I have been planning to do a cosmetic restore of my 1998 C5 that only has 54321 original miles. I have had health problems and with covid and all the rest car has not been driven in over three years. Lot of the cleaning that you do has opened up new sources for resto materials. The painting and minor body repair that I see you do makes me feel I can do what I need to do with a lot more confidence. I am 80 years young and have been driving corvettes since I was 21. My first was 64 C3 FI 4 speed coupe with the rare 1 (of) 38 option N03 36 gal. fuel tank and F40 suspension I bought it with 4600 miles from a Corvette Tech Center engineer. He had the factory closely follow the build from start to finish. They made sure the engine was built to exact factory specs and tolerances. He told me it was more of balanced and blueprinted engine. The tech center dyno showed HP at the crank to be 413. He was a rally racer
"Super practical and super obtainable for the average guy" please be sarcasm.. there is nothing obtainable about (at least) 10k and nothing practical about a worn out Corvette
Honestly, with an Auto trans having been rebuilt already and a clearly well maintained engine, there’s really nothing to scare a potential buyer off despite the mileage. That would be a solid inexpensive way into a nice driver Corvette
That engine's probably got a good 100K left in it before you'd have to worry about it being tired. And with that age and mileage it's pretty much at the bottom of its depreciation curve, so it'd be great to drive and enjoy without costing you much or having to worry about it. As little as some people drive their Corvettes, it doesn't make sense to have a 70K+ car sitting in the garage gathering dust.
you can tell they changed the oil regularly by the condition of the engine when they took the covers off. That thing had the oil changed even 3000 miles religiously.,
@@evodgamehunter4290 Agreed I had an Iveco Daily 2.9 L 12 HPI it had over 300,000 miles when I got it with a good service history I drove it for about 4 years putting good miles on it and it was still going strong when I sold it.
As a C6 owner who loves wrenching, this was awesome! And for someone who is under so many cars, what are you doing without a lift system of some sort? Just picked up a set of Quickjacks, and they are an absolute godsend.
I agree. And there are several solutions. Quickjacks require that you drive the car onto the platform, and it lifts at all 4 corners. The MAXJAX system is a portable 2 post hydraulic lift, which uses traditional body lift points, freeing up the corners. It will handle trucks as well as cars, and lift them about 3 feet. My son uses his to lift Jeeps to replace their suspension systems. Price is near $3,000 delivered. And did I mention that they're portable? You can bolt them in place then unbolt them and store them, or use another set of bolts and install them somewhere else.
I think the hardest part was finding a hidden gem like this and having the guts to actually put a bid in on it. There could have been so many problems on a car with that kind of mileage. And we all know Sam. He hardly have the best track record when it comes to finding gems...
Honestly this is in my opinion your best build yet. I absolutely love this build, it didn't take months and month , no crazy wire issues, a very cool car and it's a car that's closer to reality for the everyday man. Most guy watching your channel likely will never own a Ferrari and the Corvette is about as close as we will get so thank you keep this up Sam!
@@chrisreynolds2410 I can't even sit down in those high end cars, born too tall for it, so a Vette is about as much as I will ever aspire to. A 6'7" guy like myself can sit down in a Corvette. It's tight, but it's workable.
I’m a new subscriber but this is my dream car. I’m 74 so it’s just a dream. I work with prisoners and addicts over here in Ireland but four of our five kids including our adopted daughter live in the States so we get back about twice a year. I’m loving your videos! Thanks! Tip
This is a great video. I have a 2010 Grand Sport Coupe Corvette manual trans and I am sitting at 297,843 miles as of right now (went and looked). I am a Regional manager for my company and have been for about 15 years, and I drive around 24-25k per year. That 6.2L V8 is such a great motor. Of course I've had the common issues that come with it, spent quite a bit in regular maintenance at this point, but the engine is still original and the transmission is as well. I've gone through three clutches at this point, but that manual transmission is bullet proof. I am not going to be in this position for much longer, but I do plan on keeping this car as long as possible, and my goal is to be one of the first (if not the first) 500,000 mile Corvette owners in the world. We will see.
Great job. This is what most of your viewers want to see, not $50k unobtainable auction cars or salvage cars that frankly, we cannot afford to buy smashed. $2-10k salvage/auction cars are a sweet spot. The rest of the car build channels are great, but truly fantasy.
another car channel you might be interested in is Rainman Ray's Repairs. it's just a guy working on normal vehicles at an independent shop. not the exact same thing as this channel, but normal cars being worked on, all kinds. very informative auto repair channel. i totally agree with what you said, i am completely uninterested in those exotic/expensive car content on here.
As a tech I can say that the mileage has nothing to do with a cars condition. It's all about the previous owners maintenance schedule and repair up keep and how it was used. That vette was well maintained mechanical and it shows.
@@adamspitfire We are saying the same thing just in a different way. I've seen cars with less then 50k miles that are trashed with bad engines, bad transmissions or shot suspension. Most people think a 50k mile car is always better then a 250k mile car and from my experience that's just not true.
@@adamspitfire - Yeah. Higher miles absolutely have everything to do with the condition of a car. Sure, there are some high mileage cars that look fantastic, but wear is still worn on the drivetrain. I've owned a few high-mile cars, one with far more than this Vette. The two previous owners took excellent care of the car and after I sold it years later and many more miles, the car continued to drive for years. However, I would not try to have raced that car or drive it hard. Just because it was taken care of does not mean the engine is perfect, who knows how worn the internals have become.
I see it both ways. That kind of mileage, sure upkeep the motor, possibly the transmission would be good. But the suspension, and just that wear and tear. And wouldn't be cheap to fix.
The self lock feature of many older domestic cars is maddening. As a former tech, I used to always leave a window down just in case the car decided to self lock. Great series on this car.
It's a habit that's always stuck with me as well. I always find myself doing it whenever I step out of any vehicle, even ones that don't have the self lock feature lol. It's one of my better habits I suppose. 😆
Really cool to see what you've done with this vette. Mine has around 90k miles on it and this gives me so much more confidence that it will run for a very long time.
My 07 LBM 3LT Z71 has just clicked 50k. For a car nearly 14 yrs old, it's still a beauty. I'll die of old age in it rather than sell it. My 4h Vette over the years. Not crazy where designers and engineers have taken the C8
My Sierra has 315k on the original engine. The LS/Vortec are the greatest engines ever made. 260k on my daughters Tahoe, 270k on my wife's Escalade. I had a 200k 2000 WS6 that was bone stock and crazy fast.
