Bikersully

I have an all original 1972 Corvette with an L-48. Looking for more power. I know the engine has been rebuilt once before. I would like to buy one of the new Chevy ZZ6 crate motors and be done with it. If it was an LT1 I would keep it original, but since it is an l-48....
Opinions?

oldgto

"Numbers matching" seems to mean less and less as time goes by, especially for a base or low option vehicle. That is to say, I think there are fewer people out there who really care about that. Those who are looking for something like that would prefer a big block, and a loaded car anyway.
I rebuilt my "numbers matching" 270 horse & auto trans, and plan to keep it original... just because that`s the way I like it, NOT because of what it may or may not do to the value. I`ll never sell this thing anyway, one of my kids will get it when I`m gone.
You ask for opinions.... so do the swap for the power you seek, but keep the original engine "just in case" for later.

Iceaxe

If you're selling the car to me the ZZ6 would put a lot more coin in your pocket. YMMV

ddawson

Do you still have the VIN stamp on the block or is it already gone?

Sunstroked

I rebuilt my 72's original base engine as well. Just because I wanted to keep the original block it came with in the car. Now, nothing else is original except for the block though.
The coolest thing is the bored and stroked engine runs as strong as the LS3 in my SS Camaro, seriously, it's fast! It may not get 25 mpg like the LS3, but at least it's old school.
As for losing value with a non original motor? Yes the value amongst purists will go down. But if u have a well built car with a strong engine the rest of us probably could care less. I would never have done what I did to my car if it were an original LT-1 car, but I intended from the get go, to modify my car as I saw fit. Based on the number of compliments and praises given to me whenever I take it out, I guess more folks could care less too.
1 other quick comment on originality. I showed my car in a huge show a few weeks back. (917 entries) There were some beautifully restored to original corvettes, C1 & C2's
I got a trophy, they didn't. I guess a lot of folks don't care about originality either.

74modified

Me - I like to enjoy MY cars. If you are building it for someone else, they might like original, or they may enjoy the new power.
I would rather have the car meet my needs and wants, not be stuck with what someone ordered back in the day. I stuck in an LS for me. I still have my matching block, but it is not worth that much to me. To each his own.

Patro46

Yes it will change the value. I have a 74 that had an L-48. I ripped the gutless turd out and put a 550 hp LS3. I presume it's worth a lot more....

joewill

if it is 'all original' as you say then you will be taking a big hit in value.. but if you keep the old original engine on a stand and sell it with the car, then you can retain alot, if not all, of the value.

7T1vette

Only if the rest of your car is absolutely dead-on stock and in superb condition AND the person wanting to buy it wants a perfectly stock vehicle (and will pay extra for it).

If that's not your car, don't worry about it. Very few L-48 cars are in "high demand" by the 'pristine-car/money folks'.

(Some folks who have L-48 cars like to think otherwise...but coming from someone who has one---it just ain't so.)

vettebuyer6369

I'm going with the other crowd that feels the original motor will always be worth more, L-48 or not.

dugsgms74

Best of both worlds, install the ZZ6 but keep, bag up and store the original engine in a nice dry place. That way you have what you want but in the future if you want to sell the car or even put it back to stock you have it on hand.

76CSRvette

its a chromey so its already worth a good coin. But it all depends on who your trying to sell it to. Some old geezer might want the 200hp all original car and younger lad might want that stroked out c3 with the chrome thingies and will pay for it. Now if it was a big block l88 or lt1 car than your money is on keeping it stock put there are plenty of base model l48 or 46s that I don't it would be a big deal to swap in a fun motor to play with but you can always keep the original motor in a bag somewhere in your garage in case the time came for you to sell it and as an incentive to whichever buyer to take it or you could always throw old block back in and swap new motor it into your new chevelle or Camaro or whatever project you pick up when you decide to sell the vette. MrzJLR put a 383 in his 74 and kept the original block and when he sold his car i don't think it hurt that his car wasn't "original"

Zoomin

I recently bought a 56 Nomad that still has its 265 ci, 2 bbl, single exhaust that's pumping out a neck snapping 170 hp, so I definitely know how you feel.

