Thank you all for your replies. I did read the wiki listing on the C3 which givies a pretty good description of each model year and I guess is the cliff notes compared to a more detailed book. To be completely honest I have ADD and would never finish a book so the cliff notes work best for me.

Here is a link to it if anyone of you want to give it a look to see if it covers the basics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_C3

I also enjoyed reading the story from the guy detailing the Vette he though he would purchase as a daily driver to fix as he went and read up on another site with pictures of common rust areas in the C3 to be careful for. I almost bought a local 81 but I backed off bc I saw the door and fender misalignment gap and common sense told me stay away. I learned by reading that it is usually caused by rust and rot and is a common issue with the C3. So I'm trying to do my homework.

If I had to pick a car it would be a toss up between the 69 Convertible and a 80-82 T-Top. The truth is I dont have a 50,000 plus budet for a car and really wouldnt want to throw 30,000 all at once at one either. Don't get me wrong I would love to find one that I like that I could drive and play with as I go and if that deal comes along as I look I'm all in. I know the reality is I will more than likely find a good restore car and build it over time as my spare cash permits.

As I said I'm really partial to the convertibles so the late 60's early 70's is what I would love to have in a perfect world. However I like the look of the 69 and 80-82 T tops so I wouldnt pass a deal up on any of those that I come across. Because I like a few differnet styles I think it puts me at a slight advantage finding a car. Eventually I would like to have the convertible and one of the T-Top model years mentioned above. It turns out I have a lifetime to get to that goal. The reality is I know bc of budget restrictions a matching numbers car is probably our of reach for me but you never knwo what you come across.

The 74 Convertible I'm looking at now has been restored but to what extent I have not yet found out. It drives and has decent paint and has a 350 in it. The guy seems pretty steady at 8000.00 The interior I would have covered just bc I dont like the way his looks but that is a preference thing.

I missed out on a 74 convetible that a man had that passed away beofre he could finish. His son was selling it and it was almost done and a frame off restoration and had a new crate motor installed that had never run. Asking 5000 but I couldnt meet him before he sold it.

 

I like the BB, vert, AC, 4 spds any year and 72 LT1, AC, verts

 

I gotta agree with that. They seem to hold value well.

-W

(If only some high level line manager knew enough to buy, build, and sneak ONE L88 vert with air out the door.. Heh....)

 

There was a '70 LT-1 built like that. A line manager spec'd out an LT-1 with all base gauges, a/c, etc., and had it built so he could buy it himself.

A supervisor, who was tasked with randomly chosing a car to drive home for quality check purposes chose that car to drive that particular day. When he started the car the oil gauge needle pegged out and he immediately shut the car off.

It didn't take long to discover what was going on...the line manager was fired and the car converted back to what it was supposed to be.

It does make one wonder how many cars may have had similar subterfuges done and did make it out of the factory.

 

 

I think when we think of corvettes as an investment, in most cases we are already in trouble. If I had a car that rare enough to be a good investment (won't ever happen) I would not want to put miles on it or run the chance of something happening to it. I don't have to worry about that.
But I did want to saw we generally focus on the end of the equation. The eventual resale of the car. Don't forget about the beginning and middle parts. Buying and also fixing/maintaining it. You seem to like several of the body designs of the C3 and that helps a lot. If it were me I would focus on those years and find the best one you can at the best price. It would be the car you like and would enjoy driving, and if you don't have to put a ton into it in the beginning and the middle, the end does not have to be so much to make it right.
If you wind up with a year that is not your favorite, and have to put 15K into it, selling in the end for 10K more then the car you would have liked does not add up.
It sounds like you are not rushing into it, so you are also ahead of the game there.
If you find some you like, post up some pictures and info. There are a lot of guys here who really know this stuff and can help out. It is a buyer's market right now so you are in the driver's seat. Well.... you will be soon enough :-)
Good luck, and enjoy the search. It should be part of the fun.

 

all those are valid points made.

 

I thank you all for your input. I will certainly post some pics of what I'm looking at as it goes on. Honestly they have a few 69 comvertibles for sale here but I just cant seem to put out as much cash as they want for them right now. I'm sure there will be others and after I sell one of my boats it will get me enough cash to get there.

