Corvette Parts Blog

1968-1982 Corvette Radiator Hoses

Need new upper or lower radiator hoses for your 1968-1982 C3 Corvette, but concerned about the quality of the Corvette Parts you would receive from your local auto store? Then look no further than Zip. We offer exact reproduction radiator hoses for all C3 Vettes. With the GM numbers stamped on the hoses, pre-bent to your application and the original support springs on the inside of the hose, you won’t find a more correct piece. Big block or small block, manual or automatic and every option in-between, Zip has the correct Corvette Radiator Hoses to get the job done right!

View all Corvette Parts Blog Posts specific to C3 Corvettes here. 

1985-1989 Corvette Air Filter Cover Screw

Sometimes, the biggest headaches come from the smallest Corvette Parts. Previously discontinued by GM, the Corvette Air Filter Cover Screw is once again available for your 1985-1989 C4 Corvette. The threaded metal shaft with “knurled” plastic top holds the air filter cover to the housing. Two of these screws are required per Corvette.

Corvettes are highly susceptible to front end damage or collisions, therefore Zip has added several new reproduction Corvette Parts that have been previously discontinued by GM. All are needed to properly repair the front end of your Corvette both for aesthetics and proper cooling efficiencies. These new 1984-1996 C4 Corvette Front End Parts are just a few of several new reproduction parts that are now available from Zip.

C4 Corvette Lower Baffle

On many early model C4 Corvettes, the Air Intake Radiator Lower Baffle is often seriously damaged or in the worst cases, missing all together due to parking lot stops or curbs. Not having the radiator lower baffle can inhibit your Corvette’s cooling system from cooling the engine properly by not directing airflow through the radiator. This reproduction radiator lower air baffle, also sometimes called a radiator duct, is necessary to keep your engine at the correct operating temperature. Fits 1985-1989 Corvettes only.

C4 Corvette Valance Panel

Often the casualty of concrete parking stops or curbs, it’s not uncommon for a C4 to be missing the  Corvette Lower Valance Panel/Air Deflector. This C4 Corvette item is critical for keeping your Corvette operating at normal temperatures by helping to direct air into the radiator for efficient cooling. Fits all 1984-1989 Corvettes.

Lower Valance Panel Brace

The Corvette Lower Valance Panel/Air Deflector Brace attaches to the radiator lower air baffle in the middle to give support to the front air deflector. If your car’s brace is missing, it can raise the temperature of the engine significantly. This deflector brace is a reproduction of the 1986 and later model which was engineered to be heavier than the flimsy 1984-1985 style braces. Fits all 1984-1990 Corvettes.

Corvette Air Dam Retainer

The Corvette Lower Air Dam Center Retainer is an important part to support and strengthen the lower plastic baffle. Replacing this retainer with this new reproduction insures the air baffle is properly supported and helps to insure cool air is properly directed into your early C4 Corvette. Fits all 1984-1996 Corvettes.

2006-2011 Corvette LS7 Supercharger

The new Corvette LS7 Edelbrock Supercharger System pushes a stock Corvette LS7 engine up to an amazing 657 flywheel HP and 582 ft-lbs of torque. This supercharger incorporates the Eaton Twin Vortices Series (TVS) Gen VI rotor assembly, the same internals used on the new ZR1 Corvette, an air to water twin intercooler system and dual core heat exchanger. Torque has been optimized through the use of 12″ long runners, while low speed fuel economy is retained through the use of an internal bypass valve to reduce parasitic loss. All of this equipment integrates with the dry sump system and fits under the stock hood without any modifications.

This system includes all of the components needed to support the increased power output of the engine: 60 lb/hr injectors, a high flow air intake system and a handheld programming module to update the ECU. It is designed to work with all OEM emissions equipment and is 50-state street legal (E.O. Number D-215-76). It also includes matching aluminum coil covers that are black powder coated for a great under hood look.

Are you curious to know what it takes to install one of these Edelbrock Corvette Superchargers? Read the manufacturers step by step installation instructions here.

Zip also has Edelbrock Corvette superchargers for LS2 and LS3 equipped C6 Corvettes. Read more about these supercharger systems here.

This Corvette question comes from Jo Ann who inherited a 1981 Corvette.

