I am learning a lot, facts vs opinion vs point of view,

So help me with this one I will describe what I can about a car and you guys tell me what you feel it is "worth" or it's "value" today,

I am not concerned if it is a high yield investment, I don't care if you like it or hate it the way it is,
What I care about is just what do you believe a fair price for it today would be, this will really help me learn a great deal.

1968 Convertible both tops, soft top fair to good.
327 low option car, no AC 4 speed tranny,
Layers of paint in fair condition, small ZL-1 rear flares and wrong one piece replacement front clip ( looks 73-79 style front ) stock 68 short hood.
Interior, poor to fair, seats older recover in velvet.
Engine has old chrome dress up items,
The car is more of a "runner" needing restoration than a "driver" to thinker with as you fix up.
Same owner 20 years, says it has no rust issues.

So what would a fair price for it today be?

Also I know the 68 had the ign on the dash and push button door handles what other odd things did the 68 model year have a person would need to know,

I am looking forward to views and opinions on this one,
Many thanks
Cheers,
P.

 

not enough info, nor pictures.
based on what you said; 6K.

 

Nope...no pics....ask more questions, if you want...so far not a 14K car to you?

 

$8k....

 

So these cars do sell for 6-8K seems the magic figure I see a lot is 13999

 

A very weak, basically stock 68-69 roadster can fall as low as $15ish if it needs pretty much everything replaced. At least it will have value when restored in stock form. It will cost a ton though.

The car you describe has to be looked at as a weak roadster that literally has no nose and a completely damaged rear clip, as well as an unsaveable interior.

Unlike a car with a worn interior, it can't be "picked at" with key component changes like carpet or seats, it will near everything.

On the body, obviously you know by now the deviations from stock are an automatic deduction. However, in this case the car has actually been taken from a "bumper car" to a ''was a bumper car but now its a rubber nose car"- AKA a disaster.

At the very least, the nose has to be replaced. While you are at it, you must fix the flares and put on a coat of paint. I think you could spend $15k doing this easily. But, lets say you got a cheap used nose at a swap for $3000, and installed it and painted for a total of 10k. Assuming the 327 is NOT NOM, and the paint matches the trim tag, the car could be worth as much as $25k, maybe $22.5. Understand these are all very rough estimates. This also does not take all the other issues not listed into account.

Including all the work and expense, I can't see the car worth more than $8k. I'd look to spend considerably less.

 

Vetterbuyer,
Thanks for the reply explaining it,

So to start with the gist I am getting from you is if a 68-69 is weak but lets call it unmolested it will fetch more because it takes less to restore it than the modded/custom car,

The way I see it while I would just restore or "fix it up" with things like the wrong front clip and my own touches, hense the buying price should be the same not reflecting the end result but rather the start of this journey,
To this end I might buy a car that many people desiring a stocker would pass over due to it um, being ruined in their eyes with it's mods.

So I run into a car I dig and it's a 7-9 K car and the seller is asking 12- 14K do I make an offer telling them my offer is what it is worth to me, risk getting cussed out or just move on to the next one,
What I am saying is just how big a brass ones should a person get when dickering price?
I have been out of the buyer cars like this for 20 years, is there an etiquette or do people get rude?

If you can tell me more on how to spot rust on these things I do know the basics but seems some sellers might um, well ah, try to hide it.

Many thanks
Cheers,
P.

 

Essentially, yes. Also the fact that the basically stock car is always easier to sell, regardless of price.

Absolutely, yes. This is a concept that's difficult for some people to grasp. They are more than willing to pay too much for something, because they like some thing or some changes don't "bother" them. However, it's simply foolish to spend thousands of dollars more than market value because "you don't care about matching numbers" or you like customs.

I used to teach a Bloomington Gold class on How To Buy. I always said, I don't care if you want a yellow and green '79 hatchback/tilt nose car with a blower. I will never tell you not to buy what you want. However, I will ALWAYS tell you not to pay too much.

