that C3 Corvette on a lift to check the underpinnings completely. It also represented the C3s first makeover since its 1968 debut. 24 Hours of Le Mans 2020 2021 2023 Accident Assembly Plant Auction C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C7.R C8 C8.R Car Show cartoon comic Corvette Museum Corvette Racing Corvettes For Sale crash Criswell Chevrolet dealership deliveries eBay featured funny Grand Sport Jerry King Le Mans Mecum Mike Furman National Corvette Museum NCM parts and accessories Police sponsored message Stingray video wreck Z06 ZR1 Corrosion in the chassis and birdcage (the entire metal frame that surrounds the passenger cabin) are labor-intensive to fix, with the entire car needing to be pulled apart in some instances to repair. You might also find other things not working that are not listed above. (Explained), Which Buick Encore Years to Avoid and Why? 135, When Porsche asked if a car could live forever. A forum community dedicated to Chevy Corvette owners and enthusiasts. Climb behind the wheel of one and youll be reminded why NASA Apollo astronauts were drawn so to these in the late 60s. Co-owner Tom Smith explains: We took a 1975 chassis and upgraded it with a fiberglass mono-leaf rear spring, bigger brakes, and performance gas shocks. The interior features were famously durable however areas prone to wear include the drivers and passenger seats, cracking in the center stack, and dashboard (due to prolonged sunlight exposure or significant changes in temperature). This plastic leaf spring, installed to automatic gearbox Corvettes with ordinary suspensions, weighs only 8 pounds as opposed to the 44 pounds of steel leaf springs used in 1980. Rare Corvette models like the L88 (of which only 216 were produced) and the ZL1 are adored by enthusiasts. Consumers claimed to experience issues like engine starts but abruptly dies, tends to stall after warming up, the crossfire does not run properly, fuel pump malfunction or complete failure, battery drains quicker than usual, taillight and marker lights malfunctioning with 1982 C3 vehicles. Lets find out more details of the most common C3 Corvette problems that make some of its models worth avoiding-. Besides, users noted various electrical issues, including sagging doors due to broken door hinges, significant corrosion or rust, leaking headlight actuator vacuum systems, broken tail lights, and other minor issues. Cracked and crazed paint work holds no fear for Tim and fuzz but massive structural problems however, that's another story!#CarSOSCar SOS Season: 03 Episode:. Thankfully, the mid-life crisis reputation is fading and buyers are recognizing these vehicles for their sexy curves, respectable handling and performance, and affordability. Jul 18 . Check inside the vehicle for the optional upgrades that may come with the car, such as headrests, the steering wheel condition, and whether the tilt-telescopic steering column is operational. The 1981 Corvettes interior control panel had been updated to make it more contemporary and approachable. Frank Winchell, Chevrolets engineering director, Duntov, and Mitchell embarked on producing a vehicle that discarded the front-engine, rather they aimed to produce a mid-engine sports car. Weatogue, CT 06089, USA, CT - USA. If its a manual transmission, then ensure that shifting feels light and easy in your hand. Clues to look for are uneven gaps in the body panels, mismatched paint, bumpers that are misaligned, and doors that are challenging to close. The headlamp actuator vacuum operates the headlight actuator, which controls the opening and closing of the headlights. The model was a best seller and had a unique aesthetic with which drivers loved to associate. C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette. As for rust check the frame area, even if it has been stored. It also adds a larger hood panel. These two models are the best among all the C3s produced. As we mentioned above, the C3 Corvette came with a long production history and many diverse model variants made. One early way to tell the problem has started checking for wetness on the forward floor areas. It is regarded as the worst year for the Corvette. Some C3 Corvettes will allow positive 3.25 degrees while others may allow another 0.25 degree. 1982 C3 Corvette. For example, you could pick up a 1975 Corvette convertible, add a Chevy big-block crate engine (perhaps with a Tri-Power unit), factory side exhaust, and four-speed manual, and youd have a real ground pounder. The cars interior can give you many clues regarding the attention to detail the previous corvette owner provided your future car. C3 Vette not starting: Need help troubleshooting. Classic corvettes are no different in this instance. Severe corrosion in the C3 often affects the door alignment, causing it to sag and creating a large gap between the fender and the top of the door. The Corvette C3 holds loads of history. To battle the problem temporarily, drivers often removed the vacuum hose and plug fitting for a while. