NSW Corvettes
General Discussion Area => Corvette Related Chat => Topic started by: Mattrix on January 09, 2008, 03:45:13 PM
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Hi all,
This is the year I can finally rego my '78, hallelujah! However, I need to obviously make some modifications and so need as much help from you guys as I can get.
Firstly, a couple of years back someone in here offered to lend me their stock exhaust just while I got the car engineered and rego'd... wondering who that was as I can't find the post when I do a search of the forums..
Secondly, need to make the obvious mods, not sure where to start. Any vette drivers in the Newcastle area willing to donate a bit of time (I have lots of wine that I can use as incentive!) to help me sort a few things out? Any help is appreciated... I'm used to working on old datsuns and am a bit daunted with the thought of working on the vette :)
thanks
Matt
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i sent you a u2 mattrix;26
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You will register that car with those pipes, I did. Just find the right person to rego it before you even take the car in. I would love to help but Im a bit far away. Any more questions send me a email.
Mick
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Have sent U2U.
Am also looking at swapping the gearbox for a 4 speed auto or 3 speed auto with overdrive, just to help with petrol costs. what are my options? I'm going to be doing a bit of a web search but thought I'd ask here first as someone here may have done it already.
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I think all you need is a VN (?) 4 speed box (non computer) and modify/make a new cross member. You'll need a new yoke and maybe shorten the tailshaft.
There is a website in the States that uses a TH200 and has pics of what to do to the xmember. Sorry I can't rememebr where it was.
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Originally posted by 77CVT
I think all you need is a VN (?) 4 speed box (non computer) and modify/make a new cross member. You'll need a new yoke and maybe shorten the tailshaft.
There is a website in the States that uses a TH200 and has pics of what to do to the xmember. Sorry I can't rememebr where it was.
Mattrix,i have the vn commodore 700r4 in my 74.....i just have a vacuum lock up as i didn't have a computer in the car when i installed it.....it takes a bit of fiddling to install but isn;'t that hard to do,bracket on crossmember,different length tail shaft,change to the shifter mechanism and some small brackets on the carby for the cable all pretty straight forward...john:}
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;33
I have a new exhaust system that I will be installing on my 73 shortly, you can use my old system if you like. Can be modified to suit your vette.
:x
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But isnt yours a big block?
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MADLT1 said he can lend me some stock manifolds, so as long as the pipes are the same on the BB as the SB then I should be ok... but I wouldn't know whether they are the same... anyone?
As for the VN box, very interesting. Will have to keep an eye out for one of those (probably on ebay), doesn't sound like too hard a swap really.
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No BB & SB manifolds are very different!
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:bold
Never thought of that, BB is 2.5" and SB is 2".
;52
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Dont forget ...the BB is wider and longer, bigger ports, takes a different route down to the chassis...... just rubbin it in Reserved!!!!
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hey boys, i don't need the manifolds, just the exhaust pipes (see above post) ;53 MADLT1 has offered to lend me his manifolds, so I have that covered. I've got a mate that works at a smelter that says he could bend me some pipes, could that be problematic? The main issue is I want to avoid spending anything since it's only temporary and it's not like I need a new exhaust system, I've got the ultimate one as it is. :)
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Houston we have a problem... It seems that some bright spark decided to paint over the top of the stickers on the inside of the left door. Meaning I have no access to the date that the car was manufactured. I can only just make out the paint and trim codes, but the other sticker is completely coated in paint. So, is there someone I can contact and provide my VIN in order to work out the date my car was made?
Hard lesson also learnt - hadn't started the car in a few months, went out and the battery was flat, wouldn't even start with a jump pack. Battery was nearly brand new when i got it (mate bought it for his car but couldn't use it as the terminals wouldn't reach), got tonnes of CCA as well so... :( will be disconnecting the battery after every drive just to keep it safe...
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It should be a metal plate,not a sticker! that has the build month/year.The vin #, then reference to the corvette black book will give you an approx build date.My 74r(which was built in oct 73 which is part of the 74 model year) caused endless debate whether it was to be registered as a 73 or a 74 at the Motor Registration Branch...in the end i told them i didn't care so long as they would let me go....i was there for hours...it is officially a 74 model and is registered as such..john;41;41;41
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I have done the commodore auto swap on my 78 have numerous pics of cross member mod.Tailshaft yoke is same for t350 or t700 gearbox. Tailshaft has to be shortened about 50mm. R/hand side of tunnel near yoke has to be widened out to clear yoke & maybee r/hand pipe where it goes thru crossmember. Also used the shifter kit & quadrant which replaces stock items which gives you 4 gear positions. have also designed a timer circuit for the lockup on the gearbox.
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ok so metal plate, i couldn't really tell though as it had all been painted over! :{ the other one was a sticker though, on the end of the door (as in, just near the handle on the perpendicular side), which wasn't readable at all. the plate on the inside of the door (near the hinges) only had paint and trim codes on it...
Where do I find this mythical "corvette black book"? :)
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I've got that and quite a few other books covering VINs, manfacture dates, etc
There are also quite a few web sites containing this material.
If you send me your VIN -- by u2u message if you prefer -- I'll look it up in what I have and let you know.
Cheers, Graeme
PS: Going forward, you could mask off the door area and carefully use stripper to cut back to the original plate.
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Originally posted by Mattrix
Where do I find this mythical "corvette black book"? :)
(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c25/jolinari/78.jpg)
Please evaluate the sample!!!
