soez

I have recently acquired a 1968 Corvette Convertible L79 with verified numbers matching engine and 4speed transmission. This was intended to be a project car but I hadn't planned on doing a frame off resto, just wanted to put the engine/4speed back in, do some suspension work, finish the interior (needs carpet) and get it driving down the road. This car has been sitting in a garage, undriven, since the late 80's

Well, after taking a closer look at the birdcage and frame, I'm not so sure I want to take on this project as it seams a frame off, and possibly a new frame might be needed to get this car back on the road in any kind of safe way...

I'm going to attach a few pictures and would like honest opinions on how bad this looks. It looks bad to me but I'm not very familiar with C3 Corvettes.

With the possibility of giving up on this car, I also would like opinions on what the car might be worth as a project for someone else. I do have all the interior pieces except for carpet. The engine is taken apart and all associated parts marked and bagged etc. The engine was fine except for bad rings on one piston (low compression on that cylinder). The convertible top is like brand new. Odometer shows 18k miles but I'm guessing its 118K. The car is white with black interior and black convertible top. Tires hold air but it would need new ones of course. I'll try to post some exterior pics next.

Thanks.

soez

Some more pics

Revi

Engine, frame, suspension, brakes, interior, most likely fuel system, are all going to need rebuilt. The more you take a part, the more you're going to find. If you choose to restore, things are going to get expensive fast. You'll be upside down on this car in no time.

As a non-running, bad frame parts car, I think you'll be lucky if someone gives you a few grand maybe? Depends on how many unique hard to find 68 parts are still good on it.

0Corvettes by George

I have seen much worse rust issues-- yours looks repairable.
If the only weak areas ate the end caps, have them cut out and repaired.
Break/cut the remaining frame mounts and replace.
Por15 the remaining metal areas.
Assemble/install the engine, install carpet and go have fun.

If you just do not want to take this on, call me as I may be interested in purchasing.
George
210-748-4693
geopar@gvtc.com

soez

Thanks for the replies!!!

The picture of the frame (in front of the driver side rear wheel) is where its rotted through. Passenger side looks better, no holes and seems solid. I hit all over the frame with a hammer and that was the only spot that I could find that is rusted though.

The #2 and #3 mounts on both sides have rust as the pictures show but I was hitting the area pretty hard with a screwdriver and there must be some good metal there as I couldn't poke through the bottoms/sides in those areas.

Maybe I'll pull the windshield trim and see if there's bad rust there.

Thanks again for your opinions, I'm kind of flying blind on this car, never had a C3 before.

Revi

Why don't you give George a call and see what he is willing to pay for it. That'll answer one of your questions.

Paul L

I agree. There is a lot of work to be done on that car. Sell it off to a pro like George.

20mercury

My 2 cents,

I would take the Corvette to a local repair shop guy who knows Corvettes but who also builds hot rod frames and other cars too. Ask him how much to repair the frame damage and what all is involved.

Also pull off the inside windshield frame trim and see what you have. My experience is whatever bad you find there will be worse once you pull the windshield out. Just a question of how much you need to repair. If the holes are not too bad, you can patch or you might have to replace sections. Ask your local repair shop guy about how this might go $'s too.

Add all of this up and add some for contingency, add your engine work, add up all of your estimated expenses, then go to completed ebay auctions for a nice finished Corvette, compare and see how upside down you would be if you completed all of the work. Now most of us are upside down (if you keep track... My wife is my auditor, :~( and a tough lady), so just decide how bad upside down you want to be. Remind your auditor that there are other hobbies that cost money too.

Finally, if you decide to bail out, consider auctioning off on ebay. Sell as is, with lots and lots of photos and straight up information on what you know. Do the auction with no reserve (stupid method, IMHO) and start the bidding at the lowest you would take. Somebody will want this project at a fair market price, the trick is to estimate what it is worth and trying to determine what all you would have to do to it.

Where you located, BTW? A bunch of people might be interested, check out Craigslist in Dallas, as there is another project more demanding than yours.

Hope this helps and good luck with your decision.

One other key point, I forgot, how much are you interested in doing yourself (free labor), learning how to do, and have a place to work and tools. And persistance and enthusiasm to work on the project with the delayed gratification of driving it likely a year+ down the road? A lot of projects get on the backburner, ha, ask me how I know! Good luck to ya!

Rescue Rogers

Where aer you located? Its not a totla loss, but if you dont want to do a frame off you can drive it with the frame as is. Just get the rest of it running right. You can always do a frame off later. I only see the end caps. It looks like alot of surface rust with some areas of depth. If you decide to keep it and do a frame off you can look for a frame in better condition and swap over parts as well. Good luck, just dont give it away

soez

@ 20mercury,

I'm in Minnesota (rust belt), I don't know where the car was originally sold when new but Its been here a long time. Its been in a unheated garage, just sitting, for ~ 25 years so I guess things could be worse if it had been driven the whole time...

