Hi Folks,

I hope I'm asking this in the right place or with the right level of respect, so I apologize in advance if I'm doing something wrong.

This is my first post and my first Corvette project. My dad bought this 1974 C3 350 in 1976 as his "toy" and has kept it ever since. It's got about 63,000 original miles on it, but over the past few decades, he's put on very few miles (The oil change still technically had 2,700 of the 3,000 miles left on it, but it was due for a change in 2013) and a lot of things have either atrophied or just never really worked.

I've got some decent experience working on classic cars, although they've all been Fords. I had a 1966 F-250 camper, a 1975 F-150 XLT and still have a 1968 Mustang, so I know my way around a wrench and the system processes (vacuum, spark, carbs etc.) are all relatively familiar to me. This is just kind of like learning a different dialect of a given language.

What I need most of all from you all up front, if possible, is to give me a hand on where best to go to find decent parts for things like fuel lines, power steering pumps, gauges etc. Repops are fine. This isn't a show car, but I want it to run well enough for my folks to drive it around and not feel fearful something is going to break or it's going to die on them. (If it helps, I'm looking for a place for Corvettes akin to CJ Pony Parts, where I get my Mustang stuff...)

Any other advice is always welcome and I"m sure I"ll be bothering you a lot over the next couple years. :)

Thanks in advance!

Vince

Volvette

Corvette Central

Corvette America (interior parts)

Ecklers

Zip

Rock Auto

Mid America

I'm forgetting some...

Thanks, pal! I appreciate all the help!

WELCOME ABOARD...!!!

Our major sponsor, Bair's Corvettes, is also a GREAT place to get C3 parts.  Their customer service is fabulous and if you  mention you are a C3VR member they give a discount on a lot of parts (at least they used to).

You will also be surprised how many things you can get at your local parts store (NAPA, O'Reilly's, Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc).

Don't be afraid to ask questions about things either.  The forums are segmented like a Chiltons or Haynes repair manual so it is easy to research issues.  When I had "The Toy" I tackled a lot of projects on it that I wouldn't have otherwise tried had it not been for all the help, and encouragement, I received from folks on the site.

Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

I have been in the same position as you -- worked on mostly GM cars most all of my life (60 years of knowledge or so), but stepping into the Corvette world was quite a bit different.  Most things were quite familiar, but on a Corvette with its space issues, it brought up a lot of questions of "how do I get to this. . .?"  The people in this forum have been patient and a great help.  I'm still asking questions and usually getting good answers.

I bought a '75 about four years ago, and have touched almost every part on it since.  I would have been lost without the help from this forum.

Don't be bashful about asking questions even though it may be something that you think you should already know.