"Rare" is over used
10-16-2007, 10:24 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
"Rare" is over used
I am getting a little tired of all of these "For Sale" ads claiming how rare certain Corvettes are. So here's my two cents........
If you run the numbers even the most common model could be considered rare. If you run something as simple as: Total Corvettes for a particular year (not that many in the grand scheme of things) minus # of roadsters vs. coupes minus number of a particular engine option right there you have a rare car.
For example:
Total # of '66 = 27720 - 9958 coupes = 17762 roadsters
Ok we're down to 17762 cars, not too rare, yet. Now lets subtract the standard engine option for a 66 and assume the ratio between standard engine roadsters and coupes remains constant for all options
Total number of base engines was 9485 (the most common engine) and 64% of all cars were roadsters so we'll take 64% of that, so that's 6070 roadsters with base engines.
Now let's take the most popular color, 6100 Nassau Blue cars. 64% of those = 3904 Nassau Blue roadsters. There were four interior color options. If you assume half were blue (that's a fair guess?) you have 1952 cars that were Nassau Blue base engine roadsters with blue interiors.
Bottom line even one of the most "common" cars for 1966 is fairly rare. Throw in one or two options and you're down to "one of two hundred" or so cars!
If you run the numbers even the most common model could be considered rare. If you run something as simple as: Total Corvettes for a particular year (not that many in the grand scheme of things) minus # of roadsters vs. coupes minus number of a particular engine option right there you have a rare car.
For example:
Total # of '66 = 27720 - 9958 coupes = 17762 roadsters
Ok we're down to 17762 cars, not too rare, yet. Now lets subtract the standard engine option for a 66 and assume the ratio between standard engine roadsters and coupes remains constant for all options
Total number of base engines was 9485 (the most common engine) and 64% of all cars were roadsters so we'll take 64% of that, so that's 6070 roadsters with base engines.
Now let's take the most popular color, 6100 Nassau Blue cars. 64% of those = 3904 Nassau Blue roadsters. There were four interior color options. If you assume half were blue (that's a fair guess?) you have 1952 cars that were Nassau Blue base engine roadsters with blue interiors.
Bottom line even one of the most "common" cars for 1966 is fairly rare. Throw in one or two options and you're down to "one of two hundred" or so cars!
10-16-2007, 10:30 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '05, '09, '15
And just because something is rare it does not necessarily make it more desirable. No offense to those who own them but I don't believe a 65 drum brake car is more desirable than a disc brake car. They are however pretty rare. Only a few hundred of them?
10-16-2007, 10:34 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
I am getting a little tired of all of these "For Sale" ads claiming how rare certain Corvettes are. So here's my two cents........
If you run the numbers even the most common model could be considered rare. If you run something as simple as: Total Corvettes for a particular year (not that many in the grand scheme of things) minus # of roadsters vs. coupes minus number of a particular engine option right there you have a rare car.
For example:
Total # of '66 = 27720 - 9958 coupes = 17762 roadsters
Ok we're down to 17762 cars, not too rare, yet. Now lets subtract the standard engine option for a 66 and assume the ratio between standard engine roadsters and coupes remains constant for all options
Total number of base engines was 9485 (the most common engine) and 64% of all cars were roadsters so we'll take 64% of that, so that's 6070 roadsters with base engines.
Now let's take the most popular color, 6100 Nassau Blue cars. 64% of those = 3904 Nassau Blue roadsters. There were four interior color options. If you assume half were blue (that's a fair guess?) you have 1952 cars that were Nassau Blue base engine roadsters with blue interiors.
Bottom line even one of the most "common" cars for 1966 is fairly rare. Throw in one or two options and you're down to "one of two hundred" or so cars!
If you run the numbers even the most common model could be considered rare. If you run something as simple as: Total Corvettes for a particular year (not that many in the grand scheme of things) minus # of roadsters vs. coupes minus number of a particular engine option right there you have a rare car.
