C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

[Greg F.]

All,

I don't plan to take the body off ANY TIME soon. It has 63/K and is in great shape. The car is mostly original but a few things can be corrected. I want to constantly maintain the originality as much as possible when I replace parts (when I have some extra money!) and when it is in need of a maintenance part. I have the TJG and the AIM for 1971. What is another good book to help me with an on-going body on type restoration? What book would you recommend I purchase next? I like a lot of pictures too, so it should have a lot of pics!!!!

Thanks,
Greg

[Terry M.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

Vette-Vues Fact Book 1968-1972, by MF Dobbins. I think it is available from the NCRS store. Click on the radio button at the top of the page. This book is almost ALL B& W pictures.

While you are at it, order the 1968-???? NCRS Spec Guide from the same source. No pictures in this one, but lots of numbers and is sometimes easier to find the data than the TIM&JG.

[Steven G.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

Gregg, I have a 70 that seems to be very similar to your 71, I have been getting a library together as well. If you are planning future judging, I suggest looking at all Judging info.manuals, operations, guides, ect., judging score sheets, and dvd collection as well. I think it's better to be able to be in judges shoes when making decisions that will arrive while working on car as well as having reference info.. What ever you do, I WISH YOU THE BEST!!! Steve

[Alan S.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

Hi Greg,
I would highly recommend the GM, 71 CHASSIS SERVICE MANUAL. I refer to it all the time. It's really well layed out and well indexed.
Regards,
Alan

[Patrick H.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

All,

I don't plan to take the body off ANY TIME soon. It has 63/K and is in great shape. The car is mostly original but a few things can be corrected. I want to constantly maintain the originality as much as possible when I replace parts (when I have some extra money!) and when it is in need of a maintenance part. I have the TJG and the AIM for 1971. What is another good book to help me with an on-going body on type restoration? What book would you recommend I purchase next? I like a lot of pictures too, so it should have a lot of pics!!!!

Thanks,
Greg

Greg,

Do you want a book that helps you with the technical aspect of repairing your car, or one that helps you evaluate parts on the basis of originality?

The books that others mention here are excellent for assisting in maintaining and repairing your Corvette. However, the only two that give you "some" idea of correctness of a part are the Dobbins book and the NCRS Judging Guide. Even these two are lacking in many areas.

If you truly want to learn "part correctness" then I would highly recommend 1) getting involved in judging so that you see and evaluate many other cars, and 2) photograph as many original cars that are similar to yours as you can. Once you "learn what original looks like" you will learn how to evaluate replacement parts.

Patrick

[Greg F.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

Hi Greg,
I would highly recommend the GM, 71 CHASSIS SERVICE MANUAL. I refer to it all the time. It's really well layed out and well indexed.
Regards,
Alan

Alan - is there a listed author or is it a GM issued book? I just want to make sure I get the right one because I see a few different "chassis" books out there.

Thanks to all that replied!!!

Greg

[Terry M.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

GM published book.

There is the 1971 Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual and
1971 Chevrolet Chassis Overhaul Manual.

The SERVICE manual tells you how to work on things on the car and how to remove components from the car. The OVERHAUL manual will tell you how to take assemblies apart (engine, transmission, differential, etc.) once they are off the car.

Both these books cover ALL the Chevrolet passenger car models made in 1971, so there will be some information that is extraneous, and in some cases you will have to separate what applies to Corvettes from the other Chevrolet models.

You will get lots of help here with those challenges.

[Mike G.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

go to the ncrs shows and take pics. the regionals and the nationals is where you find mostly good cars. i do for every car i build. also i get on here and ask questions . i read all the posts that apply to my car. i print pages from here with information i think i will need while restoring my car. this web site is as informative as any book you can buy. when you are at the shows looking at the cars, you can ask the judges what is the correct way to do something. i have had judges take me to a car and show me what is correct and what is not correct. most of them will take the time to do that. i take the pictures of the correct way and build my own scrap book. this is how i restore a car to be top flight correct. i am restoring 2 right now. a 70 lt1 vert and a 72 lt1 vert. it takes me a couple of years to build one but they are done right. i have never had a car judged that did not get top flight. i could not do that without the knowledge of the people on this site. this is where you find the real corvette guys. someone on here can answer any and every question you have. this is my book.

[Jack H.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

There's also a 1971 Fisher Body manual. Most don't consider putting it in their library because Corvette was the one Marque in Chevy's passenger car lineup that was NOT Body by Fisher... But, there are a few items of interest in the Fisher Body book like diagnostic and overhaul instructions for the WS Wiper/Washer components.

[Alan S.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

Hi Greg,
I believe the GM CHASSIS SERVICE MANUAL is useful not as a restoration guide, but rather as a guide in the sequence for disassembling, and then repairing or replacing of parts. Since I'm not a mechanic, I found it very helpful in that I could study the procedure before I started using the wrenches.
It also has some good information for dealing with the headlights and wipers, which as you know, can be a challenge until you understand them.
Having the Manual gave me the courage to try do things I hadn't done before.
Regards,
Alan

[Erik S.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

GM published book.

There is the 1971 Chevrolet Chassis Service Manual and
1971 Chevrolet Chassis Overhaul Manual.

The SERVICE manual tells you how to work on things on the car and how to remove components from the car. The OVERHAUL manual will tell you how to take assemblies apart (engine, transmission, differential, etc.) once they are off the car.

Both these books cover ALL the Chevrolet passenger car models made in 1971, so there will be some information that is extraneous, and in some cases you will have to separate what applies to Corvettes from the other Chevrolet models.

You will get lots of help here with those challenges.

Terry (and the rest) - it seems that only the service manual is reproduced and can be obtained in our online store, while for the overhaul manual you always have to settle for used Ebay-ers - is this correct or is the overhaul manual reproduced as well?

Erik

[Grant M.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

Erik,

There are a number of publication vendors throughout the US (and a few here in Canada) that carry a wide assortment of (used and new) copies of the various manuals and often occupy spaces at shows like Corvettes at Carlisle and the AACA's fall meet in Hershey, PA. I've bought from them and the prices are not (IMHO) outrageous as they might be on e-Bay etc. I don't personally have any business name(s) or contacts to pass, but perhaps another TDB member does and can provide.

I would also mention a "Chassis Restoration Manual" soft-cover book that I purchased a couple of years ago, that covered the early seventies models. I don't recall the author's name or publisher, but I found it at a Barnes and Noble or Borders bookstore somewhere in the US (likely Syracuse or Rochester NY). You could try their online site and search for it. If it was on the shelf in the store it's likely a stock item.

grant

[Terry M.]

[Erik S.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

Thanks Terry - I appreciate it. I have the service manuals (new reproductions via the NCRS store) for both my 68 and 69 and think they are good sources (although I agree with your comment that originals have clearer pictures).

When looking for the overhaul manual for my 68 I found it somewhat more difficult to find a nice one and it stroke me that only used examples were available (so apparently this overhaul manual is not reproduced). Also, I found it somewhat confusion that for my 69 the overhaul manual for 1970 (as it includes the 69 corvette) is the one to get.

Cheers,
Erik

[Jack H.]

Re: C3 - Advice on next book for 1971 vette?

You should try the website of Helm, Inc. They're the largest repository of automotive repair information in the world, Eric. Fire up your Google search engine and check 'em out. But, expect to get a better deal on cost from NCRS for those books/manuals that Cincinnati stocks...