Im seventeen and looking to buy a C3 whats the best year to buy and for how much thanks.
Prolly looking like 74 to 80. im looking as a starter car something i can tinker with for fun. I loved vettes for as long as i can remember and i like the mid to late 70's and want to start with one and then later move on to a 62. if you could help me out and tell me what i should know thatd be great. Im looking somewhere between $4-7 thousand price range. im pretty mechanically inclined when it comes to cars and should be able to make most repairs.

thanks for the help everyone. I ended up with an 85 vette went with a C4.

 

for an example, here on the Indianapolis Craig list,there is a 75, T-top,auto,that runs and drives,needing restoration,for 25 hundred bucks. Thats a great year to buy,simply cause its the last year for verts,not that this is one.If you can find a 73 or older,cheap but solid,your ahead of the game. My opinion only.

 

Doh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A 1973 L-82 4-Speed. A convertible if, you can find one.....I prefer the coupe's.

The car's condition and originality shall determine its value. You can spend a lot, or a little. Its what you have to spend that will determine the final outcome. Its a good time to buy, look around, and you will see prices all over the place. But, whatever you choose...be sure to inspect it, or have someone inspect it for you, prior to any comitment.

Stay in tune.....

 

"Best" means a lot of different things to different people. Many will say that 1970 is "best", because it is the last year of high compression motors, and first year of the fenders being widened and the front fender gills being changed, and having the chrome bumpers front and rear. They're also probably the most expensive of the c-3's. The "best" in terms of least expensive are the 74-77's, but generally they have the lowest horsepower and are mighty plentiful.
All of the c-3's need to be checked out carefully. The frames tend to rust out just before they kick up to go over the rear differential. The windshield frames tend to rust--look in the lower corners and under the dash. Stay away from a car that has had significant body repair and stay away from one that has been customized.
Link up with someone in your community and ask them to help mentor you in what you are looking for. They'll be honored that you asked, and they can help you avoid a colossal mistake. Generally, if you look at 5 or 6 cars, you won't find a good deal--if you look at 25 or more, you'' probably find a good deal.
Good luck!
You might mention where you are from--there might even be a forum member who would volunteer to be your mentor.

 

IMO I'd say the most affordable c3's are 74- 80. They are out there , good cond. drivers for 5-7k. Do your research before you buy. Good luck!

 

Buy a copy and take a look:



Good luck.

 

I would watch e-bay to see what each year of c3 goes for and get ideas of what you like. 62corvette brought up a very good point. Check the the rust on the frame in front of the rear wheels for sure. I looked at 72 and I could put my hand in the rust hole in that area. That's not safe to drive. Also check if there is a corvette club in your area. E-mail them to see if someone would help you look at a car. I had done that for someone buying on e-bay that lived 400 mi away and he was delighted when he bought the car and found I told him everything was as the seller said. Good luck and take your time!!!

 

Hi J,
What are your plans for this car? Do you realize how much these cars changed during the years from 68-82. Does that matter to you? Are you thinking of a certain year or group of years?
Regards,
Alan

 

Red 1972 4-speed coupes are by far the best Corvette one can buy.

 

No, no, no, no, no...........Don't listen to this guy! 1973 L-82 4-Speed


Stay in tune....

 

Re: Alan and anyone else whod like to help
Prolly looking like 74 to 80. im looking as a starter car something i can tinker with for fun. I loved vettes for as long as i can remember and i like the mid to late 70's and want to start with one and then later move on to a 62. if you could help me out and tell me what i should know thatd be great. Im looking somewhere between $4-7 thousand price range

 

The simplest questions are always the hardest to answer [properly], aren't they?

It all depends on what capabilities you have to do work on the car. If you can do your own repairs, you have a place to do them, and it is outfitted with decent tools, then you can spend less money on a car and repair it for less than it would cost to buy one already in good shape. {Aren't you glad you asked this question?} Now, if you buy one with good paint, it will be $5K more than one with 'bad' paint. Can you repaint one yourself for less than $5K? You get my drift. We can't really answer the question properly because we don't know what you can do and what you can't. We don't know the level of financial resources you have at your disposal. Etc, etc. I'm not trying to be difficult here, but it is a difficult question to provide a 'quality' answer for you.

As far as year to purchase... Earlier vintage C3's [68-72] will cost you more than later years. 'Rubber bumper' C3's will be the least costly but also will have the lowest engine power and may not hold their worth as well. If you are on a budget and can't do the repair work, buy a mid-70's car, but spend a little more money 'up front' to make sure that the car is in good repair and doesn't need to be in the shop for 6 months before you can drive it. If you really enjoy working on the car to bring it back to life and don't need it for your daily driving needs, spend your money on a car that will gain in value; then dive in to the repair/refurb process.

If you can give us a little better info on what you want to end up with and the amount of money you have to spend, we might be able to be more specific.

 

i like the rubber bumper cars just because i had one in high school, a 74 L82 would be a good one still had decent hp. if u find a good low milage 74-77 (i like the 4 sp) for a little more money would be the way to go. by the time u find something cheep with a lot of miles and by the time and money you spend to fix her up u will have a nice high milage car for about the same amount of money you'll have in the more expensive low mileage car. a vette under 20,000 miles in good shape depending onoptions L82, 4sp good shape and paint $15-20,000. maybe less maybe more. i looked at a 74 vette decent paint great interior 13000 miles 4 sp for $15500 almost bought her but i ended up with my 77 L82 4 sp with 9700 miles for let just say a few dollars more

 

All C3's are like sex, even when its bad its good.