For example:
Total # of '66 = 27720 - 9958 coupes = 17762 roadsters
Ok we're down to 17762 cars, not too rare, yet. Now lets subtract the standard engine option for a 66 and assume the ratio between standard engine roadsters and coupes remains constant for all options
Total number of base engines was 9485 (the most common engine) and 64% of all cars were roadsters so we'll take 64% of that, so that's 6070 roadsters with base engines.
Now let's take the most popular color, 6100 Nassau Blue cars. 64% of those = 3904 Nassau Blue roadsters. There were four interior color options. If you assume half were blue (that's a fair guess?) you have 1952 cars that were Nassau Blue base engine roadsters with blue interiors.
Bottom line even one of the most "common" cars for 1966 is fairly rare. Throw in one or two options and you're down to "one of two hundred" or so cars!
Rare is relative, all Corvettes are rare when compared to Chevrolets, but few are really rare when compared to some other marks.
This is rare.
33 Cadi Convt.
10-16-2007, 11:04 PM
#4
Safety Car
Rare I agree it's overuse by many Corvette seller's, but in the case of a 55 which 700 were made I feel mine could be called rare. They only sold 15 copper color Corvettes, less then a handful of original dealer accessory wire wheels are left, out of five bubble green tint tops I have one . %99 of my 55 is original having less then %1 repro's.installed. Finding any Corvette unrestored and complete would be rare. And I realize owners feel their Corvette is also rare . But I smart buyer knows how to short through the BS
10-16-2007, 11:33 PM
#5
The term is overused - and here are two ends of the spectrum...
This '66 Coupe is said by Nolan Adams to be one of 23 built. What makes it "rare" is it's option list which includes L36, C60, J50, K19, & N40. Add in all the other options (A82, N36, V74, U69, A31, A01, M20, N11 & P92) and the odd color combo of Ermine white over green vinyl and it's probably one of one. Rare? Yes in terms of option combo and colors, etc. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but I love it because it's very unique, although I don't claim any particular additional value in the combination of options other than it has a lot of them.
On the other hand, the car below could be considered a low option 1970 coupe; the only two boxes were checked on the order form were N37 and ZR1. 25 ZR1's went down the line in 1970, and perhaps this is the only Bridgehamption Blue on Blue vinyl Coupe with 456 posi. Rare? Yes, but for more significant reasons than the "rare" '66 pictured above. In this case, the '70 ZR1's status as the last 11:1 compression factory prepped race car caters to Corvette's performance heritage. And that's what makes Corvettes special - and the really rare Corvettes "rare."
As far as I'm concerned every Corvette is very special - just some more special than others!
On the other hand, the car below could be considered a low option 1970 coupe; the only two boxes were checked on the order form were N37 and ZR1. 25 ZR1's went down the line in 1970, and perhaps this is the only Bridgehamption Blue on Blue vinyl Coupe with 456 posi. Rare? Yes, but for more significant reasons than the "rare" '66 pictured above. In this case, the '70 ZR1's status as the last 11:1 compression factory prepped race car caters to Corvette's performance heritage. And that's what makes Corvettes special - and the really rare Corvettes "rare."
As far as I'm concerned every Corvette is very special - just some more special than others!
10-17-2007, 01:00 PM
#7
Safety Car
Guy I know last year sold a documented "PAINT DELETE" (I don't know correct wording) 1970 Vette. It was delivered in PRIMER 
But over the years have multiple paint jobs and ended up "RED"
Don't know how rare "PAINT DELETE" were but after being painted all it is is another Vette.
george
But over the years have multiple paint jobs and ended up "RED"Don't know how rare "PAINT DELETE" were but after being painted all it is is another Vette.
george
10-17-2007, 04:08 PM
#9
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I know what you mean, every time I go out for a steak, the darn thing is barely pink inside and they call it 'rare'..............
10-17-2007, 04:28 PM
#10
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I am getting a little tired of all of these "For Sale" ads claiming how rare certain Corvettes are. So here's my two cents........
If you run the numbers even the most common model could be considered rare. If you run something as simple as: Total Corvettes for a particular year (not that many in the grand scheme of things) minus # of roadsters vs. coupes minus number of a particular engine option right there you have a rare car.
