DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a C3 bash thread!! I am not trolling!!

I bought a 79 C3 that was sitting for a while in May of 2015 after wanting one for YEARS! Paid $5000 and looking back, probably paid to much. Sunk another $2000 to get it street worthy. The car was never more than a driver and even after the improvements a bunch of things still didn't work, or were worn out. Did I love the car??? Not sure. Did I love the C3 experience? I would have loved it more had I bought a better one that was previously restored and fresh. To enjoy these cars means you have to make a commitment to get it running and working right. Again, unless you buy one turn key

Here is my take: If you buy one that sat or a driver, expect to work on it. C3's are NOT an easy car to work on. Things are tight and complicated and you really need a nice roomy garage. And a lift always helps. Our roads here in upstate NY are trashed out and the car had very little ground clearance. I had to stick to designated routes that became boring. Part of that issue was the worn mono spring that I never replaced. So that's partly on me

These cars are nor for everyone! If you are reading this as a potential first time owner take my advise and pay more for a better car or expect to take it apart and put it back together many thousands of dollars later. Also, the low horsepower ratings were just that...LOW, If you want the car to move, take the L48 or L88 out and put it on your mantle and go crate or old school high compression. My girlfiends KIA sportage would put 5 car lengths on that 79 all day long.

Would I buy another C3? Probably not. A C5 would be considered. Do I love the way any C3 looks? You bet! So my old 79 was sold to a guy who is going to love it! He is fixing it up into a canary yellow big block!! That makes me smile, ear to ear!

I want to say thanks to you guys. Any time I had a question, you were there with the answer in a matter of minutes, if not sooner. These cars will always have a place in my heart, just not my driveway. Peace out and thanks again, It's time to join the Mustang GT forms!

 

From another 79er, I say you did the right thing. At least you sold it to someone who will keep it going. Too many sit and rot away. I hope I never get to your stage, but if I do I will do just the same thing. All the work I put into bringing this car back from neglectful owners will not go to waste.

Enjoy the Mustang as well.

 

Question was yours a auto or 4 speed??

 

Hi rn,
I'm sorry that you felt it should go!
This statement is so true and can not taken SERIOUSLY enough…

"If you are reading this as a potential first time owner take my advise and pay more for a better car or expect to take it apart and put it back together many thousands of dollars later."

Folks need to realize that it generally takes, (as an example), $12,000 to make a $4000 car into a $10,000 car.
OR, they put $ 6000 into it, feel overwhelmed by what's left to do, and want to get out from under it for $5000.
People report that over and over.
Regards,
Alan

Sorry to read about the Mustang.

 

Being a current C4 owner and having completely redone everything on this car, was a two year painstaking process. When I decided to by a 69, I made the decision early on to buy a done car. The few minor things that need attention on my recent purchase, I can handle and have allowed me to just enjoy the car. No regrets.
Rich

 

 

I agree with every word you said. There was a person I know locally who bought an '80 for "only" $8,000 and ended up dumping (as in...cash by the dump-truck load) another $20,000 into it.

The problem was that she viewed it as a car she could hop in and comfortably drive at any moment and it be as comfortable as her 'regular' vehicle. That's just not going to happen. I think my C3 rides like a dream, but compared to my other two vehicles, it is...guess what...a 47 year old car!

The biggest problem was that she didn't do ANYTHING on it herself and relied on Firestone, Pep Boys, Aamco, NTB, and other 'modern' shops to do the work on it. She paid out the ear and got very little value, or expertise, for the money.

It was a miserable experience for her. She is selling the car and trying to recoup her investment. Not going to happen.

I have been pleased with my car NOT because it was in great shape and NOT because it is easy to work on. Basically, I wanted a car to tinker with and always wanted a Corvette, so my wife and I decided to marry the two 'wants' into an old Corvette. I had never looked for a C3 before I started the quest for mine.

I broke a rocker stud probably 6 weeks ago and have been working slowly toward fixing it. Of course, fixing the $10 rocker stud has turned into a $1,300 project that includes a stud girdle and replacing my master cylinder with a new Wilwood unit. Yup...scope creep is a real and exciting thing! But this is why I bought the car.

Life is short. Don't be miserable or continue wasting your money on something you're not passionate about. Wish you the very best on your future endeavors.

 

I agree with most of what you said, but I would say the low hp is a problem of any mid-late 70s car.


any early c3 (even the base model 68 would have the 327/300) is going to be a much different animal than a 79, even a 79 L-82

 

Lots of truth there but i assure you an L88 will move out faster than the kia,

Old vintage cars are not for everyone, that statement is repeated because its very true but even in the cult of folks who in this case want a c3 the members of that cult vary,

Some simply can not afford a turn key, some do not want a turn key, some want to make the car theirs be it stock or mod,
Some people forget some dont have their bottomless pockets to buy turn key then build a shop with stuff that pales some professionals, to play,

Lots of different types of c3 owners but one thing is true across the field if a car is not up to par as in as good as the day it left the showroom then that is neglect and the fault of owners,

Those of us who have to buy the drivers and projects know we have to drop time work and money into them, but i could have never bought a rebuilt, bb convertible 69 for 13k but that is what i have now,

Nope, old car ownership isnt for everyone but for some of us we embrace every asoect of it good or bad.

