Available parts?!?

Tool&Die4Life

Tool&Die4Life

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 12, 2013
Messages
46
Location
Dayton, OH
Ok, i love the C-3 vette but im kinda stumped by the parts that are available for other cars but not the C3.

For example, i was thinking about covering my car in vinyl, which got me thinking about vinyl that looks like carbon fiber. So i priced it out and then realized that if i just used real carbon fiber and laid it over the fiberglass its cheaper. Then i looked for body parts made completely out of carbon fiber and i couldn't find any for the C3. Are there really NO carbon fiber body parts available anywhere for the C3? It seems like there is alot of interest in Carbon fiber for the c3 so why cant i find any?

Also i saw a post a while back about a dana 60 rear-end, how there were only like 2 or 3 in existence and how bullet proof and awesome they are. If they are so great why doesn't someone just copy it and start making them, its seems like there would be a demand for those also.

Anyway i know im a rookie on the corvette scene, but i wanted some of the old timers input on this.
 
it comes down to dollars. Why use carbon fiber when you can build a 1000 hp motor for the same dollars? Why use a 60 with its weight and fitment problems when there are 9" available....

Carbon is cool, but replacing fiberglass with carbon? I can't imagine the weight savings would be enough to warrant the cost. With that said, there's a C3 being built on here where price is no object (he has a carbon fiber roof - convertible car).... I can't imagine that roof cost would be less than 40,000....
 
there is always a lot of interest in trick Corvette parts, right up until it`s time to pay .....big hat, fancy boots, no cattle.
 
:shocking: I can say for sure, my car would not exist in anything close to present form, without the expert welding my buddy has done....

:beer:
 
redvetracr said:
there is always a lot of interest in trick Corvette parts, right up until it`s time to pay .....big hat, fancy boots, no cattle.
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:rofl::rofl:


I gotta agree with that one... I usually build my own parts... where practicable...

or look at the parts bin.... ya gotta remember GM was a parts bin company...
 
C3's are a 40 yr. old design with a limited following. There is not enough demand for trick aftermarket stuff anymore. If you want custom you will have to make your own or pay someone big $$$ to do it for you.

I tried looking for the ground effects kit that came with my '79 - it just does not exist any more.
 
The Dana 60 are awesome but most will never need one and finding the right housing like the one for sale on the forums won't be easy. I believe that one has a spool in it so it is set up for drag use. Most of the 10 & 12's I build are for street with some track time on them.

A super 10 or 12 bolt IRS will hold up to a lot and even those cost $$$ to build, build right that is. The 9" conversion is less costly although the handling is not as good, although some guys like it fine. The 12 I built my son is holding up fine, the car is close to the high 10's now.

GM continues to obsolete parts used on the C3's and soon enough the imported parts will be all that is available, most of which don't fit correct.
 
GTR1999 said:
The Dana 60 are awesome but most will never need one and finding the right housing like the one for sale on the forums won't be easy. I believe that one has a spool in it so it is set up for drag use. Most of the 10 & 12's I build are for street with some track time on them.

A super 10 or 12 bolt IRS will hold up to a lot and even those cost $$$ to build, build right that is. The 9" conversion is less costly although the handling is not as good, although some guys like it fine. The 12 I built my son is holding up fine, the car is close to the high 10's now.

GM continues to obsolete parts used on the C3's and soon enough the imported parts will be all that is available, most of which don't fit correct.
Click to expand...




Which is what the .gov wants, EPA and forcing old cars off the roads....

:ill:
 
:crap: i agree. and people like Jay Leno embracing alternative vehicles are selling us down the river. if you think the reduction of zinc in oil isn't for the purpose of ruining old engines, well go stick your head back in the sand.

a vacum chamber and an autoclave and you can make your own carbon fiber parts.:banghead: how much is that gonna cost?
 
GTR1999 said:
GM continues to obsolete parts used on the C3's and soon enough the imported parts will be all that is available, most of which don't fit correct.
Click to expand...

What about when Tom runs out of his custom parts. Many of his parts, as I understand it, were custom made specialty parts, often with specialty treating/alloys that made them stronger than stock from US manufacturers who manufactured the stock parts. To order these parts from the original manufacturers, you have to buy large numbers for any sort of economy. When Tom runs out of his specialty C3 parts, is he going to order another large production run?..I don't think so.
 
