1976 C3 Corvette Brought Back to Life After Sitting Since 2004 Part 1 

TheCorvetteBen's RU-vid channel re-ignited my interest in C3 Corvettes. I owned a 1979 C3 15 years ago, today I went and bought a 1977 C3.

A local man in my village is selling a 1976 Corvette Stingray for $4,500, I'd buy it if I wasn't 14.

A C3 Corvette is my dream car. They're just so beautiful.

For some guys, I think the dream of owning a Corvette one day is much stronger than the actual enjoying and driving a Corvette. On RU-vid, I recall seeing tests on Super Tech oil and it's been found to be just as good as the regular name brand mainstream oil. It meets the oil industry grading specification on the container.

I drive my 72 Corvette everyday put a small block 350 with fuel injection 350 HP and a manuel 5 speed. Has Air power everything side pipes and leather. Upgraded suspension I love the car. Not as boring like most cars on the street today. It’s too bad the car culture is fading away.

I agree with you, on that statement, a former neighbour of mine has a 73?? in his backyard rotting away, it was running about 8 years ago but hasn't been registered in over 16+ years. He's the type of person who thinks even though something is sitting when he goes back to it, it will be the same way it was when he left it.

You work on cars for a living and don't have an oil filter wrench for the most prolific engine in America. But BIG props on the valve cover windows. That's an old trick I used back in the late '70s early '80s when I was building and restoring cars. Nice to see someone that actually pays attention to the little details of starting an engine that has sat awhile.

I have my Dad's 73 now sitting since 09...baby steps but look forward to getting her on the road. Thx for the video to give me some confidence, lol.

I love watching these videos!

hi Ben, fyi...50 yr. Old tech. In c3's..and their still a pain to work on by most..thats why most would not spend more coin or just buy alot newer one...Wow ...You have the Patience!!! and knowledge to do it for a profit...Great videos while doing it too.

All us guys are working all the time no FREE time ;)

In Oct. 1972 I ordered a '73. Waited 4 months, but it was worth the wait. I wish I still had it.

Hey man, congrats for the lift ! Great purchase. It's been two years that I follow your work. Warm cheerings from France ;)

Love the old corvette vids. These really help inspire me to get past that fear factor when it comes to working on these old cars. Looking forward to the rest of these!

Couldn't agree more with you about using the cheaper oil to check out the engine. Also liked the idea of the valve covers with the holes, great idea! Congratulations on your new lift. Nice addition to the shop!

My Son and I just purchased a 76 C3 in August and it too was not run for years! . love all your vids Ben, they are invaluable to our new project! Cheers!

Wow this is exactly the same as my grandpa's c3, same year and color

Thank you for explaining and showing the what, why, and how to your troubleshooting and repairs for each step of the project. As an owner of a 67 Camaro and 81 Corvette I feel much more confident having your videos to reference. Your knowledge, experience, and time are very much appreciated. Your videos are extremely valuable as the content / information you provide help save those with less experience from costly mistakes. Thank you!

Had my beautiful C3 for around a month now and man LOVE it to bits, have raked up some miles on her and went to see a wicked engine man today to get some love for her

Really digging the new lift Ben. Great buy there, bet you're already loving it.

Dont know if you read this but I really appreciate all of your videos there are very educational and I am pretty shure I could do a full restoration on a Corvette right now with all of your videos

Awesome video showing the steps to take.

I had wanted a c3 corvette for so long, and when me and my wife found one for sale that was also local we checked it out that day. We pretty much bought it that week, was able to get tags for it in a couple days, and drove it home. I have had mine for just over a year and not only do I not regret getting it but I can’t stop driving it. I go to the store, go see friends and family ,and everywhere in between. I have so much fun just driving it and get compliments and head turn all of the time. It makes me feel like a kid getting a new car. I have the sweet thunder inserts and hooker header side pipes, it sounds amazing. I have put 600 miles on it since I got it but it mostly local and some highway. I have done some basic upgrades like led headlights, all new headlight hardware hoses actuators etc.aluminum high flow water pump. Carb is rebuilt, edelbrock 600. Just like Ben in this video I just took out the old ac pump 45 lbs of weight reduced in the front. I don’t have any major performance builds , but I am making mine look pretty, chrome parts custom colored parts to match the yellow of the car.

