Cost to restore a Split Window
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,155
Likes: 9,464
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
It's been my experience that you can't restore any car for less cost than buying one that is already done..... unless (A) a very rare example or (B) a giveaway price. You really need to see if the car is for sale and what kind of equipment it has in terms of value. And, of course, the overall condition as it may not be worth messing with it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 5,401
Likes: 986
From: Itasca IL
That car has been visible for a long time. I have no personal knowledge of it (aside from seeing it out there for years). You may as well approach and ask about it, would be great to know what the story is. He's going to have to sell it some day!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 951
Likes: 245
From: Hobe Sound, Florida
It's been my experience that you can't restore any car for less cost than buying one that is already done..... unless (A) a very rare example or (B) a giveaway price. You really need to see if the car is for sale and what kind of equipment it has in terms of value. And, of course, the overall condition as it may not be worth messing with it.
Restoring cars is a GREAT hobby, but unless you are able to do the work, it can be frustrating, to say the least. AND, a Corvette is a super-special car with so many variations from normal GM cars that, even though the drive train and so forth are "Chevy" and all, the rest of the car is completely different from pretty much any other car.
SO, if you have the time and inclination and tools AND can make a good deal on a car that is restorable--comments above cover those areas--I would put my $$ in a restored car. You will still have plenty of work to do on a continual basis if you drive it, but you will enjoy it at once instead of spending a year or more (usually) restoring the car and chasing parts. Not that that is not fun--that is the hobby and most of us enjoy it quite a bit--but if that is not you, I suggest that you choose a completed car.
Cheers,
Richard
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,754
Likes: 89
From: arvada co
When I bought mine in 2000, a 63 had almost no premium. I had been shopping for a C2 for a couple of years, and I was not shopping for a 63, I was open to all C2 coupes, really wanted a 65+ BB, but got my 63 because it was a low price & original.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 17,571
Likes: 3,461
From: Fresno California
Yours must be an undesirable 3 speed 250 hp car. Those ones always were cheap and never carried a premium. By the year 2000, most folks had forgotten the shift pattern of an old, agricultural 3 on the floor.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,754
Likes: 89
From: arvada co
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Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 31,205
Likes: 461
From: Wilmington N C
St. Jude Donor '14 thru '26
To the OP, there was a member of this Forum who was in a similar situation as yours, who knocked on the door, and then spent, IIRC, more than 3 years visiting w/the owner, who wasn't going to sell, and then finally, did. It took 3 yeas of expressing interest, but never pushing. It finally paid off.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,817
Likes: 21
From: Somerset, NJ
I am going to say something here that may get a few diehards mad but I am giving you some good advice. You sound pretty young maybe getting ready to get your drivers license. You are probably drooling over the body of the '63 Coupe. That is understandable you don't see many around. Bottom dollar and a word of advice to you is to save up your money and find yourself a nice C5 Corvette instead. There are plenty out there and at great prices. Look for one with low mileage. That is a car well worth looking at and in most people budgets and one hell of a car you will enjoy. I guarantee it. Same with the C6 another very nice Corvette but a nice one would set you back even more. This is coming from a Old Timer who has owned Corvettes and driven them for the last 50 years this year of 2020. I still own 4 today my C2,C3,C5 and C6. Take it from me what I tell you and forget about the '63. Maybe down the road when you are fully established and make a lot of money you may be able to afford one already restored and maybe even a original. By then you will realize I was right about the C5. Something you could enjoy right away.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Chicagoland
Thanks for the feedback, guys.
I'm actually in my 30's and I visit this site almost daily. But thanks, haha.
@mike coletta I did not buy the carbecause I took all of your advice and decided it wasn't worth the aggravation.
@ffas23 I've actually been turning my attention to C5's more recently. My uncle had one and I've seen some decent mileage ones for decent prices.
I'm actually in my 30's and I visit this site almost daily. But thanks, haha.
@mike coletta I did not buy the carbecause I took all of your advice and decided it wasn't worth the aggravation.
@ffas23 I've actually been turning my attention to C5's more recently. My uncle had one and I've seen some decent mileage ones for decent prices.
Last edited by wally_world; May 19, 2020 at 07:28 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
wally_world;
As a point of reference, my 64 coupe was restored by a couple in Denver, Co area. The couple did not do the restoration, they paid a shop in the area to completely restore the car to their "dream car" specs.
The labor rate varied from $75 and hour to $95 an hour depending on what shop was doing the work.
The car was in decent shape to begin with. It did not need a lot of body repair work. The car is an original 300hp, 4 speed car. They added power steering and power brakes, and bolt on knock off wheels.
When all was said and done, the cost of the restoration was $104,500. Yes, One hundred and four thousand, five hundred dollars.
If you have to farm out all of the work, or are unable to do some of the work yourself, buy a car already finished. You will save a bunch of money.
As a point of reference, my 64 coupe was restored by a couple in Denver, Co area. The couple did not do the restoration, they paid a shop in the area to completely restore the car to their "dream car" specs.
The labor rate varied from $75 and hour to $95 an hour depending on what shop was doing the work.
The car was in decent shape to begin with. It did not need a lot of body repair work. The car is an original 300hp, 4 speed car. They added power steering and power brakes, and bolt on knock off wheels.
When all was said and done, the cost of the restoration was $104,500. Yes, One hundred and four thousand, five hundred dollars.
If you have to farm out all of the work, or are unable to do some of the work yourself, buy a car already finished. You will save a bunch of money.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Chicagoland
wally_world;
As a point of reference, my 64 coupe was restored by a couple in Denver, Co area. The couple did not do the restoration, they paid a shop in the area to completely restore the car to their "dream car" specs.
The labor rate varied from $75 and hour to $95 an hour depending on what shop was doing the work.
The car was in decent shape to begin with. It did not need a lot of body repair work. The car is an original 300hp, 4 speed car. They added power steering and power brakes, and bolt on knock off wheels.
When all was said and done, the cost of the restoration was $104,500. Yes, One hundred and four thousand, five hundred dollars.
If you have to farm out all of the work, or are unable to do some of the work yourself, buy a car already finished. You will save a bunch of money.
As a point of reference, my 64 coupe was restored by a couple in Denver, Co area. The couple did not do the restoration, they paid a shop in the area to completely restore the car to their "dream car" specs.
The labor rate varied from $75 and hour to $95 an hour depending on what shop was doing the work.
The car was in decent shape to begin with. It did not need a lot of body repair work. The car is an original 300hp, 4 speed car. They added power steering and power brakes, and bolt on knock off wheels.
When all was said and done, the cost of the restoration was $104,500. Yes, One hundred and four thousand, five hundred dollars.
If you have to farm out all of the work, or are unable to do some of the work yourself, buy a car already finished. You will save a bunch of money.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 33,073
Likes: 6,634
From: Rochester NY
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
