Hi Guys,

I haven't posted in quite some time. I hope you are all well. The last several years, Corvette speaking.... I quit buying any extra corvettes, and have been putting most of my attention and marbles into my 57 body off, nut and bolt restoration, this is the 57 that I showed you guys with several progress reports of my entire disassembly. It should be finished this Summer!!! (of course I will post pictures when she's done and any more of the re-assembly too!!) I have also just completed a 4 year project of collecting all the pieces and dropping the #'s matching L-71 back into my 67! Once I find a decent ignition shield cover, I will take some pics and show you guys! Like I said, I haven't made any recent Corvette purchases over the last few years, as I am afraid I might not be in the know in regards to current pricing. I am hoping you guys/gals can help me out.

It is a 61 Corvette. It is in a very thin coat of brown primer, you can see some of the fiberglass through the primer. It has been in a garage for 24 years taken apart. I believe the chassis is painted and restored the body is on the frame. I am told the guages/instruments and most of the chrome is redone, it comes with a non installed NOM 327 that was rebuilt 24 years ago and a 4spd T-10, don't know if it was rebuilt. The car will need total restoration, and assembly, but the body really appears to be a no hit body. The windshield is broken. The car's interior is totally stripped. Comes with a ton of parts. Hartop is sitting on Corvette, Glass appears driver quality, Ragtop Frame, no skin.

What is this car worth..? I am sorry I won't be able to post any pictures. Imagine a stripped 61 Vette with a hardtop sitting lonely in a nice heated garage/shop for the last 24 years! Any and all of your input would be most appreciated.

If I have no plans of making this car #'s matching. I want to slap a driver quality paint job on it and use the car to scoot around on nice days. What do you think this would cost me to re-assemble...

Here's what I am thinking, please add your thoughts....

Al Knoch Complete Interior Kit. $2500
Maaco Paint on it's perfect body $500
Complete wiring $2500
Wheels and Tires $1000
Go through rebuilt 327 and install $2000
Tranny rebuild, or replacement $500
Weather Stripping $1000
Brakes $500

that comes to about $10,500 in resto costs not including labor. I am guessing I can make her a decent driver for under $15,000 additional dollars, plus the asking price... what do you think... am I freaking crazy!!!!


Thanks,
Jacob

 

Ttt, hellooooooo???????

 

I think your estimate is verrrry conservative.$500.00 will not even cover paint supplies.

 

Thanks Donald, yes you are normally correct, I have heard of paint jobs in excess of 30 grand, I am paying $10,000 to have my 57 painted!

....but I think you missed the part where I said MAACO ? They are offering a special for 399.99 for a complete paint job with body work! The body is straight... very straight.

I would like to prep this Corvette to resemble an old 61 Corvette Race Car. I want it to look stripped with stripes and ready to race. I am going to use this Corvette and drive it hard on the little gravel filled island I live on so there is no point in putting anything more special than a MAACO paint job on her, just to drive.

Thanks again, I look forward to hearing more.

 

You could probably get it roadworthy as a rough 'n tumble, mocked-up racer for the $15,000 but there are LOTS of variables. You don't say if the seat frames are in the car or if that's included in your Al Knoch number. If it is fine; if not then its another $1,500 or more unless you go with another year's seats entirely. If the front end steering/suspension hasn't been maintained then there is another bunch of money....and on and on..

 

Thanks Frankie! I believe the seat frames come with. They aren't installed. I am told the chassis was rebuiilt 2 decades ago, and never used. We picked up the hood, and the front of the frame looks nice. Suspension all in tact. The seller wants 18 grand for the Corvette....

 

I'd go back at him with a $12 grand number and not move much up from that at all. You can give him the long, whiny list of things you'll have to buy to get the car on the road again and the possible 'unknowns' lurking in the car and maybe that'll push him over the edge on the lower price.

I'd be fully prepared to walk away and let him think about it. $12,000 cash or the old clunker still laying around unsold...that may be all it takes.

Really hard to say without pictures though.

 

How much of the work will you do yourself?