I don't mind putting money into this, I didn't pay anything for it so if I could get it back on the road for a reasonable amount of money it would be so cool. I did take the interior trim pieces off and it doesn't look good, see pics. I'm surprised the kick panel area looked as good as it did considering what the windshield frame looks like...

Pics of windshield frame below, more opinions appreciated, ugh...

soez

@ Rescue Rogers

Thanks for the response. Since this is a #s matching L79 car I don't want to give up on it, but the windshield frame pictures aren't helping my resolve lol. I think I need to take the exterior trim pieces off and see where this ends. Time to search this forum for info on how to do that.

This forum has so much information, its awesome!!!

Revi

As I said above, "the more you take apart, the more you're going to find".

Unfortunately this car has had a rough life and from your pics has had zero maintenance done to it in the last 49 years. It's going to be a labor of love and cubic $$$ to repair it properly.

You can always half a$$ it, but is that really the right way to go about things?

Alan 71

Hi s,
After reading what you posted and looking at the photos I believe that restoring this car is going to take a tremendous amount of work and time because of the extent of rust in the birdcage and frame.
After that will come the expensive part… getting the running gear and chassis rebuilt and restored.
After that comes the even MORE expensive part… restoring the car cosmetically.
Do you have a place and equipment to do this work?, the various skills?, the time?, the $$$ ?
I love 68-72 Corvettes but I'd have to leave this one for someone else to figure out.
Regards,
Alan

soez

@ Revi
Funny you made the comment "the more you take apart, the more you're going to find." I was like, meh, how much worse can it get. Then I looked at the windshield frame and realized you're right... Maybe I'm crazy but I think I'm going to pull the exterior windshield frame pieces and the windshield to see what's left. Is it going to get worse? I think I know the answer now lol...

@ Alan 71
Thanks for the reply. To answer your questions, I have a 2 stall garage, I have tools, although I've never worked on a C3 I've done work on other sports cars like suspension, engine pulls/installs etc. I'm far from an expert but I've been wrenching on cars since I was a teenager, a long time ago. I'm way out of my comfort zone with the windshield frame though, I guess I'll have to have a local shop look at it after I get it all apart and see what it takes to fix. If I have to take the front clip off to address it, its probably game over at that point...

@ 20mercury
I think I found the Dallas craigslist add you were talking about (pic below), I don't know how he/she is going to get $4,750 out of that but It makes me think I can get something out of this if I decide to sell.

Thanks again everyone for your comments.

Rescue Rogers

Ya that windshield is disappointing but they sell pieces to weld in. Being as its free to you your way ahead. I would get the brakes working and the engine running and drive it for the summer. That way you have great memories and more incentive to get it done once you start workng on it.

I cant wait until spring to get mine back on the road. Once you start driving these its constant smiles and grins

Revi

To each their own, but I don't see any point in wasting time and money trying to get this car back together and running for a summer only to tear it apart again.

jhudec

I agree. It will take a tremendous amount of work to get it on the road and who knows how safe it will be? Unfortunately that windshield frame rust is going all the way into the hinge pillars. For sure the front clip will need to come off, possibly the front cowl also.
We are not saying it is not saveable, but at what cost is the issue.
Joe

terrys6t8roadster

This is the way I'd go, besides it is always easier to sell a running car than a project one, T

Tiger Joe

Sell it as is before sinking any money into it. you are in the perfect position to make money, you have $0 invested. IMO any money/time you invest you are not going to get back if you sell.


Even to half *** that car isn't going to be cheap. you said "engine fine except rings on one cylinder" well then you need a complete engine rebuild. you don't just rebuild one cylinder. plus how long has it been apart? heads will likely need gone thru. sbc is pretty cheap to rebuild if you can do the assembly yourself, if not expect a couple thousand for a rebuild.


check out some of the pics i have posted of my recent garage find 68. Sat in a heated garage since 1985. my car has no rust issues or engine issues, and I'll likely have over $5,000 into it before its on the road. and that's $0 labor cost as I'm doing all the work myself.


just read your post above about having to take it to a shop for the rust repair. bail now.

bj1k

Speaking from the experience of owning and running my restoration shop and restoring all kinds of cars for over 50 years someone with limited experience and working conditions should pass on restoring a Corvette in this condition . Sell it or trade it on a more traditional car like a Chevelle or Camaro . They are much less complicated to work on for someone with limitations and the parts are cheaper and more readily available. Let the restoration of Corvettes to the professionals with the experience and hopefully a lot of hair left to pull out.