My First C3
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Maine
My First C3
Previous C4 owner and recently purchased my first C3. I've always loved the rubber bumper look and vertical rear window so I was focusing on 74-77 (the low prices were just an added bonus). My ideal car was an orange 74 with tan interior so when I found one in my price range I jumped. My plan is to drive the car on weekends in nice weather and keep it fairly original to preserve the classic feel. I'm not against upgrading/modernizing things as they break or go bad on me.
Take a look and let me know what you think.
This is what I have noticed so far.
The Good
-Everything seems to be original or at least correct. The paint and interior match the trim tag and the block matches the vin. The only thing I know has been replaced is the radio.
-The car seems to be mechanically sound. I checked all the basics during my original inspection and I drove the car over 100 miles to bring it home and have been taking it out on the weekends without any problems.
-I haven't been able to find any significant rust anywhere on the car. The odometer shows about 97k miles. In New England the lack of rust is fairly amazing and leads me to believe the car may have been restored at some point. I bought the car in Rhode Island but the title shows the last owner bought it from Doc's Corvettes in Tulsa Oklahoma in 2009.
The Bad
-Automatic Transmission. Shifts smooth but a 4 speed would have been nice.
-There seems to be a minor tweak to the passenger side fender. You can see that the gap is a little off in front of the door in one of the photos.
-There are a few paint imperfections and it appears that the hood has been repainted and there are a few areas with minor bubbling.
-I would have preferred no luggage rack.
I am new to the C3 family so any insight into what I have gotten my self into would be great. Also, feel free to throw out what you think the car is worth so I can judge what kind of deal I got. Overall I am very happy with my purchase.
Take a look and let me know what you think.
This is what I have noticed so far.
The Good
-Everything seems to be original or at least correct. The paint and interior match the trim tag and the block matches the vin. The only thing I know has been replaced is the radio.
-The car seems to be mechanically sound. I checked all the basics during my original inspection and I drove the car over 100 miles to bring it home and have been taking it out on the weekends without any problems.
-I haven't been able to find any significant rust anywhere on the car. The odometer shows about 97k miles. In New England the lack of rust is fairly amazing and leads me to believe the car may have been restored at some point. I bought the car in Rhode Island but the title shows the last owner bought it from Doc's Corvettes in Tulsa Oklahoma in 2009.
The Bad
-Automatic Transmission. Shifts smooth but a 4 speed would have been nice.
-There seems to be a minor tweak to the passenger side fender. You can see that the gap is a little off in front of the door in one of the photos.
-There are a few paint imperfections and it appears that the hood has been repainted and there are a few areas with minor bubbling.
-I would have preferred no luggage rack.
I am new to the C3 family so any insight into what I have gotten my self into would be great. Also, feel free to throw out what you think the car is worth so I can judge what kind of deal I got. Overall I am very happy with my purchase.
Last edited by Triumph8750; Jun 23, 2012 at 01:30 PM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
From: West Orange New Jersey
Congrats!!! Welcome to the madness. Keep in mind, as someone who has owned for the past 20 years, NO C3 is perfect, they all have imperfections and will require maintenance. Just make sure it is driven. When they sit, they deteriorate.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,431
Likes: 1,561
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Welcome to the 74 club!
Looks like a good purchase.
Enjoy your new Vette!
Regards, Pete.
Some basic information here:
http://gmheritagecenter.com/gm-herit...tion-kits.html
Enjoy your new Vette!
Regards, Pete.
Some basic information here:
http://gmheritagecenter.com/gm-herit...tion-kits.html
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Sterling Colorado
Nice car. Well done. I have a 78 that is being painted. Mine isn't as nice as yours. I do still need to straighten out the carb, put in a trans filter, convert the air conditioner, put in a factory radio, and install carpet and seat covers. Mine will be repainted the original Silver Anniversary paint scheme. My car has 71,000 original miles. I bought my car in 2007. It has been in storage while I do other things. Your car is a nice driver. You'll enjoy it.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 268
From: iowa city iowa
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C3 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
Looks really nice and very clean under the hood. Don't know about the value, but it sounds like you found the car you wanted and that is worth a lot. It looks like a car you can drive and enjoy.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Very nice looking '74! As Brent said, you found what you wanted and that counts for a LOT. Gave it a good test on the way home it sounds like which is awesome.
Enjoy and welcome to the C3 world!
Adam
Enjoy and welcome to the C3 world!
Adam
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,022
Likes: 33
From: Lokeren, Belgium
Seems like a very nice original 74, clean engine compartment and lots of options (rear window defogger, deluxe interior, elec windows. I compared your fender-door gap to pictures of mine and it doesn't look too wrong?
Nick
Nick
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Advanced
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
I wish the 74 convertible I recently looked at was as nice as yours. Very nice car, I'm jealous since I'm still "vette-less." My buddy who usually goes with me to look at vettes jokes with me about my username on here, he said I should change it to Eddie No Vetter. 