If you do not mind modifications (and I know you dont) then make that work FOR you.

See the last line above (YES!)



Never put a guy's car down. Don't nitpick either, just point out this that will cost X to get back to stock, which is how an average Corvette value is calculated. Conclude with "I understand that you want $15k, but as I calculate what I'd need to get the car to be worth $20k, I would have to spend $12.5." So, the most I can offer you on this car is $7500. Not the car isn't nice, but that's what I can pay for this car."

There is no etiquette, especially in todays world of classless people with no manners. Many people will be nice, but there absolutely will be people who will be rude and abusive. The Corvette Owning public is full of them for some reason. Just don't take it personal and if there's no chance of counter-negotiation, then politely leave. I never, ever, ever get personally, emotionally involved, either buying or selling. No room for it.

There's tons of cars for sale.

 

Many thanks Vettebuyer,
This is gold!

So when I go to dicker I just explain it will take X to get this car up to par so The most I can pay is X....That is pretty easy.

I have two vettes up for sale myself, 86 and 76 neither anything special and not junk either,
I post them on Craigslist to test the water, which I feel is a kin to a dirt flea market and I get silly offers for like 300-900 I politely reply "No Thanks" and about every third one goes off on a rant about my car being the biggest POS to float down the river and I am the biggest Richard Cranium in the free world for not selling it to them for their offer that was more than the car is worth,

The Corvette world does seem to have these jokers gravitating to it...weird.

While I do want something less than perfect a driver I can tinker with I have seen a couple radical customs, pretty much "done" cars so where's the fun it that unless it's exactly What I want,
These cars tend to be very overpriced as far as I am concerned, so I ask a fellow the other day why the high price on what in this case was actually a near basket case custom not even nice,
He replied, if a weak, tired Motion custom can get 200K then his custom is worth 20K So I can't even go anywhere on something like that.
If anything I want a bargain...lol

I have to listen to what you said, "there's tons of cars for sale" if I have to pass on a few even many that is okay

 

Vettebuyer KNOWS what he is talking about. Steve helped me a lot as well as many others here on the forum.

What has worked well for me is I like to ask the seller what his bottom line is. That at least opens the door. I will not insult anybody or their car. It just doesn't pay.

I will also add that I agree with this sounding like a 6K - 8K car.
What are you looking to build? You need a clear cut vision of your project. It makes finding suitable donor cars much easier. Do you want a stock looking resto-mod or a L88 road race type car? If you want a stock body forget this car. It's too much work ($$$$). As stated before pictures - pictures - pictures - you can never have enough of them.

 

When you start having conversations with logic like this, just cut it off and don't waste any more of your day.

When he still has the car in 2011, maybe he'll reconsider the $5000 offer he should have sold it for in the first place.

Oh, one more thing about these conversations... as soon as the words, "Barrett-Jackson" come out of their mouths, just go to Baskin-Robbins for ice cream instead of standing there one more second. Time better spent.

 

Here is the car I started this thread over,



Now, don't go steal it for 5K he wants 13K

YIKES! you asked what I want to have/build
Okay...be gentle...lol

I want a driver something I can drive while I mess with it,
But if I find just what I want...a long shot, I would go as far as add engine and tranny if I had to,
What I want I have wanted for over 2o years, now is the time to make it happen,

Starting at the nose, flip style, I would rather have a Mako clip but will more than likely find the Ecklers style,
headlights will be recessed or in the grill, either way have their appeal to me,
I would rather have the cowl scoop but some of the Ecklers clips had L-88
I want all four corners flared, I dig ZL-1 better but L-88 is okay,
And the car must be a Convertible,
Interior doesn't matter as I want to run 80-82 style.

