I am considering buying a convertible and really like this car for some reason. Here is what I know about the car:

Originally white, but professionally stripped to the fiberglass and steel, then re-painted red.




small block car with 4 speed transmission. Original but freshened up.




black interior has been redone, and looks nice.




Cragar mags, not original wheels. New tires




Black soft top. No hard top.





What do you think it is worth?

 

30k

 

To do this work on a car would cost $20k, if you did the work (ballpark, depending on quality of parts and workmanship). I would say $28-$35k, depending on paint quality and details... documentation would contribute greatly. Your description could describe a totally destroyed and repaired car, or it may be a one owner that was cleaned and painted. Any more info?

 

I'm a "classic value" guy, so as a "non original" car, it's worth $18K, but if back to original standards, $28K.

 

All '68s are worthless, just like '64s. As such, I have begun to save the world from them and have offered disposal services where you can bring that worthless car and I will keep the world safe from it.

First, the value is greatly affected by originality. This car is unoriginal in many items that will cost you money to correct. First is paint. This is not a trivial item, being $5000 on the average.

Many items under the hood, which can lead to a couple thousand dollars easily. Radiator, radiator shroud missing, air cleaner, valve covers, distributor, and so on.

I think $30,000 is stretching it for a small block '68, even it it was all original. So if you deduct the incorrect things, you come in much lower.

Then you can begin to add what is good on the car. Rebuilt or new engine? Chassis restoration? New paint. New interior. Of course, they do not usually add at full cost.


And the economy is down.

 

Tough to be too accurate without seeing the frame and body. Some incorrect pieces (map pockets, shifter etc)- not terrible. I assume "small block... original... freshened up" means the numbers match? I'll assume they do- if not, all bets are off. The engine compartment needs some attention unless you like the cheapie speed shop look. The wheels, ew, but that's taste. The engine & wheels give it that low-budget 1985 modification feel.
Pretty good deduction for wrong color, though. It would cost every bit of $5k+ to get it right again.
Very low $20's I'd guess.

 

Hard to say, but I'd say just under $30k. Paint looks like it was well done. The windshield was out, so hopefully they fixed the WS frame. It is a convertible....

 

Judging by the pics, the windshield frame is in good shape and I assume the rest of the birdcage is the same?

To me (and many other buyers), bumper cars are all about originality unless they are big-time modded. This is neither.

To get it back to original would be about a $9k adventure (+/-), maybe more. I see it's got an electric cooling fan and headers.

My guess is low $20k range if the suspension is not in need of all the bushings being replaced, and it is otherwise mechanically sound with matching numbers drivetrain and a good frame.

If you have a thing for '68s with all their unique parts, and you like the color it's worth whatever you're willing to pay for it.

What are you looking for exactly?

 

Instead of asking "whats it worth"? Tell us what the guy is asking for the car & we can tell you he's too high or buy it before it's gone.....

 

100%

There's no way that a small block car with no A/C and several incorrect components is worth anything more than low to mid $20k's... Nowhere close to $30k. If we would be talking about a factory A/C car, it might be closer to $30k but a no A/C car won't get close, even if it's nice.

 

Thanks for the information.

The pictures of the car before it was worked on, look good. I believe it is a no-hit car. The wheels, headers, and other stuff was on the car when it came in the shop.





I have not driven the car yet. All I have seen is these pictures and driven by the car. I have not seen the frame/suspension.

The shop that did the restoration has done many Vettes, and knows what to fix. It is the owner's personal car, so I assume he did it right, and didn't cut corners.

I am too big for a non-tilt wheel car, I will have to change the column. I NEED air conditioning in Alabama, so I would be hurting the "original" value even more by adding it. I would like to get the engine bay looking more "original", but the A/C system I get will probably be a modern unit, not a '68 system.

The car is offered for sale in the mid-high $20K range. A little too high for the guy that needs to spend another $10,000 to make it original, and a little too high, for the guy that wants to spend $10,000 to make it practical (wheels, A/C, sidepipes), in my opinion.

I really wanted to get some opinions about the car, and it's street value.

I was going to offer him $15K, plus my '73 coupe for a trade. I figure it will cost me about $15,000 to get my 73 in the same shape as this 1968 model. I already have a bunch of shiny parts for the '73 engine that would go on the '68.

Here's my '73

It looks much better in pictures than in person. It needs a lot of work to be trustworthy.

