Corvette Forums - Corvette Enthusiast Site - New to the Forum, 1999 Black FRC

Just bought (12/30/05) a 1999 Black FRC with 14,700 miles on it. It was a 'crash victim' with no frame or suspension damage, just plastic and thin metal damage. Car was a lease and sat for a long time while being repaired to the lease company's (Chevrolet Dealer) standards. Finally came up for sale between Xmas and New Years. Bought it on emotion (I know a really dumb way to buy a car). I've been reseraching C5s for three years, but still a dumb way to buy a Corvette. I inspected it top to bottom (Excpt the battery area, see later note) and the repairs looked good, no apparent repair activity on the frame. A lot of surface rust on the bottom from sitting OUTSIDE in the snow and rain (my guess) until repaired. Car was housed and driven in Eastern Ohio/Wwestern PA. Paint was good with mostly swirl marks from poor maintenance. So far I've fixed the driver's door (It was missing H/W and was loose), matched the plugs and headlight bezel (he only replaced one of the bezels with a newer one after the accident), added two new front tires (He put on two new ones for sales purpose), changed the oil, oil filter, and air filter. Brakes were OK. Took it to Goss's Auto World in Seabrook, MD. Had them check car out (I know should have done it before I bought, just had a feeling this is a good one). Goss's garage informed me the car was in an accident, but all the damage was superficial and fixed correctly. WHEW!!! gambled and won!. Had the cooling system and power steering system flushed and fluids replaced. Had them align all 4 wheels and balance the tires. Goss's garage uses the Hunter 9700 alignment machine and the Road Force balancer. NONE of the alignment settings were right when I brought it in. They dialed all of them within specs. Between the balance and alignment car tracks like it's on rails. Beautiful at any speed. No shimmy, no shake, no vibration! Perfect! If you want your alignment right on, seek out a shop with the HUnter 9700, it's an amazing machine. Discovered I had the leaking battery thing which ate my HVAC vacuum lines causing cabin HVAC controls not to work and an open vacuum line on the MAP sensor.(HVAC system vacuum source). When I got it, the car was quick but not fast or smooth, very rough idle. Fixed the HVAC lines, got my HVAC controls back and the car felt much quicker and idled smoother. Decided to change plugs using BOSCH (I've used BOSCH for 20 years) 4s and new Borg Warner wires. The previous owner had put in a set of NGK plugs for a CAVALIER. Surprised they even fit, much less work. No codes on the DTC now. Car is now Holy S*&^ fast and smooth. Still have to change Diff fluid and transmission fluid plus Gas filter and put in CAGS defeat device. I'll get to learn how to lift a Corvette in my garage. Then I'll have a maintnance baseline on a low mileage, bone stock FRC. Interior is spectacular and looks/smells new. Detailing the paint is next when the weather turns using McGuires products. It's my first Corvette and never drove one until I bought it. It's one hell of an automobile. Haven't had a V8 since 1979. No substitute for Cubic Inches. This forum and others have been priceless in the amount of information available. I used them to find my problems and do my repairs. My goal is to get it bone stock and looking brand new (I now have 16,300 miles on it) and just drive it this season, then next winter add a Corsa exhaust, Bilsteen shocks, ZO6 end links, Cold Air induction, and lower it a bit. Then who knows. Figure this one will last me 10+ years of fun. A car this much fun should be illegal!!!!!