So far so good. I like the way you do things. I just did a 304 that's in my Jeep. We had a couple of lifters sticking. We put that cheap oil in it. And a quart of marvel mystery oil. We drove it for a while lifter noise went away . Then we put the good stuff in .

I have just got my 1977 out of mothballs. It has been over 15 years since it ran. Mine was parked in a garage though and wrapped in sheets so not as nasty as this yellow one. I changed the oil, fuel filter and top rubber lines and coolant first, put a new battery in it, added fuel treatment to the tank and topped up the tank with fresh gas. Cranked it over and watched the oil pressure build up, no bad noises, and then she started right up. Running on maybe 6 cylinders lol. Changed the plugs which were all totally black, set the mixture and checked the timing. Purrs like a kitten. Cool. Car won't move, check the trans fluid, nothing on the dispstick, add 3 litres (3 quarts) still not on the dipstick... Buy more trans fluid and add another 3 litres, now we are moving. Drove around the block, cool. I didn't bother with oiling the cylinders, though I originally planned to, I figured its got 150,000 on it now and it was very tired when I mothballed it. She is due for a engine and trans rebuild anyway. Now.... tires... Thanks for sharing this video, nice to see another vette being resurrected. Cheers, Mick

Beautiful job! Thanks. *As SerpentZA says, 'Stay Awesome!'*

What's the matter with the people leaving a car as beautiful as this for 15 years, I'd be living in it if I owned it !!!!

Hi Ben, Just picked up a 1978 that hasn't run in 8 years. Perfect timing for my project. Right now I'm trying to change the fuel filter in the carb. Trying not to destroy the fuel line fitting or the carb--it's really stuck. I really appreciate your videos. Thanks, Jim

Nice...I'll have to do this soon...my 76 has been sitting longer than this one. Now I know the steps!

Great Video, I think this ist the best way to wake up this long sleeping C3 ;-)

I love the updated rear bumper.

I have seen people just start it with any precautions taken, great job.

Beautiful job!! Thanks so much! I have a 76 corvette.

U are right, I have a 1973 corvette. Last I drove it was in 2013. A lot of hate when I drove it! I keep the car in my garage as a investment! Keep up the hard work! U remind me of me when I was younger. Ron.

Glad you explained about the oil. I ran Traveller 5w-30 ($13.99 1 gal.) in my pickup for 5k miles and had to use a thin screwdriver to start flow of black sludge out of the oil pan when draining. Never again. In this case you'll be fine.

I really enjoy your vids please keep them coming....and thanks

I own a ‘79 that came with the spoiler package. I love the car. I think she is sexy and apparently other people think so as well by the coments made. It’s a 4 speed car with a 350 and geared high as all get up. At 70mph I’m doing 2500 RPM.

You are a great mechanic. Damn!

Cool, so far so good!

Be careful when using an electric vacuum to start the syphon. It’s not the liquid but the vapors that get you. Don’t ask me how I know

Thanks for another cool video Ben,yep your singing to the choir here,my wife’s 79 Corvette (she owned since new)was sitting from 05 to 16when l restored frame on,basically rebuilt replaced everything and only surprise was the Canadian cost of completely rebuilding the rear end but with keeping the original gears,don’t even want to post the price!My wife has put on at least 10,000 miles in the last 2 years driving it every chance she gets.Your Canadian fan Streetstock72

I have a 1979 these are beautiful cars I love mine.

Serpentza sent me!, good craftsmanship 👍🏼

I love your lift!

Way cool. Thanks. I don't know how guys can own them and not drive them. I've wanted to drive one for a very long time.

GREAT 76 VETTE TO FIX UP. BEST OF LUCK ON THE NEW PROJECT. TAKE CARE.

a lot can learn for you brother

Went to buy mine yesterday!

