Destiny!!!

[Camino LS6]

The fusable links on these cares are prone to turning into a melted mess like you noticed, so what I've done before is replace them with an inline fuse. It think I used a 10 amp one on the car I fixed, but don't quote me on that.

Thanks, I might try that. The damage was obviously very old, and just about everything on this car appears original (even the starter), so I don't know what caused the old meltdown.

[SAmadei]

Thanks, I might try that. The damage was obviously very old, and just about everything on this car appears original (even the starter), so I don't know what caused the old meltdown.

It don't take much... overusing an electrical accessory too long on a really hot day, etc. Its nice that you located the fusible links, they can be tricky to find in some cars, even as disassembled as the 'Vette is.

I agree with WMJ on replacing them with inline fuses where you can find them easily later... or at least circuit breakers... but breakers can lead to diagnosis problems if you forget you put them in... but you can drive home after they cool down. ;-)

[Camino LS6]

Today may be the day.

I'm going to go mess around with the Vette, and maybe try for ignition.

[Camino LS6]

We have ignition!

Details and video later.

[Camino LS6]

So it looks like my nephew wants to edit and tweak the video, so that may take a few more days.

Anyway, my uncle, and I ran through the usual checklist and found that the ignition coil was shot after I rigged-up a fuel supply from a 5 Gal. gas can, replaced the burnt-out fusible link, and cobbled the pass. side exhaust back into place.So off I went to Pep Boys to grab a new coil - it took longer to get it than install it.

A few squirts of starting fluid later and we had fire in the hole!

After 30 plus years of sitting that old 350 fired up and ran.

Not as big of a smoke-show as I was expecting, considering how much mystery oil I had squirted into each cylinder. But boy! Did it ever blow a pile of rust out of the exhausts!

It's not running quite up to snuff yet, but it seems like nothing but a tuneup and carb rebuild will be required to get it there (and a vacuum advance). Each time I fire it up, it runs just a bit better than the last time.

So, it was on to the transmission. Simple deal here - just added fluid and the car moved under its own power!

Damn, but that felt good!

That is, until I tried to stop.

Pedal suddenly went to the floor. But the surprise is that we managed to get just enough pedal back by filling the reservoir and doing a quick bleed on the front brakes.

That was enough to allow me to drive it back into the garage - instead of pushing.

Today was a damn good day!

Edited June 20, 2011 by Camino LS6

[67impss]

Soooooooooo happy for you Camino Marvels mystery oil burns prety clean and mostly whitish. glad those brakes came back and you didn't launch that vette ya gotta watch a quadrabog the secondary airvalve can flip over center and lock the throttle open its intense but just turn the key off. This was a good read for Fathers Day you topped off a Great day thanx

[Camino LS6]

Thanks Man!

One of the best aspects of the day was that three generations of my family were all hangin' out in the driveway while this went on.

Just like we did when I was a kid.

Lots of remembering my dad today while we hung out where he did and did what he used to do.

[67impss]

Thats just too kool & I'm with ya on the Dad front too but I took Mom out for dinner and later we talked about Dad for awhile, Good times still havin Mom

[ocnblu]

Very cool.

[Camino LS6]

Thanks guys.

I did a quick scan of NOS parts on ebay yesterday, and I'm thinking that a parts car will be a requirement considering the demolished state of the dash/interior on my car.

[knightfan26917]

Progress is good ... so cool to know that you are progressing along with this, Camino!

Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * RT_06.2011_us66+NW USA

MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Every song, another scene" __ Dierks Bently __ 'Every Mile A Memory'

[Camino LS6]

Well Cort, it's a start anyway.

Sure wish I could find a cheap parts car (don't laugh too loud now).

I did find out that the door glass is different for coupes and convertibles - not good.

I also found a nearly complete interior from a '78 that is very close to the right color for $375 - considering buying it since that is less than bare seat frames would cost me.

[A Horse With No Name]

Get it running with the later parts, and improve it as you drive. it.

Good news on getting her fired up, Camino.

[Camino LS6]

Did a little cruise night research, and it looks like the '78 seats won't work without modification. The earlier seats have the seat belts running through them.

I also saw a '72 at the show done up with a 502 and dressed with Baldwin-Motion stripe work. Black and white, and 100% right. It is pushing me in a non-stock direction.

[Camino LS6]

My nephew finished the video for me today as a birthday present - Thanks, Dylan!

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OhQQ7ZVy3KM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Edited July 3, 2011 by Camino LS6

[Z-06]

That sounds great Camino. Happy Birthday.

[Camino LS6]

Thanks!

Got to go put some tires on some rims...