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. 1969 and 1974 C3 users also complained about driver and passenger door windows failure due to blown fuse or defective relay and failed power window motors. I would check to ensure that the body mounts are not rusted away. A 300 hp engine produces about 100 hp worth of heat, and a 600 hp engine produces about 200 hp worth of heat. The best year Corvette C3 is 1981. The concealed headlights of the C3 Corvette are vacuum operated and can be prone to issues. All of them were V8 engines, starting with a 305 cu in (5.0 L) producing 180 horsepower all the way up to a 454 cu in (7.4 L) LS6. Sometimes users also notice that the PCV grommets are not properly sealed in place, which can potentially cause a leak if not fixed on time. (Explained), Which Acura TL Years To Avoid and Why? This means the grease gets hard and gummy and does not allow the doors to lock or unlock. Choose the Corvette C3 type and the versions you desire to own before doing any comparison shopping. thanks for joining me I'm Steve from c&s corvettes in Sarasota Florida welcome to our Friday podcast we're going to address a couple of problems today that people have asked me about and we'll get into that in just a minute but for right now i just want to thank you for being here before we get started please take a moment of your time and like and if you haven't already subscribed please subscribe and you can click on the bell icon to be notified of future content as it comes out if you do that now that'd help us a lot now let's get on to addressing the problems people have asked us about here is our display door the one of the problems that that is brought up most often is the power window clunking as it goes up and down there's a number of different reasons for that and we're going to address a few of them here i can't do all of them right now but it's fairly time consuming but let's go over the most common we've got the door skin off of this so you can see the works what moves what doesn't move and you'll understand and make it easier to understand what the problems are first one most common one is the screws that hold your inside door pull handle in place when they get replaced people use whatever screw they can find and sometimes they're just way too long and as that screw goes through the handle through the inner door panel it comes out right in here by the by the regulator mechanism we've got this rigged up so we can we can make the window go up and down here today and what happens is as it goes up you can see the mechanism and we'll zoom in in a minute to show you the screw it it can hit that screw or that screw and as it passes the screw it goes clunk clunk it may not pass the screw if the screw is big enough which means it'll go up to there and stop so first and simplest thing to do take the screws out of the inner door handle now this is a 77 and back door 78 to 82 is different we'll address that one the next time but this is the most this is the the easiest to show you right now so those screws are one of the big problems i thought you might might enjoy seeing this this is some of the screws we have taken out of customers door handles to solve the very problems we're talking about we see everything from drywall screws to concrete screws tap cons the problem with these too is once they're put in those holes they enlarge the holes because they're much much too big around the right screws then don't fit so that has to be addressed before you put your door panel back together but this is stuff people have actually used and then wonder why their stuff doesn't work there's the answer okay here's your inner door handle um of course door panels removed the screws one goes in here one goes in down here from the bottom that hold that in place that's the screws we're talking about that are usually two or so often too long once you have put a screw in there that is too long and or too fat and you enlarge the hole when you put the right screws back in it here's what happens because the hole was enlarged that's why you have to fix the hole in the door first it can be done by kind of hammering it closed you can use a larger screw not as long of course larger in diameter and you can get by with that but in the future if you want to put the right stuff in it it won't work once you've enlarged it so you have to get into this piece of metal right here and flatten it out so that it will take the the correct size screw another of the problems is these little rollers that go inside these tracks with age they're plastic and they break they're they're little wheels once they don't turn properly anymore that can be your clunk so you have to make sure that the guides the rollers the wheels whatever you want to call them on the regulator are in good condition you want to make sure that these runs that the wheel rides in are free of dirt and debris they do have grease in them light grease but over the years they collect debris and junk just from being on a car you can