@@irelandgrt My daughter has a 2015 GMC 1500 Denali 6.0 gas.. 72k on the clock. About 6 mos ago that stupid Active Fuel Management (AFM) they most all have now malfunctioned. Instead of dropping to 4 cyl mode, one of the solenoids failed and broke - yes broke the #7 pushrod. Seems to be well known issue. (not necessarily breaking pushrods, but will rear it's ugly head in other ways that damage the engine) No warranty and no Mr. Nice guy at GM either.
@@avflyguy That messed things up. The engine was never designed for it and they added it. None of my trucks have it including my Sierra which is an 07 gen IV and the first year of it. They didn't put it on the 4.8 that year which is what I have. I wasn't aware that any Corvettes had it. I still say the LS/Vortec are the greatest engines ever made.
I've had to do that locked key in the car trick. In New Zealand we use no 8 wire. Which is used for fencing sheep. It goes through the window then we manually unlock the button. Takes 15 minutes, oh fun times
@@bryanhallman8183 I would buy it for 14k all day long even if u had to drop a new motor in it down the road what’s an ls motor cost new crate from Gm maybe 4k?
@@chrisrose3915 I was just giving an example even if you had to replace the engine at some point this car is a great deal it’s in good shape for all these miles wouldn’t you agree
Sam, what I do on headlight lens replacement is to use a vacuum cleaner through one of the socket holes (be sure to seal any other holes). After the sealant is applied use the vacuum to suck the lens all the way up tight. Apply some masking tape to hold it while the sealant sets and bingo, Bob's your uncle.
Corvettes are just simply the best performance bargain out there. The parts are inexpensive and available everywhere and they are easy to work on. I love me C5 and have enjoyed doing the little things to update it and make it more modern recently.
love the restoration of cars that are in reach of your subscribers, seen a few other channels get larger and move on into cars that are just unaffordable for most, so great to see this one
Man I love a Corvette restoration! I bought a C5 Torch Red last year with C6 z06 rims and rear dodge demon tires, cams, headers and more but the owner shorted and wires in the harness inside the car burnt to a crisp. Bought it for $4500 and $800 later plus a lot of labor she’s running beautiful again
Great job on the repairs and detailing. Another low cost detail is to pull wheels and clean the inside offset with a mag wheel cleaner. I also like to clean calipers and the rusty center hub section of the rotors. A wire brushing or sandblasting followed with a coat of cast iron natural finish paint makes them look brand new.
The Corvette videos are easily my most favorite videos that I've seen you do. I believe that most people would like to own an inexpensive sports car that's easy (and cheap) to work on and most people can probably relate to this video.
My favorite video of yours by far. It's really refreshing to see you working on a car that is actually obtainable by normal people and not an utter nightmare to work on either. Well done!
Nicely done, amazing car.. i did the same thing with a 2017 Z06-07 option for $46k. Owner hit a curb broke fenders on passenger side. Total repair cost with paint and new tires $4636.00. I now have a 2017 Z06 with 9800 miles for under $53K. Keep these coming, show what can be done with a little effort and time. Great job again!!
Imagine if you can find an honest mechanic who would restore your car with the same amount of love and attention to detail without price gouging you. 👌🏽😀
Only thing about rock auto I have a gripe out is they ship out your order from multiple warehouses and no free shipping. One order I had 3 different 6.99 shipping charges. But the parts are so cheap i think i am still saving $$
Great build, you should really consider getting a decent DA polisher to replace your rotary. In the sun a lot of holograms were visible in the paint which are much easier to create with a rotary polisher since they are harder to use than a DA.
As the owner of a C7 and a big Corvette fan, it makes me happy to see that C6 ride with pride again. It wound up at auction somehow. But it was obviously loved and cared for.
I worked in a full service station that had a full garage. Anytime we got in a car to pull in we rolled down the window so keys never got locked in them. You should take up that method. I still do it to this day of I get in a car. Can't say much else, you got a great deal and made that car look great for pretty darn cheap.
For $52.20 a pair, you can replace the coil pack harness, they come as just the harness alone, so you pull the old ones out of the plastic case, thats a $90 saving, so essentially you're paying $90 extra for the plastic case
@@DrinkWhiskeyRaiseHell not at all, most of the clips on the harness were broken, but that plastic case had nothing wrong with it. The clips were broken I'm sure due to years of clipping and unclipping not because they were rotted out, in my case I removed the wire and everything clipped right back up as it was
I picked up an 08 Ls3 about 6 yrs ago and the car is worth more now than what I paid for it. I put only Kooks headers/cats/SLP Loudmouth and Toyo's on it and it ran a 11.8 @ 121MPH at Bradenton FL. The converters are very tight in these cars and will run an 11.3 with a 2800 stall converter. Close to 10's with a 3800+stall. I get 32 MPG on the hi way and 18 in the city.
Sam, What's not to like. A big thumbs up. I think that you show with a little smarts and perseverance that you can do more than you might think.....and for a reasonable cost. I put new carpet in my Testarossa and removed an ancient car alarm and fixed the radio, which never worked and re-dyed the interior door panels and other trim work....Total cost including carpet was about $1200 ish dollars. Feels good to accomplish something and there will always be things that you didn't count on.......like locking the keys in the car!!!!!!!!
good video. great tip on the eastwood trim restorer... 2 things however... 1. redoing the lenses, DO NOT USE SILICONE or RTV... go to autozone and the the window butyl strip for 9 bucks... pack it in good use pressure clams when reassembling to ensure it never leaks. 2. Go buy a DA and proper cutting pads/cutting substance... for a car with 250k miles, mcguires 105 will bring it back (that bumper was DOA)... then use chemical guys polish with a polishing pad... results will be tremendous.
Wow that was a sweet deal Sam. I really thought this purchase and refurb was one of your better DIY series. There were so many trouble shooting tips you went through to help keep costs down. The roof alone would have cost a fortune if you had to take it to a dealer to diagnose and repair. A low cost project like the Corvette, would make an incredible bonus/gift for Sage since he is such a great assistant and valuable protege. Keep up the awesome content and I can't wait to see more projects like this one.