Back later.

[Camino LS6]

Found out that my uncle has a tire machine (and two half-decent 15" tires that needed a mission) over the holiday, so I now have two better rollers for the Vette.

And some old tires to get rid of.

[Camino LS6]

So today I installed a new vacuum advance (forgot what a PITA that is to do), a new distributer cap. freed-up the front calipers (but they leak), and installed the new/old tires.

Not the satisfying leap forward I was looking for, but progress none the less.

[Camino LS6]

Some new pics:

[Sixty8panther]

You lucky ba$+ard. That is quite a story. I've played the "note under the windshield wiper"

game before about two dozen times and usually it leads to nothing or disappointment.

This is quite a car, I personally LOVE 3rd gen. Corvettes, and as Balthazar already said

it's the chrome bumper early cars that look by far the BEST. My favorite year is 1969, I

always said I'll someday make a clone of the Dayton Yellow ZL1, but that was when a

427 powered '69 Corvette that needed some work but ran & drove could be bought for

about $8,000 - $12,000. Those days are gone forever.

Good luck with this beast. It's truly an epic tale, I loved the whole thread, the suspense

was not lost on me since I just found out about the car through facebook 4 days ago.

----

Just recently I left a note on a beat up & well worn Mercedes Benz 300E that would have

made a good winter beater. The car had a FOR SALE sign on all four windows but nothing

else. No phone number, no price, no contact info, no mileage.... nothing. The house it

was parked in front of was for rent with no occupants.

The idiotic ghetto-fabulous wheels did not bother me since I have a stock set of rims for

that car as well as some pretty tasteful aftermarket rims, at the time I had not yet junked

my wife's totaled 300E so I had many of the cosmetic pieces the car needed.

[interior trim, tail lights, antenna, rear bumper cover etc.]

I left my business card & wrote on it that I was interested in the car, "call or text any time"

About three weeks later I get a frantic call on a Sunday morning, it's a girl asking me if I'm

interested, I say yes, she says if I want the car to make her an offer on it then and there,

over the phone, because other wise she's going to sell it to the person who is currently

in her driveway looking at it. She's asking me to counter offer and will not even give me

her asking price.

I'm really pissed at this line of questioning and explain to her, I have not driven it, or even

heard it run. Yes I'm interested but I'm not buying it 90sec. into a telephone call when my

note for her is now three weeks old. Who does that? I told her I'd call her back if I was

interested and hung up after a semi-polite "bye".

I mean really.... I have not even sat inside the car, have not seen under the hood, never

heard it run, obviously have not driven it, so my offer based on what I have seen would

be pretty low. Perhaps 120% of what the car is worth with a blown motor &/or transmission

since there's a very good chance there's something sketchy with it based on the selling

tactics & the seller's common sense.

[Camino LS6]

Glad you enjoyed the story, 68.

Sounds like you are dealing with a desperate, and inexperienced, seller. If you had been standing there, you might have gotten quite the deal. She obviously had no clue about how to sell her car.

[CMG]

Well I just read all 12 pages! Wow! What a story, what a thread and what a car!!!!

Congrats on the find!!!

One thing bugs me..... NOBODY asked you to post a pic of the note you left??!??

[Camino LS6]

Thanks CMG.

I never even thought to scan the note, maybe I will.

[Camino LS6]

Well, it might be nearing the end of the trail for this one - seriously thinking of selling the Vette.

[A Horse With No Name]

I wish I was in a position to buy it, but we just bought the MINI....and I've got six cars right now so....aughhh....

[Camino LS6]

I appreciate the sentiment, but I doubt this one will be too hard to find a home for.

[A Horse With No Name]

Ahhh...I was saying that I wanted it's home to be in my heated garage in Ohio.....maybe I should have been clearer.

[Camino LS6]

Ah, yes.

I do get that.

[Camino LS6]

Haven't been able to make myself write the ad just yet...

[Camino LS6]

Decision made.

I hope to sell it quick at $5k including all of the parts.

I'll do a detailed ad when I get the time.

[A Horse With No Name]

It's well worth that, good luck.

If I were in a different life position, it would be in my garage for sure.

[Camino LS6]

Thanks, man.

I think it will move quickly at that price (non-negotiable).

[GMTruckGuy74]

Hopefully you won't be taking a loss at that price. Too bad I wasn't rich, I'd buy it and pay you to restore it for me

[Camino LS6]

Thanks Roger, I'd love to do the job.

The only real loss I'll be taking is that I won't get to work on it the way I wanted.

I REALLY wanted to get it farther along toward roadworthy before I sold it.