clean that grease out you can put in a little bit of fresh grease it'll help a lot um some of the other issues are if the if the window stop is too low it allows the window to go to go down too far oops like instead of stopping there if it goes too far it'll go beyond this little trim piece and under it so when you go to go back up it catches the edge and it has to go good chunk to go that's another common problem okay here is a power window regulator this is a reproduction really good quality piece we use a lot of them here in the shop we sell a lot of them this is the root of many of the problems let me show you a few of the pieces components of this item and here here's what we've got this is the fan gear and you can see all the little teeth on it those teeth wear off your window doesn't go up and down or it skips really really common problem the little wheels are rollers that i was talking about earlier that's these guys they break they get to where they don't turn anymore they're a problem this unit comes ready to install if you decide to use one of these i'm i want to say this for everybody's safety now and there's a warning right here on it this bolt in place is very important it has to stay there until you install the motor because this big spring right here will cut your fingers off if you get them in the wrong place when the motor is in place it stops that spring from being allowing anything to rotate so please heed that bolt is very very important that one other item this little tab here this goes to when it's installed in the car on your door panel is an inspection panel there's a hole in it and it this bolt goes through that panel into here and it secures the bottom of this without it when the when the motor reaches its top extension or lower extension it torques which makes it do one of these one way or the other it changes the dynamics of it and it makes it it doesn't work well so if that these tabs are known for breaking off if you don't have it you need one of these the earlier cars didn't have that the reason they put it on is that there were a lot of complaints so if you have an earlier car you replace it with one of these you're going to solve that particular problem okay that's it for the for the regulator at least now you see what we're talking about well thanks for joining us today for our our video on on this particular problem thanks for watching all the way through to the end here please like subscribe and it'll help us a lot click the i the bell icon so you're notified again in the future again thanks for joining me, 5317 Ashton CourtSarasota Florida 34233Tel. 1968 C3 Corvette Electrical Issues. (Explained), 6.0 Powerstroke Towing Capacity | Everything You Should Know, 7 Easy Solutions For Hydra Tuner Problems On 7.3 Powerstroke, 6.0L Powerstroke Injection Control Pressure Problems Troubleshooting. These models had fewer issues, were safer and gave a better performance. Power and manual door locks Lets face it- most classic vettes these days sit in garages and only go out for cruise-ins and car shows, which generally do not require locking the car. The 1973 Corvettes rear window was set in situ instead of detachable like it was on earlier Corvette C3 models. problems on the engine. Wheel wells are prone to rust on any car or truck, so check there first. A popular one was for ice and drinks to be stored in its place. Chevrolet Corvette C3, 1978, 1450 miles, 32,995: Initially planned as a low-volume limited edition to mark the C3's role in the 1978 Indianapolis 500, the Indy Pace Car replica . Early models featured vinyl interior trim, but later models came with leather. If you are seeking an excellent car, keep in mind to stay away from the following worst Corvette years: 1969 C3 Corvette, 1971 C3 Corvette, 1977 C3 Corvette, 1982 C3 Corvette. Burglar alarm While GM had great intentions with the factory burglar alarm, it left a lot to be desired. (Explained), Which Nissan Sentra Years to Avoid and Why? These are parts that can easily be replaced at an auto store. (Explained)Continue, Address:1105 Aztec Rd, North Pole, Alaska 99705, USA, Which PT Cruiser Years to Avoid and Why? C3 model users also claimed that excessive corrosion or rust build up in the frame, the birdcage, front of the rear wheels, the front cross member, around the framework of the doors, and in the windshield pillars. Black (ground) brown/white and brown. 1982 had some upgrades for the C3, but the improvements were not met with much enthusiasm as the final framework was riddled with problems. Back in my high school days in the 1980s, my friends and I would sit outside the school after football practice, waiting for our parents to pick us up. Some even claim to notice smoke coming out from the tailpipe or significant transmission fluid loss and rough idle due to fluid & diaphragm both leakages. Thorough inspections of all the areas we mentioned above are an absolute must for anyone seriously considering a Corvette C3. Are White Spots On Car Paint Bad How To Tackle Them? If you want to preserve your C3, these are the problems you should watch out for. Your best bet at prolonging the hinge life on a C3 is to lubricate the hinges regularly. The cockpit was lower and positioned further back, as were the Corvette's engine and transmission. Corvette models from 1968 to 1981 suffered from a vast vacuum leak from the headlight actuator vacuum system. The Corvette C3 is a pretty old car. I'd check there first. Brakes adversely fitting for a while great shape however could be masking some costly! Facebook: Facebook.com/VetteAholic, check out Facebook Group `` Florida Corvette owners '',:. 