Sounds like you want the carbon fiber more for looks than weight.... if this is what you want then yes, vinyl would be an option....

as for carbon fiber parts: a aftermarket (Ecklers) hood is so much lighter than stock that the additional $1000 that a CF hood would cost is not not realistic or justifiable to save another 2 lbs .... the entire front end: yup, you could probably save a few pounds here but it's going to be expensive....

I just gutted a total of 100lbs of my doors ..... ok, I no longer have windows or door handles but I never felt that was all THAT important anyways.... :clap:
 
This will teach me to post a question right before i make a 2500 mile road trip without a pc, lol. All i could do is read everyone's posts on the forums. (I couldn't log in on my phone for some reason)

Yes i did want the carbon fiber "look" on the car, so i started doing some price shopping and discovered that the carbon fiber fabric was actually cheaper than the vinyl. I have been previously certified for working with fiberglass and other non-metallic materials with the DOD. So im not actually scared off by the fact that i would have to do the work myself.

As far as making my own parts or finding certain equipment to make them, i kinda have an advantage with my chosen profession. With modern technology, a few really good photos is all it takes to completely duplicate something that is no longer in production. Of course in order to get the cost down multiples would need to be made. But making one-offs just for me, well i can do that also.

As far as markets go, i believe that the C3 maybe entering a new phase in the market. The reason i say this is because there is an entire generation of car enthusiast that never had the chance to own one. I'm in this class, since i'm in my 30's i never saw the "glory years" of the stingray. I do remember wanting one for as long as i can remember, but do to pricing and other factors, owning and working on one before now just wasn't practical. Now that i own one, i want it as tricked out and as fast as i can possibly get it. Looking around the forums i am seeing a good mix of old timers and young rookies eager to learn what all the old timers know. The only question is, are the parts available at a reasonable price that the rookies can afford?
 
MYBAD79 said:
Sounds like you want the carbon fiber more for looks than weight.... if this is what you want then yes, vinyl would be an option....

as for carbon fiber parts: a aftermarket (Ecklers) hood is so much lighter than stock that the additional $1000 that a CF hood would cost is not not realistic or justifiable to save another 2 lbs .... the entire front end: yup, you could probably save a few pounds here but it's going to be expensive....

I just gutted a total of 100lbs of my doors ..... ok, I no longer have windows or door handles but I never felt that was all THAT important anyways.... :clap:
Click to expand...

Wait till you get stuck in a FLORIDA HURRY-CAIN, you know the ones, where the rain blows flat smack horizontal.....

:surrender:
 
Tool&Die4Life said:
This will teach me to post a question right before i make a 2500 mile road trip without a pc, lol. All i could do is read everyone's posts on the forums. (I couldn't log in on my phone for some reason)

Yes i did want the carbon fiber "look" on the car, so i started doing some price shopping and discovered that the carbon fiber fabric was actually cheaper than the vinyl. I have been previously certified for working with fiberglass and other non-metallic materials with the DOD. So im not actually scared off by the fact that i would have to do the work myself.

As far as making my own parts or finding certain equipment to make them, i kinda have an advantage with my chosen profession. With modern technology, a few really good photos is all it takes to completely duplicate something that is no longer in production. Of course in order to get the cost down multiples would need to be made. But making one-offs just for me, well i can do that also.

As far as markets go, i believe that the C3 maybe entering a new phase in the market. The reason i say this is because there is an entire generation of car enthusiast that never had the chance to own one. I'm in this class, since i'm in my 30's i never saw the "glory years" of the stingray. I do remember wanting one for as long as i can remember, but do to pricing and other factors, owning and working on one before now just wasn't practical. Now that i own one, i want it as tricked out and as fast as i can possibly get it. Looking around the forums i am seeing a good mix of old timers and young rookies eager to learn what all the old timers know. The only question is, are the parts available at a reasonable price that the rookies can afford?
Click to expand...



the new generation of enthusiast all have big hats and fancy boots but no cattle..
 
redvetracr said:
the new generation of enthusiast all have big hats and fancy boots but no cattle..
Click to expand...

Yes... very true they just don't pay toolmakers like they used to. But on the other hand, the scrapyards have plenty of steel for me to play with so maybe i can make my own cow. hehe
 
It wont, that's what i have my masters and im working on getting my phd. Eventually i will do what every other tool and die maker has done for the past 30 years - Get a higher paying job and wash my hands of this trade.
 
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