Sitting for a long period of time is pretty tough on engines. However, it seems that even 15 years of sitting can’t stop a good old small block Chevy. This video comes to us by way of Autoholics [1], and features a 1979 Corvette with an L-82 350 cubic inch small block Chevy that had reportedly been sitting out in the elements since 1998!
[2]It may look rusty and rough, but this L-82 seems to run pretty good even after 15 years of sitting.
Back in 1979, the L-82 Corvettes were all the rage, with their 225 horsepower rating and 0-60 time of 6.6 seconds (pretty quick for the smog-choked time, of course). However, this particular example now has 135,000 kilometers on the odometer, which converts to almost 84,000 miles. The Vette is rough, but considering that it was purchased for the meager sum of $2,500, we’d say they got a bargain.
The car was bought with the understanding that the engine might not run at all, so there was really nothing to lose seeing if it would fire up. The small block was given an oil change and a fresh oil filter, while the gas tank was flushed out and the starter given a quick clean up. Heck, even the stock Quadrajet was left right in place. The engine was turned over by hand several times to make sure everything was well lubricated, and when it was finally time to crank it over, then engine roared to life with no hesitation.
Have you ever gotten this lucky with a project car?
[3]Not bad for $2,500 - don't you think? Photo: Autoholics member "79 vette" [1]