Here's my tip, I like the 78-80 models becasue they have a fastback rear giving you much more space but still have the carbureter engine, nothing wrong with fuel injection but its more mess when it goes bad or needs tuning. The 78-80's have similar HP to any other 72-77 (L48 - L82 options) but have many more creature comforts and nicer seats. I have a 79 and it just happens that this year is one of the cheapest to buy in to as well, nah it wont hold its value like an L88 but I didnt get in to this hobby for investment and I dont think you are either. When shopping look out for weepy brakes and shot suspension rubber all round, very common, easily fixed but can run in to some money. Rust was already mentioned, stick with a southern car if possible, mine was ex-californian and had zero rust anywhere. 1980 Cal cars I believe were 305 not 350 to survive smog laws so watch out for them.

Cheers, Dennis.

 

No No No, don't listen to either one of these guys. A Blue 71 is what you want.

 

Well.... I can't argue with that logic!

 

O.K here is my opinion on the matter. And understand we all have a common interest in C3's, but we all like different years. You mentioned that you are looking at a 74-80. I can relate to that because those are the years I was primarily looking at when I bought my '79 last year. As mentioned before on any year check for rust in the frame, birdcage, and windshield frame. These cars are old and most have varying degrees of issues. You said that you were fairly mechanically inclined, that is good. These cars always need tinkering with. One of the biggest expenses in a C3 are paint and body related, so finding one that you do not have to paint is a huge plus. The years you mention, particuarlly the 75-77 cars, are down on power. But that issue is easily remedied becasue a small block Chevy is the easiest engine in the world to work on. Here are a few notes that may help you

'74 was last year for true dual exhaust, no cats
'75 was the low water mark for horsepower, but last year for 'vert
'76-77 last of the tunnel window cars, down on power, and large production runs each year. The '77 interior is somewhat different than the earlier cars
'78-79 first fast back cars, power is up a bit from the mid '70's cars, both years very plentiful, '79 was highest production ever
'80 Restyled front, last L82 car.

If you want a straight drive vs an automatic they become rarer with each passing year. To me the '78-79 cars are a good buy, I paid $7500.00 for mine and have spent maybe $1000.00 on it doing minor upgrades. BTW you NEVER quit spending money on them. You should be able to find a 75-80 driver for between $6-$8K. Again, whether you like the tunnel window or the fastback better will also be a factor. And I disagree that these cars will never appreciate in value. Not that long ago there was little interest in the chrome bumper cars. But now that the midyears are out of just about everyones range they are going up considerably. We are starting to see that with '73's, and to a lesser extent '74's. It is just a matter of time before this cycles to the later C3's Simple economics each year there are more people like you and me that want a C3, and fewer available cars. Hope this helps. Have fun!

 

Like everyone is saying, it depends on what YOU want!

So which one of the C3's calls out to you? You say you want a 62 eventually. Looks like you are wanting to cut your teeth on one to get a feel. If that is the case I say find the cheapest, least amount of rust, running vette you can find and go for it (provided you have the requisite tools, space, and determination). If that is the case lay low and keep your eyes fixed on craigslist. Have someone that knows a bit about the cars go with you to inspect the car and give a second opinion. Take your time and eventually one will win you over.

Check out my garage and you can see what I'm starting with. She had to be towed home, but she was CHEAP and she spoke to me. But that's the way I like'm rough and a little trashy!

 

If you are wanting to "upgrade" to a '62, eventually, then it is all the more important that you buy a car that can resell easily and hold it's value [or even increase]. With those criteria, I'd recommend a '73 car...convertible, if you can afford one. Again, condition of frame/birdcage (the framework surrounding the cockpit) is your primary concern; surface rust is OK, but flaking rust or window frame with holes in it will just be a waste of time and money. Look for a car from the Southwest if you can find one you like; stay away from cars that spent their lives in the Northeast or Northcentral parts of the country {unless you personally inspect the car thoroughly for rust problems and find nothing serious}. The #2 issue is body and paint condition...again, unless you are good at body and paint and can do good quality work yourself. Buy a car that is painted the original color; or, if you are going to paint it, go back to the original color. That is always a "plus" when you go to sell the car. A good paint job in it's original color will command a premium price. #3 is the condition of the 'mechanical' systems of the car: engine, tranny, drivetrain, brakes, steering, accessories, interior components function, etc. Never buy a car that does not have a readily available title or is not titled in the name of the seller; there are exceptions, but generally, follow that rule and you won't get in any legal disputes on the car. Lastly, it is a big deal for all of the original components/parts to be on the car...especially, if you intend to keep it in 'stock' condition. Many of these old parts are very expensive to buy and can be difficult to find. Having all the parts on it saves a lot of money and a lot of time.
If you want to mod the car, you don't have to worry so much about the completeness of the car. But, if it is already modded to some extent, it's a plus if the car has a relatively new crate engine and especially good if it has an overdrive transmission installed in it. So consider those aspects and expect to pay a bit more for the car if it has very good mechanical condition.
Good luck on your search. Don't hesitate to post some photos of your 'potential' candidate cars if you want some input from us. Also, if you find a possible car in a distant location, someone here on the Forum who lives in that area will likely be willing to take a look at it and provide you with an assessment of its potential. That can save you a lot of headaches and travel money when you can identify really good candidates for free! Have fun...welcome to the Forum.