I know this is a touchy request, so I won't object to your responses. But please do read the specs before you post a number. This is a H&C PROCHARGED Stroker with a 6 speed, 19" wheels, custom body work and a HOK paint job.

I'm thinking about trading/ selling this for a C5 Z06. I also have 2 jet skiis and a DD to barter with. I would quite likely let all three go for the right Z. By the way, this C3 will spank your C5 Z06, unless you have A LOT of work done to it.

Here are pics fresh out of the booth, it does look better now that the wheels have been cleaned, the windows, lights, side view mirrors, door handles, rocker panels, etc. have been installed.

The car needs to be dynoed, but it's at 10lbs right now and should make around 500 something to the wheels easy.

EngineSpecs:

Procharger D1SC 4" pulley, K&N filter
383ci SBC
9:1
Forged Scat Crank
Forged Scat 6" Rods
Forged Aluminum SRP Pistons
AFR 195cc Aluminum Angle Plug Heads w/8032 Upgrade
Comp Hyd Roller Cam & Lifters .576 in .594 ex Lift 239in 245ex Duration @ .05
Comp Chromeoly Pushrods
Harland Sharp 1.65 Full Roller Rockers (Girdled)
Edelbrock Victor Jr
MSD Pro Billet HEI
Mighty Demon 750 Annular
Hamburger 7 qt oil pan baffled
ProForm aluminum high flow water pump
Transmission:

T56
Pro 5.0 Shifter
Spec Kevlar Clutch
Centerforce Flywheel
Exhaust:

Long Tube Equal Length Ceramic Headers
Dual 3" Mandrel Bent Pipes
Magnaflow high flow catalytic converters
Dynomax bullet mufflers

Body & Paint:

78 Hood & Gills, 74 front bumper glassed in, 82 rear bumper glassed in, emblem holes and antenna hole all removed. Body is straight, better than stock, no evidence of seams, no cracks, chips or scratches.

The paint is a three stage HOK pearl. It shifts from black to metallic charcoal, it is really sinister looking. I drove it down main street Huntinton Beach, and while I was parked someone complimented it literally every thirty seconds. The rockers and trim have all been sprayed with HOK black and clear coated.

The tail lights and side markers have all been done in candy black and clear. They look gloss black till you step on the brakes, really wicked.

Suspension:

3.55 LSD
630lb front coils (550s -3/4 coil)
360lb rear spring (shortened 1/2") w/10" bolts
Solid Precision U-Joints
Bilsteins
1 1/4 fast Corvette front sway bar
3/4 Addco rear bar
19x9 1/2 Enkei wheels
275 30 Nitto NT555 tires
19x8 up front with 235 35 Nittos
Energy Suspension poly bushings
Dana Ball Joints

Misc:

Northern aluminum radiator with dual 12" electric fans
Hawk Brake Pads
Goodridge Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Painless temp control
Mobil 1 in the engine and Redline in the trans and diff
The car has been lightened several hundred lbs

 

Here's what's wrong with her:

Vinyl trim is blue, planned to dye it.

Weather stripping is purchased but not yet installed, I will likely install it in a few weeks, so don't factor this.

Plastic head liner is cracked near the seat belt, I would probably repair this and spray it semi black.

Pass seat belt is sometimes loose.

Boost guage is only zip tied over the steering wheel.

SPEC clutch chatters on take off.

The engine and the tires don't get along very well, haha. Traction is an issue.

Tint on drivers side window is not perfect, scratched. I might be able to get it redone for free.

Drivers side seat has a small burn.


Forgot to mention some good things. Installed is a $500 Eclipse head unit. I have a Viper alarm/ actuators for keyless entry that are not installed but would go with the car. Speakers are 4x6 Eclipse co-axial.

Also, seats are aftermarket, very sporty.

Brackets are installed for strut brace, but need to buy and install rod/ rod ends. Should only be about $30. But not necessary.

Finally, the guage pod is custom, done in plexiglas. Autometer speedo and tach (5").

 

There is also a knocklite installed, but my monster cam confuses it. I might try to tune it with a resistor, I might just give up and E-bay it.

 

First let me say nice car. I am guessing at 14-18k I know the paint I can tell there is more than twice that into it.

 

very nice, but as you know custom late C3's are not going to be much different than stock, and many times less.
I have twice into my 78 than what it is worth but I did not build it to sell.

Assuming that you deal with the list of issues I would say 16. You have a lot into this car with all the top end parts,
but the market will set the price.

 

You might be able to get 20 if you find the right buyer. I don't think you'd get enough for it to warrant selling it. It sounds like you've put a lot of time and money into building it. Why not just keep it, wait a few extra months to save up the money you'd make by selling it and then get the Z06? Then you'd have two awesome cars.

