Long time lurker here but I had to sign up to either know I made the right choice or to run back.


I wanted a vintage convertible and have always been a corvette fan. I felt a C3 fit the bill just right but cost too much. A local one popped up on craigslist for $8000 that ran and drove. It needed some cosmetics like paint, interior, and a convertible top. It had spent 10 years in a garage. I studied up on the cars and used a lot of the threads on this forum like how to buy a C3.


The car was a 1974 convertible with a non original 350 motor. It was an AC car and came with the hard top. I was thinking I could drive it and fix it up while enjoying it. I give it a good look over and found the frame was rusted though and the drivers door wasn't lineing up. I am 99% the birdcage is rusted out too. I walked away.


The car is haunting me. I can't afford $20k for a nice one and decent projects are hard to come by in convertibles. I found frames for a grand but can't find prices on replacement birdcages. I am pretty sure the cage swap would be too hard anyway.


I offered him $2500 just incase he would take it and I could atleast get my money back on parts if it was unsavable. He said he wouldn't take less than $5000. I said no.


So did I make the right call? Or should I run back? I assume its a lost cause financially but I keep thinking about it.


Thank a lot for your opinions. I plan on keeping looking so the information will be valuable.

 

If the frame is rusted through chances are the bird cage, radiator support and other areas have problems. It is very difficult to judge as to whether or not the car was worth 5k without several pictures. I once had a rusty 74 coupe that I had quite a bit of fun with but knew it would never be worth restoring. It is going to be very hard to find any C3 convertible for under at least 10,000 that doesn't have some kind of problem.

 

Yeah I should have taken pictures. I just knew it was bad when I pulled the diverside rear body mount off the frame with my hand. Then I reach under both sides and put fingers though the frame. I knew it needed a frame and a full restoration. the bird cage was an unknown but the screws for the sil plates were too rusty to get off to free the kick panels for a look at the bird cage. Carpet was wet.


I know it was a basket case. Its one of those things where my head says keep looking but everything else says save this one. More so than the value... Could it be possible to economically save a car that needed a replacement frame and replacement bird cage? I only found one convertible 74 bird cage and it was almost $5000 online.

 

You were 100% right to walk away....Even running would have been just fine....Keep looking.

Brian

 

NO!

Nice cars are out there, even convertibles. A friend of mine sold a very nice driver quality 74 convertible last fall, for $10,000. It was a red, black gut, original engine, 4 speed, no air, soft top only car. He'd replaced the gas tank, brakes and a few other little things. The paint wasn't perfect, but it was presentable, and the car was solid and rust free. Keep looking.

 

Thanks for the opinions. I feel better about walking and feel I made the right choice. I'll let you guys know what I end up getting.

 

I may be too late to warn you.......but.....FIGHT THE URGE!

I have already put $5,000 into my $5,000 car....and it already had a decent frame/good birdcage/driveable-but not dependable.

I expect to put another $5,000 into it before I drive to a car show.


Annnnnnnnnnnnd......Welcome to the C3 Forum!

 

I have yet to see a c3 that isn't restored or very pampered that is really "rust free"
I see so many ads or people post how their car is "rust free" and I smile so becareful in that area....

Did you do right by walking away...will it matter if you get a zillion replies trashing the car that no one here but you saw saying with such limited info that is was a pile of junk and you did right?

Okay, I'll be a lemming....Likely you did right but in my case the "forum" would have told me and many other builders of basket cases their projects are worthless and to run, heck if 100% of the cars this forum said run from were scraped the junk yards would run outta room.

I wanted a 69 convertible and in 09 bought what I could afford and since I wanted to mod the car paying for something I didn't want would be a waste,
My 69 came to the door for just under 6500.00

After putzing around all that time with engine swaps frame swaps and lots of work and down time I have what I desire a resto mod a car no purist would get next to, in a month or so my due date is before turkey rod run the car will be a runner driver, I will have about 13K invested in a bb 69 convertible all rebuilt, as good or better than it was in 69, but yeah, major stuff like frame swaps and engine swaps.

In my case I have wanted this over 30 years owned lots of vettes and customs along the way and now have it right, it was worth it to me because this is just the car I wanted, I believe that plays a big part too in how much a cat is willing to work on and spend on a basket case c3.

