TCracingCA

"All advice and comments are appreciated"-- let's see if that is true!

First nothing about wanting one, driving it for enjoyment etc. in the opener, just purely a statement in black and white about investment!

Therefore you as an investor would be better to INVEST in something you know about, unless NCRS has opened up a new Investment advisory wing of their services, oh wait didn't that happen where they were at the auction houses!

RallyRedVette

What are the details on your car?

RallyRedVette

I definitely want to drive and enjoy it. If I was buying purely for an investment, I'd be looking for a trailer queen or bowtie car. But the best part of owning a classic is driving them.

If I can at least break even or make a little money on it, that is even better.

TCracingCA

If you really want to drive it alot, every weekend, then get a small block with a great pedigree and more choices of color etc. If you are more investment with a plan for an occasional outing (once a month lets say), get the big block that is solid. Until you actually have cars as choices, you yourself ain't taking the endeavor seriously. And then you decide on a big block, and low and behold a great small block that you can't pass up lands in your lap or vice versa.

The biggest hurdle is finding a car accurately represented (L-79, L-68, L-71, L-whatever. Then the next hardest step is finding one that is numbers matching or driver with that or a substitute drive train that is desirable. I actually seeing alot more acceptance of these crate GM engines than I ever thought I would find.
Also make sure everything is working on the car! And etc. etc.

Ps the expertise on this forum will frustrate you, scare you off of or away from cars, confuse you etc etc because the advice can be so good and thorough. I won't give you anymore tips, because once you have the car targeted, you will have the feedback and advice coming at you as i see most times!

Ps I usually rarely display gentleman traits initially and sometimes I can to some small degree! But you stayed a gentleman in your response back, so I am pulling for you to score something good for yourself. good luck! I will look in occasionally on your search and if you are getting stupid, if i spot it in time, I will give you heads up! Place smile beer toast thing here!

SonnyAK

My opinion...Get a BB car with the original motor out of the car and drive it all you want without worrying about hurting the motor!! That's what I ran across a few years back when looking for a '66 C2 BB and couldn't be happier! The car will always be worth good money, since I have all of the original components, but since they're not in the car, I can drive the absolute crap out of it without worrying about scuttling the mechanics...
There's something mystic about a BB C2 that's incredibly tough to follow...

RallyRedVette

This is the $100k car that I referenced in my original post. They put a buy it now option on there and apparently someone thought it was worth the $.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-Corvette-Base/261626927006?_trksid=p272.c100224.m3204&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140502130938%26meid%3Dc30e9a342dfe4a6db3e4cca6d102386d%26pid%3D100224%26prg%3D20140502130938%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D261626927006

JRRHINO

L79 4spd 370 life is good!

SupremeDeluxe

No pictures of the extensive docs it claims to have, but if truly a 435 car then I think $100k was a fair deal there.

To all they naysayers, where is there a documented roadster born a 435 for any less?

RallyRedVette

Thanks TC. I'm glad I passed your test.

Your comments are very true. I am excited about getting one and need to temper that to make sure that I buy the right car. I see comments on here about someone buying a car only to have their dream car come up for sale shortly thereafter. I hope to buy a car and not look back.

While there are many opinions stated, I'm smart enough to know that there are a lot of experts on here who have forgotten more about these cars than I know. So I appreciate everyone taking the time to reply and I research the advice given.

I'll keep posting questions as I come across cars that I'm considering.

Thanks again.

Revfan

RRV...

To be honest, you are in a good position right now. There are folks that were going to keep their car "for one last season", and now, that is just about over. Not all will sell em', but enough will to improve the market (for the buyer) over the next few months.

Just be patient, and really, the best advice is to get the best car you can for the money you have... the rest will fall into place on its own. Don't worry too much about color, horsepower, options... (unless its something you truly CAN"T live without - like a bum knee prevents shifting).

If I haven't mentioned it already, join a local club, join a national club. Some of the best deals/cars go by word of mouth, and if you are not plugged in to your local scene, you will be missing the boat, and can be stuck on your back foot.

Best of luck, and keep us posted!

TCracingCA

I always just like to see something related to enthusiasm and just not purely investment this or that!

Also the one about the purchasing extra driver drivetrain is always a good suggestion, but then that takes away potential money getting an extra engine, tranny and rear end from what you can spend on the car. If you already have one laying around, that is cool!

Revfan

Hey
There is a really nice looking one in Classifieds here... obviously, I'd get an inspection done, but it is a two top trophy blue Matching numbers 327/350
Top flighted and has POP and Docs... $59.9 ASK

JMG2

fwiw, I started looking FIVE YEARS ago for my '67 SB 'vert (longer if you count trolling the c2 forum).
the best advice I can give you is to be patient --- put together a list of everything you want in the car, and wait for that car. It's out there. I ended up finding my car in florida a year ago .. If I had pulled the trigger on all the "I can't pass this up" cars that came my way, I'd be driving a year I didn't want, a color I didn't want, or a motor I didn't want.

also, and I'll let the gray-haired weigh in on this, no matter what anyone tells you, a NOM is a NOM, and isn't worth near the price of numbers matching. The numbers-matching craze in my opinion has dramatically increased asking prices for NOM cars way beyond what they are worth. Someone sees a BB 427 matching car sell for $150k, they automatically assume their NOM "big block" must be worth six figures ...

I have a NOM, but I knew what I was getting into. The body is perfect, original red, and most important to me, runs great and needs very little mechanical work. I probably paid a few $k more than it was "worth," but for me this wasn't an investment, its something I drive every chance I get. So it was worth a little more to me than to pass it up and start the search over..

Anyway, sorry for the rambling. Just realize that the numbers matching nuts are the ones that are driving the price on these cars so high -- and that's fine, if someone is willing to pay $150 for a factory perfect BB. But once you step out of NOM, you're in an entirely different world (called "reality") of what these cars are really worth.

As for BB vs. SB, I've had several BBs over the years.. the only one that didn't give me problems (mostly overheating) is the '67 buick I have, which has an engine bay larger than my living room and a radiator bigger than my fridge. I purposefully went with a SB for the 'vette -- I haven't had a lick of trouble with overheating, it starts instantly, and pulls like a champ.

Revfan

JMG2 has some good advice...

But I'd advise you to do you homework before you put that list together. A lot of times, we have a dream sheet of stuff that we don't really know or understand. We might think we want this, that or the other, without really understanding the cars.

I was guilty of this in my search... and quite honestly, I turned down some cars that I would have been really happy with. I thought I had to have a 65-67 because the general consensus (ironically, almost entirely made up of folks that have 65-67s) says that I could risk life and limb by having drums vs discs.

4-Speed vs Auto... "why, its a sports car, it has to be a 4-speed!". Does it really? For your intended purpose of the car is it necessary? If it is great, go for it, but if it really isn't necessary to your purpose (cars & coffee, cruising, showing, allowing your wife to drive etc) then an auto trans may fit the bill. Plus, Autos 'usually" have been better treated throughout their life, and were commonly ordered with "comfort" options that we like to have today.
I could go on with this, but I think I have made my point. Make sure you know what you want (and the reason for it) before you begin to look. Be realistic with yourself... are you really going to track/race this car?

Join local clubs and hang out with Corvette folks. You will see more cars and come to appreciate the nuances of each year, model, color and option.

In my search, I passed up on a 1 owner low miles, white/saddle 64 convertible with the base 250hp motor - A/C, power windows, 2 tops, power brakes and original docs, with a $32K ASK
because I was too bull headed to know a good thing when I saw it. There is nothing that that car couldn't do that I am doing with my NOM 67 Vert that I have had to put a year of restoration into AND cost me $15K more. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE my car.
Just sayin'

Frankie the Fink

That is true....I had a brief pause when I finally found my split window coupe because its the base 250hp motor....a 300hp or 340hp was more in line with my desires. But the car had everything else I could ask for, numbers matching, original early Muncie, never been hit, seller was a forum member that I'd met before in person, red/red, documentation back to 1974. I jumped on it and have no regrets 14 months later.

The BB '67 Chevelle I sold to get the split window was a damn nice car but finicky about gas, and less 'civilized' than my SB cars. Seems more of my driving focus was on staying on top of the horsepower than enjoying cruising -- I wasn't sorry to see it go...

JRRHINO

I would look into that trophy blue one looks like a sweet car.

65 vette dude

dahogan

Bingo.......and it took me three years to find the car of my dreams.

DucatiDon

Nah....I have one.

Ironcross

28000 miles

'

'Less than 100 miles on the engine



The car was stored in 1973 for over 35 years when its 5 year warranty ran out

Day one March 1968



Today



The car setting that long required me to re-new almost everything top to bottom to be on the safe side....Our auto parts store was recently sold and I either build another huge garage or sell some more of my toys. I will not leave any of them outside...for the right offer I may sell the 68 Vette

The photobucket library is waltspuffer if interested in some of my toys

Google me , @ Wally Knoch, or Walts Puffer