GrandSportC3

I went to check out a '68 Pro Street '68 Vette with a Ford 9 inch rear.
Car currently has a '73 style nose but comes with the '68 front end and a different hood (as the one on the car has a hole for a blower).
Car comes without engine but everything else. Solid axle conversion looks like it was done professionally. Car does not have a cage but only hoops. Convertible top only sits on the car but is not functional as there is no space anymore in the rear compartment to drop it down. It basically works like a hard top. I still have my old rebuilt 406 with 600 HP sitting in my garage. Car does have a "built" TH400 with a good converter on it but no engine.. How much do you guys think that this car is worth paying for? It is in pretty decent shape.. Not perfect and the interior is not really my style but that can easily be changed.
If I buy it, I would paint it in the same scheme as my GrandSportC3 used to be (blue with white stripes) or maybe black with grey stripes.. Not sure.

Alan 71

Hi GS,
Since there's really not much of the 68 convertible it once was left, it's only worth what YOU would be willing to pay for it.
$1500?
Regards,
Alan

ddawson

Seems an odd way to build it. With no roll bar more them likely it isn't legal depending on what you place back under the hood for a 1/4 car.

The top doesn't work, but I guess you could buy a hard top for it instead.

If it was me no more then $2K. This really depends on what you plan to do with it.

tokim

Bracket/Drag car..full on (Pro street is out).
Blown BB, plexiglass windows, bare essentials, correct front end (don't worry about functioning head lights).
Price?..tough one, not many comps or people standing in line to buy. If you could get it for the price the other guys are talking, it would seem like a steal.
Do you want a drag car? My take is that is where this car belongs.
Loads of fun.
Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

GrandSportC3

If you can find a car like that for $1500, good luck.. The convertible top alone is worth over $1000.. (I did sell one on Ebay once)
The price is a lot more than $1500.. The car is solid with a perfect, rust free frame. It's not a NCRS car but a cool Hot Rod. It only needs a motor to run and I would paint it... There's at least $7k to $8k in parts on that car. It also comes with the extra front clip, a extra hood, cooling system etc. All it needs is a engine and I got one. Of course, I would have it painted with a relatively inexpensive driver paint job, install some race seats instead of the factory seats and some nicer white faced gauges and I would be ready to go..

GrandSportC3

At this point, I'm not planning any major drag racing but the car woudl be a perfect starting point. All it would need would be a full cage.. If I buy the car, I will use it as a hot rod. Planning on de-tune that 600 HP 406 that I have to lower the compression to under 11:0 (13.5:1 right now) by changing to dished pistons. Car should still make over 500 HP on pump gas with the lower compression. My estimate would be about 550 HP on premium gas (flywheel HP). That should be enough for 10's or low 11's in the 1/4 mile. Unfortunately, without a roll bar or cage, they'd kick me out after a run or 2.
Car has factory glass, doors etc. It just has a '73 nose and the solid axle conversion but other than that, it's fairly stock.

GrandSportC3

There is at least $8k in parts on that car, so $2k is unrealistic for a titled car that only needs a motor. This car would make a great hotrod and if needed, a great drag car.

John 65

I would have to disagree, nothing unrealistic about getting a solid roller with title for less than 2k. Have owned several.

Perhaps this is a great set up for someone who wants to just race the car and they would be willing to pay more for it, but for me I would go up to 2000 also, maybe a little higher if its parts are in nice shape to sell off.

Check out the C3 rubber bumper car currently on ebay with both a solid front and rear axle, it makes this 68 look like a creampuff.

If I remember years ago after the sale of the blue one you found a yellow 68. That was a nice looking car, still have it? Good luck

GrandSportC3

All that this car is missing is the engine. Everything else is there. If you can find a CONVERTIBLE Vette (chrome bumper) for that kind of money, let me know..I'll buy it..

John 65

So how much do YOU think it's worth paying for then?

GrandSportC3

It all depends on how much the car needs. A '68 Convertible that only needs paint, minor interior work and a engine should easily bring $7k to $8k.. A crate engine can be purchased for about $1000... So, in the end, if you pay let's say $7k,or $8k, you have a technically sound '68 Convertible.. The cheapest '68 convertibles in decent running shape with a rust free frame go for about $13k to $15k.. So, for $9k total, that's not a bad deal.

John 65

Ok then, thanks for the reply. I hope you get the car at a price you are
comfortable with and enjoy it. Best of luck.

PHIL 68

You ask for opinions and then go after whoever responds, if you are so sure of value why bother posting the question. Are you fishing for offers? Phil

GrandSportC3

It's because I think that those numbers are unrealistic.. I would be rich if I could pick up cars like that for $2000 as I could put a $500 Maaco paint job and a $1000 engine in it and sell it for $12k to $13k after investing $4500 ($2000 for the roller and $2500 for paint and engine)
Sure, you can find rollers that need everything (including $$$ in body work) for that money but not a car that only needs a engine.

13611

Let's turn this around a bit... As John asked, what are you willing to pay? What's the guy asking for it?

GrandSportC3

He is asking $9500 and I'm willing to pay about $8k.. That way, I can have the car ready for the street for about $10k to $11k.. I'd probably invest $1500 for a driver paint job and another $500 for some interor parts. I do have a a pair of race seats, so the ugly seats will go on Ebay. I might even re-cover them with factory style seat covers and sell them for good $$$
I'd also sell the convertible top and buy a hardtop.. I can get probably $1k for the convertible top and I can buy a hardtop for $500. I might also install a aluminum radiator and a electric dual fan.. I'm looking for a Hot Rod and not a factory style Vette.. That car seems to be a excellent starting point.. Does not need any body work (this is important as I don't do body work and it would get pricey.. just sand and paint the car). Technically, everything except for the engine is there, even a electic fuel pump etc.

The13Bats

Small weird world, ( more on that in a moment )

Well...while I am a big fan of mods and customs and it appears some good work was started to turn this into a drag car some things one would expect are not there and many things done ruined things I love about a c3 convertible, the reason people are saying lowballs like 2K is it will be really hard to get a penny over 4k for this project...it will only have appeal to a very skinny group who dig going in a straight line.
I drove my 66 for a year or so with only a hard top, it sucks out loud.
BUT ...all your points are great and valid and if YOU dig it doesn't matter what anyone here thinks, jump on it....and have a great ride....

Weird world part....
A week or so back Some fellow sent me pictures of this car replying to my want ad for tilt front ends, saying this front clip was worth many times what clips sell for and he knows because he sells vette parts......so I didn't get interested in buying the front clip.

cobrachuck

GS
I like your style 10 to 11K in a hot rod is a cool thing . Not a ton of money now days & most likely to get your most of your money back, hot rods are for FUN not driven every day. My 75 coupe is like that.
Just my 2 cents

GrandSportC3

I think that this might have been a street race car.. it has a double hoop roll bar.. it used to have a blown 502 in it. The seller bought the car for the engine. He showed me pics of the car with the 502 in it. What I like best about it is the completely rust free frame. While this was a PA car, I doubt that it had seen any winters.

GrandSportC3

I'm not interested in originality. If I want great handling, I would buy a C6 and not a C3. I wouldn't want to break parts from hitting a stock rear with 500 to 600 HP. That car was built for a lot of power..