1971 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C3 - Our New C3 Project Vehicle

Arriving home, we finally got to enjoy the moment we'd been waiting for-pulling the Stingray out of the trailer for an initial evaluation. Though our inspection did reveal a couple of issues that would keep us from driving the car immediately, we were pleasantly surprised at the condition of our purchase.

Though showing its age, the interior of our project is at least presentable, with new carpet and door panels, a new dash pad, and leather seats. We'll have to do something about the seats, though, as their red color obviously doesn't match the rest of the cockpit.

We're glad we resisted the temptation to drive this car immediately, as our once-over revealed a leaky fuel line with improper clamps. This could have led to a catastrophic end for our new project had it gone unnoticed.

At some point, the car's front end was switched to an aftermarket unit with no headlight doors or chrome bumper. The paint is also faded and covered in overspray. This will be corrected with a new paintjob, but for now we'll try to at least clean it up and make it presentable.

Placing the car on the lift, we discovered the underside to be in great shape, with new suspension bushings, brakes, and exhaust. Mechanically, we were surprised at what we got for our money, and we'd venture to guess that the previous owner had considerably more than our purchase price invested in this car.

The storage-compartment doors are intact, and even wear the original tire-pressure and jack-instruction decals. The hinges will need some work before the doors can be reinstalled, however.

Of course, one of the first things we did was give this neglected Stingray a bath, which helped its appearance somewhat. Next month we'll give our new project a thorough mechanical evaluation, making repairs and servicing the car prior to putting it on the road. Stay tuned to future issues as we transform this second-hand car into a first-rate performer!