Hello All,

My wife's dream is to one day own a C1 and once retired take a road trip across the US together. The problem is they aren't getting any cheaper and unfortunately I'm afraid I will never be able to afford one.

So that brings me to my question. What is the typical cost of a "project condition" C1? Any of the years between '55 and '62. I am not very well versed in Corvette's, but I'm sure there are more years that are more desirable, but she isn't picky. The reason for a project car is obviously cost. The goal is to slowly restore it over the next several years and bring it back to life.

Please understand I am aware of the cost of restoration and that the total cost would be many multiples of the cost to buy one restored, but that much money at one time isn't feasible. Also, it would be a fun wife/daughters/dad project. I am mechanically inclined and understand what it would take to restore a car.

Unfortunately I see this as the only solution to make my wife's dream come true.

Thank you for your time and replies in advance,

Mike

 

Hello der. Your wife has some pleasant dreams, and I hope you can make this come true. Be advised c1's, while good looking, are ancient. I suggest you and your wife try one on first.

 

Cannt see how anybody can answer that question without seeing in detail the actual car you are contemplating to restore. There are too many variable areas in a restoration from one car to another. To start with have you looked at the prices for the car itself within those years that would be considered restoration level. Not necessarily the bible for prices but there is an app called Corvette DNA and looking at the prices for each year a high mileage project car for those years would be:
1955 36,000
1956 27,000
1957 27,000
1958 27,000
1959 22,500
1960 20,250
1961 20,250
1962 24,750

 

Thank you for the quick replies. The app you mentioned is interesting and that is the general information I was looking for. I really just wanted a rough order magnitude on the going rate of project condition C1s. From there I can determine if it's even worth my time searching for one. It's also interesting to see the way the price fluctuates depending on year.

Thanks,

Mike

 

I've put 10 years and a ton of miles behind the windshield of my 61 and I tend to agree - a C2 may be a good compromise. C1s aren't as awful as many say but they are primitive and the longer the trip the more it is apparent.

 

Mike,
It's tough when people don't answer the question you asked. It's also tough when the person asking might not have asked the right question. So let me pose a slightly different version of your question and answer it.
Q: What is the most affordable way to obtain a C1 capable of cross country driving if I don't need it ready to go for several years?
A: First, it is almost always more expensive to restore a car than to buy one that is already done. That is a certainty if you don't do virtually all the labor yourself. Second, there are lots of "inexpensive" restoration shops that have taken the money and had only a pile of disassembled parts to show for it. My rule of thumb is that the typical restoration project will cost twice as much and take three times as long as your most realistic estimate. ..... So, my suggestions are as follows:

1. Contact a nearby Corvette car club and arrange to take a ride in a car like the one your wife wants.
2. Start following all the places that sell cars like you want to get a feel for prices. That will allow you to know when a good deal appears. Don't be disappointed if this step takes a few years as you have more time than money to spend.
3. Work out the financing now. If you set aside the money you intended to spend on a project car and periodically add to it the money you'd spend on restoration, you'll end up where you want to be.
4. Have any prospective car professionally inspected before you buy. There are lots of ways to be taken and you'll benefit from professional guidance.
5. Hang out here for the next few years to get a feel for what to look for, what to value, and what to expect on a long trip.

I'll close by noting that one of the hardest things for anyone to do is to predict what will be important in their life five years from now. It is entirely possible your priorities may change and you could find that you value that money you've been saving more than that partially restored pile of parts in the garage. Take a little time to let that burning urge to start living your retirement dream now cool a little. It'll still be here next year if its real.

P.S. BH's post reminds me that our bodies also change with age. You didn't say how old you are, but a car that was adventurous on a cross country drive when I was 50 might be just uncomfortable in my 70s. This is another reason why your priorities may change over time.

 

C1's can be best described as "rude, crude and beautiful"! I know several forum members who have taken cross country trips in 62's and said it was great. I don't think I could at my age as it's not that comfortable, but neither is a C2 in my opinion.

BH

 

Most sites, including eBay, classic cars, collector trader allow you to build a search query that will email you as new cars are listed. This is one of the easiest ways to follow the market. I would start there..

 

You can eliminate the " rude & crude" if you update a C1 , which I have done with my 57. The ideal C1 to take on a long trip is a resto-mod .

 

If you plan to drive a C1 for an extended trip (not a restomod, an intact old car), I have 2 words that you should never forget.

Radial. Tires.

