Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and hope to get some good feedback and advice. I've been an active member to the Cummins forum for a few years now and it's time to buy my dream car. My dad said his favorite car that he owned was a 1971 Corvette 454/4 speed, sunflower yellow that he had in the late 70's. I believe he was the second owner and gave around $2,500 for it at the time and it was mint. Ever since hearing those stories I too have always wanted a '71 Vette 454/4 speed combo. The first one I drove was a '78 350/4 speed and I fell in love driving it. I just wanted to know if there was any pointers I should look into buying a project/half restored '71 Vette? I want the 454/4 speed but didn't know if there was any advice that you all have in buying my future car, thanks for any feedback!

 

Pointer #1: You're not going to find one for $2,500.

Pointer #2: HAVE FUN!!! I just got my 1970 "on the road" after purchasing it a couple weeks ago for a song. I could either be bummed that the speedo doesn't work, the tach is still wonky, the HVAC doesn't work, the steering is loose, the windshield wipers don't work...the list goes on. I could be bummed about all that or I could be very happy that I have so many little projects I can tinker with in my spare time. It isn't a show car and won't be for 10 more years...if ever. Have fun looking, have fun purchasing, have fun tinkering, and HAVE FUN DRIVING!!!

 

Oh I don't plan on it haha, It's just funny how much you could buy one for in the 70's. He had the original sticker in it which was around $5,300 brand new. I just like hearing stories like that, wish he would have held on to it. Yeah I enjoy the little tinkering you have to do, that's part of the fun right? Thanks, I've been looking

 

Just do a little reading in here. Learn about the birdcage and how to check it for rust. There's a wealth of info in here.

 

Look for a copy of this. It is out of print, but copies are still available. Covers all C3s.


This is also fairly good, but is not a buying guide.


Good luck with the hunt.

 

Hi 04,
I think when buying a project or 1/2 restored Corvette it's wise to remember that the more complete the car is the better off you'll be.
Finding out what you need, and then finding it all, and PAYING for it all, makes you forget pretty quickly what a good deal the project / 1/2 restored car was.
It's the finishing and appearance items... glass, paint, chrome, wheels and tires, and interior, that are the expensive parts of building a car from a project.
Buy a complete, rust free, car. You'll be glad you did.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

 

Thanks Easy Mike! That has a lot of information I can read up on.

Thanks for the advice Alan 71, you made some great suggestions. I know it's going to be a lot of work finding exactly what I want, but I don't plan on having it finished for quite a while! It pays to be patient, money is an issue with my first kid on the way, guess I'll just have to take my time!

 

Buy as much car as you can afford. You will never use your resources more wisely.

 

Three things I wish I knew before buying my 75 a month ago.

Two or three screws are all that conceal the bottom of the vents that sit ahead of the doors. Take the screws out of the plastic outer kick plate moldings / interior vent covers and see how much rust you have at the bottom of the bird cage / top of the frame connection. If you have heavy rust there, don't walk... run away. If there is heavy rust there, the upper portion of the bird cage is likely swiss cheese.

Secondly a simple look through the windshield at its edge along the pillar post (where you'll also find your VIN on the driver's side) will likely reveal the quality - rust free to heavily rusted - condition of that frame.
If this is bad, its an extremely costly time consuming repair.

Lastly, check the condition of the interior parts. When every little piece of plastic is somewhere between $40 and $250, when just a seat cover is $250-$350 EACH, you go broke quick trying to make it nice let alone show quality. The interior restoration I'm in the middle of now has gotten crazy pricey. They can be improved or replaced piecemeal over time, but it's still gonna cost you.

This is what I know because I'm working on it. There are likely all kinds of other things to look for, clearly beyond my expertise, but the knowledgeable folks on this forum are incredibly helpful and generous with their time and knowledge. Good luck.

 

Do your homework, get a feel for what the prices these cars sell for, not asking prices.

A chrome bumper C3 in good condition isn't going to be cheap, especially a big block. I suggest you decide what your goals for this car are going to be. Do you want 'original' aka 'matching numbers'? A true matching numbers big block will cost you quite a lot over a NOM with identical configuration and condition. They're more desireable to the collectors so you'll pay a premium. In this case to preserve your investment, justify the premium paid, you'll need to keep the car as original as possible. Any modifications will need to be easily reversible. Forging numbers on big block Corvettes to appear original is a big business. If you're paying the premium, better have the stamp pad looked at by someone who can tell you if it's fake. The restampers are getting pretty good at their craft.

On the other hand if you are on a tighter budget, looking to do a restomod, or just a driver, you may find a deal on a NOM big block Corvette. I'll guess 30% cheaper than an identical numbers car, maybe more. With a NOM you'd be free to do whatever you wish with the car without concern about destroying originality. You won't be able to sell it for what the numbers cars go for but if you did your homework, you didn't pay the premium to begin with.

Of course, numbers or not, buy the best condition you can find. Rust is a killer, if you're not familiar with these cars, have someone who is take a look. Birdcage rust is extremely expensive to fix if you can't do the work yourself.

It's going to be your car, decide what you're looking for. Be prepared to stretch a bit on price, always better to buy better condition than to take on a restoration project. (Unless the restoration process is something you're after, money invested not a concern)

 

You may want to put your Corvette dream on ice for a while. Restoring an early C3 with a BB will eat up enormous amounts of money and time. You most likely will not have enough of either to spare.