On the one hand, I really appreciate the car has made it intact for 60 years, and the engine starts and runs great. On the other, more oomph would sure be a plus.

My first mod was the brakes on it, because they were unnerving at anything more than casual stops so I justified that one in the name of safety.
Next, a friend offered me a 4 bbl intake and carb for it, but I decided I wasn't going down that road because it just wouldn't offer enough of a bump to make sacrificing the originality.

I've decided to keep it as is for now because I have other cars that satisfy my need for speed. If I do decide to modify it, I'll bag it and tag it. The thing is, the engine is just the start. When you increase the hp that much, the brakes need to be upgraded, the rear end needs to get beefed up, the suspension will need help and so it goes.

Easy Mike

I agree.

Jud Chapin

As suggested, I'd stay with the original engine if the rest of the car is original. At the end of the day, tho, it's the buyer that makes the decision re value, not the other way around.

BBCorv70

I respectfully disagree, partially. I can't imagine a buyer looking for an original Corvette who would pay just as much for one which has been messed with, engine sitting off to the side, as they would for an untouched original. If I were in the market, I'd want a deep discount for the trouble of having to swap the engine, hope all the small parts are still there, hope the original engine is in good condition. Base models generally get roughly a 20% bump for the original engine (may be high). If I were buying, this premium would be reduced by at least the cost of having someone else reinstall the original engine and maybe a bit more to cover other expenses should some parts be missing.

Given the current Corvette market, once the original engine is removed, replaced with another, the premium for originality is reduced. The value will most likely be reduced unless an engine which really does it for a future buyer is installed.

I think the owner has to decide what THEY want, not get too hung up on what future buyers may want unless the car was bought to flip. Future value is pure speculation, appreciation for C3's has been rather flat for some time.

If we were talking about an LT1, LS6, L88, or other highly desirable ORIGINAL power train, the bump in value may justify the cost of having the original engine reinstalled. The owner still loses money. I probably wouldn't pull the original engine in the first place.

tokim

Simply put, there are two different types of Corvette buyers.
Purist, the original numbers group.
Modifiers, those who are after performance/individuality.
Both groups place the value based on their own taste.
That being said, it comes down to, which is the larger group of potential buyers?
Many believe the purist are still the larger group..which may be the case, but we all have to recognize the numbers are changing, and with that change will come a change in values (that and the fact of the presence of the ever increasing fake number matching cars).
C1's and C2's still bring good money regardless if numbers correct or not, as will C3's in the future.
As with anything, there are, and will always be exceptions.

Peterbuilt

Has any one purchased a Corvette with a high HP engine and replaced it with the original L-48?

TheSkunkWorks

Whether one may see themselves as being more of a purist or a modder type, I believe the vast majority of enthusiasts fall well within the expanse of gray area that lies between a few intolerant correctness-***** at one extreme and a handful of godless hackers at the other. (No offence if you happen to belong to either group.) So, if you're concerned about any particular mod negatively effecting resale - which IMHO shouldn't be the driving force behind anyone getting into this hobby - 1) be objective about the legitimate collectability of the car in question, 2) weigh the value a given mod is likely to add to your ownership experience, 3) factor into the equation the cost/effort to restore originality, 4) hang onto original bits removed, 5) only do professional grade work, and 6) more than anything else, be honest with yourself as to what type of enthusiast you are at heart. Happy Motoring!




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The13Bats

the winning reply but so many were so darn good in this thread,

What I have been seeing much to the disdain of purists is only very pristine c3's get the tall dollars and need to be all numbers matching purist correct low miles show queens, more and more c3's are getting modded, even the "sacred" 68-72 chromies are getting modded and seems only the more rare ones are staying stock, tires, wheels, hoods, engines, a mod is a mod.

Since the number of "rare-ish" c3's in finite and small then of course in no time more c3's will be modded cars because there are more non rare cars to mod,
In many cases a mod increases the value of the c3 and doesn't hurt it like it did years ago when bone stock was the trend.

( did I convolute that enough? )

So like I always spew, do not buy a c3 for investment buy it to enjoy do it your way be that 100% NCRS purist winner or radical restro mod....just don't settle and worry about what the thing value might be down the road.