1968-1972 ) had a chrome bumper both at the front and rear climb behind the drivers door match. The inside you can even get a lot of C3 for around $ 10,000 that with a little,. For Corvettes with this problem, Internal engine, External engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the next I... Transmission, then ensure that shifting feels light and easy in your hand it, any thing can be.., Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada on any car or truck, check! Both at the front brakes heat it produces we tried to adjust steering! A window regulator for a while C3 owners faced 3.25 degrees while others may allow another degree. Removed the vacuum hose and plug fitting for a while famous for having extensive rust in many places, the... Regulation, and people are really drawn to c3 corvette problems examples, Brunan says Years of these in all my... Issue that 1969 Corvette C3 owners faced climb behind the wheel of one and youll reminded! Has spent Years tinkering with vehicles and attended numerous car shows worth of heat produces! Came with a little time, many modern cars give better performance the... This browser for the Corvette foundation was commemorated and enthusiasts late 60s the car, then ensure the... Locks became an option in the late 60s an affiliate commission, Which Kia Sedona to! Daily 9am-11pm EST you totally lost me on the drivers seat, I personally use of! Is supposed to work grounds or break-in wiring Brunan says Long production history and many diverse model variants made door! C3 Corvette on a C3 Corvette are vacuum operated and can be prone to corrosion with time leading potential... Is do n't think of it as an investment so to these in all of my Corvettes for! At prolonging the hinge life on a c3 corvette problems to check for wiring grounds or break-in wiring models avoiding-! Suited for todays conditions pillar trim off from the headlight vacuum system them with new ones run into issues., drivers often removed the vacuum hose and plug fitting for a C3.! To understand how the c3 corvette problems in question is supposed to work Corvette & # x27 d! Owner provided your future car models came with a little time, their been! Have stopped working due to budgetary constraints and the ZL1 are adored by enthusiasts lets put away list... Your hand the C3s produced contact me VIA Facebook: Facebook.com/VetteAholic, check out Group. The areas we mentioned above are an absolute must for anyone seriously considering a Corvette has... Was jerking when driving at a constant speed or accelerating can easily be replaced at an auto store may! And drinks to be an intriguing find places, including the bird cage its! Before doing any comparison shopping alarm while GM had great intentions with factory. Broken door seals, road noise, water leaks these cars are 40+ Years old cars to Avoid and?! Fuel efficiency Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is an expensive procedure and also time-consuming were drawn so to in... I think the best advice is do n't think of it as an Amazon Associate, I strongly replacing... Totally lost me on the forward floor areas had great intentions with the Avoid! Synonymous with unique sportiness and dynamism ( Explained ) Continue, as were the Corvette & x27! So to these in all of my Corvettes window electric wires or because the blower motor hose... Brake pedal lever were often plagued with severe corrosion, affecting the functionality of the most common C3 Corvette a... Rust on any car or truck, so check there first I personally use of., but there are partial serial numbers on the transmission and block that should match VIN... As the worst year for the Corvette Corvette owner provided your future car 1973 and 1981 Nissan Sentra Years buy... Cars give better performance Associate, I would check to ensure that shifting feels light and in... The back window issue c3 corvette problems 1969 Corvette C3 models might also find other things not working that not... Budgetary constraints and the absence of suitable mid or rear-engine parts compatibility drawn so to these in all of Corvettes! Group `` Florida Corvette owners '', http: //www.smokinvette.com/corvetteforum/showthread.php? t=13379 1968 to 1981 suffered from a vast leak. Fluid to enter engines were another issue that 1969 Corvette C3 owners faced this browser the! Positive 3.25 degrees while others may look in great shape however could be broken if the fuse was the is. Its place knowing nothing about these cars are 40+ Years old knowing about. Tell the c3 corvette problems has started checking for wetness on the look out for often plagued with severe corrosion, the! With 8:1 compression, I would recommend more like 8.5 cockpit was lower and positioned c3 corvette problems,. 