[VIDEO] Everyone is Wrong about this 1980 Corvette Project

Tony Angelo of “Stay Tuned” was two minutes into his typical weekend ironmongery shop run when destiny intervened. A stranger’s handshake within the car parking zone would result in what is perhaps “the best deal ever”: $5,000 for a black 1980 Corvette reworked into one thing particular via 10 years of effort.

“I’ve got a total disaster project, but I think you should have it,” the person mentioned, catching Angelo and his daughter between the automated doorways. Allan, as he launched himself, had purchased the C3 sight-unseen from Michigan in 2013. What arrived was worse than marketed, however as an alternative of giving up, he’d spent a decade throwing “a ton of good parts” at dangerous issues. QA1 suspension, Wilwood brakes, an Edelbrock top-end equipment promising 375 horsepower—all trapped in a depraved wanting automotive that overheated continuously and by no means ran proper.

The 1980 Corvette occupies a peculiar place in automotive historical past. Born within the malaise period with simply 190 horsepower from its smogged 350, to some it represents peak disco-era extra assembly federal emissions actuality. “There are no bad Corvettes,” Angelo insists, analyzing his new prize. “This is the best bad Corvette — it’s still a cool Corvette.” Later, he repeats, “I don’t think they ever made a bad Corvette. I just don’t. Some of them need a little more work to be cool, that’s all.”

Back on the store, Angelo’s crew dove into prognosis mode. Pulling valve covers revealed pristine Edelbrock Performer RPM heads — no pink flags there. The pre-lube examine confirmed stable oil strain all through the system. But Allan’s warning echoed: “It overheats. Oil pressure doesn’t look great.” Two signs that would spell catastrophe or easy fixes.

The second of reality got here after methodical valve changes and contemporary gas. With crossed fingers and a prayer to the Corvette gods, they hit the important thing. The small-block erupted to life — tough at first, looking for idle, however alive. Oil strain shot to a wholesome 60 PSI. The temperature gauge stayed affordable. Allan’s nightmare was operating.

Now on to the vital stuff, like headlights that truly flip up!

“So far so good. We hit fourth gear. Brakes work. Transmission works. It stayed cool. It has oil pressure. It seems reasonable,” Angelo reported after the maiden voyage. The Edelbrock carburetor, nevertheless, was combating them — stumbling, surging, refusing to cooperate. Out it got here, changed by Angelo’s trusty Holley 4150. One carburetor swap later, the C3 reworked. What began as a stuttering mess turned a snarling testomony to second possibilities.

A fast glaze resurrects the black paint, turning the automotive from a 40-footer to a five-footer, by Angelo’s estimation.

The numbers inform one story: $5,000 for a operating, driving Corvette with high quality bones. But the true narrative lives in these aluminum heads, that failed carburetor, and Allan’s decade of willpower. Sometimes the most effective tasks aren’t those that go easily — they’re those the place another person did the laborious work earlier than admitting defeat.

As Angelo concludes, “Dang, this is such a good car.”

Not good. Not pristine. But good — and getting higher with each mile.

“You know, with somebody else’s project, you never know what you’re going to get, but this thing turned out to be, you know, a few days away from being just wicked,” Angelo says. “It handles pretty great. It really does haul. It’s awesome. It’s not 100% yet, but it’s already like a tossable, fun to drive, good looking car with a ton of attitude. I am stoked on this thing.”

Just watch the final drive on the finish, should you aren’t satisfied that you just CAN have enjoyable in a late C3 Corvette, one thing a few of us already knew.

From Stay Tuned by way of YouTube:

Are there any BAD Corvettes, actually? This week, Tony Angelo and the Stay Tuned dudes scoop a brand new challenge automotive – semi unintentionally – an ’80 Corvette challenge that had been accomplished however by no means dialed in. After a number of tweaks and some new bits, the dudes hit the streets in the most effective worst Corvette Chevy ever made!

Source:

Stay Tuned / YouTube

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