buying a 74 what to look for???
 

going to look at a 74, can anyone give me pointers of what to look for, like hidden frame problems, possible suspension problems and sort would be great.........

RE: buying a 74 what to look for???
 

Hmm, if you've got a good eye, look from the back fender to the front and look for body ripples and waves. Car fax is your friend too. Look at the birdcage for rust. If you're into original stuff check for matching numbers. Any google search will show you where to find them. The flux capacitors tend to go out on these pretty frequently too. Once they go out you can't go any faster than 88mph. Look under the carpet and check for mold. The big things are to look for pinholes of rust around the major metal parts. They can usually indicate that a part is rotting away. What area do you live in? That's another good thing to check out too. If you're living on a coast then you'll probably want to buy one from a really inland owner or you're going to have tons of rust to deal with.

RE: buying a 74 what to look for???
 

I'd say to look for the usual stuff, like over-spray from body work done from a wreck, under the hood, underneath where body parts bolt on, for an excess amount of shims. Make sure that the wiring harness hasn't been messed with to any extent where it looks like speghetti anywhere. Make sure that everything works and turn it all on at the same time to see that the electrical and vacuum systems will support it all. That the head lights open quickly and at the same time. If you can, put a vacuum gauge on it with the head lights and the heater/defroster on. Go through some corners to see how tight it is. And if possible, put a compression gauge on it along with the vacuum gauge. Check the oil to see if it's clean or has any additives in it-like it's extra thick. See what the gauges read. Just all the basic stuff, and put it up on a lift to see what leaks, rear main, trans, etc. Good Luck, I hope you found a good one.

RE: buying a 74 what to look for???
 

thanks, what about places to look for rust and possible hidden rust?

RE: buying a 74 what to look for???
 

thanks for the reply, but i dont plan on travelin through time.....haha

RE: buying a 74 what to look for???
 

Lol =) I'm glad you got the joke otherwise I was going to give you this site haha.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ype=osi_widget

RE: buying a 74 what to look for???
 

Good point, Rick. I take for granted as of late the fact that I'm in a hot dry climate as opposed to ie the N.E. where I grew up. It's always better, if possible, to buy something that's been in a friendly climate. My wife, when I met her, had an old Nissan 240Z that was originally from Jersey. It looked grerat, but the first time I jacked it up, the jack went through the body. I quickly cleaned the car up and unloaded it.

RE: buying a 74 what to look for???
 

Best advice I can give you is to find someone who is very knowledgeable re: Corvettes and have them look it over and be sure and get it on a lift. Frame rot is a big concern especially at the kickup in front of the rear wheels. Good luck.

RE: buying a 74 what to look for???
 

Hi flyboy1024 and welcome to the forum. Can you give us some background on the 74? Do you have any maintence records, how much milage, how many owners? A 74 could be a good choice as there are no cats and true dual exhausts. Is there smog stuff on it? Stick or auto? any photos? Hows the interior and weather strip? What is the price range? A basic Vette will costabout $5,000, if a lot of work has been done than the price can be more, if it's been neglected that you might offer less or pass on it. If you see a few problems and are handy than go for it. Any car thats 34 years old will need some work but a Vette is something special and even if it needs work it can a priceless ride if you intend to repair it and keep it for years to come. PG.