Hey everyone. I'm from the C5 forum. I had an 02 Z06 and it was totaled when an unlicensed driver ran a red and hit me. So I'm waiting for my insurance company and lawyer to handle things and I'll be picking up another C5 Z06. I work from home so I don't drive much as it is, so even my daily driver car only goes 400 miles a month max.

In the meantime I'm driving my 2nd car which is a '90 300zx 5-speed. I like the car but not enough to want to keep it. So I'm interested in getting a C3 as well as another Z06 (both to be used as daily drivers by me). I've always loved the C3s and almost bought an anniversary '78 that was pretty nice a few years back. I learned to drive on my dad's '85 Vette and it's been an obsession since.

Here's the thing, I don't know too much about the C3s. I know plenty about the C4s and up, but that's about it.

So what I'm looking for is some advice. I'd like a convertible/roadster and I don't really care if it's auto or manual. The Z06 is obviously going to be manual so if I have an itch to drive stick, I'll take out the C5. But IMO, nothing looks cooler than a top-down C3... NOTHING.

So what should I be looking for? How much should I expect to spend on a nice C3. Air conditioning doesn't matter to me (especially with a convertible) and it doesn't have to be mint, but it does have to have good condition interior. It doesn't have to be super fast. I'm not going to be racing it. I'm a very responsible driver and if I want to go fast, I'll take the Z06 to the track.

Anyway, wanted to get some opinions about it. What are your experiences?

Thanks in advance.

 

Do you enjoy working on old cars yourself? IMHO this will mean the difference between an enjoyable, rewarding experience with a C3 and an expensive one. From time to time it will need parts replacing and if you're not confident doing this yourself then it's going to cost you money.

That said, my '76 has generally been very reliable although I don't drive it every day. I know a couple of people who drive their C3s every day and they love it. It's possible, and they even claim that the cars run better if they're used regularly. Things don't sieze up or fail as often as on garage queens. I don't know.

 

I work on my cars myself when I can. I never had to do anything for the Z06, but it was near mint condition with only 30K miles on it. But my Nissan is nothing but trouble. I've pulled it apart many times. VG30DE motor is way more complicated than my dad's L98 which was quite easy to work on compared to the Nissan. I'm not worried about doing the work myself. The only thing that's hard for me to do is interior which is why I'd like a clean interior from the get-go.

Since I work from home, I don't commute much, but my girlfriend lives 15 minutes away, my best friend lives 10 minutes away, and the gym is about 5 minutes away. So I do drive a bit. While I'd loaned my 300zx out to my friend building his LS1 RX7, I put around 400 miles (average) on my Z06.

Now that my Z06 is gone and I have the 300zx, I'm putting the same mileage on my 300zx. So I imagine that if I'm splitting up the time between the two Corvettes, they both should be getting plenty of exercise. Especially in the first month or two. When I first got the Z06, I put over 1K miles on it each month for the first 2 months! LOL I made up every excuse in the world to drive it.

 

Well, since you want a convertible that rules out 76-82 C3's. Reliability should be the same on each of the remaining year choices so that would not factor in.

Next decision you would need to make would be do you want a chrome bumper (68-72) car or not (74-75). 73 had the chrome bumper rear end and plastic nose. I have not checked actual prices but I would think the highest priced would be the 68-72's then possibly the 75 since it was the last year. In reality the difference is probably minimal so get what you want.

I would try to find one that has power windows. I have had 4 (2 with and 2 without PW) C3's, and to me having the PW was a big plus. It sounds like you will be using this one more for drop top driving so that definitely factors into what you would "need" vs "like". I agree that AC would not really matter for you are wanting.

All of course are just my opinion, everyone likes different things. Good luck, I think you will enjoy the ride regradless of the direction that you go.

 

Good readng here.

 

I absolutely love my 1974 convertible, and have been quite surprised at how reliable it actually is. Not that I drive it much.

