Someone please convince me the typical C3 owner is not the same as the last 4 I have encountered while looking at cars.

Car 1--'78. Mullet, scraggly unkempt beard, well overweight, two trucks on jack stands in the driveway. "Underrepresented" condition of car on CL ad--said the engine was rebuilt 5 years ago (maybe he did), but things like A/C didn't work, cruise control disconnected, carb leaking gas, each wheel had only 3 lugs, etc. Interior had nothing, except for maybe the dash that was salvageable. Asking $5500.

Car 2--'80. Mullet, scraggly beard, thin, denim jacket. Car in decent shape, ad said "needs paint". Guy said paint was chipping and he applied body filler and touch up paint to about a dozen places about the size of my fist. Does the car leak? "No." We get in the car on a rainy day and it is pouring in the passenger door. Asking $4900. Did not accept my offer of $3750.

Car 3--'78. Curly mullet, goatee, Nascar shirt and jacket, talked like he was straight out of Deliverance. Had NO IDEA about his car. Car was way "underrepresented" on CL ad. Car had foam insulation sprayed in the windshield support areas then covered with about 20 lbs. of silicon. Further inspection revealed rust in those areas and door frame areas that were repainted AND seat frames had water dripping out and tons of rust crumbling out of the backs. You could almost feel the crispiness. A shame because the car drove really well... Asking $5500.

Car 4--'81. Never met him, just talked on the phone, but he left his car open and I saw considerable birdcage rust before he arrived. Asking $4000.

What did they all have in common other than the mullets? A mixture of covert problems on their cars and dishonesty. I guess they are just dumb or assume that buyers will be.

 

OMG...Not a NASCAR Shirt & Jacket! The horror!

While I am a southern NASCAR fan who just purchased a C3, I promise I'll resist the urge to grow a mullet. Maybe you can find one of them prim and proper, mint julep sipping, horse racing folks up at Churchill Downs trying to sell a C3!

 

Sounds like you live in Kentucky or something...

 

Car 2 and 3 were in Ohio.

 

What were the price ranges of these 4 cars?

 

Revised with asking prices, but at any price range I would expect the sellers to be honest and forthcoming about their cars. I'm not expecting a fully restored car, just one that is rust free and with no MAJOR problems. Only #2 was (other than the leaking) and that is why I made an offer (plus I looked over the car meticulously and think it MAY HAVE BEEN a 40k mile car as advertised and as the title and clock showed).

 

Mullets aside, you're looking at cheap cars, and I find that you tend to get what you pay for. 9 out of 10 (or maybe even more) will be junk, and finding that 1 that's not, will take a lot of time spent hunting.

I hope you didn't agree to meet guy with car #4 and then leave before he showed up?

 

Hi Lou,
I was at an event last weekend where there were 30-40 cars, that many owners, and maybe 100 other interested Corvette people.
No mullets that I can remember.
Regards,
Alan

 

maybe you should spend less time looking for a date and more time looking at the cars.

hope this helps

 

Maybe because those are sellers not owners.

 

What is wrong with a mullet??? None were snobs now where they??

 

No, but all were idiots. I kept getting "these go for about 14 or 15 thousand fixed up," even though all cars would take 14 or 15 thousand dollars to get to that condition.

Me: "Were you aware your birdcage is rusted."
Owner of Car 3: "The what?"
Me: "Your BIRDCAGE. The metal cage that goes around the windshield and the cockpit of Corvettes. See this rust right here, that's like a death sentence for Corvettes."
Owner of Car 3: "Well I think a little rust is normal. There are other nicer cars and more expensive cars out there. It is what it is."

Mullets aside, they were morons and maybe they all got in over their heads and want out now, but it was like the Apple commercial, deja-deja-deja-deja-vu.

 

You should probably look at some C3's that are well kept and you will see a whole different type of owner.

 

Move out of Kentucky........

 

It seems to me, the cars your describing, are exactly what your going to get, for 78-82's in the $4,000-$5,000 range.

They may be lying to you about the rust, or they may not know it's there. How often do people pop up here on the Forum, and have no idea that a Corvette could have rust! They may know it's there, but they may honestly not know it too.

I realized years ago, that there are an awful lot of people out there, that don't seemed to have a clue about the car they own.

When it comes people misrepresenting cars they're selling, Corvette owners aren't much different than sellers of any other kind of vehicle. Even if most aren't going to outright lie, they probably aren't going to tell you everything wrong with their car, either!

Face it, that's why you should always inspect a car, before buying it!

 

They're from Ohio and Kentucky? The problem is not the cars, it's the location.

 

They don't say "Ohio" but: "Ohia"

You know you're a Redneck when.......

 

I am in central Ohio and don't have a mullet........

 

i'm from new york and did not know what a mullet was till i googled it.i always thought it was a fish.

 

I would say that even if their asking is $5,500 and you think it's worth $3.500 you may have a different haircut, but are equally guilty as the owner of thinking that at this kind of money level you can have / buy a clean decent car.

Dude.. it's absurd. Save yourself some time. Don't even look at anything under $8 to $10k.

Who do you think will own a disheveled looking $3,500 Vette? Exactly who you described. Probably nice people, just underskilled in repair and Corvette knowledge and gainfully employed at their education level.

I see the C3 owner as the guy/gal who's ready for their vintage/muscle car; it's car 3 or 4 and they are looking for a little mid-life fun.