 

Thanks guys, no I'm not offended. I expected estimates in that range. The reality is that I cannot drive this car everyday, it's tucked away in the garage up in OC while I'm using me Neon to drive to school down here in SD. I took the GF out in the Vette this weekend and laid into the throttle a few times... remembered how much I missed it. My GF just seemed to be frightened. Haha. But thinking about it, I'd rather drive a fast cool reliable car on a daily basis than a Neon every day and a monster only once in a blue moon. The C3 is a great car, and has proven to be far more reliable than my POS Dodge. But it's loud, rough, and not fuel efficient. I can get 17-18 in a C5 in the city, and mid 20s on the freeway. If I find someone who wants to trade... I'll prob go for it.

For you C5 Z/ modded C5 owners, like I said, I've got two jet skiis to barter with also, PM me if you're interested. And a sweet Neon!

Rcread, I'm in law school. I don't save every month, I crawl deeper into debt, thus the desire to trade my assets rather than acquire more. And who the hell saves $18-20K in a few months?

 

Awesome car, I have read some of your posts regarding your procharger dreaming of some day doing the same thing to my '81.

I totally get the speed fix thing, it was hard for me to give up to switch to a DD when I sold my Z28 a few years back, but I went without a fun car for a while and saved up for the '81 project.

When you graduate and start pulling down rotten bastard lawyer money () you might seriously wonder why you thought getting rid of such a cool unique car was a good idea.

At the end of the day, when I gave up my Z28, I managed to convince myself that slogging through 20-30 mph traffic for 1.5 hours a day with 350 hp wasn't all that different from doing the same with 150 hp. My automotive fun was pretty well restricted to the weekends anyway.

 

Someone asked about the House of Kolors color code, I think it's PBC043, otherwise it's PBC143.

 

When you're out of law school, then you'll save $20k in a few months. You'll see. Seeing as to how you are still in law school, it sounds like selling the C3 is a wiser choice.

 

Any differences of opinion we may have had aside (trivial in the big picture), you've put so much effort into this thing I'm kinda sad to see you thinking about throwing in the towel. If you do decide to let go of it, here's hoping you find the right taker so you don't end up having to "fire sale" it.


TSW

 

FLAME SUIT ON: And no offense intended, you asked for opinions. Also, it seems to be a very nice car.

I would be VERY surprised if you were able to find someone to actually pay over $10k for your car.

It is a highly modified 1978, that still needs a few things done to be complete. Look back at I think Liquid Dragon, to see how nicely done modified rubber bumper cars sit on the market for a fraction of the "investment".

Nevertheless, good luck.

Steve

 

$10K

 

Sad fact is in this market, $10K is probably not that far off in the grand scheme of things. I'd say if you find a buyer with $14K in his pocket, your doing pretty good. $4K diff is not whole alot of money IMHO.

In a 'normal" market, I'd guess closer to $16-$18K.

Did Liquid Dragon have a good paint job? I think the paint needed work, everything else was spectacular, but in the end, certainly a testament of the market for highly modded up C3s.

C5Z prices are also falling off fast so the longer you wait, the better off you may be in the near short term, like later this summer or fall.

 

Dude, your words, not mine: "Appraise my C3...I won't object to your responses."

It is not good form to ask for opinions and then mock the opinions that you don't like. The facts include nearly 50,000 1978's made, and because the top engine horsepower rating was 220 virtually ALL have been modified for greater performance. Sorry, but you are not the first guy to have supercharged a stroker motor in a late model C3.

Steve

 

Well said Steve !

Phil

 

I'll give you 15 rubees, 12 francs, and pesos.

 

I think 16-18 sounds right, if you can get most of those minor issues taken care of. I know they aren't that big of a deal, but little stuff like that can stall a sale big-time...especially the vinyl trim, tint, boost guage, and seat burn. Can make a beautiful can seem kind of Mickey-Moused together, if that makes sense. JMO.

By the way, that is a freaking beautiful paint job. Big thumbs up.

 

This is probably fairly accurate. It doesn't help that in CA and other states, this car isn't going to pass smog and may not even be transferable.

 

Half moon, I didn't object to your opinion, did I? It just seemed funny to me that everyone else posted 16-18K at least, then you come out with a number from left field.

Is everyone else wrong? Or are you a moron? If you don't know what you're talking about, just

CA Legal Vette, the Procharger, MSD dist and AFR heads all carry CARB numbers. The exhaust is catalytic converter equipped and I don't need to smog it illegally. There are a few things that I need to swap... but if you were really lazy you could leave this car 100% legit all the time... Procharger equipped. Why would it not be transferable? Registration is current, as of a week ago.