So I ventured over from the C6 section to see if you gentlemen could give me a crash course in C3's. I'm looking to add another car to the stable and wouldn't mind taking on another rebuild/resto project. A C3 caught my eye at the last car show but after looking online at what's available I am totally lost.

Would like to know what years are better than others and also which years/ cars with options are more desirable.

Nothing too detailed. I can dig up the details.... Would just like a nudge in the right direction.

 

Well, every *** has an opinion, but most guys seem to like the 69-72, mine is a highly customized '72 vert, IMO any vette needs be a convertible, the flares on later sharks are a bit wider than the early ones...but my car was an old custom/show car so the body work is very similar to a later shark, allowing my larger wheels/tires.....

it all depends on what you want from the car.....and to watch out for RUST, windshield and frame near the trailing arm pockets.....

 

From my experiance chrome bumper vettes (1968-72) are worth a lot more. Roadsters are worth more than coupes, but not a lot. 4-speeds are worth a couple thousand more than automatics and are easier to sell. Working AC is worth a lot. Big blocks are worth a lot more than most small blocks. In the SB the LT-1 is equal to the BB, the L46 (not L48) is somewhere in the middle. Numbers matching has value, exactly how much and what exactly is numbers matching is a running debate in this forum. I've found the Hagerty valuation tools to be reliable in about what you should pay. YMMV

 

Don't expect much info. I too am a regular on the C6 section and asked for some help on seat covers a couple of days ago. Got only 3 responses. I'm sure there has been more than 3 owner that have replaced their seats. Just sayin'. Good luck.

 

This isn't the c6 or c7 we don't take our cars to dealers for repairs and just talk about how much our car notes are and what oil change cost . This is the c3 section and the good thing is now you can get a rubber bumper car and do the rear chrome bumper conversion and mod the hell out of it and not worry about your car dropping in value if that's your concern. All c3 are made for big blocks even if they didn't come with them not that bbc are for everyone. In most state they're smog exempt. 74 last year for bb and true duals but most add them to later years. 76 last year to use stingray badge but some put the badge on later years. A lot of parts depending on years are interchangeable or you can mix and match between this Gen if you like. Some tend to frown upon molesting a chrome bumpers matching numbers but the later years tend to be less desirable and end up in some instances highly modded. You should modify to your liking and because you want to if that is what you choose but don't expect to get your money back in full for some cars. In the mid to late years the L82 is more desirable than the L48 but small blocks are easy to tweak and play with and get more hp out of. I hope you find what you're looking for. They are fun cars no matter what year you get but just make sure you go through the whole car as some have been sitting for years while others not so much. When I finally got my c3 running a couple of bolts on the a arms were coming loose luckily something made me check but car had been sitting for 15 years rubber was still holding up just bolts were loose

 

Maybe they knew you were from the C6 section and didn't answer you on purpose. Seriously, if you were going for leather covers you might get more responses.

 

I went and took a gander at your seat post,
The three replies you got pretty much sum it up, you didn't get more replies because there really wasn't that much more to add....

For op of this thread, no one can tell you what YOU want find what makes YOU happy.

I am a modder, almost as popular as stock, cheaper to build, in some cases, lol, depends how wild you wanna go, but stock costs more and is harder to make and keep stock but in most not all cases worth more at resale time and buying time...
At this point it's not in most cases worth the money to buy a modded car in the interest of returning it to stock, just buy stock.
frame and bird cage rust can be deal and car killers.
So do you want 100% matching numbers NCRS dream come true.
stock, but things like modern tires and air cleaners are okay.
Lite mods are okay, or all out radical restro rod, custom , you name it, mods are all about personal tastes.
Decide what years / year you like..
68-69, 70-72, 73, 74-77,78-79,80-82.
You see how I split up the years, now up until 75 you could have convertible, and up until 74 you could have big block, but by 74 the 454 bb was not what a 69 427 was.
Most all 68-82 could be had with AC and either manual or auto tranny.

So figure out what you like and go hunting....

 

I, as I'm sure many members, have different collector vehicles, that prompts us to belong to different forums.
This particular forum is very informative, with many members who are extremely helpful.
Subject matter, time of day, etc. dictates how much activity a post receives.

