Probably will be purchasing a 72 base 350 coupe 4 spd.other then the obvious .rust ,birdcage ,and such any other things I should look for? The car is a 72 red coupe 4 spd all original,except engine red with red interior tilt wheel ac (no compressor) any tips ? Very much appreciated!...Steve

 

Yeah

Drive it and enjoy it all you can!



Mike

 

Anybody?

 

I will be in the same boat soon.

 

Cmon guys there's gota be somebody out there that could help torchsport and my self out? Please? Lol

 

I guess we all buy these cars for different reasons. Its sounds like you are in tune with the rust issues most certainly the biggest concern. Other than the obvious mechanical issues and cosmetics make sure the car has a clear title and is in the name of the seller. If you can post photos of the car you most likely will get plenty of comments.
Best of luck

 

Hi Steve,
Besides the serious issues you mention I guess I'd ask what your intentions for the car are.
If you want it to look like an original 72, I'd look to see that the car has as many of it's original parts as possible. Replacing parts that have been changed to aftermarket, speed shop, and auto store parts, can be difficult and expensive. This is especially true in the engine compartment. Often cars are missing a few things because they are the difficult/expensive parts to replace; so be aware of that.
If you want this car to drive a lot, then I'd be looking at what the maintenance records are, and what condition the mechanical parts are in. Engine, carb, exhaust, belts hoses, radiator, transmission, rear end, gauges.
In both cases I'd pay attention to the headlights and wiper systems since these are a large part of what makes a 72 a 72 so it's good if that all works properly.
I guess what you should look at depends on whether you want this car to be a working 72 or a car that was once a 72 a long time ago.
Regards,
Alan

 

Nice post Alan! Great info.
Brad

 

I can think of a couple of things that i'd look for.
First is originality.

DRIVETRAIN
The NOM is not a big deal however, I would look for the stampings to determine/validate that it is IN FACT a Corvette Engine. Also, if it is the right engine, is a 72, a 71 etc.? With any luck, it will be at least a 72 engine and then with better luck, a 72 engine mf'd within 6 mos PRIOR to the build date of the car (if you ever want to score that car).

BODY
I would be looking for stress cracks on the body and condition of the frame. These two things can cause you some angst later. How's the radiator support area (which if it's bad, can cause the front end to sag and crack.

SUSPENSION
Often put off.. it's key that the suspension parts are fairly new or renewed for the best performance. Does the car just look pretty or is it mechanically excellent?

APPEARANCE
Does the car sit right? How's the chrome bumpers look? Was the car kept in original shape or did the owner add wrong tires / aftermarket trim rings ... (basically a budget corner cutter) OR was everything done to a NOS level?

PAPERWORK
I'd be looking for paperwork. Like what?
- stack of receipts
- Original Corvette Order Copy (tank sticker or 2nd copy from inside car)
- Any other information like old pictures or ownership history.

That's about all I can think of at the moment.

Here's my 72..
http://www.twoplays25.com/72-1.php

 

Search the archives, gents. There are several how-to-buy and what-to-look-for threads. One or two pop up every week.

For homework, these are all good.






This one may be out of print, but might be available for Kindle:


Michael Antonick also has a C3 buyer's guide.

A copy of the Corvette Blackbook is a good thing to have.

Good luck with the hunt.

 

Check out Google books for some of these. Much cheaper, especially in the case of C3 buyer's guide, as that is out of print. Also, much harder to misplace.