C6 Convertible black on black is gorgeous. I have one with the stronger LS3 for over 8 years now here in Germany, where we have no speed limit. It is an absolute eyecatcher and incredible fast and comfortable supercar. And absolutely affordable. Maintenance cost are significantly lower than Audi TT Roadster which owned before. Love it on every ride, especially with the roof down on a sunny day.
I’m 19 and I grew up with a 2006 Silverado 5.3 and I’ve always had my eyes on these but corvettes always rubbed the me wrong way. But after a customer at work let me drive their grand sport c6 I think this is my realistic dream rebuild. I just love the LS sound!
I love Corvettes. My favorite car. I do think the C6 is one of the most bland out of all of them, but you guys did an outstanding job. Some real motivation to get back to restoring my 76, that is in a LOT rougher shape than this one was.
I agree I always thought the C6 was bland also. I think Corvettes should always have a big round ass but the C6 has a very flat ass. That's why I'm definitely a C4/1996 man when it comes to the later model Cuvettes.
3 days and 2 experienced people for labor, and you have all the proper tools and equipment to pull this off. Not for the amatuer, don't sell yourself short. Great job. Car looks beautiful, sweet deal.
Mechanical failsafe to open the doors is the latches on either driver and passenger sides next to each seat closest to the door sills. Usually a person with a hook tool to unlock cars can go in like you did and go straight down, hook on latch and unlock. Try it, but with the keys in your hands in case it gets complicated. LOL. Great video. Love the content. Keep 'em coming!
Great build. Miles definitely scare me a little when it comes to internals like timing chain, cams, lifters. That kind of miles indicates that stuff could be close to needed. But still a great build and buy.
This was a Driver's car, it got driven and regularly maintained. High miles would not bother me a bit as long as it was priced accordingly. Really nice Chanel and editing, all around, if I ever wanted a 'Vette, I would buy this for... $18,000.
And I was waiting for the bit when you hand the car over to your young assistant as a Christmas gift……but I guess you done that in the past. Lovely C6 the previous owners would be happy to see how you have given it a bit love and attention. Sam thanks for making me smile and having something to look forward to a few times a week! Best of luck for 2022.
Sam is awesome goes to show if you know what to look for amazing things can happen, I always tell people it’s all about knowing what to look for more over being able to do complex jobs, to do all this in a diy fashion with no major tools and no hoists is great! Good job Sam
I love how at top of second gear the speedo shows 30mph, definitely accurate :D. Reminds me of a top gear episode where they had to do a commercial. Awesome car btw.
Great content Sam, I personally would have dealt with the broken/ missing header bolt before replacing the spark plugs, rocker gaskets ignition wires etc. European Fords in the 90s had a tendency of locking themselves on battery reconnection and because of this and always check I've got a door/window open before reconnecting the battery on any vehicle.
Love the channel and all the great projects. Major improvement on this car. A black car is really labor intensive to maintain a great finish. Although it does look better after buffing it really should have a proper paint correction to remove all the swirl marks that show up in the sunlight. All in all the car turned out great.
I've never been a big fan of Vettes, except that is, for a gorgeous Cherry Red C2 owned by the father of a beautiful girl I was dating Her dad was such a cool dude - he allowed us to take it out on our date, and we felt like stars driving it around Bev Hills and Hollywood for hours, showing off. That, of course, was back in the day.... In my only other time in a Vette, was in a later model which I found to be really uncomfortable. When I had finally gotten to the point where I could afford a real sports car, I bought 911s, and never even considered a Vette. This final product yours looked to be perfectly comfortable, and the most beautil restoration of a Vette I've ever seen. I'd drive this car even if it crushed my spine! For less than 10 grand all in? Amazing! My story wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention that I did drive 911's for several years, acquiring three over a perios of 7-8 years. The first two, Targas, a 911S and 911SC were dogs from the word "go." The third one, a gorgeous '84 911 Carrera coupe with a chocolate leather interior, was the most incredible, problem-free vehicle I've ever owned. Unfortunately, I drove it so recklessly, the insurance costs became an issue I couldn't surmount. I was forced to sell it after 3 years. Heartbreaking!
Excellent work! Loved seeing such a practical and affordable refurb. You likely saved this awesome car from a premature death. What a value! I have new respect for how Chevy builds these cars. I was surprised about some of the thoughtful design that made it easier than you might expect to work on.
Corvettes in general are great well put together sports cars. Most of the problems people have with them aren't the cars but the people that drive them. They aren't rare cars despite every corvette owner thinking their's is special. That being said they are amazing cars that outperform basically all other cars up to high end super cars.
Amazing deal 👍 a great value project! Really enjoyable to see it get brought back to it's former glory. Only thing that it needs is some steel wool on that exhaust to shine in back up and it's complete ✅
I had an ‘08 LS3 3LT black coupe with wide body rear, black/red 2-tone seats, headers, Arnold Schoech custom ZR1 exhaust. That was a monster to drive. Sold it and bought a ‘17 black rose GS. Most beautiful car I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, it was a garage Queen and I sold it to a friend with 7K on the odometer. I had a ‘13 CTS-V and a new truck and just didn’t need 3 vehicles. Now, just the Ram. I miss that black rose every day 😢 Excellent find with your ‘07 👍
I found it relaxing watching you work on this car and making it a whole lot better! I think $ 8,000 for this car was inflation and maybe a little hi as it was a gamble but i think it turned out right!!
When you said “don’t ever leave your keys in a corvette” I felt that 😂 my C5 LOVES to lock its keys inside but luckily it has passive lock and if you wait a minute and bump the car it will unlock 🤣
My current C6, I've left keys in and closed door and won't lock if key FOB inside. Fine line too. If keys in my left pocket, it'll give me NO FOB error. Won't start - nothing until the keys are further inside the car.
@Samcrac A little trick on atleast GM vehicles.... Disconnect the negative cable at the battery and bump it against the negative terminals slowly about 3 or 4 times and you will hear the power locks actuate and the doors will unlock. Its almost as if the BCM has a default bootup. You are making a mistake spraying the bumper fascia/valance with enamel paint with a hardener. The factory sprays the paint with a flex agent or the paint will crack under normal flexing that the urethan panels go through when the car is driven.