Question - I've wondered myself - wouldn't a 68-72 coupe with the removable rear window and T-tops out be about as close to a convertible to be worth it? Anyone out there have both? Please chime in.

 

A decent C3 is a great daily driver... But I would not have it has my only car. Looks like you would be fine with a C5 in the garage as a back up.

 

Question - I've wondered myself - wouldn't a 68-72 coupe with the removable rear window and T-tops out be about as close to a convertible to be worth it? Anyone out there have both? Please chime in.[/QUOTE]

I had a 71 t-top and will say I loved the pop-out back window. But the convertible is totally different in my opinion, probably since you have no blindspots, all open air, etc.

 

For reliability, you're always best off with the newest model that fits your criteria, unfortunately, you're limited to the 68-75 models since you want a convertible.

I've got a '72 and my original goal was to daily drive it. The car itself runs fine, but it's a much less comfortable drive, and these old cars have their quirks. I suppose a lot has to do with your budget since the cleaner/restored cars will typically have less problems but it's a big difference from the C5 realm of comfort and reliability.

Personally, of the options, I'd go with a chrome bumper (68-72) big block convertible.

 

OK, I'll be the one to say it. I have a BB '70 convertible, and as a daily driver, it sucks. Mostly it sucks gas, more gas than any other vehicle I have ever owned. The security of your posessions, and in fact the whole car, is basically zero. It was expensive to buy, and is expensive to maintain. Driving it in the rain sucks. Period. Sucks. Getting stuck in traffic in the car is nothing short of torture. I think you get the idea.

The security and driving in the rain problems can be solved by putting the hard-top on the car, but then it isn't like riding in a convertible.

Don't get me wrong, I love the car, am happy with it, and never complain about what it costs me in time, parts and gas. It's just that as a daily driver, it would suck, so I don't use it that way. My favorite way to use the car is as my "daily driver for a day", like when I see an opportunity to use the car all day as my regular car because it is nice weather and I am going here and there to places where it is reasonably safe and I don't have to worry about leaving it etc. That maybe happened 10 times this year. The rest of the time I just drive it on pleasure cruises or to the local meet-up or cruise-in, all of which is good fun, but not the same as a DD.

I have toyed with the idea of getting another C3 to use as more of an everyday car. My thinking would be that since I couldn't use collector car insurance if I was daily driving it, the first thing I would want to do is keep the purchase price under $15K because with regular insurance, I'll be lucky to get $10K if the car is stolen or wrecked, and I wouldn't want to have to walk to the poor house if that happened. In C3s, rubber bumper coupes are very affordable. I have been keeping my eye on the '79-'80 cars in my area, and about $9k is what it takes to get into the cars in really nice shape. I'm not afraid of auto trans as well. It's better in traffic, and then my wife can drive the car if she needs or wants to. I don't see anything wrong with '81s. If you aren't afraid of the cross-fire or modifications, there isn't anything wrong with '82 either.

 

Great honest opinion

 

my response was because he wanted a convertible he was limited to 68-75 and of those years, I would personally pick a chrome bumper big block. None of the options are good daily drivers. Honestly, the best DD C3s are the later 78-82s, especially the 82 with crossfire and the 700R4.

 

Awesome information guys. Thanks a bunch.

Gas doesn't matter to me. In my C5 I filled up once every 2-3 weeks with 80% street/city driving. I hardly jump on the freeway these days except to go to my girlfriend's house. So I'm not worried about gas really. My 300zx gets HORRIBLE economy, but it really doesn't matter that much.

I was looking at the 70's convertibles. I like the look. A 350 is fine. At some point, I'll end up pulling that motor, building it, and using EZ EFI to keep its carb look, but make it stronger and more efficient. That won't be for a while down the road though. After the accident, my back got a bit tweaked, so I won't be doing any heavy work for a while.

I've had t-top and targa top cars... They feel totally different than a convertible. I've driven lots of both and I love the feeling of the convertible. Hands down, the C5 is better to drive in the rain. The active handling system and traction control make it so much easier. So if it's cloudy or may rain, I'd take the C5. The chances are the top on the C3 may never go up. When I'm not driving it, the car will sit in the garage.

