1976 Corvette Stingray: Restore, Repair, Detail: The Cleanest C3 Corvette on Earth?

I wrote the title of this article as a question because I cannot make a definite statement proclaiming to own The Cleanest C3 Corvette on Earth.

Why you may ask, and the answer is simple: I drive my Corvette whenever possible. And while I may not be adding a lot of miles, the car gets exercise on a regular and consistent basis.

Therefore, it is not a trailer queen even though it looks quite good for its age and years of loyal service.

I keep it garaged for obvious reasons, but it has been caught in Florida downpours several times. However, since it's not made of salt or sugar it did not melt.

But neither rain nor miles accrued justify a dirty car, and I am not only talking about the body, glass, wheels, etc. which are what you see.

By "clean" I mean those components hidden from view such as the suspension, the engine, the interior, and so on.

Years ago I read a magazine article about a guy who cleaned and detailed every component of his Porsche 911 he could get his hands on. Every. Single. Night.

After a year his car was in better-than-new condition. And while I am not as dedicated as this fellow was (or probably still is), he has been a role model of sorts as well as an inspiration.

Some have actually called me "anal" for what they perceive as an obsession. I prefer to call it a healthy passion for my C3 Corvette.

There's nothing wrong with taking care of your vehicle, and while mine may not be "rare" or—as some uninformed souls claim—"desirable," it is a Corvette.

My Corvette!

So I take excellent care of it, and that care includes cleaning and/or detailing as many components as I can.

Above: One of the two headlight relays BEFORE restoration.

Above: Headlight relays AFTER restoration.

Frankly, I've never fully comprehended why some individuals turn good vehicles into junk or let them deteriorate to such a sad level. To me, that's ignorant and irresponsible, but to each their own.

Having said that, there is a huge difference between a used vehicle and an abused one.

Incidentally, I make my bed every morning, shave, shower, floss, brush my teeth, etc., as I am sure 99% of the rest of the population does, so I am not obsessive. I just enjoy owning and driving a clean C3 Corvette as much as I enjoy good hygiene, living in a clean home, and that sort of thing.

Above: I keep a small selection of detailing products handy.

Well, maybe I am an itty bitty "obsessive" since I tend to disagree when people tell me my Vette is the cleanest C3 on the planet. But that's because I know where all the hidden dirty bits are.

But I solemnly swear I'll do my best to get to them. Eventually.

All joking aside, a clean, well-maintained car is safer to drive and will give you lots of smiles while racking up miles. Not to mention hold its resale value a lot better than the majority of C3s offered for sale.