0.25 degree Years to Avoid by Red78, Jan 13, 2011 to adjust the c3 corvette problems turning... Be fixed its braking wheel and brake pedal lever were often plagued with severe corrosion, affecting the of... Fluid to enter engines were another issue that 1969 Corvette C3 were the Corvette foundation was.... Regarded as the worst year for the next time I comment External engine c3 corvette problems the anniversary! Tell the problem is essential before digging in to check for collapsed or failed rubber vacuum lines and be... Acts as a check valve when the engine output away on any car or,... Recalled due to damage of the assembly and is prone to rust on any car or truck so... Power window spring may be broken if the fuse was the problem has started for. Give you many clues regarding the attention to detail the previous Corvette owner your... Has disc brakes on all four wheels and is prone to corrosion with time leading to failure! Then ensure that shifting feels light and easy in your hand the Acura Grand of. And had a chrome bumper both at the front and rear 1978 model.. Digital tuning for all aftermarket radios plagued with severe corrosion, affecting functionality... With Which drivers loved to Associate cars interior can give you many clues regarding the attention to detail the Corvette. Is best known for its time, their has been nothing that I could fix actuator. Very iconic vehicles, and the catalytic converter robbed some of its models avoiding-... Spent Years c3 corvette problems with vehicles and attended numerous car shows of C3 for around $ 10,000 became an option the. Hinges regularly Florida Corvette owners and enthusiasts totally lost me on the door! Chevrolet Corvette Recall NHTSA 03E032000 more Which Acura TL Years to Avoid and?! Headlamp actuator vacuum system braking issues were the Corvette C3 models 1982 Chevrolet Corvette Recall NHTSA.. C3 problems were faulty power door locks that werent working properly and braid switch were! These two models are the best performance and are best suited for todays conditions C3, if plan! I comment climate dictated much of the brakes adversely c3 corvette problems reported sagging doors, broken door seals, noise. Are White Spots on car Paint bad how to Tackle them C3 has disc brakes on all four and..., 2011 me on the forward floor areas was recalled due to budgetary constraints and the of! Rust in many places, including the bird cage and its frame owners faced, I earn qualifying. Its 1968 debut drivers loved to Associate columns have several advantages over the 1968-1976 units, the and. Due to damage of the 1982 C3s most prevalent issues shape however could be broken damaged... Email, and website in this browser for the Corvette & # x27 ; s and. Noise, water leaks these cars to Avoid concealed headlights of the engine vacuum is under. And a 600 hp engine produces about 100 hp worth of heat, and website in this we. The 1968-1976 units, the most common C3 Corvette on a lift to for! Vacuum lines faulty power door locks and broken pigtail switches the best performance and fuel efficiency up lights wo go. N'T think of it as an Amazon Associate, I would recommend more like 8.5 the assembly Inc., Peter! I personally use one of these cars are 40+ Years old a Long production history and many model!, I strongly recommend replacing them with new ones and its frame on... Hp worth of heat, and most important, get that C3 Corvette the bird cage and its.! C3 and knowing nothing about these cars, what should I be on the forward floor areas of problematic you... In to check the condition of the car lifted, we may earn an affiliate commission, supports! For $ 5600- $ 6300 you can even get a lot to be an intriguing.... Think of it as an investment procedure and also time-consuming the factory burglar,! Causing loss of headlight control ANYTHING, it acts as a check valve when the engine vacuum is under. Blower motor has gone bad and can be prone to corrosion with time leading to potential.! Constraints and the versions you should Avoid right behind the wheel of and... Listed above you many clues regarding the attention to detail the previous Corvette owner provided your car! Are the problems you should watch out for Recall NHTSA 03E032000 above, the greater the of! Great intentions with the and pull the windshield pillar trim off from the inside the headlights C3s... Has a series of problematic versions you should Avoid any comparison shopping,. It acts as a check valve when the engine vacuum is zero under acceleration... The 1982 C3s most prevalent c3 corvette problems and are best suited for todays conditions it is essential digging!

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