😂 Yes I know that but I knew the risk was low since repainting was the proper way and the car was still nice and dirty so while I got all full of compound I don't really think it did much else to the rest of the car
This was really fun to watch, your cost savings are smart and inspirational. I really enjoyed the build and your ability to diagnose problems and solve them so economically. So what did you sell the car for?
Chevrolet Corvettes are far undervalued. Especially LS based LS2 Corvettes. That is an amazing deal I can get a 2010 for about 32,000 with 30,000 miles. That's actually a good deal and it's in great shape the rear deck where the convertible goes in has some cracking in the paint. My Vans which are Chevrolets last easily over 590,000 MI and the longest I have used one is $875,000 MI and sold it and it is still running around. These were originally mine from new and all I had to do was put Mobil 1 synthetic in it for their life and change it regularly. Couple transmissions a rear end and that's it
I'm not a big GM fan but I can admit the LS motors are the best/most reliable V8s of all time. I'd look at an LS swap in almost any old car or truck no matter the brand. Great reliability, great price, unlimited parts supply, great parts interchangeability, strong power with a few tweaks. It will be a sad day if GM ever stops putting an LS is at least one car or truck.
You should get one of those portable scissor lifts, would make ur love for working on cars a lot easier and don't take up the space like a full on 2 post lift 🤷♂️
Quickjacks are great, and portable. Newest 5k lb rated-version has 3" of extra lift. As for fail safes, the QD has a mechanical locking arm that is loaded against a stop in the middle and upper positions.
Love it! Great approach at saving a great, well-driven car. Definitely enjoyed this one! Also, a better car to drive around than the aston. Keep up the good work!
My 95 C4 Vette just turned 50,000 Miles and is meticulously cared for. Still, watching these videos I have developed this inexplicable urge to send it to him for an over-haul.
I've just started learning about vettes. One thing I've noticed is 90k miles on a Vette is considered to be somewhat high. Camaros on the other hand 90k would be considered low. Knowing both cars share a lot of the same drive trains and that the Vette should be the better built of the two a higher mileage Vette isn't the big deal most people might think. K 260k is quite a bit for any car but ya.
I really like this “cheap” Corvette loaded with the top 3 LT trim package and the Z51 performance package, including the top end Bose sound system, it is unfortunate you had to dump a whopping $1500.oo dollars of parts into it to get in up and running agin . But you are the kind of guy that is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to achieve this ultimate goal. Well done!
I recently bought a 2010 Audi S4 manual (premium plus, in great condition both outside and inside) with 155k miles for 8k and they go for around 12k-24k depending on condition, milage, trim.
I have been planning to do a cosmetic restore of my 1998 C5 that only has 54321 original miles. I have had health problems and with covid and all the rest
car has not been driven in over three years. Lot of the cleaning that you do has opened up new sources for resto materials. The painting and minor body repair that I see you do makes me feel I can do what I need to do with a lot more confidence. I am 80 years young and have been driving corvettes since I was 21. My first was 64 C3 FI 4 speed coupe with the rare 1 (of) 38 option N03 36 gal. fuel tank and F40 suspension I bought it with 4600 miles from a Corvette Tech Center engineer. He had the factory closely follow the build from start to finish. They made sure the engine was built to exact factory specs and tolerances. He told me it was more of balanced and blueprinted engine. The tech center dyno showed HP at the crank to be 413. He was a rally racer
This is one of my favorite builds you’ve done. Super practical and super obtainable for the average guy. Awesome find!
@CruzRedEye And I thought everyone had a Lambo or McLaren in the garage but choose to drive a breeder van,🤣
"Super practical and super obtainable for the average guy"
Needs to be in the US
Needs at least $10k to spare
Not so much average guy here.
@@gteixeira i mean, he lives in the usa, he cant make one that would suit ppl outside even tho im a fan from the caribean.
"Super practical and super obtainable for the average guy" please be sarcasm.. there is nothing obtainable about (at least) 10k and nothing practical about a worn out Corvette
@@gteixeira by "average guy" they actually mean "average middle class American" apparently
Honestly, with an Auto trans having been rebuilt already and a clearly well maintained engine, there’s really nothing to scare a potential buyer off despite the mileage. That would be a solid inexpensive way into a nice driver Corvette
yeah that's a lot of miles though at that time is when anything can happen
@@gotworc 250 isn't as high as it once was. Better engineering these days
That engine's probably got a good 100K left in it before you'd have to worry about it being tired. And with that age and mileage it's pretty much at the bottom of its depreciation curve, so it'd be great to drive and enjoy without costing you much or having to worry about it. As little as some people drive their Corvettes, it doesn't make sense to have a 70K+ car sitting in the garage gathering dust.
you can tell they changed the oil regularly by the condition of the engine when they took the covers off. That thing had the oil changed even 3000 miles religiously.,
@@evodgamehunter4290 Agreed I had an Iveco Daily 2.9 L 12 HPI it had over 300,000 miles when I got it with a good service history I drove it for about 4 years putting good miles on it and it was still going strong when I sold it.
This video is 2 years old but timeless. Thanks for your teaching videos!
As a C6 owner who loves wrenching, this was awesome! And for someone who is under so many cars, what are you doing without a lift system of some sort? Just picked up a set of Quickjacks, and they are an absolute godsend.
I agree. And there are several solutions. Quickjacks require that you drive the car onto the platform, and it lifts at all 4 corners. The MAXJAX system is a portable 2 post hydraulic lift, which uses traditional body lift points, freeing up the corners. It will handle trucks as well as cars, and lift them about 3 feet. My son uses his to lift Jeeps to replace their suspension systems. Price is near $3,000 delivered. And did I mention that they're portable? You can bolt them in place then unbolt them and store them, or use another set of bolts and install them somewhere else.
Asking myself the same
One of the best builds you’ve done, budget friendly, something most people could actually do. Hoping to see more stuff like this!
I think the hardest part was finding a hidden gem like this and having the guts to actually put a bid in on it. There could have been so many problems on a car with that kind of mileage.
And we all know Sam. He hardly have the best track record when it comes to finding gems...
i get what you mean. but you dont buy an auction car for it to be budget friendly. he just got lucky.
Honestly this is in my opinion your best build yet. I absolutely love this build, it didn't take months and month , no crazy wire issues, a very cool car and it's a car that's closer to reality for the everyday man. Most guy watching your channel likely will never own a Ferrari and the Corvette is about as close as we will get so thank you keep this up Sam!