I really like the 69-73 rear end stock with chrome bumpers,
But old firebird tail lights would be cool,

While looking for a car I see a fair amount with rear flares, the front tilt is more of a long shot but if the car has the wrong nose or no front clip that works for me,

I want a basic old school custom, I know everyone will hate it except me,


Most of the sellers of old tired custom cars are fairly modest about the mods knowing most vette people hate them, it's that one out of 10 I was telling you about that thinks his ragged out custom is solid gold and you are so right he will post it for years and never move it out,

Here is a picture of a car I found on here the other night from a few years back, to me it's perfect,

No, I don't care for the gas fill in the style line but that is an easy fix,
If I find something like this I would be all set....All set? heck I would be in heaven!

 

Well....if the seller is able to find someone who really likes the look of the car { , sorry...couldn't help the personal comment} and has the extra ca$h, he might just be able to get $10K out of it. Like P.T. Barnum used to say, "There's a sucker born every minute."

 

here is you a old school west coast custom that was built in 71.....

 

Nope. Not even close. I was thinking $9k-ish until I read the part about the '73- front clip in your second post, and then the pic. That killed it for me.

You have gotten some of the best advise this forum has to offer so far. I really can't add anything constructive after vettebuyer's 2 previous posts.

Keep up the questions, and with help like this, you'll find the right car for you when it shows itself. Be patient.

 

Right on as always

 

This car was on ebay in 2007, so I dont thiink there's a long line in front of you . Here're te pics I grabbed of it back then
http://corvette.canney.net/webvettes...003/index.html

 

Usually someone puts the wrong nose on due to an accident. Put that thing on a lift or better yet, take it to a body shop where they can shoot it with a lazer to see if its straight. /:\

 

Nice link any idea how much the black 71 with louvers went for.

 

7t1vette if you can puke at what I like I can yawn at what you like?

I couldn't resist either but we both should have..
I don't want this thread turning into slams on what I want in a vette, that serves no purpose, and I do know tone gets lost in type, I am saying this with a big smile...
Hey, if this car I like makes most people puke then the price should be way low right?

You didn't know PT Barnum is one of my heros, you know he made 1000's showing a gaff he called the Fiji Mermaid ( I have one in my collection ) when it was exposed as a fake, a monkey sewed to a fish, he made even more money showing the "fake" that 100's of people paid 1000's to see....gotta love a mind like that.


Okay,
So you did raise a good point, "If someone likes it"
I would be as happy as a pig in shi..um slop to own that red custom above and would gladly pay 10K for it, ( or were you talking 10 K for the tired brown car? )
The red car is so close to what I would build from scratch that I wouldn't have to do anything to it, just tinker and enjoy it,

With that said and with the motivation of hating custom not being a factor what is the fair price on that red car really?
Seems customs are a bit hard to gauge,

Here is one that is asking 35K will they get that for it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=110399519128

Seems if we believe the one bid is real the world that views Fleabay sees this as not a 35K car but a 15 K car,

I have been doing customs over 30 years and the last 20 or so year the majority of customs are cars with say a twin turbo hood and Daytona front bumper, ( we still sell the heck out of that front bumper ) I am looking for something more like the red car above while all the parts are still off the shelves it looks "old school".

Seems we gauge the price on what it would take to restore the car to stock but for a person like me who desires custom how do we gauge price?
Seems what it takes to make the car what we want would be the place to fall back on,


vettesbydesign,
As you know I am very jealous of that sweet 71 custom, do you still have it?
I can't say I would be jealous of keeping the wicked cool looking multi carbs happy.


You guys are right on I am learning a lot in this thread, I love it,
Yes, I am very aware that in most cases when a car has a new clip it's because the old clip was trashed, and I really dont care so long as the frame is straight,

Hum...the brown 68 up for sale since 07, well the seller tells me that's when those pictures were taken the car has been in the back of a shed or barn every since and we all know what happens when you just let a car sit, he doesnt want to send current pics,

There is a black 69 on fleabay same thing like brown above with the wrong front end and they want 15K

So guys keep your eyes open for me for something like the red car above.