I'm really thinking about buying one of those portable lifts after seeing you use it, I hate laying under cars.

My absolute dream car!

Love the channel, I use the supertech oil in my cars, it's decent oil.

HI BEN,I just recently discovered your cool videos of you fixing up these Vettes,Ive been watching your videos all night cause they are AWESOME. i had a 2001 convertable vette with the 5.7 LT1 With BORLA EXHAUSTS and BEAUTIFUL black aftermarket rims.about 3 months ago my VETTE got involved in a 9 car accident cause 2 guys racing cut off a tractor trailer and from there all hell broke loose and my car hit another car that was ahead of me that locked up its brakes and spun out of control,ofcoarse it wasnt my fault and the insurance company paid off the bank and my car was totalled,ive been mentally crushed the last 3 months.ive been driving around a little KIA and it really blows, next month im going to a corvette dealer called KEYSTONE up in my neck of the woods in PENNSYLVANIA and they got lots and lots of VETTES,alot of STINGRAY VETTES ALSO which i love. ive been depressed man cause the accident wasnt my fault and i really took care of my VETTE and thats what really hurts man. anyway i wished i lived in TEXAS cause i would bring my VETTE to you to fix up,even tho i havent bought my other yet but ill have it in another month or so i and I CANT WAIT. You are the BEST BEN and I really enjoy your videos

Another great video thanks

I agree with your oil choice. , also, consider pulling the distributor and priming the oil system with an electric drill before start

Project Farm did a neat comparison of different oils. In most applications the Walmart is just fine and you waste your money on high price oils. Better to change it more often than go for the expensive stuff....

They haven't been driven in decades because they're not great to drive (stock) and most owners think they'll be worth something if they preserve them long enough. But with some suspension and steering mods the thing really wakes up on the road

love the video thanks for sharing

I like all of your step by step methods. One thing especially is your cut open valve covers. Have you thought about siliconing a piece of plexi glass on top of them? It would allow you to use them for extended runs and should help avoid any oil from splashing out.

Nice job

Good job!!

My dad's 1970 sits too. Doesn't bother me too much I'll buy it from him and drive it plenty.

Thank you for explaining

Awesome Ben! 🏋️‍♂️👍

Another 75-76 with an 80s butt. My Mom's 75 was the same way in 1991.

when me and my dad work on our cars from the 60s 70s and 80s and i remember when he was first teaching me and i asked what kinda oil do we use and he said " bro this motor is 40 years old, any kind"

I like seeing someone making all of the right moves to prevent any damage. To work on a client’s car you really have to take all of the extra steps. Video record of exactly what you do can only make it easier. Nothing much has to be committed to memory.🧐

nicely presented.

Aye man I’m in that exact same position. But the reason is cause of how much gas it eats up 😂. But whatever that’s no excuse. Currently fixing her up for a good rest of her life

I haven't put a video on my channel yet of me doing this but when I get a car in that has been sitting awhile I have a little plastic fuel tank that I hang from the hood with hose running down to carb.. get a cutoff valve to put in your line also lowes carries them in the lawn mower parts section. Once I determine engine is good I start it and let the fuel pump send old gas from tank to 5 gallon jugs. Easier safer way. Especially on the vettes with the fuel filler mounted where it is. One drop of that old gas is hell on a paint job. Of course I usually install a new fuel pump regardless after old is pumped out. P.S. get yourself a remote starter button caus you will wear your azz out going back and forth to the key. I subscribed to your channel awhile back. Good videos keepem coming.

I've been sub'd for a long time now and still with every video I watch I want to go out and by an old Vette just so you can work on it.

Nice lift!

I love the c3.i bought a 1976 stingray last spring drove it all summer.now I'm doing some little things to it..before I got it from the original owners son..it sat in a garage sense 1983..the son started doing some bubba repairs..then his wife filed for divorce..so I got a good deal..with only 42000 miles on the odometer..I also got my eye on a 1972 stingray that has been in this old abandoned house registration says 1976..has 3500.showing on the odometer..hoping I can acquire it when I track down who actually owns the property..

