1975, 350 (165 hp) Automatic, T-Top with 158000 miles.
I checked the bird cage frame area and even took off the kick panels and found no heavy rust, just surface rust. I checked the frame in front of the rear wheels and Front crossmember and they look good.
I also jacked up the side/center on each side to check for flex at the door gaps, checked OK.
There's a lot of spider webbing, needs tires and the motor smokes a little lite blue under a kickdown. Theres a few cracks in the drivers toe plate, it feels like a fiberglass panel, on the opposite side is a metal plate attached with a nut and bolt, looks factory? Will need some brake work and missing left door panel and center console. The car is driver but best to do the brakes first. Owner is asking what they paid for 6 years ago $4000. What do you think its worth?

 

Quick answer is yes, if you want it.

$4K is too much though for it in that condition, whenever the seller bought it was before the great depression and values are way down since then...

I don't know too much about values, but I would not pay more than 2.5K.

Just my opinion.
Andy

 

If the basic structure is sound, you should have a good starting point. The price seems high to me given that it will need to be completely rebuilt. We paid less than half of that for our '77 in very similar condition except that it already had 1/2 of the interior replaced.

It all depends on what you want and how much of it you can do yourself. To me, that's a $2500 car max.

Good luck with your hunt!
Adam

 

Keep saving your money and buy something in better condition.
Offer him $3000 MAX or walk away.

Les

 

Dont get blinded by the "its a Corvette" factor. Honestly, the description you have provided, and photos would immediately lead me to classify this car as junk. As far as junk goes, this is better junk than most, BUT....

there were so so so many of these cars made from 74-77, and of course if you want to include 78+79, and 80-82. You can find a much better car for just a bit more money.

 

That car needs everything. You would be upside down on value even if he gave it to you. Spend a little more and get a car that's been cared for.

 

Thank You and I appreciate everyones opinon!!!!!!
It's comforting to hear experienced Corvette owners honest thoughts.

From reading past articles on purchasing a Corvette, I thought the most important factor was the Bird Cage and frame, which I know is solid. Having personally inspecting the car I thought $3000 would of been a good price.

I still would like to know about the cracked toe board on the drivers side. Is that suppose to be fiberglass and a metal heat shield or reinforcement on the other side?

I still would like to hear more opinons about this purchase.
Thanks for taking your time to read this!

 

You can find a better car for 6k....I have seen them

 

The metal heat shield/rock guard is factory. During the 75 production they changed to an all metal floor so it could have glass instead.
If the lower firewall glass is cracked (pretty common) you can repair it with mat and epoxy (pretty easy).
A "a" pillar looks decent and is usually where leaks show.
Check the bottom of the doors for rust.
Check the bottom of the rad core support for rust.
Count on at least rebuilding the calipers (hopefully already ss) on any of these cars. Not a big deal.
One plus is that it looks like all the oem parts are there, less the ign shield.

 

If you are looking for a "project" car with some potential, you may have found it. As long as you can provide all the labor, the parts you will need are not that many to get the car "up and running". Of course, you can't really know the condition of all the mechanical aspects of the car in its present condition, so you may have some significant expenses in steering/brakes/drivetrain/suspension components.

If you adopt the strategy of reusing every functional part that is presently on the car...via repair or refurbishing...you can save a lot of unnecessary expense.

But, I agree that $4K is too much for that car. Just sitting for years has caused the car to deteriorate. And the owners can't tell you how much repair it will need. So, THEY can spend thousands getting the car in working order, then sell it to you for a higher price; or, they can "bite the bullet" and sell it for a reasonable price, AS IS. I think that reasonable price is in the $2500-3500 range. I would start with a $2500 offer and work up to what you feel is "fair" to you.

P.S. My car had 194K on the meter when I bought it. But some thorough inspection convinced me that there were no MAJOR items that needed rebuilding, and I have been very happy with my decision to purchase a 'high-mileage' car. (210K, presently)

 

I dunno, I bought a complete, drivable corvette, with a solid birdcage and frame for $4000. And this is in the rust belt.

There were a few problems - Power steering had a leak, power locks were seized, headlights needed help going up, and the distributor needed a pick-up coil replaced. But nothing serious, and easily fixable.

Mine even has the 'rust proof' bumpers, and the aerodynamic rear window upgrades.

 

$4000 is fine for an essentially unmolested 75 if you want the car. I see work which needs to be done, but I do not see a deal breaker.

Ask the seller if he/she has the factory radio.

If that's your jack under the front cross member, be very careful. That is not a jacking point.

 

You're correct that bird cage and frame are the most important.
But the price on that car is still a little high - given all it needs.
Were is a 4 speed vert - I'd say to snap it right up.

Try 3K - sure.

-W

 

The radiator support looks good


Heres another picture of the belly of the frame


After spending 2 hours in 100 degree temps, the only stuctrual thing I can find wrong is this left rear bushing

 

The radiator support on my '74 looked better than that,but when I took out the radiator it was rusted through where you couldn't see it. I also think that the kick panel rust is more severe than it looks. When I used an air chipper to remove the rust, the 1 inch hole that's supposed to be there became a 2 inch hole. Again, mine looked better than that.

 

Looks OK to me...the gaps look pretty good, and the frame looks fine in the pics...doesn't look soft or "thin" to me. I've seen some frames that don't have any rust through, but have lost a lot of their original gauge.

I'll agree with the rest; definitely not 4K but probably 3-ish.

It would probably be pretty amazing what a couple of good days spent cleaning that dirty 36 year old vette could do.

 

Looks like a fair starting point for a restoration.
My only worry would the A pillar and the windshield frame, if those are done, run away whatever the price. I see a lot of rust on picture of body mount #2...



Also peek at what's under the carpet, sometimes they rust from the inside out if it was leaking from the t-top.

I paid more for far far worse so I would say it's a good deal, but market is really down there time. I'd say offer 3k$ and haggle from that.

 

The car has been sitting for the past 2 years, the owner started the car aprox. 3 -4 times a month. Before you ask, the wife wanted a 4x4, thus the reason for not using the car. In the pictures you see a lot of surface rust that otherwise would have not been there if the car had been driven. It's the type of surface rust that you can brush away with your hand. Por-15 would do great there.

As for the windhield frame, I took the T-Tops off, but I didn't take the chrome off, I looked very close all around it and tried to manually move the frame. It appeared to be very tight and no obvious signs of pitting anywhere.

I'm not a newbie to body rot nor would I say I'm an expert, but my opinon is that the car has a solid frame and Yes, I bet with a good power washing the frame, suspension and engine compartment things would look a heck of a lot better. The interior looks worse then it is. Everything is there except the clock, armrest, power window console cover and left door panel. A new carpet, seat covers and some Armorall things would look much better.

One positive point is that the car has not been molested. It seems to be all there.

The paint is what it is and would need to be soda blasted and painted. I wonder if a lite wet sanding and compound buffing would do it any justice.

As for being mechanically , I could live with it for now as long as it gets me from point A to B.

As for the suggestion of throwing in a few more Thousand, and buy something around 7000. That's where this attraction comes in. I don't have that much right now, but I can toss 3000 and nickle and dime it for a while, fixing one thing at a time.

I appreciate everyones opinon, it seems were at a 50/50.
I'm still straddling the fence on this one, what to do?????????????

 

Offer 3k - in cash - fanned out live when you make the offer.
Visible cash talks.........

-W

 

Here's a few pics of the windshield







Heres a picture on top of the cowl just below the windshield. Looks like clear silicone not a factory bead, note the chicken wire, it's on both sides, I guess its to keep the leaves out.