C3 Purchase
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Thousand Oaks CA
C3 Purchase
I'm the guy who posted regarding purchasing a fully restored '81 4-speed. Well, I went to Santa Maria, CA (130 miles on-way) to buy it with cashier's check in hand. Polished rims and what looked to be a great paint job from afar. Up close it was covered in ash, big fire out here. He said he had spent $7,000 on the restore with new interior, dash and all the bells and whistles. 
I opened the drivers side door to the tune of a rattling window. The interior was a mess. It needed new carpet, the glove box looked like it had been painted with a spray can, metal switches under the dash for head lights and wipers and one he had no idea what it was for. I poped the hood and looked down at an engine compartment that hadn't been touched since the car was new, oxidation all over the place. Needless to say it's still sitting in his driveway.
Still looking,
I opened the drivers side door to the tune of a rattling window. The interior was a mess. It needed new carpet, the glove box looked like it had been painted with a spray can, metal switches under the dash for head lights and wipers and one he had no idea what it was for. I poped the hood and looked down at an engine compartment that hadn't been touched since the car was new, oxidation all over the place. Needless to say it's still sitting in his driveway.Still looking,
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
I have been there too. I drove from San Jose to Santa Rosa, about 2 hours north to look at a 74 that "just needed paint". I have no idea what he was thinking it needed, because it also needed a dash, center console, e brake console , seats and a carpet. And that was only the visual stuff I could see. $7500 cash offer. I passed on this deal, took the tops off the 86, and cruised on home.
I then found a GREAT 75 with a new paint job, L82 engine and power everything for $7000 only 5 miles from my house. Boy was I glad that I passed on the deal.
Hopefully you can keep looking and find a good deal also.
kdf
I then found a GREAT 75 with a new paint job, L82 engine and power everything for $7000 only 5 miles from my house. Boy was I glad that I passed on the deal.
Hopefully you can keep looking and find a good deal also.
kdf
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 0
From: CV ca
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13
Originally Posted by valkryder
I'm the guy who posted regarding purchasing a fully restored '81 4-speed. Well, I went to Santa Maria, CA (130 miles on-way) to buy it with cashier's check in hand. Polished rims and what looked to be a great paint job from afar. Up close it was covered in ash, big fire out here. He said he had spent $7,000 on the restore with new interior, dash and all the bells and whistles. I opened the drivers side door to the tune of a rattling window. The interior was a mess. It needed new carpet, the glove box looked like it had been painted with a spray can, metal switches under the dash for head lights and wipers and one he had no idea what it was for. I poped the hood and looked down at an engine compartment that hadn't been touched since the car was new, oxidation all over the place. Needless to say it's still sitting in his driveway.
Still looking,
I opened the drivers side door to the tune of a rattling window. The interior was a mess. It needed new carpet, the glove box looked like it had been painted with a spray can, metal switches under the dash for head lights and wipers and one he had no idea what it was for. I poped the hood and looked down at an engine compartment that hadn't been touched since the car was new, oxidation all over the place. Needless to say it's still sitting in his driveway.Still looking,
........Can you imagine what it must of looked like BEFORE the RESTORATION?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Thousand Oaks CA
C3 Purchase
He was asking $6,200. After I declined he began negotiating. But I didn't want any part of it at that point. I didn't ask for an explaination of the $7,000. There was no way he could have justified it.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I feel for you. It wouldn't surprise me if 50% of all Vette owners haven't gone on some wild goose chase with the promises made that it was a "blankety blank great car...blah, blah, blah" and then turns out to be a DOG OF DOGS!
That doesn't make you feel any better, but it makes me feel better just saying it!
That doesn't make you feel any better, but it makes me feel better just saying it!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 6,715
Likes: 2
From: Santa Teresa New Mexico
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 728
Likes: 1
From: Patchogue New York
take your time, there are enough C3's out there. I took a year to find mine. it's not all that, but i got one after lots of looking. i drove from long island to mass, for one that "ran like it just rolled of the assembly line" yea right. As I pulled up they were adjusting the new carb.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,295
Likes: 30
From: one night in Bangkok you are never lonely
Originally Posted by valkryder
fully restored '81 4-speed. great paint job spent $7,000 on the restore with new interior, dash and all the bells and whistles.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 2,460
Likes: 352
From: Madison Alabama
Originally Posted by Bangkok Dean
Sure and the US is Winning the war on terror also.
dang...let it rest man, we all have an opinion on the war lets try to keep this thread focused... Val - I went to look at an '80 over in TN a couple years ago...Seller had the car listed as "Been in storage for several years", turns out there's a fine line between "Been in Storage" and "Used for Storage". I couldn't even see through the car there was so much junk stacked in the seats and rear compartment. Oh, and apparently parked outside counts as "storage"...Bubba kept his car that day
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 745
Likes: 0
From: Miami Florida
you are clearly not alone. looking for my last vette i went to over 20 80-82's in three states. not that im a jet setter but sis in atlanta and mom and dad in ny visits prompted vette check outs. people lie. i get embarrased for them when they say a basket case is a retired show car. so many of them say, well dont you want to make an offer? NOT! having done restorations many times, each time i get closer to paying top dollar for someone who has gone through it all already. but then what fun would that be.