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I am the 'buddy' that bought the car from him. It sat in his garage next to the 72 for 25 years!
I was doubtful about the paint/dust but after many hours of hand cleaning and polishing the proof is in the results.
Joe
I can't agree with you here. While the dust doesn't have any impact of the potential quality of the paint, any disturbance of the dust can lead to potential scratching. As for the rust potential, a modern car cover that breathes will not have any impact on the creation of rust. The hot and cold cycles that lead to condensation on the metal parts (none of which are protected or hindered by a car cover) will only be protected when isolated from the condensation. I also have an unheated garage in a northern climate. I use car bags for my protection. A CarBag with some desiccate will completely prevent moisture on the metal parts. Keeping the cars in the open like you do WILL drive potential rust with or without the car covers. You might as well be leaving the cars in the outside elements. (And note that I too am a long time Corvette owner since I purchased my first Corvette 36 years ago).
This is NOT an easy task. If anything, it will be an expensive proposition to know. You can get registration data from all the states, but the states don't give the data out for free. It is very expensive (I've looked). The average cost is about $5000 per state. Then, registration data is not necessarily going to tell how many have survived. Many cars will be registered, but are not in good shape. Many garage queens many not be registered because they are not driven. Then there are international cars.
Hi I really have no idea how it works in US but here I just got a reply from the authority handling registration of cars and they will do this for free since I only ask for the number of cars not owners. So in a few days I will probably get an answer how many C3 we have registerd in Sweden
WOW I just got info from our car register (that was really fast) so here are the C3s that are registerd in Sweden how many that are in traffic they cant say but these are the ones paying to still be in the register.
Thanks for replying to post. I sure have noticed that NOBODY wants to tackle a corvette paint job, just not enough money and quick turn around for them, easier to bilk insurance companies. Talked to one guy who does beautiful work on classic cars but he said he would not paint it unless i would agree to a complete restoration. doubtful. All I want is a reasonable good paint job that is better than it is now meaning dull and faded paint. Body is pretty good. I know paint jobs aren't cheap and am prepared to spend some money. Once I get all mechanicals sorted out, which is tune up, oil change, ac retrofit with 134a and horns working, might have to tackle paint myself, have painted before and not something i relish doing. Other than that will maybe hit the car shows and see if i can pick up someone that paints there.
Originally Posted by crawfish333
I cannot tell you a specific answer regarding Baltimore, but in general if I were looking to get my Corvette painted, and I may do that soon, I would seek out a Corvette restoration shop and ask if they do painting in house. If they do not do painting in house, ask who it is that does their painting. Painting a Corvette is a little different from painting a steel car. If you cannot find a Corvette specialty shop then I would seek out a shop that does street rods.
Warning though, from what I know, the paint job (if done right) may come close to or exceed what you paid for that 82. I have seen some examples of bad paint on Corvettes though, and you get what you pay for in this regard.
Actually, given the privacy laws in almost every state and lawsuits, this data isn't anywhere near as available as it once was.
And asking someone on the inside to access the stuff is the same as asking them to risk losing their pension.
This data is readily available from the states, but in aggregate form only - not with personal data. There are many groups that willingly pay for this aggregate data - most having to do with sale of aftermarket parts to understand the size of the market based on the total registrations.
My C3 is definitely not a DD. One of the reasons for me and I suspect others to not drive them more is insurance. I have collectors insurance on the C3 that cost about 200 a year. This insurance will not allow me to drive it to work and limits me to 3000 miles a year. I own 2 other cars and a pickup that all have full coverage. Getting daily full coverage on the C3 so that I can drive it full time is just not feasible. It is a matter of priorities.
Look into Hagertys. I pay 344 a year with high limits and 0 deductible on comp and collision. unlimited mileage, drive it where you want. Only deal is you need another car making your vette occasional use. The only other requirement is you have a garage at your home to park it in.
I put about 8,000 miles a year on mine on long distance business day trips.
There are a few C3's on the road up here and even more at the few car shows that happen. Most of them are sitting in garages, and solely just driven to the local shows but there is a handful that are driven regularly.
My daughter is just like me in loving to learn how things work and fixing them. Teaching her about the feel you get from old cars, how much the body lines flow compared to new cars and the simplicity of the mechanics behind them
She been a great help, little hands are great for installing new power steering lines lol
Be careful you aren't violating Child Labor Laws! (I'm originally from Penn Hills myself)
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Just sitting here going through the forum reading some articles with old reruns of " In the heat of the night " and I look over at the TV and see one of the officers driving his own personal red C3 convertible down the highway. Looks to be a 74 or 75 . It seems to be on here pretty regular because I've seen it a few other times on here . I think these shows were on in the late seventies so it couldn't be very old at the time. It's a good feeling to own one . Life is good !
("In The Heat of the Night" ran from 1988 to 1995.)
Last edited by Mike6811; Apr 13, 2017 at 11:39 PM.
Unless it's raining my '72 comes out every weekend and fortunately we get more sun than rain in Las Vegas!
I was at a Cruise-in recently and on my way out of the parking lot I passed two kids on their bikes staring at my car. As I drove by one yells out "Baddest car in the lot!" My faith in future C3 owners was restored!
I have an all original 81 that I bought in Hawaii for $2500 back in 1998. I drove it on cruises all up and down Waikiki and she was my daily driver. I got orders on Sep 2001 to NY to help out with some trouble they were having down there, shortly after I got deployed to the sand box and she got garaged until I got back (wife does not drive her(ever)). I got back l had to travel back and forth from Jacksonvile NC to NY and I would take her with me from time to time. After a few of those trips I rebuilt the engine and gave her new life. Got out of the Marine Corps and had to store her away until I got settled, 10 years later I drug her out and she was rough (stored in an actual barn in Texas). Bird cage took a lot of water and rusted out (started in Hawaii, to young and dumb to fix it then). Fast forward to 8 months ago and I bought another 81 all original and complete for $4800. The father selling the car for his son, who should be reported to C.P.S (Corvette Protection Services) originally bought the car for his son, who drove it for a week and then became a Tuner(rice burner cars) enthusiast, and decided he didn't want the Chevy. I inspected the car, jaw dropped to the floor to see, smog, ac, hoses, heat shields, distributor shield, interior, t-top strap, car jack and lug wrench, radio am/fm , buttons, dials, glove box 8track rack, owners manual, working alarm, complete and free of rust. It has/had some issues but nothing that my first 81 cant help me with. And here is what got me the most, I told the dad that if he threw about a thousand dollars at the car he could very easily sell it for 10K. he looked at me and with a straight face said " I bought this for my kid not for me" then proceeds to walk me to his pride and joy, a Porsche that was completely custom. I managed to haggle him down, there was some metal on metal noise coming from the bottom of the engine , there t/t steering wheel wouldn't lock, and the car would cut out if you went faster than 45 miles and hour, and seatbelts will not retract. (originally asking $5500). Drove her home. Now I just pull things off my old girl and put them on my new girl and slowly watch my old girl make my new girl better as she is fading away. The metal on metal noise was the flywheel bolts backing out, the t/t steering wheel needed a star screw, and the cutting out was a dirty fuel filter and a fuel line that was pinching, and also needed an AIR injection hose that I had to buy($25). These cars are not for the faint of heart.
(I'm originally from Penn Hills myself)
