What price range should I be in for a vette that meets the following criteria:

68 or 69 (prefer 68) convertible with hard top with good body and no paint, and no damage or rust on the frame, birdcage, doors, or anywhere else. I don't care about the interior, I already have a motor and transmission to go into the car, and even the hood is optional since it will be getting an aftermarket hood anyway.

The few I've come across seem to have some owners who are pretty proud of them, and want to sell it for what it might one day be worth with a proper restoration but certainly not what it's worth now.

What price range do you guys think is fair for what I'm looking for? I was thinking around $5k, but maybe I'm too low?

 

You won't find a 68 or 69 convertible with a mechanically sound frame, suspension and steering for $5K. I would think that a decent car with a 'bumb' motor and just in primer would cost you somewhere in the $9K-$13K range. Drop in a $5K motor and give it a $7K paint job and you will end up with a $25-30K car.

 

Yea, I think you are too low. I think it will be hard to find one that fits that description. But if you did, I would think around 10k.

 

Are you serious? If that's the case, how come every couple of days someone posts a link to an ebay or craigslist ad showing a vette in a similar state, asking $10k+, and everyone here piles on the ad saying "I wouldn't give more than $1,500 for that"?

Seems to me $5k is pretty reasonable for nothing but a rolling chassis with no rust, no body damage, and no paint.

 

I would agree that what your looking for would be at least 8-10k.. Pretty much a nice car with no motor. You can definatly get a coupe like that for 5.. With a little looking..

 

Ron... If you already knew what it was worth, why did you ask?

 

I think anywhere from 5-8k you can find a car with a bad engine and good frame. Just have to look hard.

 

I haven't found one yet so I don't know what it's worth ... what I'm asking is what I should be offering when I do. I'm surprised by the higher numbers given that whenever a car comes along similar to what I'm asking for everyone touts how they wouldn't pay jack squat for it.

For example a couple of months ago someone posted a link to a car that had recently been repainted and looked like a damn good paint job, frame was ok, didn't know about the bird cage because there were no pics, but under the hood was a complete mess. I think the seller was asking $9k, and everyone jumped all over it and called it a "polished turd", among other things.

Just seems to me that there may be a little hypocrisy? I don't know what it is really ... all I know is that whenever a car comes across that looks to be in the condition I'm looking for, everyone always piles on the price and says "I wouldn't pay more than X" for it. But then I come on and say "I'm looking for this" all of a sudden the tune changes, "Oh, fork over some dough buddy, you're into the five-figure range now"... doesn't make any sense.

If $8-10k is more realistic then so be it, I'm just kind of surprised given the responses to how "overpriced" pretty much every unfinished vette for sale that someone posts a link to is.

 

I think the problem is, you are describing a perfect starter project platform, and there won't be that many with just everything the way you want it, without the things you don't want to pay for (no paint, engine, etc) but with all the things you want (no rust, no body damage).

It's a double-edged sword... the old adage "buy as much as you can afford" comes into play here. While you are talking about a convertible, I would guess $5k is too low. Closer to $8 or $10k I'd say. If you add it all up, when you are finished you could be into it for $25k+ which for all intents and purposes is too much for an NOM, probably wrong color car. But that's what happens when you start with an attractive low buck project like a '68-9 convertible... everyone wants a '68-9 convertible at a low price. I bought mine for $17.5k but we are doing the whole car now anyway.

All you can do is wait it out and hope to not have to pay for stuff you don't need.

 

Here's one for ya... just what you wanted, hardtop and all.

 

Buy a restored one...you will be money ahead...even at $28 K.....

 

I already have a restored one - now I'm looking for a good body on a good frame that I can make the way I want and not be concerned with mileage or resale value or anything else.

 

A "good body" [vert.] on a "good frame" ['68 or '69] will cost you $10K (+ or -).

 

$9-10k was the initial number that came to mind before I read any of the other posts. Sorry.

 

I think the difference here is we are saying what you can expect to pay, not what we think one would really be worth. If you asked what we think that car is worth it may be lower than what we think you might find one for..

We all agree I think.. If I were selling "that car" I would want as much as someones willing to pay for it. Not what I would think is fair..