I am inheriting my brother’s 1981 Corvette and it has been sitting in the driveway for over 5 years. It needs a lot of body work and a new passenger seat. The tires are slightly flat and are probably dry-rotted. We have not tried to start it up yet. Before we do, what advice can you give me before we try to start it up?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions in the restoration hobby. The real answer depends on your intentions for the Corvette. However, whether you are looking to make it a nice driver or a show winner, these initial steps will help you start the car and determine what you have to work with. All of this assumes the Corvette wasn’t parked for some serious motor issue, if you are unsure follow these steps until you hit a snag or need additional help.

We would begin by removing all of the spark plugs (remember to mark the wires so you get the firing order correct later) and pouring a table spoon or so of Marvel Mystery oil, motor oil, PB Blaster or any penetrent into each cylinder through the plug holes. Let this sit for a couple of days before you begin to rotate the motor.

Before reinstalling the plugs, try and spin the motor over by hand. If the motor does not turn by hand, remove the V-belts to check for a frozen accessory (Power Steering pump, AC Compressor etc.). If it still doesn’t turn over you may have a serious internal issue requiring professional help. If it does spin freely, replace the battery and try using the key to engage the starter to turn over the motor. If this works, great; if not then you need to begin diagnosing the Corvette’s starter system. For the purposes of this article we’ll assume the starter motor works. At this point you could reinstall the plugs or you could perform a compression check, which we recommend. Again, if the compression check reveals nothing out of the ordinary, proceed as follows. If not, more diagnosing is in order to determine what the problem is.

Before trying to start the engine, change the motor oil and filter, check that the throttle works properly (from the pedal to the carburetor, all of it, you don’t want to start a car and immediately rev it to the moon). You can check that there is coolant in the radiator, but plan on replacing it in the very near future. For now we are focusing on the start-up, once we get past that then draining and changing the coolant and checking the condition of the hoses and radiator will be a priority. If it turns out there are problems with the motor there is no need to spend money on these items now. Read more…

Corvette Hood Light Mercury Switch

If you are the owner of a 1977-1996 Corvette and your under hood lamp is not functioning; you may be able to repair it instead of replacing the entire unit. The C3/C4 Corvette Under Hood Lamp Mercury Switch, available from Zip Corvette, is located in the base of the bulb socket; and is only visible when the light bulb is removed. It will be apparent, upon inspection of the socket/assembly how the switch should be removed and replaced. Pay close attention to the direction in which the bullet-shaped end of this switch is installed. A mercury switch works on gravity; so, when the hood is opened, the metal liquid flows (inside the housing) and completes the circuit. If the switch is re-installed in the wrong direction – it will not make proper contact and the light will not turn on. This quick fix may just brighten up your Corvette’s engine compartment when you really need it.

By Larry Shattuck – Zip Sales Representative

Corvette Shielded Spark Plug Wires

If you are tired of burnt spark plug wires due to your Corvette’s Headers? These Hi-Performance C5 & C6 Corvette Spark Plug Wires are built to Zip Corvette’s standards, which means they are built specifically for Corvettes and with the required heat protection for long tube headers.

Zip’s Corvette spark plug wire sets begin with a heat shielded Magnacor wire. Magnecor’s exclusive 2.5mm high capacity Metallic Inductance EMI Suppressed conductor consists of a stainless steel wire precisely wound at 200 turns per inch over a ferromagnetic core. The insulating jacket is made entirely of Magnecor’s exclusive TC-1500-HS high strength aerospace grade silicone rubber, and its single layer construction will prolong the jacket’s insulating ability by conducting extreme heat away from hot-spots that occur near over-the-limit heat sources.

The protection provided from the heat shield guarantees that this will be the last set of spark plug wires you will ever have to replace from header burn. The KV85 8.5mm jacket has a service heat resistance of 600 degrees F (320 degrees C) and up to 1,000 degrees F (540 degrees C) for a short burst of 3 minutes. The R-100 10mm jacket has a service heat resistance of 700 degrees F (380 degrees C) and up to 1,200 degrees F (650 degrees C) for a short burst of 3 minutes. Even if limits are exceeded, the silicone rubber will retain its insulating ability until wires are removed from engine.

Magnecor wires are primarily designed and constructed to be used in applications where it is essential to prevent the possibility of ignition wires compromising engine performance. Modern race engines, modified street engines and stock street engines which rely on electronic devices to control the function of either or both the Corvette ignition and fuel systems are prone to interference from all other spiral conductor ignition wires sold through performance parts outlets, none of which can provide proper suppression for EMI, particularly if a high-output ignition system is used.

