Thank you all for the replies, I appreciate everyone's insight. I'm not new to this game, and I don't have any cars that I've purchased for an investment. I drive them all. My wife likes the 68/69's and our ideal one would be one with no motor or trans, so I can stuff this spare LT5 I have into it. Would be a great driver.

The reason I was wanting appreciation info was, if I'm going to spend money on a 68/69, should I pony up the additional $$$ for a Big Block car?

I appreciate all your replies and insight on these cars. If anyone has anything additional to add, I'd love to hear (read) it.

Thanks.
Constantine

 

Very informative, thank you! I'll have to get on Hagerty and mess around with that. That's a cool tool!

 

Like others have said, buy the best car you can afford and enjoy it. I bought my 69 427 eighteen years for what was considered a lot of money, in today's money, I am still ahead...

 

For those of you that think the prices on classic corvettes don't keep climbing just see if you can find an old Auto Trader magazine and you will wish you were still living back in those times. I save many of those magazines and enjoy getting them out and looking at prices of corvettes . I was recently going through a 1988 issue and there were many fifties corvette projects selling for around $ 10,000. , nice C2's could be had for around $15,000. and chrome bumper C3's for less than $10,000. , rubber bumper corvettes were practically given away. Look where all of these cars have gone since 1988. No , I am a firm believer that the C3's , especially the chrome bumper C3's will keep climbing. But why worry about it ? If you own one just enjoy it for now !

 

So I'm confused, if you want a car to stuff a LT5 into, why would you do that to an original 427 car? Seems a solid base model with NOM would be better donor for that project.

 

Oh I remember even earlier than that, which means I'm getting old.

I bought this in 1971 for $1,500. Still have it.


Bought this 30 years ago for $8,500. Still have it.


Paid market value for my 68 about 10 years ago. They will go up in time but the right reason to own them is to enjoy the ride

 

I wouldn't do that to a 427 car. I would only do that to a car that has no motor/trans, or is not numbers matching.

There are quite a few small block cars available numbers matching motor and all, that's what we'll probably end up with. I thought maybe I should look for a big block car too.

Just weighing the options, you know?

 

I personally think the C3's have begun to peak with exception of some of the rare ones. Looking at Hagerty's charts, prices seem rather flat for the period they cover. Most of the run up came before 2008. The buyers with money who are the most interested in this generation won't be in the market much longer.

If you bought the car for pleasure with some possibility of gain, I'd say to enjoy it.

 

Not that this matters and for what this is worth:

If you are not 'married' to HAVING TO HAVE a numbers matching Corvette....then I would get one that would allow you and your wife to make it your OWN!.

Knowing that you are NOT looking at it as an investment. Then I would find a car that you can do as you wish..and ENJOY it.

Like I tell many customers who come by my shop....the money you put into your Corvette is just that...MONEY. And if you are NOT all caught up in the AMOUNT of money you put into it....even better. Because if a person is so obsessed on every single penny they spend on the car.....I wonder if they are keeping track of every penny they spend in their relationship with their husband/wife. Because money spent on the those 'things' in life that brings a person JOY..and HAPPINESS is the BEST money spent. (in my opinion)

And if they are money obsessed....HOW in the heck can they drive it and enjoy it...IF that is what THEY WANT. Some people just want a car sittign in a garage to look at. Because..in my opinion....nothing is BETTER than the therapy of getting behind the wheel of YOUR CAR and escaping from the troubles of the day. The amount of money spent to ACHIEVE THAT...is LESS than paying someone to lay on a couch and listen to you complain.

I 'say'...get what you and your wife want and make it your own....and if is done rather nicely. If it has to be sold in the future...you should not have too much of an issue UNLESS you get people who are caught up in the 'numbers matching' game.

I hope you find what you are looking for.

DUB

 

Thanks for the reply, Dub.

Yeah, I can't look at a car in the garage, I drive mine whenever possible. We would definitely enjoy any car we buy.

This idea of a big block car possibly appreciating, was one of those shots in the dark thoughts that I pulled out of the clouds.

I would prefer a good car someone ripped the motor out of and just didn't get around to replacing. Would be much easier for the project I have in mind.

If I can find a big block car that's not too overpriced, or whatever, then that would be cool too.

Thanks

 

I drive my car all summer long.

If I can't drive it, it's not worth anything to me.

The key to buying Corvettes is to research and understand the market for what you are buying and NOT OVERPAY, regardless of lust. After that, the cars take care of themselves.

 

Sounds like reasonable advice but how do you define overpaying? If we define overpaying as never paying anything above the average going price today, no Corvettes would appreciate in value. Not what many want to hear. Lust IS the reason some of us buy these cars. What if there is no Corvette available which exactly fits the buyer's requirements? Paying market price for one, then sinking more money into it to make it their own puts the buyer in the hole? Should the buyer compromise so they can say they didn't overpay? I see the emphasis on not paying anything over average market value to be a flipper's mind set. The object is to make money or at least break even. It's not necessarily about buying a car which the buyer is passionate about. Most flippers know better than to become attached to a car, it's about making money.

I'll also add the time a buyer is willing to wait and how far they want to travel are factors. Many want to enjoy the car now even if someone may come along later and say they could have gotten a better deal it they waited. One could wait a very long time, lose many years of enjoyment holding out for the right to say they found a deal.

My definition of overpaying is paying more for a car when another fitting my exact requirements is available, within reasonable distance, cheaper. I evaluate from time to time, consider whether another is available which fits my requirements exactly, within a distance I'm willing to travel and at a price which is cheap enough to justify selling one I have to go for another. I don't get as hung up on what the average market value is, more interested in which is cheaper, continue to invest in the one I have or sell and buy another.