If you don't mind me asking, whadya pay for her?
If you don't mind me asking, whadya pay for her?
CF JASOC Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
Likes: 34
From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Nice looking car. What makes you think it's the fender and not the door that's out of whack?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Maine
Thanks for all your positive feedback and information.
This car is definitely not going to sit. I take it out every nice day we have and I've already found the heated storage at a corvette service shop where it will be stored during the winter. I'm also aware that I'm not done spending money on it. I've already got a laundry list of minor things to fix and I fully expect to replace or rebuild every piece of this car over the next 38 1/2 years
I paid $8,000 for the car. The owner was originally asking $12,000 which is just below the NADA for a driver. Somebody else talked him down to $9,000 and I offered $8,000 cash and drove it home.
I think it is the fender because it also seems to line up a little funny with the nose piece and the gap on the rear of the door is perfect.
This car is definitely not going to sit. I take it out every nice day we have and I've already found the heated storage at a corvette service shop where it will be stored during the winter. I'm also aware that I'm not done spending money on it. I've already got a laundry list of minor things to fix and I fully expect to replace or rebuild every piece of this car over the next 38 1/2 years
I paid $8,000 for the car. The owner was originally asking $12,000 which is just below the NADA for a driver. Somebody else talked him down to $9,000 and I offered $8,000 cash and drove it home.
I think it is the fender because it also seems to line up a little funny with the nose piece and the gap on the rear of the door is perfect.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Thanks for all your positive feedback and information.
This car is definitely not going to sit. I take it out every nice day we have and I've already found the heated storage at a corvette service shop where it will be stored during the winter. I'm also aware that I'm not done spending money on it. I've already got a laundry list of minor things to fix and I fully expect to replace or rebuild every piece of this car over the next 38 1/2 years
I paid $8,000 for the car. The owner was originally asking $12,000 which is just below the NADA for a driver. Somebody else talked him down to $9,000 and I offered $8,000 cash and drove it home.
I think it is the fender because it also seems to line up a little funny with the nose piece and the gap on the rear of the door is perfect.
This car is definitely not going to sit. I take it out every nice day we have and I've already found the heated storage at a corvette service shop where it will be stored during the winter. I'm also aware that I'm not done spending money on it. I've already got a laundry list of minor things to fix and I fully expect to replace or rebuild every piece of this car over the next 38 1/2 years
I paid $8,000 for the car. The owner was originally asking $12,000 which is just below the NADA for a driver. Somebody else talked him down to $9,000 and I offered $8,000 cash and drove it home.
I think it is the fender because it also seems to line up a little funny with the nose piece and the gap on the rear of the door is perfect.
By the way, NADA is useless for old cars. They are driven by market values - supply and demand not by dealership sales. Any old car is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,962
Likes: 5
From: Schererville IN
Thanks for all your positive feedback and information.
This car is definitely not going to sit. I take it out every nice day we have and I've already found the heated storage at a corvette service shop where it will be stored during the winter. I'm also aware that I'm not done spending money on it. I've already got a laundry list of minor things to fix and I fully expect to replace or rebuild every piece of this car over the next 38 1/2 years
I paid $8,000 for the car. The owner was originally asking $12,000 which is just below the NADA for a driver. Somebody else talked him down to $9,000 and I offered $8,000 cash and drove it home.
I think it is the fender because it also seems to line up a little funny with the nose piece and the gap on the rear of the door is perfect.
This car is definitely not going to sit. I take it out every nice day we have and I've already found the heated storage at a corvette service shop where it will be stored during the winter. I'm also aware that I'm not done spending money on it. I've already got a laundry list of minor things to fix and I fully expect to replace or rebuild every piece of this car over the next 38 1/2 years
I paid $8,000 for the car. The owner was originally asking $12,000 which is just below the NADA for a driver. Somebody else talked him down to $9,000 and I offered $8,000 cash and drove it home.
I think it is the fender because it also seems to line up a little funny with the nose piece and the gap on the rear of the door is perfect.
That door gap issue is very common. Mine was the same way. Just the way it was bonded from the factory. We filled the gap when we painted it. Lots of C3's were made that way.
Nice car.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Maine
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
Hello and Congratulations.
I would say for the price you paid, and how clean your car looks, you got a great deal.
I also have a C4- 1986. Its a great car and very different to drive from the C3s. I am partial to the C3 styling, but I drive my C4 more than the other cars. Its a great daily driver, and the C3 is a great weekend cruiser.
kdf
I would say for the price you paid, and how clean your car looks, you got a great deal.
I also have a C4- 1986. Its a great car and very different to drive from the C3s. I am partial to the C3 styling, but I drive my C4 more than the other cars. Its a great daily driver, and the C3 is a great weekend cruiser.
kdf