Hey guys. Been searching for my first C3 for a while now. As one would expect, pricing is all over the place. Like, crazy all over the place. Obviously, something is worth whatever someone will pay for it, but is there some trustworthy definitive guide/source that you all turn to? I haven't spent the last 40 years of my life around old Vettes where I can instantly and correctly determine what a particular one is worth. I have seen some seemingly good deals on this forum (but stuff that didn't exactly fit what I'm looking for) and ridiculous pricing elsewhere on the web (craigslist, etc.) for ones that fit my fancy. I don't need to get the screaming deal of a lifetime, but also don't want to get hosed.

Incidentally, I'm looking for a #s matching as close to original convertible in either a black/silver/gray that's a good driver. Factory A/C option is preferred. Engine size is not a huge determinant, though I would prefer something meatier than the base engine.

Thanks in advance.

 

I have always found Hagerty's valuation tools to be a good baseline starting point.

http://www.hagerty.com/VALUATIONTOOLS

And there is a really cool smart phone app called Corvette DNA that I've found extremely useful.

http://www.corvettedna.com/

The app is free and lists all possible option combinations and value. My only problem with the app is I think the values given are best case/top dollar.

 

Hi cats,
You're looking for the 69-72 cars that will bring the highest prices….
an original appearing, air conditioned convertible, in a desirable color, with an optional high performance engine. I'm also thinking that the car will need little or nothing to enjoy it when you buy it.
How well the car fits those criteria will determine the price.
I'm most familiar with sb cars so I'll guess $40k to $45k for a 69 350/350 to a $60k-$65k for a (non-air) 70 LT-!. I'd think few thousand more the same car with a bb.
If the car has been judged in it's past the price may be a bit higher.
People with really nice cars that fit those criteria know what they have and wait for the person with the money to come along. They don't give them away.
The criteria you list lead to cars that aren't for the faint of heart.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

 

IMHO, check completed ebay auctions, you need an ebay account, do an advanced search for whatever you are interested in, chrome bumpers, check the box "completed auctions, and look for the completed "green" numbers.

Agree, anybody can ask whatever they want. Actual sold prices are difficult to obtain in any volume. Even if you could obtain DMV prices, do you think some lowball their price to obtain lower taxes, Ha ha! So, I do not think any one source is the end all answer, you want to develop your own price range from a number of sources based on your own good judgement.

Another source is Mechum auctions completed, free, if you give them your email address and sign up. As I understand though, Mechum charges 8 to 10% to the seller AND the buyer, so I am not sure how these Mechum prices might be overstated or not.

On ebay completed auctions, at least you know the green numbers are very likely sold prices. Sure, I know some get exposure on ebay and then are sold outside of ebay, but it does not make sense to me that if it did not sell on ebay with a high bid of say 25 and the buy it now was 30 that it actually sold for more than that range. In this case, you might assume the reserve was somewhere in between, so at least you get a sense of where it might sell for somewhere in the middle.

I like to check Haggerty too, but my sense is they are overpriced.

In the end, there are lots and lots of variables, so I would suggest using Haggerty, completed ebay sales, sources suggested above, and reasonable asking prices discounted a few thousand to triangulate a range of prices, plus/minus a few thousand. And the market sales prices are constantly changing, regional and seasonal too, so I could be educated in Corvette prices for 40yrs, so what, what is the fair range of prices today?

Best of luck in the hunt, and once you buy, you own that Puppy that was in the window, LOL's! Oh, and IMO, you have to be willing to travel and check out possible deals, but the travel time and money that you spend is insignificant compared to the ownership cost of the Corvette

 

cats, Alan offers excellent advice above. While you will be able to establish reasonable price ranges, its true that you have criteria that price the cars on the higher end. My experience has been that many of the reference materials are inconsistent and often inaccurate. Also, it sounds to me that you have a minimum of exposure to the cars and the market.

