Bluestripe67

mattygaff, you have made a very sensible decision with long term positive effects. Stay with us and we will help you along in the future.

Railroadman

IMHO your head is on straight. Sometimes the choice is tough but clear. Your family is first and you will not regret that. The time will come - altho it's hard to believe at the moment - when the kids will be grown and gone, and you will have more time and more money than you do now.

I bought my first house in 1975, and sold my last Vette (at that time) a year later. Vetteless until I bought the C-4 in 2008, and just now got back to a C-2. Absence DOES make the heart grow fonder!

The one suggestion I would make is to stay friends with the guy who has your uncle's car now. And if he sells, make contact with the new owner, just as part of the history of the car. Who knows, it may go through 2 more owners and you might buy it after that. Just don't lose track of it.

Revfan

So.... how much was the yellow one?



I'll just add, that 64s AND 63 Convertibles represent the sweet spot for value/coolness of the midyears. So, you can tribute your uncle by getting a 64 and save money too! I used to joke that there was a secret society of the 64 because they were smarter than the rest of us!

That white 63 Roadster posted about looks pretty dang sexy... and worth the consideration. I started a thread a while back called "Opinions on these C1/C2"s that has become one of the most viewed/posted threads at the forum... you might stop by and check it out cause folks post things they find on their local craigslist. It at least gives you an idea of asking prices.

Railroadman

And thanks to Revfan for starting it, and Bowtieguy for keeping it going. That's where I found mine.

dahogan

Great thread.

Kerrmudgeon

One thing I would do is find out where he's advertising that project 64. I think he was thinking he had you like a fish on a line because of your connection to the car. Project cars don't go for a ton of money at that stage of the game. And their owners are usually willing to get out from under at a reduced price, and move on. Someone is going to buy that and I'll bet they don't pay 35K.

Another point.....all the pics show nice clean and painted parts but were they all rebuilt?....or just cleaned and painted. There's no pics of the diff open and the parts used, or the steering box, trans, rear/front suspension etc.
I see sealant seeping from the trans gaskets, but who knows what parts/repairs were done on it.

Try to keep track of where the car goes in the future......you never know, you may get a chance to buy it down the line.....

I think you're wise to walk at this point, and wait until the kids are grown and your life is more settled.....then bye yourself a toy and enjoy.









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mattygaff

I don't know what the yellow one in the pic with my kids is selling for. Won't be able to get there to inquire for several weeks.

I do follow that C1/C2 CL thread - thank you for keeping it going. That white 63 is pretty much what I am looking for, give or take. I'm going to watch the market until a great car for a great deal gets uncovered.

I will keep an eye out for him advertising the Vette. He sure seems like a solid guy. Maybe he paid too much for it and is trying to get out from under it. He says he has had the stuff rebuilt, not just prettied up. Not sure what the story with the trans gasket seepage is. It is 1000 miles from me, so I can't swing by for a closer look.

Again, I appreciate everyone's guidance.

Revfan

Are you deployed?

Currently I am stationed in the Stuttgart area

mattygaff

mattygaff

So I spoke with a guy, RG, who has known my Uncle his whole life, went to mechanic school with him 50 years ago, and helped broker the sale of my Uncle's Vette to WM, the current owner.

As stated above, WM wants to sell the Vette to me in the above current condition as seen in the pics in the first few posts of this thread, for $35,000. RG owns a classic car restoration shop, and WM gave me RG's name and number. They've known each other for years as well, but aren't particularly close. My hope was to have RG finish the car and then purchase it ready to drive. RG and I talked on the phone for quite a while, and he remembers all of the things that my Uncle did to the car when he had it back in the day. He knows the car very well. He has seen the body, and he says it'll probably cost $30k to do, with the obvious damage seen in the photos, the headlights being glassed in, and the likelihood that the hood surround would need to be removed. A gallon of the red paint is $2k alone.

The rear end damage happened when one of the rear bearings went bad and the wheel broke off while driving down the road. So RG is not sure the rear axle was ever properly repaired either.

He agrees with all of you, that the car is in no way worth $35k as it sits. He knows what WM bought it for. He is going to go look at the car in person again and let me know what he thinks.

It was interesting to talk to RG, and find out more info about my Uncle's Vette. The man knows his stuff, and he's known this car particularly well for decades. It makes me even less confident that I'll ever own it. A NOM driver 64 can be had for $40k. My Uncle's will likely cost north of $70k to get it back to a driver state. Sounds like a money hole that has a money hole. WM would have to drop his asking price by $25k. Yeah, right. What a shame.

elwood13

Railroadman

Matty for what it's worth, you might want to write down the details of what RG told you. All those little stories add to the history of the car, and years from now you might wind up owning it after all and RG might not be here to repeat them. It can't hurt!

mattygaff

Spoke with WM about it one more time. Myself and a local restoration shop (RG) both made offers, but he's not budging off $35k. Can't do it. The sentimental value of the completed car may have been worth $10k to me over the market value, but certainly not $25k+. They said they have a few buyers lined up at their asking price, and were just holding it for me. I'm not sure I believe that, but hey have at it. RG says they don't have any other buyers. So this thing will likely sit as is, maybe for years. Maybe get sold at an estate sale some day. It's a shame. So I'll just keep looking for the right car, save my pennies, and eventually get into a similar vert C2 (stroker...). Lots to learn until then, so it'll still be fun regardless.

elwood13