I was chasing a trans leak for years. Ended up being the dipstick and the step up shift linkage seal. Added a aftermarket dip stick wth a massive rubber crush gasket and eliminated the step down linkage with a nut /bolt silicone and two rubber washers. I just manually downshift. Never use Fram. If you must, use a higher end filter. I had even a higher end filter rattle in the can after a 3000 mile change. That is an early 76 due to the long compressor. I replaced mine with the VIR receiver dryer. It has been working flawlessly for about 20 years now since I replaced it. I dont however have those air injection pipes. I just have a smog pump with one port into the passenger side manifold. More convenient. Previous owner put a hole in the passenger wheel well to get at the spark plugs. Not necessary as you can reach under the compressor with your right hand. I put Iridium spark plugs. They run hotter and it actually took a while to burn all the carbon from the combustion chamber; Fouled up a few of the plugs with the previous carburetor setup. EFI now. Added Seafoam religiously to the crankcase and tank to clean up top and bottom. I had the 76 in California since 1992 that needs to be smogged biennially. Original block and heads with 177K on the clock. it always passes smog with flying colors (I added EFI:) Most of the minor parts are still virgin. Major front and rear end rebuild with all poly bushings and added the Gymkhana suspension. I love watching kids light up when they see it and with that new suspension, it is a blast to drive. P.S. I do my own tinkering/repairing as well with the exception of allignment:) I would suggest anyone with a C3 to spend the 1300 USD and get a EFI kit. The driveability is amazing! Lose that carburetor but keep it in storage just in case we get hit with an EMP:)

I just tucked my baby away for her hibernation. You need to supply me my fix for the next six months Ben.

Yeah. The owner is gonna love it. Are you going to fix that fuel filler missing thingy too? Note. The 56 Caddy was the most fun to watch and keep up with. Wish you would fix up another old field find, maybe a 60's something or other. Thanks, Ben. We like your work. How's the wife and baby doing and I miss seeing the dogs. Blessings.

I’d say that’s normal, it happened to me with my first car, I drove it as a daily and then less so as I got married until it was put away for 20 years while the business and family grew. My sons and I now have it back on the road properly and now they and their sisters can also enjoy. Just how it often goes. No one plans it, life just happens.

I use the Walmart blue bottle in everything I own....I don't have a problem with it.....but the oil police do and can't give a reason other than if its cheap it can't be good....whatever.

Just bought a nice red 1977 c3 with good frame for $1700 ( but totally stock) I don't think it has ran since mid 90's ..... wouldn't start ,put a new starter in$25 put a little gas in carb. , Couldn't believe it fired right up but wouldn't stay running, changed the mechanical fuel pump(new $26)and it came to life ,runs excellent !!! But when put it into gear it wouldn't move , put a bunch of quarts of tranny fluid ($15 to $20)and solved that problem , looked on Craig's list got a nice set of the yj8 aluminum rims for $175 (traded the ralley rims for a set of mounted tires) ..........the great thing about these cars are they easy to work on ,parts are all over the place (cheap) and I think they are one of the best looking cars ever made !!!!!...to me just as sweet as a Ferrari, Lamborghini,etc..........I plan on building a radical 454,cam,headers dual 4 barrel carbs ,worked heads ,good stall converter ,etc. in my spare time and throw it in , loud and fast as fuck !!!!!😁

I use supertech oil in everything and it works just fine. Split fire plugs are junk.

Be safe drop the gas tank put white vinegar and a box of baking soda in it for 24 hours to clean it, and it will look brand-new.👍

I good tip on the oil

I've used cheap oil on my 89 Mustang 5.0, my LS swapped 93 GMC 1500 and my 06 vette from 07 until now. Ive never had an issue. I honestly think that most oil is exactly the same.