As far as resale value, the truth is I doubt I will ever sell it. The only reason I'm selling one of my boats is bc I have two and never really needed the other to start with. I think everyone looks into resale value just to know they are able to recoup their money in the event they did sell it. I think it has more to do with who wants to put 20 grand into restoring a car only to find out the cars of the same year already restored go for 15?

 

I am surprised that Vettebuyer (Steve) has not posted a pic of my favourite black 1969 350/350 convertible....

 

CMB, as you can see your innocent question was a loaded one. Many opinions and none of them wrong and all have valid collectibility arguments. At this point in my life (50), I wanted something to drive and have fun with it and my boys, but not major projects or museum pieces id be afraid to drive. I have a 68 vert and 73 coupe. Investment cars are short-term emotion attachments, so whatever your objective is will determine your purchase.

 

I know what you mean as far as scared to drive.

My dad has an old mostly steel body 33 ****** gasser. He had it running but never got as far as interior or paint and the chassis was dangerous. It now sits in his garage as he gave the motor away to my brother years ago. I sanded the rust spots off as a kid and it still sits in his garage. It has been his project car now for 35 years. The truth is even if he finsihed it which will likely never happen who would want to take it out? You would harldy be able to drive it. I think if I drove it I would get that feeling when I brought my new born home from the hospital and all of a sudden was over sensitive to other drivers driving.

I'm sure i will eventually find the right car for me.

 

Yes, I'm biased. But the 1970 has the lowest production #'s. Just something to think about.

 

Here is one I'm looking at. Its a 350/350 Auto 74 vert. What do you all think? What is the range one should pay in this market. Other than the common rust spots what should I look for?

 

For goodness sake, why would you consider a slushbox trans in a sportscar? Are you handicapped?

 

Based on pic alone, it looks nice. Do your hw though. Good luck.

 

look at the stats, in 74, most were automatic (2 out of 3) corvettes.. sometimes you don't have a choice. if you require a 4-speed, you are limiting the cars to a much bigger degree. the later c3 cars were overwhelmingly automatics.. good luck finding a 4-speed.

 

yeah what he said lol

 

Cripes, I don't even like looking at rubber bumper cars, why would I look up their stats?

IMO you might as well put a sticker on the rear that said I'm too uncoordinated to shift for myself. Unless the OP or a family member never learned to operate a manual gearbox. Or perhaps he's intending to drag race it where an auto trans is almost required to hook up to all the black boxes needed to be competitive in bracket racing.

Otherwise what's the allure of an auto shift C3? Is it the convenience of being able to hold a coffee cup in one hand and a cell phone in the other while steering with your knees?

Of course some folks would buy a mid year C3 even if it came with a Briggs & Stratton engine and a go-kart's centrifugal clutch.

 

So, I am no expert, and I don't know how much originality you are going for, but I do notice a few things about the car that give me pause, or that atleast you should be aware of....

• 74 was the first year of the rubber rear bumper, and it should have been molded in two pieces. That rear bumper looks to be from an 80 or newer due to the integrated spoiler
• Aluminum wheel option was not available until 1976, a 74 should have had rally wheels.
• The lower rockers along the sides are definitely not stock
• Side mirrors are not stock either

So many small changes in the body make me uneasy and I would thoroughly inspect the car to see if it has been in an accident.

 

Thanks for the reply that is exactly the kind of input I'm looking for. I will consider that and have it inspected if I pull the trigger. I didnt even catch the spoiler issue and is one of the things I like about the 80-82 so maybe that is a plus for me if it wasnt because the thing was smashed. Is the seam that is supposed to be the two piece bumper easy to see and does anyone have any close of pics of the seam so I can see if it is there and the spoiler was added or if it was in fact a part put on from a 80-82?

What would you place this cars value on the low end average and high end when purchasing?


To my very opinionated friend about the Auto vs. Manual. I could really care less what the shifter is. I'm buying the car for cruising not racing. An automatic is nice to cruise around in but if the right deal in a standard shift comes along I'm good with that also. Since apparently the 69's that I would love to have are manual shift it seems that if I find one I will be shifting just like you. I have seen way too many ppl in high speed car accidents to have a desire to drive in the fast lane. In the end to me it doesnt really matter and everyone has their own needs and wants and the shifter to me just is not in the rankings of what I care about. If you want to sell me your 69 on the cheap Ill be happy to shift it right out of your garage for you though.... lol Maybe I would even be willing to take a little risk and spin those rubbers for ya.