Considering a 1980 C3
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 3
From: Lowell Arkansas
Considering a 1980 C3
I think I need a C3 to add to my C4 and was wondering if the 1980 was a good year for the C3?
The one I found has a recent rebuilt motor and recent rebuilt auto tranny. Paint is good along with interior.
It is a coupe with ground effects from the factory and a small but really nasty looking wing on the back that needs removed for my approval.
Front end seems to dart around but tires are good.
It is just a basic car with no real special options for $11,000.
I know the guy who is selling it so I am pretty sure the rebuilds were done right.
I will be lurking in the C3 section for a time before I buy anything because I sure could have learned a lot more about my C4 before I bought it.
Since I relied on the corvette magazines for info before I bought my C4 I ended up taking it in the shorts.
Corvette Forum is where you get real world answers and pricing.
The one I found has a recent rebuilt motor and recent rebuilt auto tranny. Paint is good along with interior.
It is a coupe with ground effects from the factory and a small but really nasty looking wing on the back that needs removed for my approval.
Front end seems to dart around but tires are good.
It is just a basic car with no real special options for $11,000.
I know the guy who is selling it so I am pretty sure the rebuilds were done right.
I will be lurking in the C3 section for a time before I buy anything because I sure could have learned a lot more about my C4 before I bought it.
Since I relied on the corvette magazines for info before I bought my C4 I ended up taking it in the shorts.
Corvette Forum is where you get real world answers and pricing.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: Ann Arbor MI
Originally Posted by 5speedC4
Front end seems to dart around but tires are good.
It is just a basic car with no real special options for $11,000.
It is just a basic car with no real special options for $11,000.
I would suggest not buying the first C3 (or second, or third, or...) you look at, as there are quite a few subtle differences between the years. Gotta figure out what you really want. Plus driving several cars will help you to be able to spot all the things that might be wrong with whatever car you do decide on, so you can fairly negotiate the price.
I'm sure others will chime in with plenty more advice.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Originally Posted by 5speedC4
...It is a coupe with ground effects from the factory and a small but really nasty looking wing on the back that needs removed for my approval....
My .02, but $11K seems high to me unless there is additional documentation with this car or the car has a combination of desirable options. For $11K, this car ought to have matching numbers.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 595
Likes: 5
From: Schuylkill County PA
Originally Posted by Easy Mike
There was no ground effects package from Chevrolet for the 1980 models so you need to ask the seller what's been added and when. The wing (of course) is not stock.
My .02, but $11K seems high to me unless there is additional documentation with this car or the car has a combination of desirable options. For $11K, this car ought to have matching numbers.
My .02, but $11K seems high to me unless there is additional documentation with this car or the car has a combination of desirable options. For $11K, this car ought to have matching numbers.
How many miles are on the car? How original is it?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,581
Likes: 14
From: Tolar Texas
Originally Posted by 5speedC4
I think I need a C3 to add to my C4 and was wondering if the 1980 was a good year for the C3?
Originally Posted by 5speedC4
The one I found has a recent rebuilt motor and recent rebuilt auto tranny. Paint is good along with interior.
The "rebuilt motor" could be worth as much as $5000 or as little as $500.
The rebuilt TH-350C transmission could be worth $350 to $1000.
Depending on the quality, the paint job could be worth $2000 to $10000. How old is the paint? Have you REALLY examined the paint closely?
The good interior could be worth ~$1000.
Originally Posted by 5speedC4
It is a coupe with ground effects from the factory and a small but really nasty looking wing on the back that needs removed for my approval.
Originally Posted by 5speedC4
Front end seems to dart around but tires are good.
Originally Posted by 5speedC4
It is just a basic car with no real special options for $11,000.
Please post LOTS of pictures along with as much detailed information you can dig up.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: East Northport NY
Look around a bit more before commiting to this car. I bought my L82 1980 in March for $9200. It is all original except the front shocks, all numbers match, 16K documented miles. The paint was a 10 footer due to poor storage so I had it repainted for 5K. I think a stock 1980 with high miles should go for under 10K, and if you don't really like the body mods you should deduct the price of having them removed and the car repainted. All that said, the 80-82 cars are probably the most comfortable of the C3's to drive, not as mean as the early ones but have a few more creature comforts. My 2 cents
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 9,289
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From: Skippack PA
St Jude Donor '13
I agree, $11k is high for an 80 that needs some TLC. I paid $7k for mine 2 years ago and may have paid too much.
Overall the '80 is a good year to purchase as the prices aren't outrageous, it's the last year without a computer under the hood and the design had pretty much everything that was going to be done to it til end-of-life. I may be biased since I have an '80 of course.
Overall the '80 is a good year to purchase as the prices aren't outrageous, it's the last year without a computer under the hood and the design had pretty much everything that was going to be done to it til end-of-life. I may be biased since I have an '80 of course.
