C3 Deterioration
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 568
Likes: 6
From: South Bend IN
C3 Deterioration
Can someone give me a scenario or condition to which a one owner, low mileage ’81, C3 that has supposabley been stored by an affluent owner for the sole purpose of investment and has supposabley never seen inclement weather need to be repainted and have the interior replaced?
Thank you in advance.
“Edited for clarity”
Thank you in advance.
“Edited for clarity”
Last edited by MrSharky; Jun 10, 2005 at 12:10 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 4
From: Smile, it's just the internet.
You're assuming "affluent" means that it was well taken care of, when the opposite is more often the case. If you've got lots of money, why should respect your things? Use them up and buy something newer and better when it's available.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 642
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge LA
Originally Posted by CGGorman
You're assuming "affluent" means that it was well taken care of, when the opposite is more often the case. If you've got lots of money, why should respect your things? Use them up and buy something newer and better when it's available.
Yep that is usually the case. Someone that can't afford another one will most often take better care of something.
.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 415
Likes: 0
From: mauriceville texas
I have a neighbor who owned a 78. He and his wife bought it new. The car has 12 thousand miles on it and looks like 120thousand. Cats living in the interior, paint dull and flaking. Has not been out of the garage in 20 years. Car is ori, all the rubber is bad, tires hoses etc. The only thing ever done to the car was 2 oil changes, and a wash. He sold the car asis about 3 months ago for 11 grand. Not some bum he makes over a 100 grand a year. Second car. In a little town up the road a young man received a new 78 for graduation. 6 months later he jackknifed a propane rig he was driving, for the family business, and was killed along with a young girl. The family built a small metal building and put all his belongings in side. car included, then sealed the door. Its still sitting there. Has not seen the light of day sence 79. Who knows what it looks like. robert
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 568
Likes: 6
From: South Bend IN
Originally Posted by Paul @ Thunder
Yep that is usually the case. Someone that can't afford another one will most often take better care of something.
.
There are numerous Corvette Forum Members that have several Corvettes from different arras and other high dollar vehicles and are planning on buying more; they still take meticulous care of their current stable.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 568
Likes: 6
From: South Bend IN
Originally Posted by CGGorman
You're assuming "affluent" means that it was well taken care of, when the opposite is more often the case. If you've got lots of money, why should respect your things? Use them up and buy something newer and better when it's available.
For example:
There are numerous Corvette Forum Members that have various Corvettes from different generations and other high dollar vehicles and are planning on buying "something newer and better "; they still take meticulous care of their current stable.
I have also seen what you have described; the exception, those that would attempt to sell their abused garbage to someone else under the guise of a well kept Corvette.
Last edited by MrSharky; Jun 9, 2005 at 10:50 PM.
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
From: West Branch MI
Different ideas of "corvette care"
The car we currently own (acquired about 3 months ago) I used to own 12 years ago. My neighbor brought it back from California when I was eight and pretty much left it in his garage for me to drool over for the next 11 or so years. He drove it, but very little and took great care of it. I ended up purchasing it, from him, when I got back from college at 20 years old. I owned it a few months and was forced to sell it to finance going back to college.
Fast forward to now, 12 years later, and we now have this same car....paint mostly sanded off, front end is "rough" to say the least, interior is gutted and what's supplied is a mess, original LG4 305 and 350 trans destroyed in a garage fire years ago, etc., etc.
I don't see how anyone could have let this car go from the pristine condition it was in to it's current state. Corvette care should be taught in high school, just for the sake of the cars these kids will eventually possibly own!
Fast forward to now, 12 years later, and we now have this same car....paint mostly sanded off, front end is "rough" to say the least, interior is gutted and what's supplied is a mess, original LG4 305 and 350 trans destroyed in a garage fire years ago, etc., etc.
I don't see how anyone could have let this car go from the pristine condition it was in to it's current state. Corvette care should be taught in high school, just for the sake of the cars these kids will eventually possibly own!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 3
From: Canberra AUSTRALIA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Go to Walmart (or any Mall parking lot). Look around the parking lot at all the gazillion dollar $$$ cars that are covered in crap, have never been washed and have interiors that look like people have puked in them.
Now go to a car show and check out the cars there. Even the not so desirable cars are well kept and in as prestine as condition as the owners can afford to keep them.
Its called PRIDE. Some people just don't have it.
A clean car is like a nice haircut and a freshly ironed shirt. You can tell a lot about people by how they dress and how they look after things.
Now go to a car show and check out the cars there. Even the not so desirable cars are well kept and in as prestine as condition as the owners can afford to keep them.
Its called PRIDE. Some people just don't have it.
A clean car is like a nice haircut and a freshly ironed shirt. You can tell a lot about people by how they dress and how they look after things.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 4
From: Smile, it's just the internet.
Originally Posted by MrSharky
To a degree, you are correct. However, I would say that it is not "more often the case".