Hard to explain why they get used so little. I myself am confused as to why I have spent some 5 years and approx $40,000.00 restoring my 69 L68 C3, yet for whatever reason I find myself very rarely take it out and drive it, then to just put it away for several months in the winter. Seems I get more enjoyment working on it and tinkering than actually driving it. Am I alone on this or does anyone else find the same thing? My car sat from 1991 to 2007 or 08 without starting, and even then never saw the road because it didn't run right and leaked fuel everywhere and still did not see the road for some 21/2 years that I had taken over the car in 2013. Question to Ben, did you also change the gas filter when draining the old gas and clearing the lines? I ask because when I first did what you are doing I did what you did and it still didn't run right. I began finding small metal particles in the carb, it ended up coming from the old canister fuel filter. You may find as I did by putting the see through filter on that it miraculously runs better, except I did away with the carb and got a new one.

Came across your channel a few weeks back and pretty much been binge watching all your vids. Recently got me a 76 Stingray. One thing I noticed between mine and that yellow one is that panel beind the hood where the wipers are, mine doesn't have that.. was it an option on the Corvette? Again, great channel! I'm learning a lot about my Vette from you. It had been sitting for 18 years. 10 outside, 8 inside. Just about have the motor/trans pulled to reseal it all. Has a 383 stroker motor 3500 stall tranny. Got it to run for a bit before starting to disassemble it and its a beast!!

Ben...just an FYI, unless they have changed recently, NAPA oil is Valvoline..(.Ashland Oil)...a top tier brand. Now, some of the specs are different...Valvoline may add different additives to make their branded product cover many specs, whereas they provide to NAPA as they request. However, the base crude is the same. My guess is WALMART is probably Quaker State. Oh, Marathon Oil bought out part of Valvoline...#3 Oil in the US.

i like the vids, but if i was going to critique you, is : i wouldnt change the oil before i found out if it was froze or not. a quick check for water in the oil is fine. as you said, its gonna be changed anyway if it does run. oil down the cylinders is fine, if you suspect it to be froze, but again, if its not upon inspection, and you roll it and its fine, spark plugs are an expense that can be saved for final tune up rather than before you find out if it has a knock, ect.

Wow, I have a scale model of that.

Oil choice options always gets the debates going and the blood flowing :)........probably all the the same stuff but has different brand stickers wink wink

It has the original exhaust. that's rare!

Have you ever used a good strap wrench on the oil filter makes a world of difference especially on small hard to reach areas but on my 77 there’s lots of room and it makes removal super easy.

To some its just a trophy

To those commenting about leaving a corvette to sit...As a C3 owner, I can say that *most* women for whatever reason do not like these era of corvettes. and since they are pretty tight inside there’s no room for the plus-sized and nowhere to put the kids...they are impractical except as a toy. So they end up sitting. C3’s and C4’s often seem to have the distinction of being the beaters of the corvette world. Have owned my ‘74 for almost 25 years...and which is not a beater.

Nice lift! Beats the heck outta laying in the dirt, huh? Gonna do a "review" on it?

C3 corvettes are my favorite and I barely see them, I see far more c1, c2, c4 than c3s

Split fire plugs, Old school. Lol

Ben, "Split Fire" Plugs are special specific Spark plugs for car engines with "Known" oil consumption problems...burning oil heavily, etc. The "Split Fire" Spark plugs are meant to actually "Fire in oil" or even "Fire when covered in oil" as they are specially designed not to foul if you can believe it. They are very different with their special "Y" electrodes when compared to standard spark plugs which they are not. Just thought that you should know... Tony K., Melbourne, Florida

I make sure stuff starts before I change the oil as long as it's not full of gas or water.

FIRST TIME OIL I USE IS DIESEL OIL AS IT HAS MORE GOOD STUFF IN. JUST ISE THE CHEAPEST ONE U CAN FIND. ITS ALSO EASIER ON A LONG STANDING MOTOR. THATS MY OPINION ANYHOW. LET ME KNOW IF U USE ANYTHING DIFFERENT

It really is sad. The 79 L82 I am trying to bring back to life sat in the grass since 1983.

Use the High miles SuperTech Walmart brand. It has extra Zinc and other add packs that are good for older motors. Its almost the same price as the stuff you got.