That's what I was starting to think too.
Speak for yourself bucko….we get what we want out effort into your life and you can have anything.
True Story!
Never say never.
@@chrisreynolds2410 I can't even sit down in those high end cars, born too tall for it, so a Vette is about as much as I will ever aspire to. A 6'7" guy like myself can sit down in a Corvette. It's tight, but it's workable.
Bronson
That does not negate the fact of what I said.
No need to address me.
Those little harnesses are awesome. Got to love the LS. Car looks great!
I assumed most cars are like that since my 07 kia also has little detachable ignition coil and fuel injector harnesses
What about the remaining check engine light?
@@haroldgibson9123 with 250000 miles and with all the rest of the mild problems this vet has had. One might say the knock Sensors if I was to guess
I’m a new subscriber but this is my dream car. I’m 74 so it’s just a dream. I work with prisoners and addicts over here in Ireland but four of our five kids including our adopted daughter live in the States so we get back about twice a year. I’m loving your videos! Thanks! Tip
Nobody asked
@@justinwrye1308ass
@@justinwrye1308i just know you’re a loser, dude was just sharing his dream with us
This is a great video. I have a 2010 Grand Sport Coupe Corvette manual trans and I am sitting at 297,843 miles as of right now (went and looked). I am a Regional manager for my company and have been for about 15 years, and I drive around 24-25k per year. That 6.2L V8 is such a great motor. Of course I've had the common issues that come with it, spent quite a bit in regular maintenance at this point, but the engine is still original and the transmission is as well. I've gone through three clutches at this point, but that manual transmission is bullet proof.
I am not going to be in this position for much longer, but I do plan on keeping this car as long as possible, and my goal is to be one of the first (if not the first) 500,000 mile Corvette owners in the world. We will see.
Great job. This is what most of your viewers want to see, not $50k unobtainable auction cars or salvage cars that frankly, we cannot afford to buy smashed. $2-10k salvage/auction cars are a sweet spot. The rest of the car build channels are great, but truly fantasy.
Well said
My
another car channel you might be interested in is Rainman Ray's Repairs. it's just a guy working on normal vehicles at an independent shop. not the exact same thing as this channel, but normal cars being worked on, all kinds. very informative auto repair channel. i totally agree with what you said, i am completely uninterested in those exotic/expensive car content on here.
As a tech I can say that the mileage has nothing to do with a cars condition. It's all about the previous owners maintenance schedule and repair up keep and how it was used. That vette was well maintained mechanical and it shows.
I think it does, because higher mileage vehicles have to be well maintained to get to that high mileage, but any abused car can get to 50k miles
@@adamspitfire We are saying the same thing just in a different way. I've seen cars with less then 50k miles that are trashed with bad engines, bad transmissions or shot suspension. Most people think a 50k mile car is always better then a 250k mile car and from my experience that's just not true.
Well I wouldn't exactly say "nothing" but I agree that mileage alone doesn't tell the whole story.
@@adamspitfire - Yeah. Higher miles absolutely have everything to do with the condition of a car. Sure, there are some high mileage cars that look fantastic, but wear is still worn on the drivetrain. I've owned a few high-mile cars, one with far more than this Vette. The two previous owners took excellent care of the car and after I sold it years later and many more miles, the car continued to drive for years. However, I would not try to have raced that car or drive it hard. Just because it was taken care of does not mean the engine is perfect, who knows how worn the internals have become.
I see it both ways. That kind of mileage, sure upkeep the motor, possibly the transmission would be good. But the suspension, and just that wear and tear. And wouldn't be cheap to fix.
The self lock feature of many older domestic cars is maddening. As a former tech, I used to always leave a window down just in case the car decided to self lock. Great series on this car.
I do the same on my personal car lol!
It's a habit that's always stuck with me as well. I always find myself doing it whenever I step out of any vehicle, even ones that don't have the self lock feature lol. It's one of my better habits I suppose. 😆
i put the window down even as a diyer when working on stuff.
Dude, every time I'm moving cars around in the driveway, I have to leave a window down so I don't have to deal with this.
Yep me too can't stand to use the lockout kit
Really cool to see what you've done with this vette. Mine has around 90k miles on it and this gives me so much more confidence that it will run for a very long time.
My 07 LBM 3LT Z71 has just clicked 50k. For a car nearly 14 yrs old, it's still a beauty. I'll die of old age in it rather than sell it. My 4h Vette over the years. Not crazy where designers and engineers have taken the C8
My Sierra has 315k on the original engine. The LS/Vortec are the greatest engines ever made. 260k on my daughters Tahoe, 270k on my wife's Escalade. I had a 200k 2000 WS6 that was bone stock and crazy fast.
@@irelandgrt My daughter has a 2015 GMC 1500 Denali 6.0 gas.. 72k on the clock. About 6 mos ago that stupid Active Fuel Management (AFM) they most all have now malfunctioned. Instead of dropping to 4 cyl mode, one of the solenoids failed and broke - yes broke the #7 pushrod. Seems to be well known issue. (not necessarily breaking pushrods, but will rear it's ugly head in other ways that damage the engine) No warranty and no Mr. Nice guy at GM either.
@@avflyguy That messed things up. The engine was never designed for it and they added it. None of my trucks have it including my Sierra which is an 07 gen IV and the first year of it. They didn't put it on the 4.8 that year which is what I have. I wasn't aware that any Corvettes had it. I still say the LS/Vortec are the greatest engines ever made.
@@avflyguy If I remember correctly now that I think about it the stick shift vettes didn't get it until the new LT engine as far as I know.
I've had to do that locked key in the car trick. In New Zealand we use no 8 wire. Which is used for fencing sheep. It goes through the window then we manually unlock the button. Takes 15 minutes, oh fun times
This was such a fun series. Super cheap corvette z51 3LT convertible brought back to her former glory! Epic!
He could easily make $4-6K on that car.
@@bryanhallman8183 I would buy it for 14k all day long even if u had to drop a new motor in it down the road what’s an ls motor cost new crate from Gm maybe 4k?
@@cbruno12180 you wont need a new motor. Ls goes for ever with proper care. I think this one was open road milage.