 

I sold a top flight '62 a few years ago and the new owner and his wife drove it from NC to CA, pulling a small trailer. The car had radials and all the "original" parts (wheels, tires, hubcaps, radio, spare generator, spark plugs, plug wires) and most of their luggage were in the trailer. The only problem they had was a loose fan belt. So a long trip in properly restored C1 is certainly possible.

My wife and I drive her '62 restomod all over, our longest trip being to Corpus Christi, TX (1200 miles one way) for the first "Vettes and Jets on the Lex" event. So far we have had only one mechanical breakdown, which occurred while at Corvettes@Carlisle, but luckily I was able to find the part (C4 front wheel bearing) and fix the problem.

As others have mentioned - if you have never driven a C1 you need to try it before you decide.

Charles

 

Mike, you might want to watch this one...



While not quite a resto-mod, it looks like it could make the trip.

Good luck... GUSTO

 

Kellsdad,

Good advice! Especially the cost of buying already restored versus buying and then restoring. I have the experience of what you are talking about. Bought a 1957, beautiful and primitive, and costly to have someone else do the majority of the work restoring it. I love the car and can afford the work, but if I were in a budget minded situation I would have done differently.

Via

 

GR5,

For a cross country trip you should consider the gear ratio on the third member. My 1957 has a 3:70 and runs 3,000 RPMs at 60MPH which can get very tiring on a long trip. I would opt for a different ratio to give you some relief from the high RPMs.

Via

 

FWIW, a customer of mine owns a very nice '56 survivor that we maintain. I'm 62, and 30 minutes of driving it is enough for me. A C2 fits me quite well, a C3 even better. I have driven cross country twice in a modern vehicle. Doing the same in any 'Vette it would have to be a C2 convertible.

 

GUSTO: That’s great advice. It’s going to go cheap and there’s still plenty of upgrades that can be done if you’re interested. And with the 305, there’s no worries about “ruining” the “investment value”. It’s ruined. Put an overdrive transmission in it, maybe power steering and disk brakes and go have fun.

If you’re going to drive it any distance, I recommend Diamond Back radial tires. The Cokers look great, but aren’t pleasant to drive.

 

'54s are neat, but with no door handles or roll up windows, it's hard to imagine a lengthy cross country trip in one as the OP Mike has stated is his intent.

Mike, why not figure out what your budget is and post a WTB (want to buy) ad in the for sale section of the CF? You will at least get a realistic idea of whether the car you want is available in your price range. Project C1s that are actually worth even starting on are hard to find. Watch the thread "opinions on these C1s and C2s for sale" thread https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-for-sale.html.

I have driven several '56-'62 Corvettes across the country. If that's what I was going to use the car for, I'd want a '61 or '62. They have more interior room, and a bigger trunk. Looks pretty tough to get a driver '61 or '62 Corvette for under $40,000, and they might be the most reasonably priced solid axle Corvettes.

 

I don't want to dash anyone's dreams - and other members here will no doubt fuss me out, but let's be realistic.

Nearly every project car on every auction site started out as someone's dream and the dream got short-circuited and disenchanted owners are trying to unload them on the next poor soul.

No offense, but your wife may have no idea of the commitment she is setting you folks up for. It could literally be years to assemble a project car, find the parts, gain the knowledge, the daughter and wife may (prob will) lose interest and you'll be a ton of money down a rabbit hole and your enjoyment will be long-deferred.

I had a '61 for 10 years; when I sold it the wife belatedly let me know how much she missed a convertible. (women - ya gotta love 'em). So, I started dinking around looking for another old convertible (Mustang, Camaro, Corvette), half-heartedly,

I came across a 2002 Thunderbird two top, one owner, 18,000 mile "Premier-optioned" car....the wife's happy, I'm not spending hours up to my elbow in grease and we started enjoying the car the FIRST day of ownership. A modern fuel-injected car, flawless, and, a turn-key, top down cruiser for well under $18K. We both love it.

And when the wife has one of those "hot flash" events I can put the top up and blast the A/C....

You know the difference between a woman on menopause and a terrorist ?
You can negotiate with a terrorist!

Not pushing any particular model but maybe your wife's real dream is being together on a journey as a family, enjoying traveling and scenery in a trouble free cruiser.

Think about it...even take a test ride in a few modern drop-top cars and gauge the reaction; it costs nothing...

 

My 2 words would be - Ibu profen

 

Yeah, 14 hours/day driving in a solid axle hurts. But retired people can take their time and get out for a walk every few hours if they want. One of the big problems, though, is where do you leave the car when you check in to a hotel? Wheel covers are $200 each, and a tempting target... along with the whole easy to steal car. You'll need a locking gas cap.

But, what the hell, life is short. And you'll have insurance.