New to the forum. Finally in a position to acquire my dream car at age 56. I have many questions, but for now I'll just ask a couple. Can someone help me estimate the difference in value between a car with the original engine vs the same car with a replacement engine. For example, one car I'm looking at is a 64 convertible sold by a dealer here in Fla. The car has a 350 from a 71 Vette and the asking price is 44,900. For the sake of this example, let's assume that the car is actually worth 44,900. If the exact same car had the original engine, how would that effect the car's worth? Also, should I stay away from dealers? Is it possible to get a fair deal from a dealer? Thanks for your help.

 

Welcome to the forum!

Your questions have pretty open ended answers, but the specific type of engine that is missing has a lot to do with the value.

For example, if that 64 was a fuel injected car originally but now it has a carburated 71 vette motor in it, well the car would be worth 10, 15k more if it had the original engine. On the other hand if it was a low-horse car originally, then the car would be worth 5 or 8k more if it had the original motor.

Personally, if I'm looking for a car to drive-like-I-stole-it, then a car with the wrong engine is worth more to me because I know I can't hurt the original engine, I can drive it without fear every day. Buy a correct numbers-matching car and you might find yourself worrying too much about every missed shift.

 

No right answer on buying from dealers or individuals. There are good and bad in both lots. Think key here is knowing what you're buying and if you're new to the classic car field take an expert with you even if you have to hire them. [you'll save a lot more then you spend] Might also check out the for sales in the forum. Usually a lot of data available with them and about them. you won't get this from a dealer. As always-"let the buyer beware". by the way, I have a 64 convertible and love it, [most of the time]

 

At least the dealer told you it's a replacement engine, he may be a decent one. Suspect you can save a few dollars from a private seller, depends on how specific a car you are looking for. Do an internet search for "c2 corvette sale", should get back a lot of places to get an idea what they asking for different cars. Also check e-bay to get ideas what they are bringing, if a member you can see what they recently sold for.

There is a FAQ at the top of the forum, a lot of good reading especially rust threads. Yes they are fiber class but there is a lot of metal that if rusted will cost big dollars to fix.

Also find someone knowledgeable to go look with you. If you have to pay them a $100 or 2, well worth it to know what things are not up to snuff.

 

All good advice here. If you are new to this pay someone with experience to come out with you to look at the car you are interested in. The C-2's are 40 year old cars. Most are not that dependable for everyday driving. Don't know how much you know about cars as far as their maintence is concerned, if nothing expect to have to pay plenty to keep things going on these relics. Paying $40k or more for one of these old Corvettes doesn't mean you have a realiable car to drive as the other everyday vehicles you drive today. There are concerns about the disc brakes on these cars that have problems with leaking calipers among other things. If you know nothing you have to send it out to be fixed as you will will other things that could go wrong. Most of us do most of our own work on our old cars on this forum. If you are not afraid to get your hands dirty you will learn alot here as long as you have some tools to work with and more experience then changing a tire. By the way the 64's have drum brakes all around something that I don't particularly care for. '65 on up have disc brakes all around. You may want to considered this before you buy because the disc brakes stop your car much better on the road. Drum brakes all around are old school. Anyway stay tuned to this forum you will learn a lot.

 

I have a matching numbers car and wish I didn't go that way.

 

Price sounds high to me with it being a NOM. Original motor can make a big difference in the sales price. I have original in mine and don't really care if I drive it and put miles on it but that is just me. I was actually looking for a NOM car to keep my entry price as low as possible but fell into too good a deal to pass up with both the 1960 and the 1966 from private parties. Best advice here is to wait a while to buy and research this forum and others (ebay, american dream cars, etc) until you have a good idea of what these cars are worth and where the potential problems are. Good luck.

 

44.9K for a NOM 64 seems high unless the body and interior is ready to show. There are many 64's in the 27-33K range that are drivers with NOM that you can enjoy.

If you choose to buy from a dealer make sure the dealer is familiar with the real C2 (1964) world - don't let him run a mini-Barret Jackson auction on you.

AND, as a new person to these cars get someone who is familair with C2's to look it over for you. If the dealer is reputable he'll have no problem letting the many knowlegable, friendly and willing to help NCRS people into the shop when the car is on the lift.

Good luck and keep us in the loop as to what transpires.

 

I looked for 2 years before I bought my 66. In those 2 years I learned a lot about what makes one car good and another worthless.