I was looking at spending about 12-15K. I don't know how much I'll actually be spending yet. Here in Cali, the cars seem less expensive than they do on the east coast. Not sure why that is. I looked on eBay as well and some people want 5-6K more for their C3s than they'd be here in Cali. I'll be searching around Craigslist and some other websites as well as looking at the local classifieds. I'm not ready to buy right this second. I'm just waiting for the accident thing to blow over before I start pulling the trigger on the 2 cars.

 

That is a great honest opinion.

And remember, the youngest C3 is still a 27 year old used car.

Here's mine.

 

I drive my C3, 78, just about everyday. with the top off... mild climate here in South Texas. Its really not BAD on gas. But I run premium with an octane booster. On the freeways, i get between 15 and 19 mpgs... not bad for a 3700lb hot rod. I agree, there's nothing like a convertible vette. The T-Top is pretty cool, but its nothing like a vert. It sucks in town though. My mpgs drop way down in city driving... somewhere around 11 - 13. Which still isnt bad. Wet roads... eh. It all depends on your technique, if you ask me. If you are confident driving a rwd car thats light in the ***, go for it. Just make sure you have the right rubber on the wheels. But, seriously, I drive my 78 pretty much everyday. Its a great DD... always gets good looks, horn blows, and thumbs ups in town. Im with IcemanZ06, a chrome bumper car, (68 - 72) would be the best bet... in my opinion that is. But the rubber bumper cars arent bad either. It all depends on your preference. I mean, it's really not going to matter because you're driving a Vette!!!

Cory

 

Well I'm pretty sure your not interested in my input, But I really don't think you will be satisfied with a C-3. I have a totally restored 1979 L-48 with 29K on the clock and it still is a Totally Different car from my 2003. I'm a NCRS member and my 79 won a second flight award a few years back, great car never let me down and loved to cruise. And i'm not knocking them other than the cabin is pretty claustrophobic in comparison to the C5, and as far as performance, It's gonna take all of your engineering skills (I believe you once mentioned your an engineer?) to develop an engine that will give you the performance your used to. There's always GMPP crate engines. And i know I'm get flamed out, but the craftsmanship on a C3 is light years behind/different than what your used to. But You talented, maybe you'll like a C3. They can be trying !

 

I'm not a mechanic by any means... My engineering is for software, not vehicles. But I know a bit about Chevy motors. If I really need performance down the line, I can do an LSx swap with some motor mounts, good T56 and a custom drive shaft. I'm sure the swap kits are already out there anyway. But I don't really care about performance. Like I said, if I want to go fast, that's what the Z06 is for.

I'm not going to flame you. What you said is a valid point. Older cars aren't the easiest to take care of. Yeah, they break and then there's the trek to find a good replacement part. But you do what you love. I love cars and the last time I drove a C3 I was pretty happy with how it felt to drive. I'm not too worried about Cabin space to be honest. I'm 5'7" @ 150Lbs and a convertible makes it all that much easier. My dad has a Solstice GXP and that car is SERIOUSLY cramped, but had no issues driving it from state to state. With the top down, it's like adding displacement to the cabin!

Again, this would be my second car, my primary car being a C5 Z06.

That is one beautiful car. And it's also pretty much exactly what I'm looking for.

 

Thanx....

Look at this car. I have seen it in person and its STUNNING.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3s-...1977-baby.html

 

I had a '77 auto as a daily (summer) driver for a few years in the early 90's and I have to agree with everything PK said.

They're a great toy, but i don't want to use one as primary transportation ever again.

 

The C3's are very dependable and easy to work on. The only one I have ever had a problem with is a 71 Big Block modified with 4spd. But I think it's more my right foot than the car. Keep yours stock or very mild mods to the drive train if you want a daily driver. Just remember, if you have a hot rod your going to tear stuff up.