Droop

Gentlemen, i own a 1970 350/300 corvette yellow / black coupe in original condition. The body has never ben painted, it is in great condition. The interior is also original and untouched. The frame needs cleaning. All the parts are original. The engine has some new parts on it, but i have all the old parts that were taken off the vehicle. The car has 80,000 miles on it. I'm the second owner. My best friend was the original owner. I bought the car in 1974. Never seen rain or snow through its history. Have all the papers..... Question what would be the best choise for a future investment. Thanks droop

Mike Ward

Depends on how much money you want to lose on your 'investment'. Forget trying to break even or make a profit by 'restoring'

75+78 Corvettes

if your vetts is truely as stated in original condition, do all the stuff to keep it driveable and looking nice. It can only be original once. My 78 is all original and I'm trying to keep it like that as much as possible. the paint on it is bad but I also don't have $5K to repaint at the moment either.
Post up some pics so we can truely judge.

Easy Mike

Sounds like it possibly does not need a restoration. Drive it and enjoy it.

Roco71

Sounds like a nice car any chance of a photo?

builder

Keep in mind that a car in real nice shape that is going to be "restored" still needs many $$$$ of expensive parts to actually "restore" it.

My car has a rat paint job, but I am placing only original parts (for the most part) on it. The car is is clean, the correct screws, mechanically sound. Some parts that should be replaced but can be fixed are, but I am not worrying about how other people perceive it. It still costs a bunch to do. Mine is restored to original parts. Not looks. It would probably take the same amount of cash to truly "restore" it as any other car.

Everyone's first questions is, "What color are you going to paint it?" My answer is "It IS painted!"

If you want it restored, Go for it! It's really no different than another that doesn't look as nice if you want it perfect.

GD70

You won't make money on it. Sounds like it would be fun to restore the original parts and put them back on the car, then have it judged.
In the mean time, drive it and have fun.

Glenn

wgarneau

If you are serious about having it fully restored, my best advice for the 'investment' is to sell yours and then buy one that has already been restored. The 1970s cost more to restore than they are worth even after having been restored. From a money perspective - let someone else spend it. Sell it and then Buy one that's already done.

BBCorv70

If it's truly original, qualifies for survivor status, it may be worth more if you leave it alone.

Alan 71

Hi Droop,
One way to protect your investment, and maybe even enhance it, is to present your car for "Bloomington Survivor" and "NCRS BowTie" judging.
Both these awards allow/encourage you to leave original cars the way they are, drive and enjoy them, but also give them the recognition original cars deserve.
Have you considered that possibility? Investigating just what those awards are may help you decide what to do with your 70.
Regards,
Alan

PS: Pictures sure would be nice!

parkerracing

Getting it judged up as far as it will go will pay dividends come resale time. Which I would do as soon as I got them...or the market turns around...whichever comes last.

Faster Rat

with all of the above. I would leave it as-is. What did you pay for it in 1974? Whatever it is worth today, or tomorrow, that has to be a great investment. For the last 4 or 5 years, the market has not supported restoration costs. When, or if that will change...is anybody's guess.

wgarneau

For the vast majority of cars in the vast majority of years, the market has NEVER supported restoration costs. People restore car's because they enjoy doing it - not because you can make money doing it.

Ironically you CAN make money restoring someone else's car. People won't pay for a car that has been restored but they'll pay big time to have their own done. That makes very little sense. I actually know guys who turned down fully restored cars because "no 19XX <insert model> is worth $XX,XXX", and then bought one for less but spent twice as much restoring it. Why a guy would rather buy a $10,000 car and spend $40,000 restoring it than just spend $20,000 on one that has already been restored is beyond me. Unless you are doing the work yourself - and enjoy doing the work...

If restoring cars is not your hobby, what does make sense is to sell cars that need restoration, and buy cars that have already had it done.

udornf4

I SO AGREE!!! Having 31K (and hundreds of hours of my "free" labor) in my 20K '73...

- and it's not done, yet...

dboz

If we all took this approach, no cars would get restored since no one would ever want to spend the money restoring or lose the money when they sell. We would soon be left with a pile of derelict junkers. Someone has to do it fellas.

Some guys like the build process for sure. They like researching and chasing parts. They like the grease, the challenge, taking something crappy and making it great, modifying, making it all original specs....whatever.

As always with this board, most opinions on these cars revolves around money. How much you stole it for, how much you will lose, what is it worth etc. If these cars are about money, you are in the wrong hobby/market/business/entertainment/transportation.

You get into cars for the passion. If it costs money, so be it. You should NEVER buy a car if it is about the money. Get is because you love the car and you love driving it, and you love how you feel driving it, and you love going to a cruise, or you love hanging out with your buddies who help you build it, or you just love the time away from your wife, or you love to wash and wax it, or you go into the garage and just stare at it.

Not everyone's restoration is up to snuff. Some think a shiney cheapo repaint is restored. Some thing a new alternator, brakes, and wheels is restored, some think a few new interior bits is restored.

AGVI

wgarneau

I think you are misreading me. I'm not saying it's dumb to rebuild a car. I'm just saying that the reason to rebuild a car is because you want to do that. You don't do it to save money, and you don't do it as an investment.

terry82

are you wanting to keep the car or sell it?do you like factory correct or custom?do you want to drive it or look at it?it has to be your choice .me drive it and have fun .

dboz

No I understand. Most Corvette guys are not the type to actually work on their cars, or at least that is the general consensus when you talk to car guys. Most just spend the money to buy a nice one done or take it somewhere to pay huge money to have someone else do it. There are those DIY'ers in the Corvette community, but nothing like the typical muscle car guys.

wgarneau

In my case, if the engine stays in the car I can do most things, but if I took a car apart I'd never get it put back together. It's just beyond my skill level. But I do what I can myself...