New to Vettes
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Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 23
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New to Vettes
hey Everyone
I bought a corvette last year. I have always wanted one ever since I started working on a GM lot and drove my first one. Well forty years later I could afford an older one. The style I always liked was the C 3. I bought a 1976 L82 four speed. It is green with white interior. Supposeably not many of this combination were made and imported to Canada.
It has 59000 miles on it. Myoriginal plan was to buy a vette and drive it and make it my own. Now I don't know if I should put many miles on it or modify it in any way. I know these cars are not as valuable or as collectable as some but I don't want to devalue it any. Maybe I should have bought a wrecked or stripped one and made it my own. Also what are some of the problems these years had and what should I look out for
Thanks Guys Putts
I bought a corvette last year. I have always wanted one ever since I started working on a GM lot and drove my first one. Well forty years later I could afford an older one. The style I always liked was the C 3. I bought a 1976 L82 four speed. It is green with white interior. Supposeably not many of this combination were made and imported to Canada.
It has 59000 miles on it. Myoriginal plan was to buy a vette and drive it and make it my own. Now I don't know if I should put many miles on it or modify it in any way. I know these cars are not as valuable or as collectable as some but I don't want to devalue it any. Maybe I should have bought a wrecked or stripped one and made it my own. Also what are some of the problems these years had and what should I look out for
Thanks Guys Putts
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,039
Likes: 3,344
From: Omaha NE
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Welcome to the forum! I've had my '76 since new. Dark green is the rarest '76 color with only 2,038 built. And with only 5,720 L-82s built out of a total of 46,558, I bet yours is one rare bird. But it won't do much to add to the value of a '76 though.....
I wouldn't worry much about hurting the value with things you might want to do to it or miles. Mine had a list price of $8998. I've been offered $15k. So in my case it's only gone up about $6k over 33 years.....
Just drive & enjoy...........
I wouldn't worry much about hurting the value with things you might want to do to it or miles. Mine had a list price of $8998. I've been offered $15k. So in my case it's only gone up about $6k over 33 years.....
Just drive & enjoy...........
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
Its nice to keep a car stock/original if its pretty nice to start with but your not talking a huge investment to protect so if you just dont like something change it. They say plan on loosing the cost of putting something back if you sell it. That depends on whos buying, save the original parts.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 1
From: Port Clinton Ohio
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Drive it and enjoy it. If you change anything, keep the original parts. The next owner can put them back if he/she wants.
The most common issues/problems with these cars are rust in the frame and birdcage (steel cage around passenger compartment). Of course, being as old as they are, they will have other problems but the rust can be very expensive to fix.
The most common issues/problems with these cars are rust in the frame and birdcage (steel cage around passenger compartment). Of course, being as old as they are, they will have other problems but the rust can be very expensive to fix.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 328
Likes: 0
From: PASADENA MARYLAND
imo That is one of the best reasons to own a C3 ..Fun to drive ,Classic look,Not a big investment ,( it might not gain a lot in value ..but you wont loose a lot in value either )and in the mean time you can drive the wheels off of her and not feel guilty ...
Welcome to the forum and enjoy the ride ...
