I'm an old buzzard living in the wilds of Oregon. I am widowed three years now, and have turned my attention to my second true love....cars.

Having only four as of a week ago, I noticed an ad in the local Craigslist for an 84 Corvette (I know, the worst corvette ever built). But the picture showed some really classy wheels and tires. And since I'm building a rat rod with a Chevrolet bolt pattern, I thought worth a drive and look see.

Take my MGB and cruise down the coast a few miles, and peek at this supposedly good condition Vette. Now, I'm suspecting and oil leaking, non running, chewed up POS, but to my surprise, the thing looks pretty good.

"Won't start" sez the previous owner. Hmmmm. Battery cables are green. I know what that means on a Brit car.......

So I give him a sum of money almost what the tires and wheels are worth, and take it home. For the positive (and green) battery cable, he has a Home Depot bolt into the battery, with a nut to provide tension. Hmmmm

So, a little baking soda, and some emery paper and $2.95 worth of battery terminals later, it runs.

Now I don't know if I want to steal the wheels and tires or keep the thing.

It's an 84, fairly new and decent paint, honestly new interior, new battery and the tires can't have 10K on them. Starts right up, drives and shifts and stops on a nickle. Still has the original fire extinguisher in the back.

The bad - electrical problems prevail. Horn is on full time honk mode. Left front turn signal didn't work, found a plug under the dash not passing current. Wired around it. Worked fine for a week or so. Now the left front turn signal is on ALL THE TIME! Somewhere along the line, some dimbulb put on some really nice valve covers. Got some kind of flames etched in them. Real pretty. No hole to put oil in. Guess it's pull the PCV valve and feed it down.

Waiting on a factory shop manual from Evilbay, so I will have a diagram of where the heck all the parts are for this beast. No going to go crazy on it till I get the electrical gremlins sorted. You guys promise there are not Lucas electrics in this thing??

Say howdy, and tell me what you think.

 

Welcome to CFs!

Straight up?
Well, she's a real "Looker" alright.
Keep the rims and tires on the car.
Electrics can drive me goofy at times.
Main thing to remember about electronics,
they all run on smoke. If ya let the smoke out, they're done. LOL
You'll get the wiring figured, just not with my help. Sorry...

 

For the welcome. I guess I should have mentioned that I come from over 40 years in the electronics business, so am somewhat qualified to chase electrical bugs. And I have a spare can of Lucas electrical smoke left over, just wondering if there is a metric/sae conflict there.

I recently chased down a perplexing problem on my MGB wherein the starter would engage when I turned on the headlights! That took me three days.

Now this thing. Left turn signal wouldn't work at all, found the bad plug under the dash, wired around it. Went into the garage, and the signal was on, key sitting on the console! Just a nice steady turn and side lamp.

I'm suspecting the turn signal switch, but don't want to get into it, since no one seems to have the parts.

Does this site have a list of favorite vendors? I don't see such a thing. I've been looking mostly at Zip Corvette.

 

Welcome...i dig the ride

 

I've used Ecklers and Zip with good results.

 

Welcome to the site. Great lookin' Vette. You're gonna love it if you don't get too frustrated fixin' things...but that's all part of the fun ...right?

Cheers

 

Thanks for the tip, got the turn signal switch ordered. Suspect I may need some headlight motor repair parts. Is there a single kit or do you have to piece it out?

BTW, there is an international MG gathering in Reno in June. Going to be lots of us little guys buzzing around. Be nice, they are good people!

I'm staying at the Silver Legacy downtown. Supposed to be three hotels full of Britphiles.

 

I'll watch for you guys to show up. I like them zippy little goomers.

I don't go to the casinos, I was raised around here and caught on to the scam a loooonnnnng time ago.
The Silver Legacy eh, we call it the "Silver Lunacy", ya gotta be crazy to lay your Silver on the table. lol

BTW, did ya know that Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks?