What year and how much?
05-06-2012, 11:42 PM
#21
Racer
$10,000 isnt enough. I am the 3rd owner but I have all the paperwork as the second owner is my next door neighbor and the first owner is a good friend of his. They are looking for old picts of the car for me. I have the hand written form from the dealership that was used to order her from GM with the estimated delivery date, the paperwork for the optional GoodYear Steelbelt tires (and warrently paperwork for the tires), I have the GM Dealership warrantly stickers that you used for warrantly work, vehicle insurance cards, registration cards, owners manual with the dealerships sticker on it, window sticker, etc. I have 90% of the paperwork on her. Thats hard to replace and buying her was a once in a life time opportunity.
Last edited by ATIS; 05-06-2012 at 11:45 PM.
05-07-2012, 02:53 PM
#23
Drifting
Bought mine off of Craigslist for $7k in late January of this year.
Issues? Got them, sure.
-Birdcage rust in passenger top corner. Confirmed #2 body mount OK.
-Dogleg rust on both sides, but there's still lots of metal. Planning replacement this winter.
-Wipers, radio, and HVAC don't function. Actually pulling dash apart and fixing in the next week or two.
-Wiper door donesn't function. Bad vacuum element.
-Exhaust sidetubes and baffles are shot. And driver's side header plate is bent at #3 cylinder. Complete replacement needed. Eventually.
But it is 4-speed and has an LT-1 clone engine...solid lifters, double-hump heads, winter's dual-plane intake, etc. PO did all brakes, vacuum lines, loomed all the electric, replaced all the rubber, and got the frame and other parts clean and re-painted.
I've put over 900 miles on her since getting her on the road in late February. Going to guitar lessons in her this evening, in fact. Absolute joy to drive, fast or slow. Best money I've spent in a very, very long time.
Issues? Got them, sure.
-Birdcage rust in passenger top corner. Confirmed #2 body mount OK.
-Dogleg rust on both sides, but there's still lots of metal. Planning replacement this winter.
-Wipers, radio, and HVAC don't function. Actually pulling dash apart and fixing in the next week or two.
-Wiper door donesn't function. Bad vacuum element.
-Exhaust sidetubes and baffles are shot. And driver's side header plate is bent at #3 cylinder. Complete replacement needed. Eventually.
But it is 4-speed and has an LT-1 clone engine...solid lifters, double-hump heads, winter's dual-plane intake, etc. PO did all brakes, vacuum lines, loomed all the electric, replaced all the rubber, and got the frame and other parts clean and re-painted.
I've put over 900 miles on her since getting her on the road in late February. Going to guitar lessons in her this evening, in fact. Absolute joy to drive, fast or slow. Best money I've spent in a very, very long time.
05-07-2012, 03:59 PM
#24
Burning Brakes
Bought my '72 convertible in August of 1974 from a divorcing couple. It had 13,000 miles and I paid $4,250.00, which didn't include the removable hardtop. Bought that elsewhere, 2 weeks later, for $200. Now have 59,900 miles and have promised it to one of my kids. I do have it insured for an agreed value of $27,000.00 just in case something happens and I have to replace it with another one like it. Hope the info helps somebody.
Duane
Duane
05-07-2012, 04:27 PM
#25
Burning Brakes
i have an '80 vette. I bought it for 10 grand. i spent about 6 on it and would want 15 if i ever put it up for sale. I have done alot. new stroker motor, new interior, new wheels, paint was "refreshed".. runs great and i like it!! nothin like gettin second and 3rd in a 4 speed...
05-07-2012, 04:49 PM
#26
Administrator
Member Since: Jul 2000
Location: About 1100 miles from where I call home. Blue lives matter.
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05-07-2012, 05:02 PM
#27
Le Mans Master
Purchased July 1985 for 8k. Drove it regularly last year in HS, USMC, and College. Stored it in 94 due to nickel and dime problems driving me nuts and, truthfully, needing a more dependable and comfortable car to drive.
Got married, kids yada yada blah blah. Brother in law and I would visit the car that was dormant for years in the family garage, drink beer, comment that "some day" I'll get it restored.
2004 and I decided that "some day" will never some unless I get off my rear and do something about it. I researched and decided on a resto shop. What started out as a paint job and engine rebuild only ended up as (almost) a complete body off restoration. Not nut and bolts. but I'd sat 85%. A lot of the money went to finding original parts that as a dummy I tossed out or destroyed in the late 80's ("yea.....cut the one year only gauge bezel and put in that kickin Sony cassette player....can wait to listen to my new Journey tape!!....Oh, the original radio??? toss it!!! they sound awful! ....uuughhhhh) Resto cost near 40k. Car not worth nearly what I have in her, but I will never sell either.
So here I am in 2012, and I truthfully do not drive her often. My time is spent at work, soccer practice, softball practice, cub scouts, track meets, swim meets, volleyball.....an so on, which is more important at this time in my life. I guess we will reconnect in about 10 years.
Last edited by avalonjohn; 05-07-2012 at 05:06 PM.
05-07-2012, 05:17 PM
#28
Drifting
Picked up my 73 4/25/2012!!!
Paid $8,500, he was asking $12,000.
It has a pretty new paint job, Mildly upgraded 350 with side pipes, rebuilt tranny. Mostly original interior that looks Good at first Glance til you look harder...
Paid $8,500, he was asking $12,000.
It has a pretty new paint job, Mildly upgraded 350 with side pipes, rebuilt tranny. Mostly original interior that looks Good at first Glance til you look harder...
05-07-2012, 06:04 PM
#29
Burning Brakes
$12K for your car in that condition? You way over paid. Seller must have been
Put $5K more into the car, now it is worth $18K? That is not how it works. Just keeping it real.
Last edited by Clubby99; 05-07-2012 at 06:08 PM.
05-07-2012, 07:38 PM
#30
Race Director
Thats what they go for. I just went to a car show tonight, guy had a mint 79 asking 19,000 for it.
My car looked fine until you looked hard. Like I said in another thread everybody has a different view of what is perfect.
So smart guy tell me how does it work. And lets keep it real.
05-07-2012, 08:38 PM
#31
Race Director
When this tread was posted I was one of the 1st to view it. After reading it I got the feeling it was like asking "did you ever cheat on your wife"? I'm thinking to myself darn if you do darn if you don't but either way this could get ugly for various reasons and I'll be darn if it's not. Anyway continue if you will but.......try to play nice.
05-07-2012, 09:14 PM
#33
Drifting
I bought my '69 in the summer of 1970 with 2,600 miles for ~$3,200. The original owner took a $1,300 loss on it by selling it six months after he bought it new. The car still smelled new and I was able to assume the new car warranty.
05-07-2012, 09:27 PM
#34
Burning Brakes
540, you're right that those are the asking prices around here.
I do think that alot of these cars dont actually sell for that kind of cash, but that the owners "take a shot" and see what they can get.
Ive also seen prices local cruises that are a bit steep. I think sellers take advantage of the relatively high affluence of the area, coupled with the sh*t-goggles people get when they hear the words "Corvette"...ie some people have the money and will pay it on an impulse purchase.
With that said, perhaps the original person whom directly pointed this out could have done so in a more elegant fashion, but who am I to make that judgement.
I do think that alot of these cars dont actually sell for that kind of cash, but that the owners "take a shot" and see what they can get.
Ive also seen prices local cruises that are a bit steep. I think sellers take advantage of the relatively high affluence of the area, coupled with the sh*t-goggles people get when they hear the words "Corvette"...ie some people have the money and will pay it on an impulse purchase.
With that said, perhaps the original person whom directly pointed this out could have done so in a more elegant fashion, but who am I to make that judgement.
05-07-2012, 09:46 PM
#35
Race Director
540, you're right that those are the asking prices around here.
I do think that alot of these cars dont actually sell for that kind of cash, but that the owners "take a shot" and see what they can get.
Ive also seen prices local cruises that are a bit steep. I think sellers take advantage of the relatively high affluence of the area, coupled with the sh*t-goggles people get when they hear the words "Corvette"...ie some people have the money and will pay it on an impulse purchase.
With that said, perhaps the original person whom directly pointed this out could have done so in a more elegant fashion, but who am I to make that judgement.
I do think that alot of these cars dont actually sell for that kind of cash, but that the owners "take a shot" and see what they can get.
Ive also seen prices local cruises that are a bit steep. I think sellers take advantage of the relatively high affluence of the area, coupled with the sh*t-goggles people get when they hear the words "Corvette"...ie some people have the money and will pay it on an impulse purchase.
With that said, perhaps the original person whom directly pointed this out could have done so in a more elegant fashion, but who am I to make that judgement.
Dave I looked all over the Island for a month. My original idea was to get something for 5 grand and make it the way I wanted it. Unfortunately the cars for $5000 were junk. I found my car on e bay it was what I wanted. I may have spent more than what I should have for it. But I got what I want. People definitely think they have gold when they have a vette. They need to realize it is only a car.
05-07-2012, 09:53 PM
#36
Burning Brakes
There certainly is no shortage of junk as you said! I went through the same thing you did.
With that said, I saw the ebay ad of your car when you were hunting. Its a looker!
With that said, I saw the ebay ad of your car when you were hunting. Its a looker!
05-07-2012, 10:12 PM
#37
Racer
Member Since: Nov 2010
Location: Brisbane Australia
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Think I overpaid $18k for my '68 vert in Nov 2010. Has non original 327 motor and color, and an entirely new front clip, but does have PO's receipts back to 1998 totalling $12k spent on rebuilding/replacing the bits on it that didn't work. Most importantly it was exactly what I was wanting at the time.
Last edited by azza2u; 05-07-2012 at 10:51 PM.
05-07-2012, 10:55 PM
#39
Instructor
bought my 69 coupe couple of months ago for $7,500. In primer ,been sitting in local guys garage for 31 yrs.just getting started on it and sometimes I think I paid too much but it is an all numbers matching 350/350 4 spd.I have had it running and moving but it really needs a complete going through,leaning towards doing a frame off soon.
05-07-2012, 11:37 PM
#40
Instructor
I bought my 70 Convertible in 71 for $3695 when I returned from Vietnam. I was 24 at the time and also had a Honda 350 Scrambler. The Honda is long gone but replaced by an eclectic collection of mostly vintage bikes. I've still got the Corvette. It is my most sentimentally attached car but some years ago I went over to "the dark side" and began a long relationship with Porsche. My favorite ride is my 930. My Corvette is a 350/350 with 4speed, AC, PS, PB, PW, AM/FM, factory shoulder harnesses, Donnybrook Green with a white top and rally wheels. It's a great looking driver. Eight years ago I redid (upgraded) the whole suspension and brakes. The only other modification is a Holley 650 spread bore that I put on in 1973.