Topic: 81 Rehab-an on ongoing saga
in Forum: C3 General Discussion
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Former Member
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Stanley, NC - USA
Joined: 8/9/2010
Posts: 91
Vette(s): 1981, dark blue w/carmel interior. 350 stock, auto tranny, Q-jet carb, ECM box
Man these are a love-hate relation but once done they are so much worth it. Glad to see another '81 being kept on the road. Remember it's not where you end up at but the trio to get there that makes it all worth while.
Tommy
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God it seems like forever since I had any "vette" time. October flew by with very minimal time spent in on my project. We throw a big halloween party each year so waayyyy too much time was spent on that. Oh yeah freak snowstorm on the 29th pretty much killed the attendance at the party, think my girl friend is still pissed bout that one. Oh well, bar is still well stocked!
The rear has been boxed up and sent to Bairs, firsts estimate with side yokes and a 3:54 gearset is $1200.00 give or take. I should have it back first of December.
I got my rear wheel bearing shimming figured out and set between .001 and .002".
I Finally found someone local to blast my trailing arm parts that wasn't a complete nut. Of course it was more expensive than I thought it should be but.... I am getting strangely comfortable with that. I haven't added it up yet but...prolly would have been about the same cost to just swap em out with rebuilt units. I know I am not saving much--if any--doing it my self.
Winter is here and progress is coming slow....maybe santa will bring me a new carpet set!!!!! 
Lifetime MemberThat's the thing. It's always more expensive than you think! But in a wierd kinda way, it's usually worth it!
Barry
Former Member
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Oak Creek, WI - USA
Joined: 5/21/2008
Posts: 1965
Vette(s): 1981 Great White Shark. Red Interior, 350/190 hp. PS, PB (SS), A/C CC, T-Tops. Served three years in Active Duty Army, then Retired Air Force after 34 years! Badger State Vettes Car Club. 175,000 Original miles!! Now own a 1998 C-5!
At the age of 61 I found my first vette. She was sitting in a car dealership in Wisconsin. I took one look at her body and knew that I had to have her! She had been treated badly in her younger years, she had spider cracks all over her white skin, I got her some new shoes and socks, fixed her joints up, put new carpeting in her, gave her new seats and fixed her mouth (carb). My 1981, stock shark had 140,00 miles on her in 2007 when I got her. She has just turned 151,000 and perrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs like a kitten. There is nother finer that a nice 81 shark body style. Even Ebo would agree with me on that!! We are a different breed of cat, ther owners of the longest lasting body style of the corvette family (C-3). I have found an owners manual for her, many dealer informational brouchers, and I think that I am fairly educated about the 1981 Corvette. If I can be of any assistance, just give me a call and I'll "come a runnin"
|UPDATED|11/22/2011 6:03:22 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
Dan (by the way welcome to the best little ole vette site in the corvette field!!)
|UPDATED|11/22/2011 6:03:22 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
Dan I have to agree with you...that Vette makes you look good!
ebo
ebo
eboOk it is FEBRUARY 2012 and I am finally back working on the 81. I have been putting off assembling the rear spindle/trailing arms well really the entire rear of the car.
Everythying I have read about the precision that many of the posts stick to during the assembly process caused me to believe that I just do not have the proper equipment to perform this task. As a result I have put off doing anything!! This week, I said enough is enough and dug in.
The spindles are coming along nicely. I am painting all the exposed surfaces with Eastwoods Rust Encapsulator and that is going well. This stuff seems to be pretty tough and really soaks into the surface of the metal. I have been brushing it on so far as it is just a little too chilly to be spray painting.
Assebling the trailing arms and brakes tonight. If all goes well I can get the rear buttoned up this month!!
By the way, I bought chronos1's mirrored T-Tops. Can't wait to see them!!
At least the T-tops are staying in the family (C3VR, that is!)! It's just hard to get motivated sometimes! You better get busy 'cause the show season is coming sooner then you think! And we are EXPECTING you to attend MOST of these! That's an official proclamation!
Barry
Jaws I will take that as a mandate and an acheivable goal!
I am certain that I must have her running for spring, and I am certain that I will ! If I don't, the depression that will set in may be unbearable and I will have to take a leave of absence from real life (and work) to get my 'vette road worthy 
As of Friday night, my trailing arms are painted and assembled. WooHoo!!! How in the heck someone could change the parking brake pads with the spindle in place is beyond me. They must have the patience of a saint and the hands of a tiny ninja! Any way they are done and they are correct and now I can move on to getting the rear put back together.
My enemy right now is the weather. I can warm up individual parts and dedicated areas of my garage, but when it is 30 degrees outside, getting frames and body parts at a reasonable temperature to paint is difficult to say the least.
Also, I have found that sometime in it's life this car has thrown the right drive shaft and it bashed a hole throught the body, into the rear storage compartment. Gotta be fixed before I put any thing back in.
And so it continues.......
You'll find people have good opinions of both, but the BFGs basically are the same tires they've made for years whereas the Firestones use a more modern compound. I have the Firestones and LOVE them! They ride great, they handle great, and they are fantastic in the rain (if you go to the shows and gatherings, sooner or later you'll drive in the rain)! Ask anyone on here that has the Firestones and they will reccomend them. My tire guy sells both and he said he would run the Firestones on his (if he had one!).
Barry
in Forum: C3 General Discussion
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