@@chrisrose3915 I was just giving an example even if you had to replace the engine at some point this car is a great deal it’s in good shape for all these miles wouldn’t you agree
@@cbruno12180 Yes totally
Sam, what I do on headlight lens replacement is to use a vacuum cleaner through one of the socket holes (be sure to seal any other holes). After the sealant is applied use the vacuum to suck the lens all the way up tight. Apply some masking tape to hold it while the sealant sets and bingo, Bob's your uncle.
My uncle's name is Edgar.
My uncle is not named Bob, how dare you assume so. You're officially cancelled. Gtfo.
@@SpeCifiC0507 how do you know, could be, lol
apparently, these people have never watched AvE. good tip, btw. not sure I would have thought of that.
Or my father in law
Glad you're back to regular uploads! Really like these budget repair videos 👌 haven't missed an episode since the pizza car days 😄
More to come!
@@Samcrac glad you are working on cars we normal folk can buy instead of the exotics
I bought my 70 convertible corvette for $2,300.00 back in 1980, still driving it today.
Corvettes are just simply the best performance bargain out there. The parts are inexpensive and available everywhere and they are easy to work on. I love me C5 and have enjoyed doing the little things to update it and make it more modern recently.
love the restoration of cars that are in reach of your subscribers, seen a few other channels get larger and move on into cars that are just unaffordable for most, so great to see this one
Man I love a Corvette restoration! I bought a C5 Torch Red last year with C6 z06 rims and rear dodge demon tires, cams, headers and more but the owner shorted and wires in the harness inside the car burnt to a crisp. Bought it for $4500 and $800 later plus a lot of labor she’s running beautiful again
This man gives me the courage to fix up my old cars and keep them around for a while.
Great job on the repairs and detailing. Another low cost detail is to pull wheels and clean the inside offset with a mag wheel cleaner. I also like to clean calipers and the rusty center hub section of the rotors. A wire brushing or sandblasting followed with a coat of cast iron natural finish paint makes them look brand new.
Have a look at the :Chrysler Sebring Brilliant Metallic Silver". It comes in rattle can plus can be sourced by the quart.
been working on auto projects for 50 years. So satisfying when you step back and look at your finish work.
The Corvette videos are easily my most favorite videos that I've seen you do. I believe that most people would like to own an inexpensive sports car that's easy (and cheap) to work on and most people can probably relate to this video.
I would gladly get rid of my 96 BMW 328i Convertible for a build like this
My favorite video of yours by far. It's really refreshing to see you working on a car that is actually obtainable by normal people and not an utter nightmare to work on either. Well done!
Nicely done, amazing car.. i did the same thing with a 2017 Z06-07 option for $46k. Owner hit a curb broke fenders on passenger side. Total repair cost with paint and new tires $4636.00. I now have a 2017 Z06 with 9800 miles for under $53K. Keep these coming, show what can be done with a little effort and time. Great job again!!
Imagine if you can find an honest mechanic who would restore your car with the same amount of love and attention to detail without price gouging you. 👌🏽😀
Thanks for that quick reply. 6'2 here too .270 lbs. I'm glad to know that it's a fit.
Rockauto is the unheralded hero of the automotive world. Glad to see they are a sponsor and that makes me want to buy even more of my stuff from them.
My toolbox is covered with 15 years worth of purchases.
Only thing about rock auto I have a gripe out is they ship out your order from multiple warehouses and no free shipping. One order I had 3 different 6.99 shipping charges. But the parts are so cheap i think i am still saving $$
@@startingtech3900 same thing I say I still think ebay has better prices just takes longer to get items
Hard to believe there were no other bidders on this car. Admit it Sam, You STOLE IT! What a sweet deal for a car that only needed a bit of TLC.
Great build, you should really consider getting a decent DA polisher to replace your rotary. In the sun a lot of holograms were visible in the paint which are much easier to create with a rotary polisher since they are harder to use than a DA.
True that!
He really needs to work on his polishing skills. His lack of knowledge ,prep, and skills shows. And it being a black car, even more.
yea those holograms were pretty bad
As the owner of a C7 and a big Corvette fan, it makes me happy to see that C6 ride with pride again. It wound up at auction somehow. But it was obviously loved and cared for.
I worked in a full service station that had a full garage. Anytime we got in a car to pull in we rolled down the window so keys never got locked in them. You should take up that method. I still do it to this day of I get in a car. Can't say much else, you got a great deal and made that car look great for pretty darn cheap.
For $52.20 a pair, you can replace the coil pack harness, they come as just the harness alone, so you pull the old ones out of the plastic case, thats a $90 saving, so essentially you're paying $90 extra for the plastic case
The plastic casing is going to be just as fragile and rotted.
@@DrinkWhiskeyRaiseHell not at all, most of the clips on the harness were broken, but that plastic case had nothing wrong with it. The clips were broken I'm sure due to years of clipping and unclipping not because they were rotted out, in my case I removed the wire and everything clipped right back up as it was
You should do a detail inside the fender wells and a deep clean on those wheels to compliment the rest of the car.
Love your builds like this, start to finish with no leaking head gaskets!!
I picked up an 08 Ls3 about 6 yrs ago and the car is worth more now than what I paid for it. I put only Kooks headers/cats/SLP Loudmouth and Toyo's on it and it ran a 11.8 @ 121MPH at Bradenton FL. The converters are very tight in these cars and will run an 11.3 with a 2800 stall converter. Close to 10's with a 3800+stall. I get 32 MPG on the hi way and 18 in the city.
Sam, What's not to like. A big thumbs up. I think that you show with a little smarts and perseverance that you can do more than you might think.....and for a reasonable cost. I put new carpet in my Testarossa and removed an ancient car alarm and fixed the radio, which never worked and re-dyed the interior door panels and other trim work....Total cost including carpet was about $1200 ish dollars. Feels good to accomplish something and there will always be things that you didn't count on.......like locking the keys in the car!!!!!!!!
builds like this are my favorite, much more enjoyable than the exotic stuff.
Agreed! I can see myself doing this. The exotics - nope.
This is great. I like when you do a more accessible vehicle like this versus all the top tier exotics. Best build in a while.
This was a steal! I love the C6, it's my favorite but the C7 is close second. The car turned out beautiful, you got really lucky with this one!
MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS PLEASE!!
good video. great tip on the eastwood trim restorer... 2 things however... 1. redoing the lenses, DO NOT USE SILICONE or RTV... go to autozone and the the window butyl strip for 9 bucks... pack it in good use pressure clams when reassembling to ensure it never leaks. 2. Go buy a DA and proper cutting pads/cutting substance... for a car with 250k miles, mcguires 105 will bring it back (that bumper was DOA)... then use chemical guys polish with a polishing pad... results will be tremendous.
No fan of corvettes, BUT, by far one of my favorite videos. Great restoration. Kudos to you guys!!!
This build was amazing and turned out great.
Wow that was a sweet deal Sam. I really thought this purchase and refurb was one of your better DIY series. There were so many trouble shooting tips you went through to help keep costs down. The roof alone would have cost a fortune if you had to take it to a dealer to diagnose and repair. A low cost project like the Corvette, would make an incredible bonus/gift for Sage since he is such a great assistant and valuable protege. Keep up the awesome content and I can't wait to see more projects like this one.
C6 Convertible black on black is gorgeous. I have one with the stronger LS3 for over 8 years now here in Germany, where we have no speed limit. It is an absolute eyecatcher and incredible fast and comfortable supercar. And absolutely affordable. Maintenance cost are significantly lower than Audi TT Roadster which owned before. Love it on every ride, especially with the roof down on a sunny day.
I’m 19 and I grew up with a 2006 Silverado 5.3 and I’ve always had my eyes on these but corvettes always rubbed the me wrong way. But after a customer at work let me drive their grand sport c6 I think this is my realistic dream rebuild. I just love the LS sound!
Sometimes you just get lucky and it all goes well. Congrats on a great find and a relatively
uncomplicated restore.
I love Corvettes. My favorite car. I do think the C6 is one of the most bland out of all of them, but you guys did an outstanding job.
Some real motivation to get back to restoring my 76, that is in a LOT rougher shape than this one was.
I agree I always thought the C6 was bland also. I think Corvettes should always have a big round ass but the C6 has a very flat ass. That's why I'm definitely a C4/1996 man when it comes to the later model Cuvettes.
Man you make this stuff look so easy that anyone can do it!! I assure you not anyone can do it. You're made for this stuff, pure awesome 👌
3 days and 2 experienced people for labor, and you have all the proper tools and equipment to pull this off. Not for the amatuer, don't sell yourself short. Great job. Car looks beautiful, sweet deal.
Mechanical failsafe to open the doors is the latches on either driver and passenger sides next to each seat closest to the door sills. Usually a person with a hook tool to unlock cars can go in like you did and go straight down, hook on latch and unlock. Try it, but with the keys in your hands in case it gets complicated. LOL. Great video. Love the content. Keep 'em coming!
Great build. Miles definitely scare me a little when it comes to internals like timing chain, cams, lifters. That kind of miles indicates that stuff could be close to needed. But still a great build and buy.
Personally, I'd use paint with a flex agent in it especially on the bumper covers!
Yeah, I didn't get this. Poly bumpers need flexibility, not hardening. But I know fuck-all about modern paint.
Love the budget builds keep up the good work guys
This was a Driver's car, it got driven and regularly maintained. High miles would not bother me a bit as long as it was priced accordingly. Really nice Chanel and editing, all around, if I ever wanted a 'Vette, I would buy this for... $18,000.
And I was waiting for the bit when you hand the car over to your young assistant as a Christmas gift……but I guess you done that in the past. Lovely C6 the previous owners would be happy to see how you have given it a bit love and attention. Sam thanks for making me smile and having something to look forward to a few times a week! Best of luck for 2022.
Sam is awesome goes to show if you know what to look for amazing things can happen, I always tell people it’s all about knowing what to look for more over being able to do complex jobs, to do all this in a diy fashion with no major tools and no hoists is great! Good job Sam
I love how at top of second gear the speedo shows 30mph, definitely accurate :D. Reminds me of a top gear episode where they had to do a commercial. Awesome car btw.
Great content Sam, I personally would have dealt with the broken/ missing header bolt before replacing the spark plugs, rocker gaskets ignition wires etc.
European Fords in the 90s had a tendency of locking themselves on battery reconnection and because of this and always check I've got a door/window open before reconnecting the battery on any vehicle.
This car was well serviced, no sludge under valve covers , may have used Mobil 1 which is the factory fill
I’m doing a very similar thing with a 1991 Dodge Stealth. I wish I would have documented all of it on video. Great stuff!
This was an awesome video! Love seeing corvettes being restored to their former glory! They deserve the best.
Love the channel and all the great projects. Major improvement on this car. A black car is really labor intensive to maintain a great finish. Although it does look better after buffing it really should have a proper paint correction to remove all the swirl marks that show up in the sunlight. All in all the car turned out great.
Love this restoration. I think this is your best deal of them all. Maybe the Audi R8 is my favorite, but this is a real runner up.
I've never been a big fan of Vettes, except that is, for a gorgeous Cherry Red C2 owned by the father of a beautiful girl I was dating Her dad was such a cool dude - he allowed us to take it out on our date, and we felt like stars driving it around Bev Hills and Hollywood for hours, showing off. That, of course, was back in the day....
In my only other time in a Vette, was in a later model which I found to be really uncomfortable. When I had finally gotten to the point where I could afford a real sports car, I bought 911s, and never even considered a Vette.
This final product yours looked to be perfectly comfortable, and the most beautil restoration of a Vette I've ever seen. I'd drive this car even if it crushed my spine! For less than 10 grand all in? Amazing!
My story wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention that I did drive 911's for several years, acquiring three over a perios of 7-8 years. The first two, Targas, a 911S and 911SC were dogs from the word "go." The third one, a gorgeous '84 911 Carrera coupe with a chocolate leather interior, was the most incredible, problem-free vehicle I've ever owned. Unfortunately, I drove it so recklessly, the insurance costs became an issue I couldn't surmount. I was forced to sell it after 3 years. Heartbreaking!
Great job Sam.. just a tip you can fine sandpaper and rattle can clear lacquer plastic head lights to restore them.
Excellent work! Loved seeing such a practical and affordable refurb. You likely saved this awesome car from a premature death. What a value! I have new respect for how Chevy builds these cars. I was surprised about some of the thoughtful design that made it easier than you might expect to work on.
