"Ripple" - 1975 Corvette

[KrazyKarl02]

Not really off-road related, but I figured you guys might find it interesting. This weekend I cashed in some of my motorcycle/jimmy sales. The result is this. A 1975 Corvette Sting Ray - Named "Ripple"

[KrazyKarl02]

The corvette was origanlly purchased in 1975 by my Dad's friend. He had just graduated college, got a real job, and went out to huy his first new car.

The car has the following specs:

*39,000 Original Miles
*Matching color T-Tops & it has a one piece moon roof
*350 cubic inch L-48 package: 8.5:1 compression, 4 barrel, a screaming 165 HP
*TH400
*12 bolt independent rear axle
*Air Conditioning
*Power windows

The original owner drove it around for several years. In 1993 the vette had seen its better days. The original owner was being transferred to Alaska. He asked my Dad if he could "store" the vette in our driveway while he was away. My Dad said ok and he drove it over to our house in Kingwood. On his way there the brakes failed and he crashed through a toll booth on Beltway 8!

While in my Dad's driveway the car was falling appart, literally, the front one piece bumper and rear bumper had rotted off, the water hoses started to leak, etc... My Dad couldn't stand the car just rotting there and he had 2 teenage boys (my brother and I), which equated to infinite free labor. We replaced the brakes, water pump, all the hoses, etc... The seats were in good shape, but the carpet sucked so we replaced that. Finally we removed the emblems, etc.. and got it sprayed with a fresh coat of paint. My Dad returned the car and only charged his friend parts.

Fast Forward to present day. The original owner had done a few maintenance related things. He replaced the exhaust, all the ball joints, steering, etc... Put new tires on it... The original owner has a 2 car garage. He owns this vette and he "daily drives" and Aston Martin. His wife has a Mercedes SUV. So he owns 2 pretty new, pretty expensive cars and the vette takes up the garage. So, he had to do something. I talked to him about it and worked out a deal.

Oh by the way, it is named Ripple after Ripple wine. It was the mad dog 20/20 of the mid 70's and the drink of choice of Red Sanford.

[KrazyKarl02]

The paint is good from about 10' away, then you start seeing some of the imperfections. The motor is bone stock, complete with smog pump.

[KrazyKarl02]

So, what is the plan for this vehicle. Well I already charged the A/C with R134 and it works, so thats good. I would like to replace the radio with something more modern than the AM/FM no tape stocker. Then do some clean up.

The car is no speed demon and doing some performance projects is very tempting. However I am hesitant because it is so original.

Time to start working on the 383 for the Chevelle....

[Graystroke]

SWEET!

First, check the pass right rear wheel well for a kilo of cocaine.


I'm guessing the AC was converted. It's not original anymore! That gives you cause to replace the motor. I say find you a 454....then you can mash the gas pedal and yell, "Hear the roar of the fore fity fore!"

Has it been smoked in?

[Graystroke]

http://www.gmperformanceparts.com/En...54_crate_motor

[Sharpe]

I say find you a 454....then you can mash the gas pedal and yell, "Hear the roar of the fore fity fore!"

That one is deffinately gonna get used in my crewcab

[uglyota]

Nice...think I can get your toilet drain to feed directly to my bank account?

(just kidding...sounds like you got it for a song and it's got a cool history)

[BMFScout]

10 tracks of panama and an empty parking lot.

[mark]

The trick to owning a mid seventies anything is to just not get into a race. ever. even if its a mini van. or smart car.

[KrazyKarl02]

Custom plates , match the paint pretty good I think...

[JB]

Sweet! I like it.

[KrazyKarl02]

So Saturday I pulled into the driveway with the vette and 5 minutes later I heard a hissing coming from the car, the A/C ruptured a hose. The 1975 Corvette A/C was pretty crappy from the factory. I have actually read a book my uncle gave me on the A/C's in these vettes. They suffer from small condensor, small evaporators, inadequate blower fans, and an odd kind of like expansion valve system. When you convert them to R134a the cooling just gets crappier.

The book I read suggested replacing the blower motor with a different one that puts more air out, swapping the odd expansion valve, and adding an electric fan in front of the condensor, along with a lot of other things.

The hose that blew is part of an assembly that is $130. Since the freon is out, I need to change the dryer, which is built into the wierd expansion valve (called a VIR), they do not make the VIR anymore, instead you buy the replacement thing mentioned above for $155. The blower is $70. I would probably also go ahead and replace the compressor since it is an original 1975, this costs about $350. Additionally I would throw a fan on the condensor for $40. This totals $745 and I still end up using the existing condensor, evaporator coil, and heater core

Or Option 2, they make complete replacement systems, new inside ducts, all coils, compressor, hoses, blah, blah, blah, designed to work with R134 and cool like a new car for $1299 (list, might be able to find it cheaper thru random connections, like 10% off). So for about 500 more everything is new and probably cools better.

Or Option 3, replace the hose for $130 and it probably kind of works for another year and then something else goes out and I am back looking at option 1 or 2.

Thoughts? Junior, don't you know about corvettes and stuff?

[AggieTJ2007]

i know where a bottle of r12 is in Dallas if you just want to put R12 back in it

[bcolman]

if you only drive it in the colder months then you dont need a/c, but that is just a thought