For example:
Total # of '66 = 27720 - 9958 coupes = 17762 roadsters
Ok we're down to 17762 cars, not too rare, yet. Now lets subtract the standard engine option for a 66 and assume the ratio between standard engine roadsters and coupes remains constant for all options
Total number of base engines was 9485 (the most common engine) and 64% of all cars were roadsters so we'll take 64% of that, so that's 6070 roadsters with base engines.
Now let's take the most popular color, 6100 Nassau Blue cars. 64% of those = 3904 Nassau Blue roadsters. There were four interior color options. If you assume half were blue (that's a fair guess?) you have 1952 cars that were Nassau Blue base engine roadsters with blue interiors.
Bottom line even one of the most "common" cars for 1966 is fairly rare. Throw in one or two options and you're down to "one of two hundred" or so cars!
If you run the numbers even the most common model could be considered rare. If you run something as simple as: Total Corvettes for a particular year (not that many in the grand scheme of things) minus # of roadsters vs. coupes minus number of a particular engine option right there you have a rare car.
For example:
Total # of '66 = 27720 - 9958 coupes = 17762 roadsters
Ok we're down to 17762 cars, not too rare, yet. Now lets subtract the standard engine option for a 66 and assume the ratio between standard engine roadsters and coupes remains constant for all options
Total number of base engines was 9485 (the most common engine) and 64% of all cars were roadsters so we'll take 64% of that, so that's 6070 roadsters with base engines.
Now let's take the most popular color, 6100 Nassau Blue cars. 64% of those = 3904 Nassau Blue roadsters. There were four interior color options. If you assume half were blue (that's a fair guess?) you have 1952 cars that were Nassau Blue base engine roadsters with blue interiors.
Bottom line even one of the most "common" cars for 1966 is fairly rare. Throw in one or two options and you're down to "one of two hundred" or so cars!
If you slice the baloney fine enough you can make any one of these cars rare by playing with the options selected or deleted. Posi non posi as an option in the rear end splits the car into one of two levels of rarity. Now play those games with the paint color or interior upholstery: leather / no leather. Now separate the leather / no posi from the leather / posi and the posibilities for extreme rarity get better and better. Done properly you likely could get most cars to qualify to be an ultra rare 1 of 1. Imagine what that could do to the investment potential of each and every one of the cars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by hpexpatriot; 10-17-2007 at 04:31 PM.
10-17-2007, 04:42 PM
#12
Race Director
...nobody's mentioned the bigblock hoods on smallblock '67s yet...
10-17-2007, 05:31 PM
#13
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Guy I know last year sold a documented "PAINT DELETE" (I don't know correct wording) 1970 Vette. It was delivered in PRIMER But over the years have multiple paint jobs and ended up "RED"
Don't know how rare "PAINT DELETE" were but after being painted all it is is another Vette.
george
But over the years have multiple paint jobs and ended up "RED"Don't know how rare "PAINT DELETE" were but after being painted all it is is another Vette.
george
10-17-2007, 05:57 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
What is even "rarer" is someone using the word "restored" (spray painted the frame with Krylon) and "all original" (different color paint, fuzzy custom interior & motor from a taxi cab) correctly
JU
JU
10-17-2007, 05:58 PM
#16
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If you slice the baloney fine enough you can make any one of these cars rare by playing with the options selected or deleted. Posi non posi as an option in the rear end splits the car into one of two levels of rarity. Now play those games with the paint color or interior upholstery: leather / no leather. Now separate the leather / no posi from the leather / posi and the posibilities for extreme rarity get better and better. Done properly you likely could get most cars to qualify to be an ultra rare 1 of 1. Imagine what that could do to the investment potential of each and every one of the cars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10-17-2007, 06:21 PM
#17
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Painting your Corvette lime green with orange stripes would make it rare, but not very desirable. 
10-17-2007, 07:56 PM
#18
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10-17-2007, 08:02 PM
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10-17-2007, 10:52 PM
#20
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Any buzz word(s) are going to be overused as long as the public at large attaches some significance to them...hence Rare, restored, original and all the rest take on a life of their own. It is the nature of the beast.