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Hard lesson also learnt - hadn't started the car in a few months, went out and the battery was flat, wouldn't even start with a jump pack. Battery was nearly brand new when i got it (mate bought it for his car but couldn't use it as the terminals wouldn't reach), got tonnes of CCA as well so... :( will be disconnecting the battery after every drive just to keep it safe...
A brand new battery of the correct capacity shouldn't go stone flat in a couple of months unless it's not being fully charged or something's draining it while it's parked.
For instance, I've heard that the station memory function in Delco radios can run a battery flat in pretty short time.
I'd be putting an ammeter in series with the positive battery lead and seeing if there is a significant current draw when the car's parked and everything's turned off. If nothing found, then I'd be looking at the charging circuit.
If you want to disconnect the battery regardless, then you might consider a battery isolator switch such as is popular with boaties ...
http://www.outboardmotorparts.com.au/Default.asp?p=PT&id=214
Cheers, Graeme
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Thanks again for all your help guys. Graeme, will check VIN and let you know via u2u what it is, hopefully today or tomorrow.
Matt
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Hi, I still have the sticker on my left hand door which says that it came off production line in November 1976, but it was fitted with the new design trim and console wiihich made it a 1977 model and it was registered as a 77 when I bought it
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Originally posted by jdunne
It should be a metal plate,not a sticker! that has the build month/year.The vin #, then reference to the corvette black book will give you an approx build date.My 74r(which was built in oct 73 which is part of the 74 model year) caused endless debate whether it was to be registered as a 73 or a 74 at the Motor Registration Branch...in the end i told them i didn't care so long as they would let me go....i was there for hours...it is officially a 74 model and is registered as such..john;41;41;41
Wow, I'm glad my 90 was built in March 90 otherwise I might have been argueing with the RTA over how Corvette production model years don't run Jan-Dec. ;40
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HELLO MATTRIX ,I HAVE A EXHAUST SYSTEM OFF MY 69 VETTE THAT YOU CAN HAVE. I AM BUYING A NEW SET OF SIDEPIPES . LET ME KNOW IF YOUR INTERESTED.
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SS427, i assume they will fit up to my engine? Not sure about all the subtle (and not so subtle) differences between years...
Stingray, yeah that's the sticker i was talking about that was painted over. thinner could do the trip or i'll just check the black book.
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MATTRIX, THEY SHOULD FIT, I ONLY HAVE THE PIPES FROM THE GEARBOX TO THE BACK.I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF CHANGING MOTORS AND THE EXTRACTORS ARE STILL IN THE CAR AT THE MOMENT. MOTOR SHOULD BE COMING OUT IN A WEEK OR TWO.
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If you put thinners on the sticker you will remove the print too under the paint,you may have to forget it. The print on my sticker is fading off more since I have had the car,
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After sending the VIN to Graeme, my car is a jan78 car, though am still yet to determine when the engine was made. Regardless, it means I can get it rego'd straight away, though convincing the powers that be that the car is indeed a jan78 car could prove to be difficult... I guess I will find out soon enough.
SS427 - still sounds good. Not really knowing the stock exhaust system in the vette, if I'm to get stock manifolds off MADLT1 and the pipes from the gearbox back from yourself, is there anything else I'll need to make the setup work?
On that same note, getting the extractors off am i likely to snap bolts (common problem in the old datsun Z cars)? anything else I need to know?
Will be hitting up the indicator wiring shortly, as soon as the bloody weather fines up and i have a spare moment.
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MATTRIX YOUR GOING TO BE ABOUT 1 METRE SHORT OF PIPE ,TO JOIN MY PIPES TO THE STOCK MANIFOLDS. IF YOU WANT THE PIPES THEIR LOCATED AT MACQUARIE FIELDS.
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Ah ok. Hmm, will have to keep an eye out for if there are any other pipes going around, not sure how messy this is going to be but am trying to keep it fairly hassle free if i can help it. mainly because it's gonna be enough of a pain doing the swap, i've never swapped an exhaust before (done gearboxes and so forth but haven't worked on the vette either so it'll be a first in both regards)
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mattrix,look up alex ross at abermain,alex ross automotive,he owns a corvete same as yours,among other cars,he owns his service station and does rta work slips,he may pass your vett with the side pipes on,tell him you know me,if you cant find the number i will chase it up.
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I'm out at abermain all the time (my girlfriend's family lives out there) and I'm always dropping my girlfriend out at the valley so pass through a few times a week, so will chase him down and see. I don't know if he'd be able to help me though as I'm pretty sure I need an engineers certificate.
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he is on the mian road to cessnock,its the servo on the right before you get to the abermian pub,look him up mattrix,he can help you big time.
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yeah, will drop in there tomorrow when i'm passing through, i'll be passing through a couple of times so hopefully i catch him.
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Dropped in yesterday, Alex seems like a nice guy. He's going to help me out with a few things, which is awesome. He was quite impressed when I showed him a photo of my car :) his is very shmick also (probably more than mine though I couldn't tell from the pic I saw). Thanks for fgiving me the lead. Next task is calling Athol Mullen and talking to him about exactly what I need to do in order for him to pass my car, shall be interesting.
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keep us posted mattrix;27and good luck,hope to see you at the kurri nostalgia festival in march 29th:luv
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Sent an email to Alex after talking to him last wednesday, still haven't heard back, so not sure what's happening there. might need to drop back in and have another chat to him.
and yeah, with any luck i will have it rego'd by the time the nostalgia festival comes around... fingers crossed eh
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btw, are any of you guys going to be at the MAD day at swansea this sunday? i'll be there with fellow zed drivers, was hoping to get the vette there but no matter, there's always next year :)