Since it's been in Ohio it's entire life, see if anything turns up here....(I'm too lazy right now!)
https://www.dps.state.oh.us/atps/

As for finding a low mile Vette that doesn't need SOME work, good luck!
I have 4 low, low mile C3s.
I have lists of anything I've done to each one, both minor and moderate, nothing major(to me)over the last 10 to 26 years.
One list has JUST 30 items, my Pace Car.
Another has 50, one 70 and one 72!

 

This is turning into a soap opera................................... ....................

 

Or perhaps a joke/gag post. They do occur from time-to-time.

 

I would really like to see pictures of the car in question...

 

I wish it was a joke but it isn't. There are a couple photos of it if you click on my name.
It is in the photo bucket. I gave the vin number for it and you saw what he found for it with car fax. The car is black with Cinnabar inside. It has everything but power mirrors.
I think I would rather just sell this one and buy one that has already been fixed.
If you want to see photos you can also email me at Bfrjds1981@aol.com
I think it is time to let this thread die. Got the car for sale and I am just going to buy one that has already had the work done to it. By the time I fixed this one up I could have bought one that is ready to go. I really want a black on black. So thanks to the ones who helped out. No more posts from me I promise.

 

Would have been much easier to just post the pictures rather than have every body play another game of chase finding them





If that's the original interior, I'd say it's not a high mileage car.

 

I agree on both counts. If the car had 138,000 miles on it, I would expect the driver's seat and the carpet to show a lot more wear. Rust holes in a replaced exhaust system, especially one that is not run every day or week, would not tell me much about the total miles on a 30 year old car. Sometimes, starting and running a car a short while is the worst thing for an exhaust system as far as rust is concerned, especially in a climate like Ohio. Suspension bushings being dry-rotted, cracked, and in bad shape is something I would expect on a 30 year old Corvette regardless of mileage. Decayed valve cover gaskets are also something I would expect on a 30 year old car that has sat for long periods in that climate.

Question: How did these "mechanics" determine the amount of wear on the engine? Was this a visual inspection? The more I know about engines and the more I work on them, the less I think I can tell about the mileage by outside appearance. If they pulled a head and went to work with a micrometer, an experienced mechanic can give you a real view of total wear, but I wouldn't trust anything else.

Don't get me wrong here, I have strong doubts that 38,000 miles is real, but based on what I read in the posts, I wouldn't go splashing down at somebody's place of business accusing them of misrepresenting the car. I understand you are disappointed with the condition of the car, but nothing you wrote sounds hidden to me, the non-working gauges, cracked tach glass, steering wheel not straight etc. are all things that a buyer should notice with a casual visual inspection and short test drive.

Also, based on what I see in the pictures and read of your experiences, I think that $4200 is not out of line for that car in that condition. Maybe a little high, but not ridiculous. Parts cars with bad frames sell for $2500, if the frame is solid, add at least a thousand more as your starting point. Can you find $700 worth of good stuff on that car if you look? I think so.

 

Mike, I wish I knew how to post photos. Everytime I upload them it says it worked but never does. Wouldn't know how to post them like you did. It was a visual inspection at Summit Racing and another place. The interior photo looks much better than it is.
There were no valve cover gaskets on the car when they took the covers off. Had the rubber ones put on.
I wouldn't really call it a place of business, it is a garage behind the guys house where he works on them. I think he is retired. Way out in the country. I don't want to go back there, I just wanted to talk to him on the phone. As I have said, it is 100% my fault. Got someone coming to look at it at 3pm. Got my fingers crossed. I am just going to buy one where all the work has already been done. I know I promised I wouldn't post about this anymore but I hate not answering a question. Take care all and have a great week.

 

If those are original UNDAMAGED mirrored glass t-tops / I sold a pair recently for $1000............just the tops.........!!!

I would also be interested in seeing a photo of the motor, pad & trim tag.............black on red is cool !!!

 

Your 81 looks fine to me. Personally, I would lean toward accepting the 36K mileage figure.

It's possible no valve cover gaskets were used the L-81 engines; they may have used sealant which could account for the absence of the gaskets when your mechanic took a look.

