Enjoy your project, and good luck.
As far as the investment issue, I remember not that long ago you could by C2,s on the cheap..not any more. I feel the Chrome bumper C3's are/will be on the increase as time goes on.

 

If you're looking to do a true restoration, sounds like this is where you're heading when you mention matching numbers, originality of all major components is important. I think a future buyer looking for originality would be put off by the hand laid panel. I would recommend looking into the cost of repairing it with panels and construction which look factory.

 

$4200 press molded vs $1400 hand laid. 72 base coupe. Investment. Hmmmm.
I own a 72 base coupe myself. My thoughts differ from a lot of people on this but I'll say it anyway.
Today the car is worth roughly 25k if in super nice condition. If the car looks stock, and is done up right, not to many guys are going to study the underside of the hood surround and know what they are looking at. I feel the car should be worth every penny of 20k +
I really don't feel this car is worth the 3k extra in a part that is not going to net you any more money
Your biggest mistake is thinking of the car as a positive investment.
I've been doing a body off restore of mine, going on 3 yrs now. Just about ready for paint. I've done all the work myself except the engine overhaul which I farmed out to a reputable builder. By the time you are done buying all the little parts and rebuild kits to overhaul all the various parts of this car, and replacing missing part, re chroming bright work etc you will have nearly 20k into it. Ask me how I know. Don't delude yourself. If you are truly doing a full on restoration, it costs money. My advice, spend the money where the priorities are, and skimp where you can.

 

If you really are interested in future value, I'd stop listening to input that suggests low hp/small block/base cars with matching numbers have little value. Its not true and will become less true as time goes on.

I had a '65 396 roadster in 1977 that people said wasnt worth anything because GM wasnt making convertibles anymore because nobody cared about them. Price this car today.

I had a 63 split window that I sold in 2007 that buyers were telling me didnt have that much enhanced numbers matching value because it was "only" the 300 hp and automatic. Price this car today.

Out of all the stock & modified Corvettes Ive owned or been involved with, nothing has been a more predictable value than originality, whether it was a 250 hp 327 or a big block. Custom whims come and go, but numbers are forever.

As someone said, chrome bumper (68-72) cars are the next collectible Corvette that will go straight up. Preserving as much GM as possible on them is the best route to preserving your dollars.

Re: Press molded... I think it will be important, but in my opinion not nearly as important as getting rid of mid fender replacements. Every Corvette Ive ever been around that had a half fender replacement (across the top 1/2 fender, not at the seam) was a candidate for an ugly body seam shadow under new paint forever. If you can, replace that.

 

I agree.

Good luck.

 

I sure hope so. But if I have to wait 30 yrs for the value to exceed my investment then I'm screwed. I'll be dead in the grave by then.

 

greybull,
very fine looking car you got there! I'm new at this also, and putting together a 1975 that I got from a nice lady last Sept. She drove it 8 years ago parked it in her garage and forgot about it. It's in very good shape all original matching #'s. 73k miles base car auto, PS, PB, fact air, & PW. I'm doing a preservation on it frame is solid original paint, except rear bumper. replacing bushing, brakes, suspension parts, shocks, battery etc. What I'm getting at is it's all up to you what you want to do with it with out spending too much money. In my case I'll probably spend just a little more money than what I paid for it. But in the end I'll know I restored it back to GM spec's for "75".
good luck with your project and enjoy it.

John

 

Hey John, sounds like you got a heck of a car. Finding those cherries like yours are few and far between. In fact, yours sounds like you may want to do some solid research before doing a lot to it as it sounds like it may be a survivor maybe?.

After doing a lot of digging and input from folks on this forum I found that I had a lot more digging to do. I just joined the NCRS so that I can further verify what I have before I make decisions on the degree of restoration I'm going to do. I know some of the original stuff is gone, exhaust was obviously replaced but a lot is still there so I want to salvage what I can. The car still had the A.I.R. system hooked up and running and I know most 1972's I have seen that had been removed.

The biggest thing I have learned is that my definition of "numbers matching" is maybe not all there is to it. I had always assumed, in the case of C3's anyway, that Title VIN, window pillar VIN, and engine VIN were numbers matching, but there is a lot more to it than just those. So now I am on a mission of discovery to determine exactly how many matching number I actually have...