One thing for sure do not be "haunted" and don't settle it's a buyers market, buy the most c3 you can afford and make the car what you desire it to be, it took me close to two years to find my 69 lots of disappointment along the way, almost gave up, actually Tina found our car on fleabay.

 

Bats....you know that I love my basketcase......BUT........

when he stated that he put his finger through the frame....

even I got nervous.....and I'm a (retired) doorgunner.

 

Dg...I simply do not subscribe to the opinion that 100% of every basketcase c3 is worthless trash which is basically where every thead like this is taken.....your car is a great example...I know how hard you have worked on it...how many cats here would have told you to "run fast" ?.....

I wonder what the seller will end up doing?

 

A big part of why we bought ours was the lack of rust on the frame. We did patch a little around the windshield, but the frame & body mounts were in great shape. It may have made a difference otherwise.
Also agree with Bats on this. We bought a stripped out shell with front fiberglass damage to bring back. But all the front bumper braces & brackets were straight, so no frame damage. Again, that may have made a difference in our decision.

 

Unless your buying a completely restored C3 every car is going to have rust to some extent. Even a car stored inside a garage will have surface rust. Without pictures of the the areas of the car that your concerned about noone on this forum can give you an exact recommendation. However, based on putting your fingers through the frame, the interior of the car being wet, and your ability to remove body mounts by hand, should did the right thing. You can find some pretty decent cars in the 10,000-15,000 range that will not be show quality, but will be daily drivers that may need some minor work here or there. Every C3 will need attention whether its a new restoration or a car sitting in storage for 10 years. Time is the enemy of all cars. If your looking for a more economical C3, look at the 79's. Most produced corvette , but doesn't come as a convertible. Not as highly sought after, and considered throw aways by some. Just my .02....FWIW

Then again I'm partial to the 79's...I have one. Love the sound of the car running down the road.

 

I dont believe every C3 basketcase is worthless trash either. My buddy was looking for one today, actually.

However, $5k for a '74 roadster that needs paint, has NOM and rusted through frame? Plus everything else this new buyer doesn't know?

Uh, no.

 

Root
I am on the NO side as well simply wait & buy a better car that does not need so much work. I just finished a 75 coupe that sat for 19 yrs paid $3,500 now at $9,000 with a ton of my time & labor its a great 5 footer & drives very sweet. I gave it to my wife she loves it.
Keep searching my friend
Chuck

 

Bats disclamer:
When I spew no basket case is "worthless junk" that doesn't mean that many are not over priced money pits or not worth restoring as a resto mod even, ( like the car is this thread )
Some are only good for parts cars, but even then not "worthless".

 

To encourage you I thought you might like a pic as it sits now



75 coupe last month

 

You gonna go there, show off...
Mine as it sits now.....cant even tell it's got a new chassis and suspension...

 

Forget about that car. I'm not a believer that all c3 s have rust issues. There are many nice drivers / builders that don't.

I purchased my 78 from Bakersfield Ca. For $7500 plus $850 to ship to Kansas. It's a rust free car. It's a driver that ran well and looked presentable.
The underarage showed age and minor surface rust. Noting serious.
I chose to take it apart and build it the way I want it. More HP. I have sent a lot on front and rear suspension, engine and trans. Again only because I wanted to and not because it needed it.

There are many late C3s available for under $10,000.
I know because I have owned 7 of them and all where nice drivers.

All of them unless newly restored or built will need maintenance. You just don't want to get into rust problems.
Keep looking and you'll find an adorable driver.

I would go with a basket case as long as the price is right and no rust problems.

If you get into a frame change anyone here can tell you that a frame off is costly even if you do all the work.

Cage work is extreme labor.
Hope that helps.

 

Highlighted in red....which is it...cant be both....

 

Once again, thanks for the comments, opinions, and tips. We all know when you have the desire to buy its hard to walk away but I did. I will keep looking. I am sure some deals will pop up here this winter. Toys get cheap in Minnesota when the snow flies.


Btw, the seller told me he might put the car on ebay so if he does I'll share the link so you guys can see. Then again it might just go back in the barn for another 20 years.