73 454 / 4 Spd project Worth
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,044
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2021 C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified
73 454 / 4 Spd project Worth
Whats a73 BB 4 speed project car with 70,000 mile on it worth? I'll post a few pics later. It does run. Its red with black interior.Trying to find out more about it.
Last edited by Tevroc98; Jun 18, 2013 at 03:44 PM.
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Pro
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 535
Likes: 8
From: London Ontario
I think a lot would depend on the market in your area. In my (and Mike's) area I have seen worse looking projects on the market for $3000-$5000 depending on condition. Its nicely optioned and could be a nice car if they have all of the parts.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
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No, I'm serious. Been there, done that- with a '73 'project' albeit SBC.
Weak frame- 4K
bad paint- 8K
no interior- 3K
remainder of resto- 5K
That's 20K, plus the cost of the car itself. Try to get your money back on that kind of expenditure.
If you don't care about that, the cost of the basic 'project' car is pretty much irrelevant and forms only a small part of the investment.
Always buy the best completed car you can afford.
Weak frame- 4K
bad paint- 8K
no interior- 3K
remainder of resto- 5K
That's 20K, plus the cost of the car itself. Try to get your money back on that kind of expenditure.
If you don't care about that, the cost of the basic 'project' car is pretty much irrelevant and forms only a small part of the investment.
Always buy the best completed car you can afford.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,264
Likes: 3
From: Vero Beach FL
I am not sure what its worth but its more car than I started with. The only thing that would discourage me would be rust. Cost of restoration depends on the level you want to bring it to. In any case you most likely will not come out a head even if the car was free or only a few thousand. In reality most of us are not playing with these cars for financial gain but rather because we love Corvettes and wrench'n on them. The restoration will most likely far exceed the starting price of the car many times over. With that said I guess 2k-5k.
Come to think of it I never made any money playing golf or fishing either.
Come to think of it I never made any money playing golf or fishing either.
Last edited by Roco71; Jun 18, 2013 at 09:07 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 948
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From: pensacola fl
Roco71, I have posted the same thought as yours more than once. Ever own a boat? They are also money makers, right. I guess the real question is, how much can someone afford to spend on a hobby.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,709
Likes: 3
From: Savannah GA
Ask the owner why the core support has been hammered by repeated contact with hard objects (like the block/flywheel/oil pan). At 70K I would hope for a non-rebuilt, original 454. This is almost cetainly not the case here.
I'm thinking $1500 max if the frame and cage are not powdered to bits since I see $20 to 25K in resto costs to realize a car which will be worth less... unless you provide ALL the labor save machine shop costs for the engine.
I'm thinking $1500 max if the frame and cage are not powdered to bits since I see $20 to 25K in resto costs to realize a car which will be worth less... unless you provide ALL the labor save machine shop costs for the engine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 914
Likes: 10
From: Brooklet Ga.
I paid 4k for my 73[IMG]
[/IMG] but I did everything myself except the machine shop work. Now for less than 10k I have a car just like I wanted. Sure it`s not numbers matching and purists would scream at me for having Autometer gauges and a 383 built like I wanted it and I have had more than my share of doubts, cussing fits and bloodied knuckles but I wouldn't trade it for anything
[/IMG] but I did everything myself except the machine shop work. Now for less than 10k I have a car just like I wanted. Sure it`s not numbers matching and purists would scream at me for having Autometer gauges and a 383 built like I wanted it and I have had more than my share of doubts, cussing fits and bloodied knuckles but I wouldn't trade it for anything
Last edited by Skip Burney; Jun 18, 2013 at 10:43 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
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2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Every time one of these WIW threads concerning a project car comes up...and when I look at the pictures...all I can think of is NOT MUCH. It obviously has been neglected and left in complete disarray for a very good reason...that being the present caretaker was not willing (or not able 
) to spend any more time and money on it. If not even properly stored, it must have been considered worthless. On the other hand, it is a red Corvette......
) to spend any more time and money on it. If not even properly stored, it must have been considered worthless. On the other hand, it is a red Corvette......
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
Likes: 649
From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
I always figure a solid rust free body on any project car is worth $2000. I wish I would have thought to consider a project like this that needs an interior and then I could have swapped in a complete '79 interior. I think $3000 anyway with a running 454 4 speed.'
Compare that to the super nice '79 I bought for 12K, I'm planning a paint job and thinking of swapping the interior which is in great original shape. According to Mike Ward, that's another 11K making a total investment of $23K. If I had bought something like this 73 for $3000K, put 11K into it my total investment would only be $14K. A project car is not always a bad idea.
Compare that to the super nice '79 I bought for 12K, I'm planning a paint job and thinking of swapping the interior which is in great original shape. According to Mike Ward, that's another 11K making a total investment of $23K. If I had bought something like this 73 for $3000K, put 11K into it my total investment would only be $14K. A project car is not always a bad idea.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
$2500 together, $5k - 7k if you make it run, drive, and stop... 7500-10k if you part it out.
I always laugh at the people who claim their rebuild is an investment. It's not..... ever. There is no exception to that rule.
Nice thing about Corvettes. If you keep them long enough, you can make a good "profit" on the car due to inflation and increased scarcity.... but if you put your money in a solid investment account; you'd do far better.... but in the end, you'd either have a pile of money to buy a Corvette or you'll have had a Corvette for a couple decades, enjoyed it, and seen a nice ROI in the end (included in the ROI is the enjoyment of having a Corvette for 2 decades.... which, even with an excel spreadsheet, cannot be properly valued)
I always laugh at the people who claim their rebuild is an investment. It's not..... ever. There is no exception to that rule.
Nice thing about Corvettes. If you keep them long enough, you can make a good "profit" on the car due to inflation and increased scarcity.... but if you put your money in a solid investment account; you'd do far better.... but in the end, you'd either have a pile of money to buy a Corvette or you'll have had a Corvette for a couple decades, enjoyed it, and seen a nice ROI in the end (included in the ROI is the enjoyment of having a Corvette for 2 decades.... which, even with an excel spreadsheet, cannot be properly valued)