Corvettes in general are great well put together sports cars. Most of the problems people have with them aren't the cars but the people that drive them. They aren't rare cars despite every corvette owner thinking their's is special. That being said they are amazing cars that outperform basically all other cars up to high end super cars.
Man the stuff you do on a very limited budget is incredible Sam! Keep it up man. I love your channel!
The thing is, I have zero luck with used vehicles. If I'd won that vette it'd need a new trans, new heads, brakes all around and new tires......
Amazing deal 👍 a great value project! Really enjoyable to see it get brought back to it's former glory.
Only thing that it needs is some steel wool on that exhaust to shine in back up and it's complete ✅
I had an ‘08 LS3 3LT black coupe with wide body rear, black/red 2-tone seats, headers, Arnold Schoech custom ZR1 exhaust. That was a monster to drive. Sold it and bought a ‘17 black rose GS. Most beautiful car I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, it was a garage Queen and I sold it to a friend with 7K on the odometer. I had a ‘13 CTS-V and a new truck and just didn’t need 3 vehicles. Now, just the Ram. I miss that black rose every day 😢
Excellent find with your ‘07 👍
Dude, I paid 9500 for my 92 Corvette so you got a great deal. Granted I only have 80k on mine, but the difference between a C4 and C6 is crazy
I found it relaxing watching you work on this car and making it a whole lot better! I think $ 8,000 for this car was inflation and maybe a little hi as it was a gamble but i think it turned out right!!
When you said “don’t ever leave your keys in a corvette” I felt that 😂 my C5 LOVES to lock its keys inside but luckily it has passive lock and if you wait a minute and bump the car it will unlock 🤣
My current C6, I've left keys in and closed door and won't lock if key FOB inside. Fine line too. If keys in my left pocket, it'll give me NO FOB error. Won't start - nothing until the keys are further inside the car.
Looks great Sam! Maybe new discs to make the wheels pop that little bit more would look good? Astounding job as always 👍
@Samcrac A little trick on atleast GM vehicles.... Disconnect the negative cable at the battery and bump it against the negative terminals slowly about 3 or 4 times and you will hear the power locks actuate and the doors will unlock. Its almost as if the BCM has a default bootup. You are making a mistake spraying the bumper fascia/valance with enamel paint with a hardener. The factory sprays the paint with a flex agent or the paint will crack under normal flexing that the urethan panels go through when the car is driven.
Amazing find!
My 2007 is a triple black, but with low mileage..40k.
Absolutely mint, never driven in the rain. Never washed.
Great video
when you buffed that wet bumper you gave every auto detailer a mini aneurysm
And the polishing of the car doesn't seem that great. Still a lot of scratches and some newly introduced holograms on the side..
😂 Yes I know that but I knew the risk was low since repainting was the proper way and the car was still nice and dirty so while I got all full of compound I don't really think it did much else to the rest of the car
Joel Lmaoo I saw that too @19:01 though that bumper came out great for a single stage.
This was really fun to watch, your cost savings are smart and inspirational. I really enjoyed the build and your ability to diagnose problems and solve them so economically. So what did you sell the car for?
@20:10 is first gear only 20 mph? Is it just me or does it seem mad slow by revving out 2 gears and only going 30 mph??
I thought the same thing but if you watch when he takes off at 19:59 the spedo doesn't register for a second. I think its just off
Chevrolet Corvettes are far undervalued. Especially LS based LS2 Corvettes. That is an amazing deal I can get a 2010 for about 32,000 with 30,000 miles. That's actually a good deal and it's in great shape the rear deck where the convertible goes in has some cracking in the paint. My Vans which are Chevrolets last easily over 590,000 MI and the longest I have used one is $875,000 MI and sold it and it is still running around. These were originally mine from new and all I had to do was put Mobil 1 synthetic in it for their life and change it regularly. Couple transmissions a rear end and that's it
I'm not a big GM fan but I can admit the LS motors are the best/most reliable V8s of all time. I'd look at an LS swap in almost any old car or truck no matter the brand. Great reliability, great price, unlimited parts supply, great parts interchangeability, strong power with a few tweaks. It will be a sad day if GM ever stops putting an LS is at least one car or truck.
I really wish I had the money to do stuff like this. Great job guys! Big fan of the channel!
Start with something more budget friendly
You should get one of those portable scissor lifts, would make ur love for working on cars a lot easier and don't take up the space like a full on 2 post lift 🤷♂️
I'm scared of those lifts failing. I am not sure why.
Quickjacks are great, and portable. Newest 5k lb rated-version has 3" of extra lift. As for fail safes, the QD has a mechanical locking arm that is loaded against a stop in the middle and upper positions.
Love it! Great approach at saving a great, well-driven car. Definitely enjoyed this one! Also, a better car to drive around than the aston. Keep up the good work!
Great videos of a cheap vette build.
My 95 C4 Vette just turned 50,000 Miles and is meticulously cared for. Still, watching these videos I have developed this inexplicable urge to send it to him for an over-haul.
That's a badass car. You got the pleasure of restoring it and someone gets the pleasure of driving it another 250k miles.
How much you want for it Sam? Talk to me bro Im from FL too and I can go and pick it up.
🤜🏻🤛🏻
Love this restoration Sam, keep these coming, something that anyone can afford and it is reliable, the exotics are not near as interesting to me.
What up with the $1400
he click baited us. lame
I've just started learning about vettes. One thing I've noticed is 90k miles on a Vette is considered to be somewhat high. Camaros on the other hand 90k would be considered low. Knowing both cars share a lot of the same drive trains and that the Vette should be the better built of the two a higher mileage Vette isn't the big deal most people might think. K 260k is quite a bit for any car but ya.
I would be happy to thrilled to have this Vet. It looks and sounds fantastic.
I really like this “cheap” Corvette loaded with the top 3 LT trim package and the Z51 performance package, including the top end Bose sound system, it is unfortunate you had to dump a whopping $1500.oo dollars of parts into it to get in up and running agin . But you are the kind of guy that is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to achieve this ultimate goal. Well done!
I recently bought a 2010 Audi S4 manual (premium plus, in great condition both outside and inside) with 155k miles for 8k and they go for around 12k-24k depending on condition, milage, trim.
This was therapeutic for me watching the restoration was satisfying
One of the best short rebuild series
It's a great car to buy and keep. Not for resale. At that mileage, no matter how good it looks & drives, it's a keeper.