My first rule is that what cars sell for on Barrett-Jackson have no bearing on the real value of these cars(or any other car for that matter). That brings me to rule 2 don't buy from dealers or anybody who quotes the prices of cars that sold at Barrett-Jackson. They are either living in a dream world or using the hype of these TV auctions to boost thier profits. If these dealers were thinking of buying your car, the first thing they would do when you mentioned that a car on TV sold for this much, is to laugh and tell you that your car is not on TV. Rule 3 is Know what you want in very specific terms. Do you want a driver or trailer queen, Big Block or small block, Vert or coupe. Once you know what you want it will save you from going crazy looking through the many cars for sale and buying one that a few years down the road isn't what you realy wanted.

 

I have a 63 coupe with matching engine. I have had it since 1968. I rebuilt it about two years ago. I sometimes worry about hurting the value of my car drastically if something happened to the engine. I told my wife that I was thinking about buying a crate engine and storing the original engine. She asked me if I was ever going to sell it. Of course she knows I will not sell it. I said no. She asked then why do I care if you have a numbers matching engine after you die. Big deal if it hurts my estate a little!

I decided to keep driving it and should I need a new motor, get one and don't sweat it.

What I am saying is, unless the extra cost (investment) in numbers matching is very important to you, look for a numbers matching. But, if you want to drive it and enjoy it, don't worry about numbers matching.

 

Neither will a disc-brake car with stainless-lined calipers.

 

oh yea?? i have a 64 i just tore down for a frame off restore. when i took the brakes apart as soon as i pulled the pins that go from the brake shoes to the wheel cyls. it leaked out all its brake fluid!!

 

best advice is have someone inspect the car if you are not sure what you are getting. ask me how i know...
of course i know a lot more now and i have the busted knuckles to prove it.

 

You must have someone look at the car If you buy new or old from any dealer they do not even remember your name the next day You have got to have someone look at that car for that price I have a 64 number matching 365 Hp car and it is not worth to much more that the 45 Maybe there is a forum member that can look at it for you

 

Simply put, the Vette your are looking at might be worth $44.9K if it had the original engine, but with a replacement engine, no way!

 

 

The dealer probably paid $10K less for the car and is looking to make that much profit, so, figure you can get the same car for $10K less if you look around.

for sale by owner cars have their own problems, like that guy who owns it thinks it is worth a bazillion $$ more than it is really worth since he watched B-J and saw that '67's go for $300K or whatever it brought, or all his uninformed friends told him it is worth big bucks.

You can always place a wanted to buy ad someplace, but those tend to get responses from people who think you will pay anything to get the car.

E-gay is a whole 'nother story. I know people that bid on cars advertised as original, or cream puff, or totally restored and when they inspected the car, found an Earl Scheib paint job over gallons of bondo over rust bucket.

Look up a local Corvette club, and join it, they will (maybe, assuming it isn't all gold chain C5- C6 guys) know what goes on in your area and who may have cars that can be had for a reasonable price.

Anyway, NOM=drive, original motor=show or curate.

Doug

 

Good to have you aboard!


Know either of these members in your town? Both of these guys have a 1965.




Find out about a local Corvette club, you will find years of experience and some good guys. If you look at a car, try very hard to have a C2 guy with you. I've got a friend that went with me to look at my 63, he has had probably 80 Vettes (No C2s) many things are similar but nothing like having someone that really knows these old cars and what to look for and what to look out for.

BTW: Happy B'Day!

Get one of the girls and you'll feel even younger!

Andy

 

Wouldn't like to put a wager on that, would you?

 

1. There are so many answers here, it can drive you crazy trying to figure it out. On a '64, everyone has probably given you a good range of numbers. These will not apply to other years, if you suddenly turn from looking at a '64 convertible and start looking at '63 coupes or '67s. So don't think that there is only $10 or $15,000 difference on a '67. The right '67 can literally be $100,000 difference between NOM and original engine. Almost any big block '67 will vary $30,000 or more for NOM vs. original, if the car is in great to excellent shape.

2. Yes, if you know what you are looking at, know what to look for, and know how to deal. Basically, if you don't get a great deal on your new car everyday driver, then you will get even worse on an old Corvette from a Corvette dealer.


3. (yes, I know I don't have a 3 marked.) Pay for help. There are people who do that. Some recommend going to NCRS judges, however, an NCRS judge is usually best if you want an NCRS car for NCRS judging. If you are looking for a driver, the NCRS judge may actually give you bad advice. So find someone who is very knowledgeable in Corvettes of the years you are looking at.

Expect to pay $100 to $200 for someone to go over the car for or with you. It will be money well spent. You can literally throw away 100 times that if you buy the wrong car or make the wrong mistake.