For example:
There are numerous Corvette Forum Members that have various Corvettes from different generations and other high dollar vehicles and are planning on buying "something newer and better "; they still take meticulous care of their current stable.
I have also seen what you have described; the exception, those that would attempt to sell their abused garbage to someone else under the guise of a well kept Corvette.
For example:
There are numerous Corvette Forum Members that have various Corvettes from different generations and other high dollar vehicles and are planning on buying "something newer and better "; they still take meticulous care of their current stable.
I have also seen what you have described; the exception, those that would attempt to sell their abused garbage to someone else under the guise of a well kept Corvette.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 568
Likes: 6
From: South Bend IN
Originally Posted by stingry
Go to Walmart (or any Mall parking lot). Look around the parking lot at all the gazillion dollar $$$ cars that are covered in crap, have never been washed and have interiors that look like people have puked in them.
Now go to a car show and check out the cars there. Even the not so desirable cars are well kept and in as prestine as condition as the owners can afford to keep them.
Its called PRIDE. Some people just don't have it.
A clean car is like a nice haircut and a freshly ironed shirt. You can tell a lot about people by how they dress and how they look after things.
Now go to a car show and check out the cars there. Even the not so desirable cars are well kept and in as prestine as condition as the owners can afford to keep them.
Its called PRIDE. Some people just don't have it.
A clean car is like a nice haircut and a freshly ironed shirt. You can tell a lot about people by how they dress and how they look after things.
However, that does not apply to a car that has been purchased for the sole purpose of being a (collector's piece) and put into storage.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,045
Likes: 4
From: Yorktown VA
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Originally Posted by stingry
Go to Walmart (or any Mall parking lot). Look around the parking lot at all the gazillion dollar $$$ cars that are covered in crap, have never been washed and have interiors that look like people have puked in them.
Now go to a car show and check out the cars there. Even the not so desirable cars are well kept and in as prestine as condition as the owners can afford to keep them.
Its called PRIDE. Some people just don't have it.
A clean car is like a nice haircut and a freshly ironed shirt. You can tell a lot about people by how they dress and how they look after things.
Now go to a car show and check out the cars there. Even the not so desirable cars are well kept and in as prestine as condition as the owners can afford to keep them.
Its called PRIDE. Some people just don't have it.
A clean car is like a nice haircut and a freshly ironed shirt. You can tell a lot about people by how they dress and how they look after things.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,295
Likes: 30
From: one night in Bangkok you are never lonely
Originally Posted by stingry
Go to Walmart (or any Mall parking lot). Look around the parking lot at all the gazillion dollar $$$ cars that are covered in crap, have never been washed and have interiors that look like people have puked in them.
Now go to a car show and check out the cars there. Even the not so desirable cars are well kept and in as prestine as condition as the owners can afford to keep them.
Its called PRIDE. Some people just don't have it.
A clean car is like a nice haircut and a freshly ironed shirt. You can tell a lot about people by how they dress and how they look after things.
Now go to a car show and check out the cars there. Even the not so desirable cars are well kept and in as prestine as condition as the owners can afford to keep them.
Its called PRIDE. Some people just don't have it.
A clean car is like a nice haircut and a freshly ironed shirt. You can tell a lot about people by how they dress and how they look after things.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,372
Likes: 223
From: Beecher Illinois
Before finding the 11K mile 79 that I plan to actually drive a little, I spent 3 years looking for a low mile Vette. Under 20K mile was my goal. I don't know how many I walked away from. A 79 with 17K miles definitely looked like 117K! Parked outside in the rain, wiper trough full of wet leaves. 78SA with 28K. Owner tried to justify all the dings and scratches by telling me how he got them! I didn't care, they were there. 14K mile 75 vert. Looked like it baked in the sun for 30 years. Paint and interior shot. Another 78SA with 1K miles!! Stored in a sauna?? Oyster interior was yellow from mildew! Rust covered every metal surface. Thousand miles! Some owners just don't know how to maintain a collector car. Even the 79 I just got, under the hood was untouched for 25 years. In a way, I preferred that, tho. Nothing messed with.
But even an untouched collector car will show some wear. Unpainted stuff will show some rust. Grime just seems to accumulate underneath. Show me a nicely restored Vette and I'm sure it will look bette than an original. More attention to detail.
Perhaps the owner of the C3 at the top of this thread was just extra fussy. I wouldn't mind repainting 2 of mine just because the original factory paint is just so sloppy. But I never will, they're only original once.
Mike
But even an untouched collector car will show some wear. Unpainted stuff will show some rust. Grime just seems to accumulate underneath. Show me a nicely restored Vette and I'm sure it will look bette than an original. More attention to detail.
Perhaps the owner of the C3 at the top of this thread was just extra fussy. I wouldn't mind repainting 2 of mine just because the original factory paint is just so sloppy. But I never will, they're only original once.
Mike
