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I went over to borrow a power washer from the brother of a friend of mine. When I got there, I found this 1966 Vette. He has been storing for a guy. I only had about 5 minutes to look at it, but took the below photos.
I real quick view did not show any major corrosion.
I was told that the owners are going through a nasty divorce and want to sell the car.
The intake manifold had 3866948, which comes up as 427 / 390 oval port heads. the date on it was 24JUN66.
The engine casting I read as 3859942 (which I am sure is 3869942). That comes up as 1966 or 1967 427 with either 390 or 425HP.
The engine pad I took T070IIL with "IL" is 1966 Corvette 427 / 390. On the pad is also 64xxxxx where the xxxxx is the last five numbers of the VIN.
I realize that the car needs EVERYTHING, but how often do you find a numbers matching BB vette.
There is no hard top and I do not think that there is a soft top.
I have a couple questions:
1) What does the 64 before the last five numbers of the VIN mean on the pad stamping.
2) What would be a fair price on this car?
3) What would it cost to replace the hard and soft tops?
I nominate that for the understatement of the year. LOL Interesting barn find, but man is that is sad shape. The way I see it, here's how I'd figure what it's worth:
(1) Take the value of a '66 427 numbers matching (assuming they really do) car in good driver condition.
(2) Next, figure out how much money it's going to cost you to get that car to good driver condition.
(3) Subtract (2) from (1) and that's what that car is worth as it sits.
If I had to guess, the cost of (2) probably exceeds the value of (1), just based on the pictures you posted, unless you are planning on doing all or most of the work yourself and you want to do it as a labor of love. And if you are talking about doing a true nuts and bolts, 100 point concours restoration, double or triple (2).
I nominate that for the understatement of the year. LOL Interesting barn find, but man is that is sad shape. The way I see it, here's how I'd figure what it's worth:
(1) Take the value of a '66 427 numbers matching (assuming they really do) car in good driver condition.
(2) Next, figure out how much money it's going to cost you to get that car to good driver condition.
(3) Subtract (2) from (1) and that's what that car is worth as it sits.
If I had to guess, the cost of (2) probably exceeds the value of (1), just based on the pictures you posted, unless you are planning on doing all or most of the work yourself and you want to do it as a labor of love. And if you are talking about doing a true nuts and bolts, 100 point concours restoration, double or triple (2).
I see at least $100k worth of work needed in that car. Unless you want to do it yourself and make it a labor of love with essentially zero return on your time, stay away.
As for the 64xxxxx, the "6" is the model year, and the last SIX (not five) digits are from the VIN. Are you sure that "4" isn't really a 1?
I see at least $100k worth of work needed in that car. Unless you want to do it yourself and make it a labor of love with essentially zero return on your time, stay away.
As for the 64xxxxx, the "6" is the model year, and the last SIX (not five) digits are from the VIN. Are you sure that "4" isn't really a 1?
I went back and looked at the photos I took and I think that the "4" actually is a "1".
My buddy and I would do all the mechanical and interior, but would have to have the body work, paint and chrome sent out.
Normally I would not even consider doing a car in this condition, but if it is truly a numbers matching BB, I thought that it might be worth looking into.
I see at least $100k worth of work needed in that car. Unless you want to do it yourself and make it a labor of love with essentially zero return on your time, stay away.
Having just paid for a complete restoration on a C2 (for a numbers matching car that had all the parts) it would have made no dollar sense if I had not already owned and paid for the car 40+ years ago. The missing pieces can be amazingly expensive to replace. The subject car also looks like the owner was not careful in trying to preserve the parts that are off the car...
Last edited by After38Years; 11-07-2015 at 11:25 AM.
The bad news is that this cars needs pretty much everything. The good news is that, subject to verification, it might be worth owning when finished. The bad news is that there is no way that car could be restored on a paying basis for it's retail value. The good news is that a couple going through divorce may just need it gone.
Go through it 100%, post the VIN and trim tags here, along with more frame and detail pictures (read: birdcage), try to figure out if the body is mostly original, and whether all the parts are there. Figure out that a set of bumpers is >$2K, a paint job is $5-15k, a soft top with everything (assuming it has the soft top frame) is over $1K with everything, a good hard top is >$2K, a big block rebuild is $$$, a complete interior can be >$5K, etc, etc. Does it come with a clear title?
I don't think that there is any way this would ever be more than a driver, at best, or a shell for a restomod. No way to make this a NCRS type car for rational money.
I hate to see mid years get to this condition.
Last edited by Easy Rhino; 11-07-2015 at 11:24 AM.
Alright, I will play. $25,000 assuming no rust in any of the standard places, original motor and if it has all its original body panels and most of its major parts.
I agree its a ton of work and you will be in it way more than its worth at the end.
To me, I see no issues except time and money for an NCRS type restoration.....mine has only been a short 13 yrs.
The bad news is that this cars needs pretty much everything. The good news is that, subject to verification, it might be worth owning when finished. The bad news is that there is no way that car could be restored on a paying basis for it's retail value. The good news is that a couple going through divorce may just need it gone.
Go through it 100%, post the VIN and trim tags here, along with more frame and detail pictures (read: birdcage), try to figure out if the body is mostly original, and whether all the parts are there. Figure out that a set of bumpers is >$2K, a paint job is $5-15k, a soft top with everything (assuming it has the soft top frame) is over $1K with everything, a good hard top is >$2K, a big block rebuild is $$$, a complete interior can be >$5K, etc, etc. Does it come with a clear title?
