I currently have an 07 C6 and am looking at an 81 for a toy. I'm not familliar with the C3 and don't really know what to look for. It has 83K miles and is in very good condition. It has only been driven 400 miles in the last 3 years. I'll be taking it out for a test drive Friday so I'd like some advice on what I should be looking for. It's a Florida car and upon a quick glance underneath I saw zero rust and no fluid leaks on the garage floor.



BTW the original wheels are back on the car.

 

It is straight, excellent panel fit from the shot, nice paint and a set of C4 front side marker lights artfully blended in. I assume the interior and engine bay are in similar condition? If so; based on only looking at the single photo and your description of the car it probably has no issues to speak of unless for some reason you desire a "stock" car. It presents too well to have been neglected: but this is only my opinion based on a single photo... which is worth exactly what you paid for it.

 

Those are the original side markers, not off a C4.

 

Things to look for:

1) Most guys would advise you take it to a shop that works on corvettes and get their opinion. That would be a good move, I believe

2) Rust bubble under or around the upper door hinge and in the seam sealer there. It is an indicator on what level (if any) rust might be in the bird-cage. The birdcages can rust something fierce and often you can't see it unless you know what to look for.
2) Remove the kick panels and look for rust on the lower area where the birdcage attaches to the frame. You can see it with the kick panel removed. Just a couple screws if I remember right.
3) Rust in the rear of the frame where the rear trailing arm connects.

I'm sure other guys will chime in. I have an 81 and love it. They had a lot of vacuum operated polution controls on them back then and a computer controlled carb. It's getting harder to get people to work on them but ther are GM books on the CCC on ebay that tell all how to keep going.

Good luck

Mark G

 

Not sure about FL smog laws. Side pipes may give you trouble getting it smogged here in CA. Again.. I don't know anything about smog laws in FL.

 

Check out the radiator support for rust in the bottom. They tend to hold water in the bottom and rust through.

 

No smog inspection in FL.

Thank you for the replies
a few more pics

 

That looks like a really nice car from the pictures. Not bastardized. Interesting interior color combo. Was it a silver car in the beginning? It's probably just me, but I think I would get tired of side pipe noise after a while. Must be my age.

Mark G

 

Pics look good, i like the grey/black interior. good luck.

 

Without a closer inspection and not knowing the price hard to say for certain but on the surface looks like a nice ride. I happen to be quite fond of 81's. Including the sidepipes!

If you can find someone local that knows Corvettes, even if you have to throw them a buck or two to go with you, it may be worth it.

 

The beat-down price is 8K, he's moving to Nebraska in January and really wants the car gone before he leaves.

 

I think that is a great price if it's in good shape mechanically. Can you tell why I like it?
Dave

 

I would be looking very close at adding that 81 vette to my garage at that price. Give it a good close look at all the places every one has mentioned. Even though there was no oil on the floor, the power steering system has been known to have small leaks, look closely at the valve and the ram. Look in front of the rear wheels where the frame kicks up. The frames are prone to rust first in these areas. Look at the differential area if you can get it up in the air. Look for leaks in this area. If you can jack the rear of the car up and get the rear tire up off the ground, give the wheel a push/pull at the 3 and 9 o'clock position. Give it the same at 6 and 12. This will give you some indication of wheel bearings and differential yokes.

These are great cars. If it were me, I would only let rust stop me from buying a car like this that I like. I am pretty mechanically inclined so working on one of these is fun and I enjoy it. There will be work to do on one if you drive it. Also if you hang around in the C3 section long enough, you will see something that someone is doing and you will want to do this to your car. Its worked on me several times and there are still lots of things I would love to do.

If you wind up going to look at it again or buying it, bring us more pics. The C3 section like to look at pics.

 

The common issue w/ C3 is brake calipers leaking. They probably have already been done w/ SS sleeve calipers. As w/ any used car check for straight frame, water in oil (not likely w/ C3) & everything you want to work. I know someone who bought a used car, then found out the pass. door did not open.

The Vette looks good.

 

Sheeeseh.........that????.......for $8000?.......IF your not going to buy it, Id seriously consider it.

Birdcage
Nose cone, specifically UNDER the cone, by the lights, rust or bent or repaint?
Body seams, from underside, patched or pop rivited?
Steering ram leak?
brake cylinder leaks
Pull the carpet up if you can, look for water signs
If you can, remove the top inside windshield trim ( the plastic) and look for signs of water.
3 & 9 and 6 & 12 wheel thing as mentioned.
Pull the dipstick, when cold and look for clean oil, then pull the oil filler cap and look for "sludge" deposits. When I bought mine i had a magnetic dipstick, put it in....ran the car till it was hot....checked for metal filings,and once I got it home I cut open the filter to look for metal as well.
Even tire wear?
New parts?.....bushings, starters, alternators, gas tank, etc

Documentation, documentation and more documentation.
Service history, previous owner info, etc.

rubbersidedown
Dodosmike

 

Good luck with that purchase. From the pics it tooks like a nice car. Depending on how much you get into that car I'm sure you will be wondering if the car was built in St Louis or in Bowling Green since 81 were built in both places. Nice price for a car that looks that good.

 

That car shows realy well in the photos. For the price you will not be going wrong in that condition. You do need to look at the rust prone areas, however i would doubt that that car has issues. At $8K its a give away.

When you look in the door jambs dont be concern with the globbed on area at the top that looks like a bad repair. They are all like that from the factory.

You'll be happy Welcome to the C3 world!

 

Like all the others have mentioned, if all the trouble prone areas look to be solid/no problems, the car is a steal at 8K. You may be getting a great deal at the price. Good luck!

 

Thanks for the positive replies. I guess tomorrow I'll know what to look for, many thanks for the areas of issue. I hope the test drive goes well, I'm reallly geeked up on this deal, although I need another car like a hole in the head.

 

Don't we all? The car, not the hole in the head.