What I want:
I am looking for a chrome bumper convertible. I would prefer a 1969, with a 427 and a 4-speed, but I don't want to pay that kind of cash for it. like the "gills" in the front fenders of the 1968 and 1969 cars. I want A/C and a tilt wheel. I want Hooker side pipes and deep dish wheels. I want a lowered car, with upgraded suspension and steering. I want something that I can drive to cruise events, take the weekend trip to Florida or Bowling Green without suffocating, or breaking down.

I love my C5 convertible, but prefer the look and feel of the C3.

 

If i am not mistaken and from where your profile says you live, i have looked at that car.

I did not talk to the owner but i do know people that have and he was advertising that car for 22k, and even at that he said make him an offer. He also told them it was a crate 350 motor, so it is not the orginal motor...

I stopped and looked at that car really quick one day, the paint is about a 7 i would say and the interior is orginal but needs work, the
undercarriage is ok but just ok.

I thought the car was and average non numbers car with a decent paint job.............

Keep me in mind if you find that 69-70 big block vert i am still looking for one..............

 

Thanks.

I know there is a chart or guide out there to determine if a motor, transmission or rear end is original. Can someone help me find it for the 1968 model?

I don't really care if the engine is original, but I don't want to pay the going rate for an original car, if it is not one.

There is a wealth of information on this website. I wish I had done more research before I bougth the '82 and the '73.

 

This should keep you busy for a while.


http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/D.../matchnos.html

http://www.rowleycorvette.com/stats68.html

http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm

http://www.mortec.com/location.htm

http://www.corvettemagazine.com/1999...2/munciep8.asp

http://www.100megsfree4.com/corvette/1960/vet68.htm

 

I wouldn't trust this guy at all.



There are several books, like the NCRS Spec Guide and the Genuine Corvette Black Book, which will tell you all the numbers, however, they will not tell you if the items are original, only that that match the car.

There are several places on the web with codes and numbers to tell what parts were originally installed on '68 Corvettes, but it gets even more complicated as to what was on any particular car. A lot has to do with options as to what rear end ratio was installed, what engine, and what transmission.

Most likely this is a 300 hp so it should have a wide ratio four speed and a 3.36 rear end. It could have the 3.08 if someone ordered it for the highway, but most tried to order them with lower rears, not higher.

3.36 - AK non-posi, AM posi
3.08 - AL

Odds are the engine code should be HE since it is a manual transmission 300 hp. Of course, if it were a 350 hp originally, then it would be an HT engine code.


What I see is a guy who is really confused on which way he wants to go. You say you want original, but you want an upgraded suspension, Hooker headers, and a more efficient aftermarket air conditioning.

I think I'd stick with the '73 if I were you, since you know that car, unless you are looking at serious birdcage or frame rust.

Since you are after so many non-original things, then build the '73 the way you want it and never look back. Drop a 427 in it, put on a Vette Brakes & Products suspension, and do the nods you want. The coupe will cool better with the AC than the convertible. I have one, it was only cool with the top down and running 50 mph. Well, it was also cool with the top up and running 150 mph. Different kind of cool, though.

The '73 embodied the custom look many were going for at the time. Chevy actually followed the trends of the owners for a change. Like the midyears, people were removing the front chrome bumper and smoothing the bumper notch to give a smooth slick shark look. The rubber front bumper followed that look.

But no way would I trade that '73 plus $15,000 for that '68. Maybe for an original one, or a big block, but not this one. I'd sell the '73 and then pay cash instead if you really want it or a convertible that bad.

 

Thanks for the advice. Sometimes it takes others to help clear your mind on what you really want.


The only "original" car I would want to drive is a new original 2009 ZR-1, but then I would wish it was a convertible all the time.

I am not hung up on having an NCRS car. There are a few guys in the club that have NCRS cars, and they don't ever drive them. My 1982 will be as close to original as I want to get (I beefed up the transmission and will be adding a hotter cam and prot matching the heads). I will be selling it as soon as it is finished. It will even have the original ralley wheels that came on it (rare for a 1982). I want to drive my cars.

I figured this '68 that has been painted a non-original color and is missing a bunch of OEM parts, might be a perfect car to "restomod" the way I want. I didn't know what a clean 1968 was worth, or how to determine what is not original on the car, so I can negotiate the price better. I don't plan on scouring the internet for a NOS fan belt or air cleaner nut.

I have about $5,000 worth of engine and suspension parts to restomod the '73, and that was my plan, but I kept wishing it was a convertible.

Keep the opinions coming...

 

Originally Posted by xccter
This should keep you busy for a while.







What did I do now?

 

Did you check that URL and my URL? They look, uh, similar.

 

thats all the money...............IMO

 

15 k AND the 73??????????

brother, if this is an NOM car, please do not include the 73. 15k is still on the high side.