I don't think that there is any way this would ever be more than a driver, at best, or a shell for a restomod. No way to make this a NCRS type car for rational money.
I hate to see mid years get to this condition.
If I give any serious thought to pursuing this, I will post the VIN and a lot better photos. The person I was with asked me to not post any real identifying data about the car. As It is not my car, and the owners were not there, I did not want to touch or move anything outside of wiping the engine pad with a damp rag. I told the guy that before I did anything I would want the car to either be raised so I could crawl under it or have it lifted on a rack. I would also want to lay the parts out to see what is there and what is missing. This would also give me access to looking up under the dash. It has been on a dirt floor for the last two years, but before that I do not know how it was stored.
There is a clear title, but both people have to sign off on the sale as the car is in both their names.
Last edited by idcwmidi; 11-07-2015 at 11:45 AM.
Reason: Add info about title
If I give any serious thought to pursuing this, I will post the VIN and a lot better photos. The person I was with asked me to not post any real identifying data about the car. As It is not my car, and the owners were not there, I did not want to touch or move anything outside of wiping the engine pad with a damp rag. I told the guy that before I did anything I would want the car to either be raised so I could crawl under it or have it lifted on a rack. I would also want to lay the parts out to see what is there and what is missing. This would also give me access to looking up under the dash. It has been on a dirt floor for the last two years, but before that I do not know how it was stored.
There is a clear title, but both people have to sign off on the sale as the car is in both their names.
Smart. Good luck. I'm a sucker for lost causes, love old cars needing attention, and hate to see a mid-year in this condition, but you gotta be wise with your resources.
I do not agree with the $25K estimate above. I would be into this car for no more than $10K, and that's a hip shot based on too little information.
Looks like it was probably built as a red/black big block car - so it's got that going for it.
Last edited by Easy Rhino; 11-07-2015 at 11:52 AM.
You must make a full parts inventory to make an offer.
If EVERYTHING is there sans the top, it will obviously be worth more than if you need to buy a bunch of stuff.
If you do your own work except for final body prep and paint and IF everything is there , I would expect an additional investment of perhaps less than $50K*. That $50K would cover painting, motor and trans rebuild, brakes and driveline, rechrome and polish and chrome stainless, interior, dash restoration, suspension parts, etc, etc. Tops may add to that.
* you can get a show quality paint job for less than $8-$10K if you know where to go, you don't have to pay $25K like some guys charge.
PS: That $50K includes paying some else to rebuild the motor and trans and rear diff. By own work, i mean reassembly, putting in new wiring, installing the interior, etc.
Though, it would be bummer find that the block is freeze cracked in the lifter valley or some other place, if it is the original block.
A car like this falls under the "hobby" category, not an investment.
You can't have this car restored for $100,000. We're looking at a $150,000 bill here for a quality restoration. An NCRS restoration might be even more.
Let's say you end up with a Hagerty #2 car.
A #2 Corvette with this drive train is right around $100,000. In other words if they give you the car for free you might break even.
The more realistic case here is you'll lose $25,000 restoring this car. Actually you'll probably lose more than that if you do a proper restoration.
You can't have this car restored for $100,000. We're looking at a $150,000 bill here for a quality restoration. An NCRS restoration might be even more.
Let's say you end up with a Hagerty #2 car.
A #2 Corvette with this drive train is right around $100,000. In other words if they give you the car for free you might break even.
The more realistic case here is you'll lose $25,000 restoring this car. Actually you'll probably lose more than that if you do a proper restoration.
Is there an asking price? Are they soliciting "offers", AKA having you appraise the car for them?
It's all subject to verification and inventory of course, but I'd be focused on buying it for as little as possible. And I'd love to see a couple guys take their time and restore it rather than see another car be restomodded and gone forever.
Is there an asking price? Are they soliciting "offers", AKA having you appraise the car for them?
It's all subject to verification and inventory of course, but I'd be focused on buying it for as little as possible. And I'd love to see a couple guys take their time and restore it rather than see another car be restomodded and gone forever.
Right now I am waiting to talk to the guy who owns the shed that the car is stored in as he can give me a better story on the car history and also get permission from the owners to complete a better inspection and get an idea if this is even a possibility or if the owners was too much money to even consider going further.
No value at all if you want to restore it and join all the others sitting idle in their life size trophy case.
Around $15-$20k if you want to have some fun with a C2 and the bonus of retaining the born with parts is priceless.
I see the same mentality with the chevelle crowd, too much emphasis on monetary value and 0 value on what brings us here, the love of vintage muscle.
You have to ask yourself....do you want a pristine C2 that depreciates with every driven mile, or do want to enjoy the ride and get that beauty sideways every chance you get?
No value at all if you want to restore it and join all the others sitting idle in their life size trophy case.
Around $15-$20k if you want to have some fun with a C2 and the bonus of retaining the born with parts is priceless.
I see the same mentality with the chevelle crowd, too much emphasis on monetary value and 0 value on what brings us here, the love of vintage muscle.
You have to ask yourself....do you want a pristine C2 that depreciates with every driven mile, or do want to enjoy the ride and get that beauty sideways every chance you get?
Right now I think that I would complete a frame off restoration, but not go so crazy with the restoration that I am afraid to take it out for a ride and enjoy it. I also agree that these cars are made to drive and enjoy and not sit in a garage covered all the time except when they are loaded into a trailer for a show.
11-07-2015, 10:32 AM
What is it worth
