For the first time since November, the Corvette is back on its own four wheels! (Well not in this photo because it was dark when I finished but you’ll just have to believe me.) I took all that time to replace the rear wheel bearings, which on a C3 Corvette, is one hell of a task.
The C3 (and C2) use a very odd suspension design out back. It uses trailing arms to locate the wheel longitudinally and these contain the double-set bearings. Replacing them requires the removal and dismantling of the entire rear suspension. The leaf spring, driveshafts, swap bar, shock absorbers, brake calipers, brake rotors, brake lines, and parking brake must all be removed to access. The joke is that they built a C3 Corvette in the day by putting two rear wheel bearings on the shop floor and then built the car around them.
This was one hell of a repair job. I was quoted $750/side and the bearings alone cost me $200. I honestly only worked on it maybe one day a week and it was too cold to go into the garage during the polar vortex fiasco. In all, I’d guess I had about 7-10 full days into the repair. It is the most involved and complex car repair I have ever done and I learned a lot of new skills along the way. Now the bearings are hopefully good for another 49 years.