 

That is really a tough question for anyone to answer except you. I would have to agree with what others have said, the 68-72 are the most valuable, they had the chrome bumpers front and rear. It really all comes down to your taste though.
I am a little different, I feel the rubber bumper 80-82s are the best looking, and those are the ones I looked at before buying my 81. The best of both worlds for me would be that era of a c3 with more horsepower than factory specs, and that is what I am working on.
Also keep in mind the rust issues that were mentioned, they can be very serious, do a search and educate yourself. You can tell quite a bit by removing the interior kick panels that show the bottom of the birdcage, below the windshield frame, where one of the body mounts is. If it looks good there, it probably is an okay car, good luck.

 

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-corvette.html

Did you see that^^^^?

Stock to restomod and everything in between. Its only limited by $$ and imagination.

Personally, I like to stock appearing cars, with modern running gear etc.
Someday a '72/'73 is ideally what I'd like. Blue on blue Vert, 4spd small block. They're just priced out of what I'd like to spend on one. I dont see them coming down in price either.

Ive got more money in my 78 that it'll ever worth to sell, but its what I wanted to do.

There is a c3 for sale section if you never noticed it.

dodosmike

 

Example:
Pass side, beside your right ankle when seated:


Pass side, behind rear wheel:








Some years have fiberglass floors, some year steel. I forget which is which. The 'cage above is from a '78 that was wrecked.

Sorry the pics are so big.

dodosmike

 

I know i'm reaching and guessing but I bet you paid more or close for your 78 I did for my 69 convertible, 6300.00
Like you with your 78 the 69 is what I wanted, so I jumped on it in the end I will have a 69 modded convertible big block for under 13K
But it was and is a purists nightmare...

 

Hi m,
There is a tremendously wide range of cars in the 68-82 group.
Obviously the appearance changed dramatically during those years, as well as the available power- train options.
Thus there is a wide range of prices depending on the year and the performance options of the car.
Typically the 68-72 cars are deemed to be the most desirable, offer the most performance, and thus cost the most $$$.
Even with-in that group though there is a wide range of performance available and thus prices vary greatly.
Typically 68-70 cars are the most valuable because of their performance possibilities.
I'm talking only about un-modified cars here.
Modified cars are another whole area.
Regards,
Alan

A car which appears to be too good a deal for what it's purported to be is one to be cautious about. Owners of good cars know what they have and wait for the price they deserve.

 

I would say, in addition to what has been said already, that the most important thing to look at is what you like that is hard to change. This is greatly influenced by your mechanical skill/endurance. Things like extensive body work would be where I call it quits. If you want a Big Block, drop one in. If you want dual exhaust or even side pipes, go ahead.

All that being said:

1. 68 and 69 have the gills (duct behind front wheels) that I love. 70-72 Have a busier "gill" style. And the rest have the single large opening there.
2. 68-73 have chrome bumpers (1973 has only the rear)
3. 78-82 have the "bubble" rear window the earlier years have the vertical window

1974-1982 are probably the least expensive c3's which was actually the biggest deciding factor for me.

The most important thing is that you love it, it will be a project car, whether you think so or not.

 

No matter how the chrome bumper crowd wants to proclaim their superiority, all C3 cars are very similar to each other. Each year has minor differences. Certainly, regardless of the performance level a car came stock, a Chevy 350 is one of the most popular engines ever produced, and there are so many options to improve performance, the difficulty is picking the improvements to make. My point is that if you just want to buy a car in original condition, you probably should pick a chrome bumper car, but otherwise, they are all virtually the same car and the performance improvements are available for all of them, and very similar, no matter what year.

 

Yup!

 

Get the best car that you can for the money you want to spend. Don't fall for the bargain fixerupper that you think you can spruce up on the cheap.

 

I do have a 2008. I also have a 68 Convertible (very driveable) and a 70 Coupe (project car). The 68-through 70's are very desirable since with chrome bumpers and high horsepower options they had nice appearances and also performance. The chrome has a negative...you've got to protect it from corroding and rusting. The 74's and up didn't have much chrome.

Most of all, I like the 68 through 72 (?) interiors. I do like the chrome cars, but I also like the looks of the plastic bumper cars also...particularly since they don't have the chrome maintenance issues. The BIG DIFFERENCE...the 68 through 70 cars had HORSEPOWER. They drove like Corvettes.

 

All years of the C-3 are good choices for a person to join in on the fun of these great cars. Choose a year you like and decide how big a project you are willing to take on and just go for it. Yeah, Some years are worth more than others but 99 percent of C-3 owners are going to wind up upside down with their choice no matter what year the choose.

 

You will get more looks, thumbs up and smiles in a C3 than you will ever get in your C6. A C6 is a sports car, a great sports car but a C3 is a Corvette.