Good luck on your project also, these project can be a source of great fun, and/or great headache, usually a bit of both. It has always been a source of extreme satisfaction for me to take something as ugly as the one I got, and turn it back into what the factory had produced.

Ed

 

You mention an A.I.R. pump, I believe only base engine cars originally sold in California had the A.I.R. pump installed.

The specific VIN information that you are probably interested in is for Coupe/Convertible, 350/454, and the production sequence number. http://www.vettefacts.com/C3/1972.aspx

 

No sense driving yourself crazy unless that type of thing floats your boat. Almost everything on the car when new had a date code or an original part number of some type, or a manufacturer's stamp on it. Attempting to get all of those in line borders on becoming obsessive-compulsive.

 

Grin, now you've discovered my secret, OCD is what I am. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/imag...ies/crazy2.gif

Actually, it's mostly just wanting to knowing what it was, and whether it's still mostly there. I like to fill in all the blanks I can and since I've allocated a couple years to this project I'm not in any big hurry. When I first saw the car, and saw the ignition shielding still there that intrigued me because every owner I knew tossed those the first time they had to do any work on the engine. To me that is like flame to a moth, I have to go down the rabbit hole and see where it goes.

And part of it is paying for past crimes against Corvettes. As I have said previously, some of the things I did, at the request of the owner mind you, just makes me spin now. Got to try and right the record a little bit.

 

Isn't that how Alice got into trouble?

 

yeppers... and I still haven't learned not to go.

 

Yes I'm digging right in. I have confirmed all matching numbers on my car and the last owner told me she knew the original owner and the only thing he did was remove all of the A. I. R. Equirement went with off road dual exhaust. Original radio also replaced. I also plan on signing up to the local corvette club in my area. Most of the guys I already know in the club and my cousin has a 1963 split window. NCRS is also in my plans I'm just waiting for this winter to end. My club meet once a week at a local resturant, same place that our cruise night is during the good weather.

John

 

You are most correct Revi, this is a CDJ suffixed engine, so a California car.

So far everything I have researched on the car is matching right to the Rochester carburetor. Tranny is a match, the build dates all run in as they should. The water pump is even the proper GM model for a 1972.

So far I have not been able to find where the chassis numbers are, but I'll get to that. The next thing I really want to get done is pull the gas tank and see if I've got a build sheet there.

 

Chassis numbers will not be visible unless the body comes off. They are on top of the frame, left side in front of the rear kick up.

 

Thanks, I had heard inside the curve to the front wheels passenger side but was nothing there.

Not sure if I'll frame-off this one. I pulled the tank but no sticker, the tank appears to be replaced. Numbers are good everywhere else, but without good documentation the fact is this car just doesn't seem to have the value to go with a full blown restoration. I'm back to thinking that I'll go through it to make it a good looking, solid driver and a good value. I have to fix that surround in the original question, I know what the front ends of these cars do given time and that seam *will* show sooner or later.

To that end, here is what is not stock: Someone put LT-1 valve covers on it, not sure why. The rear end was rebuilt, don't now the details there but they did put a composite monospring in, looks to me to be the 315lb Ecklers model. I was going to put that back to stock but I know little of these, maybe they would make this a better driver? As far as other changes to make it a driver, I was thinking to pull off the AIR and swap the exhaust manifolds for a non-AIR set and probably convert to HEI ignition. Keeping all the original parts boxed with the car in case someone buying it wants to go back to stock.

Investment... maybe yes, maybe no. I do think these cars will come back in value, so I'm not going to destroy value, but I'll probably leave the full NCRS quality restore to someone after me.

 

A VIN derivitive is stamped on the frame in two places, both driver's side top frame rail. The first is about where your left hip would be if you were sitting in the car. You cannot see this stamp with the body on the frame. The second is just in front of the #4 body mount. It is not easy to see either, although some folks have been able to see their's. I cannot see this one on my 68 and -to be honest- haven't looked for it on the 80.

There is no need to go after either stamp unless there is reason to believe the frame may not be original.

 

I don't have any doubts, there has been nothing in this car to indicate anything is amiss.

I still haven't decided if I'm going to frame-off this car... I do want to change the body mounts so I may. Of course if I go that far my wife may take me off of my mounts.

 

If that time comes, then look for the stamps.