Since I haven't been able to get an expert to look it it, I spent about an hour speaking with the mechanic who works on it and specilaizes in 50' s and 60's cars. In passing, he mentioned that the car had been painted last summer at a local shop, which didn't square with the seller telling me that it had been repainted before he owned it, about 8 years ago. From my first encounter, the paint and chrome looked too nice to be eight years old, so Iwith a little Google work I tracked down the shop that did the painting.

The fellow who did it has a 1970 Vette and knows Vettes well. He said that this car had been brought in last summer because it had a minor accident in the rear. No frame damage but a crack in the fiberglass. They replaced the rear panel with an original and also replaced front an rear bumpers with rechromed originals. Then they computer matched the color and painted (base coat plus clear) from the doors back and buffed out the rest of the car. And, yep, they knew that it wasn't the original color from the trim tag.

Sounds like the work was done very professionally. Both the mechanic and the body shop guy say the car is a very solid driver with a clean frame and the mods are of excellent quality. I could probably be happy with the car if it is priced correctly, but the fact that seller is not operating with full disclosure changes the picture.

 

Well, there you go. It's a dollars issue now.
Forget about what the owner says... you can't trust his word now.

You're right. You could probably be happy with this car, but that wrong
color issue will come back to haunt you when you sell.
If you intend on never selling, it's a moot point.
The rule of thumb seems to be you deduct the cost of a repaint from what it would be worth if correct.
Now getting the seller to agree with that reasoning...

It's too bad someone changed the color.
I've got Steel Cities Grey and absolutely love it.
I get more compliments on that color than I ever would have imagined.

 

Best way to pin someone down is to tell them to put it in writing. Be specific. Its amazing how ones tune changes.

Jim

 

It sounds like your negotiations for this car should be starting at $22k, not $32k. Even at 22k I'd be concerned about what else he's lying about. Clearly integrity isn't one of this individual's strengths.

I met my fair share of liars when I was looking 2 years ago. It's kinda pathetic how seemingly nice people are willing to screw someone over for a few extra bucks.

 

Seller has offered to put the car on a lift at his mechanics this Sat. Can anyone make it then? I'll pay in beer or $$$. Please PM if interested.

 

You have to ask yourself why he would misrepresent something so easily verified as paint color, if you decide to buy, I would negotiate the price as if it were not a matching numbers car. Even still if it is in very good condition it should be worth decent money.

 

I would want an itemized list of the original parts that go with the car and verify that they are in fact original to that car and not just any old C3 parts.

Now you can't be too sure since he fabricated the paint color issue.

cc

 

I said it earlier.....I would have dropped $30K+ on that car when I was shopping last winter.

The following combination is extremely difficult to find:

1. BB
2. A/C
3. 4sp.
4. Convertible
5. Hardtop

Assuming even distribution of options there were 34 BB, 'vert, A/C, 4sp. cars built in '72 and that doesnt account for the hardtop.

 

I agree, a rare and desirable combination but with something as obvious as a color change, one has to wonder if left St Louis as a BB, A/C, 4sp car....I feel pretty confident it started life as a vert but the hard top is an add on as well.

If I was buying, to answer what the car is worth would depend upon how much documentation you can show me. But then that's for my purposes - I'm an originality freak and $30 some K for an almost, kind of sorta original car that may or may not be what the current owner says it is....no thanks, I'll keep looking.

If I was gonna build a resto mod and continue to develop the platform that the current owner has in place, maybe - but now I'm not looking at originality as much as I'm looking at the quality of the parts used in his resto.

 

Assuming even distribution of options on my car indicates that there was less than one built. Now THAT's rare!

It's not been established that any of the 'options' on this car are legit- we sure know the paint isn't.

 

What's the chance that there is a build sheet that exists?

 

Guys:

I took the VIN off the windshield post and the numbers off the engine pad. The VIN starts with 1Z67W2S which I think decodes
as Chevy, Vette, vert, LS5, 1972, St Louis.

The serial number on the engine matches that on the VIN and the engine sufix is CSR, which I think decodes as 454 4-speed.

I spoke again with the body guy (with the 70 Vette) who worked on the car, who assures me that the drivetrain matches and that the frame and pillar posts are good, consistent with a prior body-off. Keeping in mind the "upgrades" and the body color variance, he says the car is a solid driver that has had some nice performance improvements.

 

I agree with what your saying. Based on the VIN its obvious that car is an original BB vert. Its not hard to fake a 4sp. conversion but most wouldnt add the neutral/clutch safety switch. Does the clutch need to pushed in for the starter to kick over?

If, for a momentary moment, we assume its a fake A/C car and started as an automatic whats it worth?

As soon as you have a non-matching whatever, paint, engine, does it realy matter if A/C was added or if it was converted to a 4sp.?

 

That all sounds good, but it doesn't sound like a $32k car anymore.

 

What do you think it should go for?

 

Can anyone find a better one for $32,000?

Jim

 

The hydroboost brake booster is a nice upgrade but not stock.
Can't be too sure about the internals of the engine.
I bought my 68 with an aftermarket 454 and upon pulling it apart found three different kinds of pistons in it a whiped cam but it still made me **** my pants during the test drive. Thats what happens when your use to driving a 6cyl SUV and a 305 74 vette. Anything with a bigger engine blows you away.

I'm in the north jersey area near Livingston, Union, Montclair if you want me to be a second pair of eyes on the car. I don't know jack about numbers matching but I just finished a two year frame off on my 68 vert.
Let me know.

 

A great thanks to Brett (68 NJConv 454) for coming by to look at the 1972 BB today. He gave it two thumbs up as a very clean car. The seller had dropped the price due to non-original paint, to the point where Brett said take the car and run.

So the seller and I wrote a sales including the long list of stock parts he took off the car and we did the deal. I will have the mechanic who works on the car reinstall the stock intake manifold/carb/air cleaner parts before I take it home.

Soon I will change my handle and avatar to reflect my new shark. Thanks to all here for the advice and support.

Now, the hard part: what license plate to get? Ive been poring over the list of vanity plates here and already have some ideas....

 

Big Congrats on the car. Enjoy but first we need pics!

 

Congrats!!! And lots of respect for doing your homework!!!!!!