Project Nessie: Bringing an '84 Corvette back from a flood

Been getting a few odds and ends together for the 'vette. My intake and runners are due next for their port job with my guy out in Iowa. So, hopefully they will be coming back home fairly soon. I am trying to get my 350 here this week from my uncle's garage. Did some measuring and thinking and such with regards to adding a pair of aftermarket instruments and how to wire up and disguise the Power on switch and Start button without any aftermarket parts.

Later,

Lee

Update...engine comes home this Sunday.

Thrilled,

Lee

what, getting too old for the open collectors like on the white TA? HAHAHA
You get into some projects don't ya!

LOL Marty! Naaaa, never too old for some noise! It's certainly a project but I am really looking forward to saving this one. She was 'that close' to being in a Corvette scrapyard in St. Louis...and she deserved better than that.

Later,

Lee

Nanook wrote: Naaaa, never too old for some noise!

Later,

Lee

Looky what showed up tonight...pro-built 700R4 with 2,800 stall (approximately). This combo was a gift from my brother. It's only got about 5K on the setup.

Thrilled,

Lee

You suck

I will take that as a compliment, Mr. Marty!

Later,

Lee

Recent pics...these are of the L83 pull.






'92 L05 350 with TBI intake removed and spare TPI base plopped onto it for now. Looks fine inside so far with no abnormal wear. Ran fine when I checked it out last winter.


So, we're at repining the '84 engine harness and using the spare '89 harness for bits and pieces and the ECM. We'll mock up the completed and repined harness on the L05 before we do anything with the L05. I need to drop the tranny, drop the gas tank and then roll her outside for a serious pressure washing.

Later,

Lee

Oh yeah, the L83 350 is T-O-A-S-T...here's the shot of 1.5 gallons of clear water I drained from the pan! Junking the block and heads and selling off the intake and TBs.

Later,

Lee



Mud in the tranny inspection plate...

That looks so strange to see clear stuff coming from he oil pan.

It sure is/was, Steve! I was shocked I plugged it back up, grabbed my camera and then snapped the pic! Figured it was a 'once in a lifetime' shot LOL!

Later,

Lee

Well, I got the L83 pulled with the help of a few friends...and pressure washed her all underneath from butt to nose. Also got the engine bay blown clean and did the door jams and inner doors. Thsi was the first time she had been rolled outside since winter 2011! So, now she is back in the garage up on stands again. I have to drop the tranny and pull the engine harness. My friend Wayne has already completed the repin schematic for using the '84 harness with the '86 TPI setup. Going pretty smooth overall. Also, with the parts I sold off and a car detail I did for a friend for the TA Nats I was able to score a brand-new D.U.I. distributor and a complete TPI CAi and descreened MAF for $150!

So, there she is. I am hauling off the L83 today (Friday) as it's 100% toast from the flood. The #2 cylinder was pitted something fierce. She sits a bit low due to having all of the parts inside her for the engine and the extra engine harness out of the '89 TA.

Later,

Lee

Glad to see progress pretty smoothly. Looking good.

I'll be stopping by Saturday night, Hope ya got it running so we can take a ride    

It's funny how much better one can look with just a little cleaning.

Thank you guys! TAHOE I'll put you behind the wheel while I push and make 'vroom vroom' sounds...how's that for kicks? 

Steve indeed it makes a world of difference when you are able to get things cleaned up as it means you can sort, organize and move forward.   It really turned out good and I am pleased.

BTW I got $25.16 for the L83 block and heads...that's something!

Later,

Lee

Lee, coming along, good visting the other night with you all, need to go out sometime. I wasn't surprised, knowing you, how clean you keep your working area, not to mention the car. I would be tripping over all the parts I just stripped haha
If ya need some muscle any time, let me know....I'll find somebody for ya  

It was great to shoot the breeze a bit, buddy! Been far too long. Glad you approve of my craziness to save the 'vette...and my clean workspace.  You know me all too well. OCD shines thru whenever it gets the chance.  

I'll keep ya posted on progress and when I will need help next. .

Later,

Lee

Well, Nessie was sold this past weekend to a nice gent by the name of Matt from Ohio. He took her home and she will live on as an SCCA track car. So, glad that I could see her saved and not parted out. I did nab the few bits I needed for my '88 Corvette and I didn't lose any $$ on the deal.   So, consider this project someone else's toy.

Later,

Lee