In life, there are deals, and then there are those rare oh-you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me deals. Getting a matching number, 1979 Corvette that runs for $1 has to qualify as the latter.
As is often the case, it’s all about knowing the right person at the right time. For Mark and Patti, it was about talking to an old friend when he wanted to clean out the clutter in his storage shed.
Sure the price of $1 was right, but even they couldn’t believe their luck when they finally laid eyes on this Dark Blue Metallic C3 sitting in a Tennessee shed.
Yes, some mice had called it home for a while, but it was all there, all-original, and it ran. Generally, at this stage in most barn-find stories, the car is shipped off for a complete frame-off restoration and comes back a year or so later looking brand new.
Not the case here. Mark & Patti are taking this on themselves as a way to stay busy together during this COVID time. Since Patti paid the $1, Mark will let her do most of the hands-on work with his guidance.
As we were soon to learn, the best part of this story was yet to come.
Grit & Determination
This $1 barn-find story has more layers than a Vidalia onion. Come to find out, Patti’s mechanical experience is limited to having once filled a vehicle’s windshield washer reservoir.
On the other hand, Mark knows his way around a car and is handy with a wrench. He has the confidence and experience to know when to say, “Let’s do it” and “Let’s farm that out.”
Having previous experience with wiring looms, for example, he knew that ripping into a 40+ year pile of spaghetti would be more than they wanted to do at their age – and might overwhelm Patti. Discretion versus valor, you know.
At this point, you might still assume calamity is just around the corner. All of that changes when you talk to Mark & Patti and hear the grit and steely determination in their voices.
Patti is eager to learn and more than willing to get her hands dirty. Mark is patient, knowledgeable, and knows their limitations.
What follows is our edited conversation with Mark & Patti from Classic Glass Corvette Club of Marietta about their COVID stay-at-home project. Enjoy!
More Than A Restoration
Rod Worley – Editor – Patti, in talking about this project, it sounds like it is more than just a restoration for you.
Is there a personal aspect of it as well?
Patti – Well Rod, you’re right. It is more than just a project to me.
The last owner of the car was a woman who purchased the car to restore it. Unfortunately, she passed away before she could start the project.
So in many ways I feel that connection with her as I work on the car and bring it back to life again. A part of me want to see this through to the end for her.
Under A Watchful Eye
Rod Worley – Editor – Mark, you’ve got some experience working around cars. How are you going to guide Patti through this process?
Mark – Patti is eager to learn and definitely not afraid to get her hands dirty. I want her to feel ownership of the car by being hands-on in the restoration process.
We started slow by replacing the flexible snorkel hose, and hood liner then moved on from there. One of the parts that eventually needed replacing was the alternator.
You should have seen her eyes when I told her she was going to replace it herself. They were as big as pie pans!
I busted the bolts loose and talked her through the process. She did a great job.
I’m not going to ask her to do anything that’s dangerous or she can’t do. Besides, I’ll be watching her every step along the way.
I’m taking the same position as my brother, a mechanic, did with me back in the 60s when the car I owned blew a head gasket. He sat on the stool and talked me through it.
It was the most incredible experience I ever had working on a car because I learned and felt the satisfaction at the end. I might even teach Patti to do a little Bondo work because she’s got a good artistic touch.
Understanding The Challenge
Rod Worley – Editor – So many times restoration projects are started on vintage cars only to be later abandoned. What gives you confidence here?
Patti – I’ll take on any challenge, any day. Yes, this is a more significant project than I thought initially, but I have faith in Mark to know what we can do and what we should farm out.
The interior is one area that we feel confident we can do ourselves. We’ve been watching YouTube on how to do matching color dyes.
Whenever it’s warm enough, we’re out in the garage working on it together.
Mark – This project is an adventure that we can share. Yes, this is the kind of project that people give up on in a few months because it can be overwhelming.
We’re shooting for a Spring 2021 deadline, though, we aren’t putting any pressure on ourselves. Part of the fun of a journey is the journey itself and not just the destination.
Project Overview
Rod Worley – Editor – At first glance the car looks in good shape, but it’s still a 42-year-old car initially purchased in New York.
Are there any signs of rust? What have you replaced so far?
Mark – We replaced the weather stripping on the t-tops, and eventually, we’re going to replace all the weather stripping on the car. We replaced the tires. The rims were fine.
The 195 horsepower L-48 engine has 89,000 miles on it and still runs well. The automatic transmission is in great shape.
They stored the car during the New York winter months, so there was only slight surface rust on the frame and birdcage. The car had no brakes when we picked it up in Tennessee, so getting it onto the trailer was an experience.
We took it over to the North Canton Chevron, where Ed Dalton, our mechanic, took care of the brakes, shocks, and plugs. Mark Childers from M&T PRO-formance replaced the interior wiring loom, dashboard, and radio over at 650 Riverstone Pkwy in Canton.
That wiring project would have been challenging for us to do and might have ended our relationship right then and there if we would have tried. We’ve found all the parts we’ve needed through Ecklers, Zip Corvette, and Davies Corvette Parts.
Patti – We’re taking our time and just having fun working on the car together. The beauty of this restoration is that we can do what we want with it in a way that makes sense to us.
In the end, we want to get out and enjoy driving it.
First In A Series
Spend a few minutes talking with Mark & Patti about their DIY restoration, and you come away feeling it should be a reality TV show. All the grief, aggravation, and fun are there.
We know we’d sign up for it.
While this is their first restoration, it’s not their first Corvette. This energetic couple has a pristine, award-winning 2004 Le Mans Blue Commerative C5 sitting in the garage.
We’re going to stay with this story and chronicle the transformation through future articles.
In the meantime, if you need us, we’ll be driving around the Georgia countryside, peeking into old barns and sheds looking for our own $1 Corvette restoration project.
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