 

Accept for the Maaco paint job. I will do most of the work, with one of my best friends. He has a hoist in his shop. I will pay him for his shop space and time... but he is totally cool and won't rip me off at all! Together we pulled the incorrect motor and dropped the matching # longblock in my 67, had the car on his hoist for about 2 weeks, and only charged me $500

 

If it's all there I would think you get it on the road for about that. It is surprising how fast things add up though.

 

I believe your way too high ($2500) on the cost for wiring. If you go to the Lectric Limited website a complete wire harness from front to back is around $700.

Mike

 

The Paint alone (Dupont)at a decent place would be $500. Why go through all the other steps to have a crappy paint job. Seeing that it has sat for years, you also need to consider condition of the trans, clutch, radiator, suspension parts, rear and axles. It might be much more than you think at first estimate

 

Why spend the money and take the time to get a quality paint job, when I live on an island with ROUGH gravel roads, and I am planning to drive the snot out of the Corvette.

I did consider the transmission in the etimate, the chassis was rebuilt and has just been in a heated garage. Corvette will come with a radiator, but I have an extra from my 57 that is fine. You are indeed correct about the clutch but I accounted for 2 grand to install the already rebuilt 327, figured that would buy me a new clutch? The rear and axles are an unknown, thanks I should check into that.

I called Al Knoch, I am waiting for an estimate for a complete interior... I will post what I hear.

Thanks again everyone!!
Jacob

 

I've seen nice driver quality paint jobs from Maaco. Just like anything else practice makes you better and those guys spend a lot of time with a paint gun. The prep work is where the issue is. If you have a well prepped car and have it stripped (their masking leaves a lot to be desired) it will turn out pretty nice.

 

Bill

 

Thanks guys! This makes me feel pretty good about using Maaco for a driver's paint job!

 

Hi Everyone,

8 years later I bought the 61 last night. Now it has been sitting for 32 years!

Once upon a time someone on this forum private messaged me telling me that he thought this was his dad's car. I can't find the message anymore, so I figured I'd re visit this thread to see if it jiggled anybody's memory.

This is the first corvette that I have purchased in 11 years! Sold my 57 4 years ago after I spent seven years and well over $100,000 restoring, just to lose a lot of money. At that point 18 Corvettes later in life from ages 16-40 Corvettes burned me out. I couldn't be happier to have another.

This time I'm on a mission to not break the bank and have her on the road ASAP!

Cheers,
Jake

 

Cool that you finally got it!

Obviously, the pics come next.

Pat

 

very cool that you got it! Now make another inventory. And lets see the pictures...


From what you describe I would thing the following (just my opinion):

I would say it all depends upon what you really need versus what it would take to become road worthy.

Wiring - 1200.00. Not sure why it would cost 2500.00???
Interior - Yeah, you can get OEM stuff for cheaper. Depends upon what is missing. Seats? Door panels? Always could wait for most of the interior before its road worthy. Just need the seats and steering wheel plus some ***** to get it working.
Wheels and tires: Search craigslist my friend... Lots of deals out there for old cragars. Could see getting a set of rims cheap but would buy new tires.
Windshield - Call a glass shop 100-200.00
Engine. Yeah about right 2000.00 to rebuild an engine. Maybe closer to 2500.00 depending upon what you have to rebuild. (missing intake carb and so forth).
Tranny rebuild??? Really up in the air. I lucked out and picked up a M21 for 750.00.
Weatherstripping: Do you really need to replace it? The stuff you have might be fine. Otherwise your price is about right. Probably could be less.
Brakes: Depends upon what you need to do.
Paint: Probably would not spend 500.00 on that. Up the price to closer to 3000.00 at least if the body was prepped.

The rest is unknown:
Exhaust
Cooling
Suspension (including part of the drivetrain)
Door, trunk lid, hood parts.
Gauges
Fuel system
Missing chrome and trim
Convertible top condition

Its the small stuff that will add up. My advice if you want to go cheap plan on a trip to Carlilse with some cash. I am sure you could find some good used parts via other resources too.