lencap

Hi -

I'm a newbie to the forum. My daughter went to a car show and fell in love with the 1964 Corvette. She is not a collector, and wants the car for weekends. She may consider using it daily, but that's not likely for now. We live in NC, a good climate, but one that is a beast in hot weather, so a/c seems like a necessity.

Other than that, she'd like a manual transmission, but isn't really experienced with them. Prefers a convertible, but is flexible.

My question, finally, how do I go about learning more about this car, and the things to be aware of when looking for a potential car? I've searched the forum, but couldn't find a 'sticky' with a summary of newbie things to look for.

I'm not sure of the budget either - any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

ragtopman

To learn about these cars, hang out here, read, ask questions and educate yourself. There is a ton of knowledge here.

Where bouts in NC?? There are alot of NC people here that I am sure will chime in soon.

What to spend, turn key, on an average of, oh lets say, 34-36k, sometimes lower, more times higher but you should beable to score a nice driver for that.

And foremost, welcome to the gang.

stingrayl76

Welcome to the Forum. Familiarize yourself wth all the tools of the Forum. The is a wealth of information and expertise at your fingertips.

Here is a sticky that is a must read for newbies:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...aq-thread.html

LSUvetteguy

I don't think you will find a good driver with factory AC for under 40K, but it's easy to add air from any of several aftermarket dealers. You might try to attend a large corvette show to get some ideas. Since you are in NC there is a nice show, swap meet, and sale area in Sevierville TN this weekend.

PinkVetteLady

Yep lots of knowledgeable people on the forum and quite a few may be near you. The best thing to do is to make sure that someone that knows midyears goes with you to look over the car. Fortunately there have been a few threads that give a lot of insight as to what you need to look for when inspecting these cars.

stingrayl76

If your daughter wants a convertible driver with A/C consider buying one in good condition and adding after market A/C. Also, spend the money up front when you buy as these cars are very expensive to fix up.

62Jeff

Welcome. Isn't it amazing how many people have already jumped in to help? This is a great forum!

Here's something I wrote up for another individual. Some of it may be helpful.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1566508717-post11.html

lencap

Wow - 20 minutes and six replies. This is quite a forum. Thank you for the advice; scanning through suggested links now.

Tampa Jerry

If possible, have your daughter drive a midyear or early C3 to find out if she likes it. As you know, these old cars are not as forgiving as a new car with ABS disc brakes, active suspension and large wide tires, etc. I am more comfortable with my son driving his C5 then I would be him driving my C2 & C3 just because of the airbags, Z rated tires and better seatbelts. How about a father daughter project car? Just a few thoughts. Jerry

jkuzzy

Is she hot looking?
I have a 64 and she can take mine for a drive and see if she likes it.

midyearvette

............ some vette-heads have no shame!!

capevettes

Try getting involved with a local Corvette Club or the Regional Chapter of the NCRS (National Corvette Restorers Society). You will find plenty of people familiar with the 64 that can assist you in familiarizing yourself with it. They should also accompany you to inspect any potential purchase so you can avoid a costly mistake. The 64 is a bargain for the 63 to 67 models.

Good luck

MiguelsC2

This is not intended to cause raging response issues. Just my feelings on the subject. The above, are all excellent suggestions.

My daughter is 22. I wouldn't want her in any older Vette. Depending on tires, these cars can really bite back when driven wrong. There are absolutely no safety features.ie: no door beams,no shoulder harness. Exsisting belts will snap your back at the pelvis in a wreck,steering column like a spear etc...
If it is driven daily, I hope it's really sorted out and restored well.Or it could leave her with many mechanical issues. Get a good mechanic you can trust and remember many replacment parts can take days or weeks to receive. The auto supply is lacking in most cases.
I love my 63. But I do find the lack of safety features keeps me from driving it at 7-9/10ths on the street.

Ironcross

This is about one of the best 64 coupes around..This car has close to 60K or more invested in it..He3 is also a member here...aaronz28. He also has it listed on Craigs list..Navy Blue 365 HP coupe. This Vette has ALL the right pieces...check it out you will not be disappointed,,great reviews and a whole web page on this Vette. And hes one very nice person..i`m sorry he has to give it up...

I found very recent pictures of Aarons Vette..see for yourself, it needs absolutely nothing..








...

LSUvetteguy

She really does need to drive any old vette before she makes a purchase. And I would never count on a 45 year old car to be a daily driver. Two years ago I purchased a red 64 convertible with a 4spd from a 23 year old girl who had purchased it on ebay. She spent several thousand more getting it roadworthy only to find out she couldn't handle it. A costly mistake for her.

MiguelsC2

Coupes are unbearably hot without a/c in almost any climate. I am a father who loves giving and doing stuff for his daughter. DO NOT put an inexperienced driver in one of these cars. There is reason these were rated as some of the most dangerous cars made. A lot of inexperienced drivers died back in the day. I bet almost all of the forum members over 45 have had friends die in Vettes. Inexperience was the #1 cause. The Porsche Turbo 911 in the late 70s took Corvettes danger crown away.The stats are there to prove it!

stingrayl76

Ironcross is right on. I've driven this Vette and it is impressive, even with the bias ply tires. If I remember correctly , it only has around 62K original miles on it. Very nice!
Link to 1964 Daytona Blue Coupe

Kerrmudgeon

Save yourself alot of money and future trouble, unless she's a mechanic, and buy her a Miata!

narlee

I agree with the posts about driving one first. She might love the way it looks but hate the way it drives. Is it something she became enamored with but will like something else tomorrow. It's worth knowing because there is a lot to know and if you get a bad one you could wind up with a money pit.

Blk63Vette

I would HATE to use my 63 vette as a daily driver..I had a guy a couple of years ago came up to me at the gas station and asked me if I wanted to buy his 64 vette..He trade his LEXUS and some $$$ for a very original and "correct" vette 64 and figured he could drive it everyday....Well..... he hated the way it "drove" and "leaked" when it rained..He just wanted to get rid of his 64 vette!!