 

More photos were added. Look under my name. Trim tag has the number 18 at the top right. I think for the day it was made and has the numbers 19L and 672
The tops are orginal and are mirrored. Not a scratch. Best part of the car I think. I have the bags for them and the owners manual and other paperwork that came with it.
It does have the cass. player. It works.

 

Dude, seriously, it sounds to me like you most definitely did not get ripped off. If you bought the wrong car because it needs more work than you are willing to put into it, then sell it and buy something in better shape (that will cost you substantially more money), and learn from the experience. Who cares what the guy said about the miles? I sure don't. I generally don't believe what seller's say about mileage, and rely on my eyes to give me an idea of condition. The clock on my car had 36,530 miles on it when I bought it, and the seller tried hard to convince me that was all the car had been driven. I would have been a moron to believe him, even though he had some weak documentation to back it up (the car was without its original seats, carpet, and I believe, door panels).

When you really look at all the ads for C3s on the internet, I swear maybe 1 in 10 admits that the clock had rolled over. Do I really think that 90% of these cars have been driven less than 100,000 miles over 30+ years when they are as fun to drive as they are? No way! These cars with "9000 original miles" are a joke to me.

 

19 = Correct code for black exterior, not sure about 672 .......???

I like the black on red combo.......
under the hoold looks very stock...............i'd keep it if i were you for that kind of money !!!

 

The 672 is called Cinnabar, not really a red, more orange with alittle red mixed in. Going to be showing it in a few minutes. Got my fingers crossed. 672 is a color, you can find it online for places that list the code. Just can't figure out why the rear end is so high.
No one seems to be able to tell me about that.
I do plan on buying another, Willing to spend the extra money to get one that all the work has been done. I'm showing the guy today the title and show him the miles on it. It will be up to him to believe it or not. I only put 54 miles on it since I bought it back in Sept.
He can check that against the title.

 

19 = Correct code for black exterior, not sure about 672 .......???

This may help with that.

Interior Colors

RPO Color Production
13C Silver Gray Cloth N/A
19C Black Cloth N/A
29C Dark Blue Cloth N/A
64C Camel Cloth N/A
67C Cinnabar Cloth N/A
74C Dark Red Cloth N/A
132 Silver Gray Leather N/A
152 Silver Gray Leather N/A
182 Charcoal Leather N/A
192 Black Leather N/A
292 Dark Blue Leather N/A
642 Camel Leather N/A
672 Cinnabar Leather N/A
742 Dark Red Leather N/A
752 Medium Red Leather N/A

Note: Cloth inserts have leather surrounds on seating.

 

Still a decent deal for $4,200. Did you make a copy of the title before you transferred it over to your name? If you have a record of buying it with 36,000 miles, then that's what it will be when you sell it, plus any mileage you've put on.

So why are you selling it?

 

I just don't get it... I would pay $4600 for that car if it was sitting anywhere close to me.. Without any question...

 

Yes I did make a copy of the title before I put it in my name. It looks like the guy who looked at it yesterday is picking it up today. He gave me a deposit and will be back at noon. 3rd Vette, it just needs more work than I thought. As I have said, I don't work on cars and with what it would cost me to have this one fixed I could just pay for one that is ready to go.
71 Green 454, thank you for posting the photos. I have tried to do that and just can't figure it out. That one photo taken from the left rear shows the quarter panel way to high above the tire. Nobody can tell me what the problem could be. If no one can answer that question just think about how hard it would be on the really hard stuff.
But it looks like the problem is over. This guy says he wants it for the engine and frame.
He couldn't believe I was selling it that cheap with that low of miles. The guy never even drove the car from where it is sitting. He just started it up. I told him the deposit is non refundable and he agreed. So now I am looking for another 81. This time I will use the lessons I have learned here. Thanks again for all the help I got.

 

None of us have figured out why your selling it & if you did after EVERYONE here & the buyer telling you it was a good buy & cheap / didnt you ask more for it...............??? maybe you could have gotten $7,000 & put the well needed extra cash to the next one your buying, as all of them need EXPENSIVE help !!!

 

Easy, just put your cursor over the picture you want to post, then it will bring up the links below, then put the cursor over the IMG Code and copy & paste that code into your post.

I was thinking the same thing. He had an opportunity to make a few $ and put it towards something else.