That said, I'd recommend that you make some friends, either in a Corvette club, at NCRS or at this forum and ask for input on potental purchases. Being told that a certain car by its decription should reasonably fall within $30k-$40k isn't very helpful when you haven't been told that that particular car has a wrong year nose hung on it and has a replacement engine.

This flows to the in-person inspection as well. Bringing a person who is familiar with the cars and knows what he is looking at is an invaluable resource to the inexperienced buyer.

 

Guys: many thanks for your input, especially those that suggested external resources per my original post request. I agree, talking prices in the abstract is not helpful without knowing the specifics of a particular car, but at the risk of being told that I'm a complete novice, I will say this: $45K for a base 350/350 seems quite high for what I'm looking for (a driver; not a trailer queen or one that has won 8 billion awards).

Is there a proper place on this board where specifics on potential purchases are discussed? I don't want to inappropriately clog up forums or waste members' time that have forgotten more about vettes than I'll ever learn.

Thx again

 

No, this is the right place to ask questions.

I'd say the low end of a decent driver vert is going to be $25,000. Condition, options, documentation, and rarity are all variables that will influence the price.

 

I'm a nerd when it comes to research and numbers, and have seen tremendous swings in value/pricing for similar cars based just on solid documentation alone (sprinkled in with pedigree). Wouldn't be surprised if solid documentation affects pricing by at least 20-30% (opposed to no documentation at all and not being able to track ownership).

I've come across a good # of sellers that have done a seemingly good job restoring their C3, and want top of market $ for it (at least by Hagerty valuation standards anyway), yet have no documentation other than a trim tag and engine stamp and can't trace ownership further back than themselves.

 

I think that AC and a 4 speed in a numbers matching convertible will start at around 30k for a base 300hp car. A friend of mine recently sold a nice documented 350hp 4 speed car with air for 42k. 390 or 400 hp car will be more.

Gary

 

I think you are better off private sale arena.
I think the auctions are overpriced.
go to several local car shows.
there are always guys selling to chase their next dream.
Marshal

 

I guess it depends on what you define as a driver. Every moving part under the car that has rubber or a seal will need to be replaced, including suspension components such as ball joints and u joints and wheel and trailing arm bearings, otherwise you will have an unsafe and loose car. I've restomodded a 69 over the last 2 years, and 45k seems reasonable to me, if it's been gone through mechanically.

 

There are some original and very nice cars without paper trails. If a complete pedigree is important to you, expect to pay for it and keep looking until you find it.

Good luck.

 

Hey cats,

Have you considered "buying in" to the hobby with an affordable version? You can perform as much research as you like, but until you get in one, drive one, and work on one, a C3 corvette is just an idea to you.

I'd strongly consider something along the lines of a good, drive-able base model non "numbers matching" coupe. If you need AC to enjoy it, that's fine, but I think you'll find these much more affordable and get the full experience of these cars.

After you enjoy that car, sell it and move up!

 

Okay another guy who wants something meatier then the base model. yea yea yea .

 

This post makes a TON of sense.

I ve owned c2c3 series 38 years . You need to drive a bunch to know what you really want . You may hate them . So why drop 60 grand on a car you know zip about living with.

I ve seen so many people disappointed , who thought they were c1-c3 people .

I'm not a new corvette person myself , totally reverse for me ...I love heat , smell of oil , gasoline and a teeth chattering ride ......that's the corvettes I've always owned.

People today are soft . They have to have every lux item

They used to be powerful , if nothing else , now every Honda is as fast as most stock C3,,,? So I mean you really got be committed if your gonna actually enjoy it...lol

These old Vettes are fiberglass go carts with giant engines.

Most dreamers are closer to C4 -C6 guys truth be told. They think , they can cope with an old vette , after a less than couple years most bail.

 

I agree. May I add to look at (gasp) later cars, like 73 - 79's?
It is cheaper and might fill the bill.

 

big thing is to ''READ'' every book out there,you need to make sure its a ''NUMBERS MATCHING'' CAR,or else its just a car,these real cars are so rare