Zip Corvette always recommends use of these performance spark plug wires on any stock or modified late model Corvette engine that is electronically managed however most other modified or street engines can also use our performance spark plug wires to improve ignition performance. Fits all 1997-2011 Corvettes with or without headers.

Both the red and blue sets of these Shielded Corvette Spark Plug Wires fit all C5 and C6 Corvettes. These wires are also a great ignition upgrade for your 2009-2011 C6 ZR1 Corvette.

corvette-battery-cables

1968-1982 Corvette Positive Battery Cables are all routed the same way. The cable leaves the starter, makes way thru the driveshaft tunnel, routes under the battery box floor pan and ends at the battery.

The primary reason Corvette owners replace the positive battery cable is because of  ”constant removal and hook-up” of the cable from the battery. The head of the bolt which is integrated into the cable grommet eventually wears out and the threads are often stripped or worn. Battery cables can also corrode internally due to road contaminants, preventing full power to the starter or improper charging.

Well believe it or not running the positive battery cable in a 1968-1982 C3 Corvette can be easy if you have a little patience, and though not required… a lift! The battery cable can still be removed and installed with the Corvette on jack stands; however getting your hands up into the driveshaft tunnel for removal of the clamps will be a little trickier. The main thing is you can’t get the leverage to do the job as you can with a lift.

Zip Corvette offers positive battery cables for 1970-1982 Corvettes and positive/negative battery cable packages for all 1968-1982 Corvettes. These cables will come with the “jumper wire”, floor pan grommet, and correct spade lug for attaching to the starter. All battery cables are GM reproductions, cut to correct length and ready to install.

When some C6 Corvette owners open the hood and look at their engines, they feel the stock Corvette exhaust manifolds are unsightly. Traditional solutions have been to convert the Corvette to Long Tube Headers which are ceramic-metallic-coated or made of stainless steel or remove the stock manifolds and have them ceramic-metallic coated. The problem with those two ideas is that, while the end result looks good, the cost can be high.

Zip Products has another way to mitigate the unsightliness of the stock, C6 Corvette exhaust manifolds. Zip bolts on a set of their C6 Corvette Exhaust Header Guards. Made in the USA out of 304 stainless steel by American Car Craft, these parts are perforated and hand-polished. They bolt onto the stock exhaust manifolds using the stock bolts.

These C6 Corvette exhaust manifold guards fit LS2, LS3, LS7 and LS9 engines. Installation is as simple as temporarily removing the spark plug wires, removing the four of the bolts on each manifold, putting the header guards in place and reinstalling the manifold bolts.

Do that and you C6ers out there can rid your under hood view of those unsightly manifolds.

Corvette Green Performance Air Filters

Green Performance Corvette Air Filters are excellent replacement air filters for Corvette owners who want to upgrade their air intake without changing the entire system. Unlike multi-layer gauze filters, which can fray and release fiber particles into your Corvette’s engine, Green performance air filters use two layers of tightly-interwoven cotton fabric. Because the fabric is so durable, Green air filters can be washed and reused over and over, which is why a lifetime guarantee comes with each filter.

Other Corvette air filters use a simple pressure molded injection process to bond the perimeter rubber to the interior components. That method saves manufacturing time, but in the process, a considerable amount of rubber can seep onto the filtering surface. This can restrict airflow as much as 25%. Green filters go through a precise four step production process that virtually eliminates all seepage and maintains maximum airflow through the filter. Other features of Green performance high flow Corvette air filters include:

• A hand molded flexible rubber base
• Air tight seals
• Custom fitment tabs
• Deeper air filter pleats which creates 20% more filtration surface
• Race proven gains and technology
• Steel mesh coating for extra strength and durability

Green air filters are available for 1966 and later C2, C3, C4, C5 and C6 Corvettes. To keep the filter looking close to original, the earlier 1966-1981 Green air filters come in gray. This will allow you to run a performance air filter while not sacrificing to looks under your Corvette’s hood. For the later model C4, C5 & C6 Corvettes, Green air filters come in green. Also available to keep your Corvette’s air filter performing at its best are our Green air filter recharger kits. They come with green oil or clear oil so the look of the filter is not altered after use.