What would you pay?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
From: Triangle Area NC
What would you pay?
Here's a car I have an eye on... not rusty, needs paint, but looks fairly nice:
1970 Corvette Stingray - Needs paint and transmission rebuilt.
Rebuilt New 430 HP Chevy SB 350 4 bolt engine, new 650 4 barrel holly carb.
New exhaust system, new carpet and seat cushions and leather seats and door panels.
New brake calipers all around. Front end all redone.
P/S, P/B, P/W
New battery
Registered and insured
Not numbers matching engine
What's it worth please? Looking for my first C3!
John
1970 Corvette Stingray - Needs paint and transmission rebuilt.
Rebuilt New 430 HP Chevy SB 350 4 bolt engine, new 650 4 barrel holly carb.
New exhaust system, new carpet and seat cushions and leather seats and door panels.
New brake calipers all around. Front end all redone.
P/S, P/B, P/W
New battery
Registered and insured
Not numbers matching engine
What's it worth please? Looking for my first C3!
John
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
From: Triangle Area NC
Pictures
Here's a couple of pictures:
http://www.k5mo.com/Vette1.jpg
http://www.k5mo.com/Vette2.jpg
http://www.k5mo.com/Vette3.jpg
Im a C3 newbie (but not a car n00b) and appreciate your input on value.
Stated as:
New brakes, new interior (leather) door panels, front end, crate engine. Needs tranny (t400)
Thanks! John
http://www.k5mo.com/Vette1.jpg
http://www.k5mo.com/Vette2.jpg
http://www.k5mo.com/Vette3.jpg
Im a C3 newbie (but not a car n00b) and appreciate your input on value.
Stated as:
New brakes, new interior (leather) door panels, front end, crate engine. Needs tranny (t400)
Thanks! John
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,283
Likes: 4,373
From: Westminster Maryland
I think the BIG question is the rust situation. A car like that with a bad frame, or even worse, a bad birdcage isn't worth too much. BUT, if it's solid, it's the beginning of a nice Corvette.
Regards,
Alan
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
From: Triangle Area NC
Rust
I asked about the rust. He said there's light rust under window molding, but frame is very solid with no significant rust.
Of course I'm fully aware "light" is a subjective term! :-) ...
Of course I'm fully aware "light" is a subjective term! :-) ...
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
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
That term is particularly 'subjective' when it comes from the mouth of the seller! In other words, it has rust....it's up to you to find out how bad it is. The car is not in 'bad' shape, but it hasn't been maintained very well. It would take between $10-12K to make it a $25K car [plus all the work to get it there]. I wouldn't pay much over $12K for it 'as is'.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,988
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
That term is particularly 'subjective' when it comes from the mouth of the seller! In other words, it has rust....it's up to you to find out how bad it is. The car is not in 'bad' shape, but it hasn't been maintained very well. It would take between $10-12K to make it a $25K car [plus all the work to get it there]. I wouldn't pay much over $12K for it 'as is'.
You "asked" about the rust? That's like people who say, "the seller thought the numbers matched."
This is all 100% your responsibility. You are talking about things that will dramatically affect the value.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,988
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Hmmm, after looking at the pics:
Bad color, needs paint (wonder whats on the tag?), no real frame information.
Interior missing panels, gauge cluster broken, no horn cap, wrong steering wheel, needs plenty of $ in there...
Wrong motor, looks like it came with air but that is long gone, bad tranny.
All this looking at 3 pictures. $8k is too much.
Bad color, needs paint (wonder whats on the tag?), no real frame information.
Interior missing panels, gauge cluster broken, no horn cap, wrong steering wheel, needs plenty of $ in there...
Wrong motor, looks like it came with air but that is long gone, bad tranny.
All this looking at 3 pictures. $8k is too much.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,352
Likes: 1
From: Westminster Maryland
That little bit of rust under the windsheild frame is coming from the place that could be the most detrimental to the value of the car. I would have him pull of chrome and trim to see the frame of the windshield. If he objects, walk away. If that turns out to be minor, 12k give or take 10% would be the range to shoot for. It is a 70, the most rare of the C3 production. One day it might get a little more because of that, but it is still not an original. An unscrupulous seller can "fix" that. Don't get me started on that. Buy it for 12, put 12 into it, and you will have a nice car.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
From: Triangle Area NC
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Take tools, flashlight, jack, at least 1 jack stand, and a blanket. Take your time, if you're serious about it. If the seller doesn't want you to open anything up [to check for rust, etc.], walk.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,485
Likes: 7
From: Peekskill NY
Keep it the original color.
I just posted a thread last week with lots of pics of the undreneath of my 70 while up on a lift. Check it out, it may help you for when you look this one over.
Good luck, Glenn
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,988
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
That little bit of rust under the windsheild frame is coming from the place that could be the most detrimental to the value of the car. I would have him pull of chrome and trim to see the frame of the windshield. If he objects, walk away. If that turns out to be minor, 12k give or take 10% would be the range to shoot for. It is a 70, the most rare of the C3 production. One day it might get a little more because of that, but it is still not an original. An unscrupulous seller can "fix" that. Don't get me started on that. Buy it for 12, put 12 into it, and you will have a nice car.
Last edited by vettebuyer6369; Apr 7, 2008 at 12:50 AM.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,988
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
The guy asked for specific input and opinions in buying a car. I'm pretty sure he didn't mean for the thread to get highjacked with endless pictures of people with green '70s who got their feelings hurt.
Nobody is picking on your cars. Green does not sell as well as other cars. Get over it. I can't believe the amount of bumper cars for sale I've looked at in the last couple years whose trim tag showed it used to be green.
Nobody is picking on your cars. Green does not sell as well as other cars. Get over it. I can't believe the amount of bumper cars for sale I've looked at in the last couple years whose trim tag showed it used to be green.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,924
Likes: 6
I certainly wouldn't walk away from a car because someone I don't really know with a different wallet in a different part of the world has a different value in mind.
You're not buying a used car when you buy a C3. You're buying something you will want to have a long term relationship with. If you're buying a vette to mindlessly kick around the summer in, buy a C4.
Otherwise, follow your gut. If it feels like too much to you, then it's too much.
You're not buying a used car when you buy a C3. You're buying something you will want to have a long term relationship with. If you're buying a vette to mindlessly kick around the summer in, buy a C4.
Otherwise, follow your gut. If it feels like too much to you, then it's too much.