 

My opinion is that there is no free lunch. If you are not interested enough in building a car up to what you want it to be, which is a great source of satisfaction in itself, then I guess you have to buy one that someone else already did that....but you are going to pay big money for that too, and its not your dream nor accomplishment....its someone elses.

There is nothing different about a C3 making it less of a car to restore or just to own, and I completely disagree with your interpretation of your situation. Actually I could make a list of probably a thousand cars that are less worth restoring, driving and owning.....just start down the list of cars made today, and working back to the C3 generation. Especially a Kia Sportage.

So you either like a C3 or you don't. I do, and all the money and effort I put into the car has rewarded me with a sense of accomplishment, and I now get to enjoy driving a car built better than GM did, and built the way I wanted it. Its a simple equation. Again...no free lunch. If you think buying a newer Corvette or Mustang is going to make you happy, then you made the wrong choice in buying the 79. But in no way does that make a 79 Corvette a car not worth owning.....its just not the car for you. Somebody else will.

 

Keith pretty much hit it spot on....I bought my 72 because I'm the type of guy that needs something to tinker with and always wanted a steel bumper vette since I saw one in a barn over 30 years ago....It just took awhile to save up for it. I honestly get more satisfaction out of fixing it than I do driving it, I know that sounds a little weird but it's the truth.

Brian

 

I understand and agree with this post. I've owned vintage cars as my daily driver for over 25 years. They aren't for everybody but I love them.

I met my first Vette in the 2nd grade in 1969 and have dreamed of having one since. I built endless models, hung endless posters and spent hours reading magazines about them.

At 54, I was finally in a position to own my Corvette. While I've dreamed of driving one for over 45 years, I never dreamed of working on one. I wanted to drive the dream, not park it in the garage and work on it. That and it's my regular driver.

I paid a reasonable price for a 78 L82 4 spd with 75,000 original miles. Repaint of the top silver with original lower gray paint and original leather interior. I was enjoying it the next day and have for the last 4 months. I'll handle any repairs needed as they come along. Other than replacing the rubber fuel lines and rebuilding the carb to use ethanol fuel nothing needs to be done right now. The A/C even blows cold!

If you've dreamed of building a C3 then by God do it. If you've dreamed of driving a C3, are a little up in years, I suggest spending a bit more money, buy one road ready and enjoy it. You can't fit a walker in the back of a Vette!!

 

People today are a bit spoiled with the performance, reliability and comfort features of the mass produced cars of the last several years. They assume the older Corvettes will be more of the same.

For those of us that are passionate about the old car hobby, we recognize Corvettes as an escape from daily routines and practicality.

Corvette owners understand their quirks/need for attention, and that is part of the appeal.

If reliability/performance above and beyond a stock '79 Corvette is the goal, there are countless cars that will accomplish that.

To each their own

 

Do you think you will have more fun with a C5. Think again. I had a 99 and sold it for a C3, 1980. They are just as cramped to work on. And the engine is harder to work on than the 350 in your 79. Then wait until the computers start to act up. And yes there are more than 1. Mustang. Not a vette, nothing like a vette. Maybe you are just not suited to work on cars.

 

The ten rules for buying really sums it up. No matter how nice your c3 is you are going to spend money on it. I bought mine in dec 2015, solid car, solid frame. Since I bought it, new radiator, put an original rochester on it, replaced cracked exhaust manifold,new wires plugs, have a power steering leak I'm working on now. I'm enjoying every minute of owning and understand that these cars are 40 plus years old and need attention. I understand that when and if I sell I will not recoup the money I put into it, thats not why I bought it. The best part is I knew all this going in, so no surprises or disappointment

 

"a mustang you say?"
photo website hosting

 

Just for the record, a $5K C3 of any vintage is probably going to be a bubbafied basket case. Unless you find a really naive seller, the car will probably be very needy. Even if you buy a low mileage car in good condition, you will probably find many things that need to be corrected. Even if you buy a 50K frame off restoration, things will eventually break. But I do think that most 5K corvettes are really not much of a bargain as it is fools gold. Sometimes a savy do it yourselfer will find a 2 bumper car that is a basket case and the purchaser is fully aware of the issues. But they are planning a complete restoration and are fully aware of the issues going in. For what it is worth, on ebay the word "barn find" is usually a code word for "rust bucket."

 

You said " No matter how nice your C3 is you are going to spend money on it " Only true if you just bought a car that is pretty . As you said these cars are 40 years plus and just putting a pretty paint job on it doesn't make it dependable . The only way that you are going to make an old car dependable is to literally make it a new car again which I have done with every corvette that I own and that gets very expensive. That means " EVERYTHING " is replaced with new or rebuilt or refurbished . I can't think of anything on my 72 that hasn't had this treatment and I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere that I would take a new car but I have over 30k. invested in it and did all of the work myself in my shop so take that into consideration if you have to pay someone . But consider what 30k. will get you toward a new corvette ( down payment ) and you might not mind adding the additional money to have someone build it for you to have that brand new classic corvette. Keep in mind though if you are sinking 30k. into it plus what you will pay out in labor , these cars aren't up to that value yet unless it is that special corvette LT1 , big block , original , etc. You better want to keep the car or you could and would be under water if you try to sell it.

 

I was kind of in this place you describe for a few years. I hung onto the car after dropping a boat load into paint and new interior items, probably more because if I sold it I wouldn't get a chance at another for a long time if ever vs. taking a massive loss though I would have if I sold it then. See I was somewhat smart and bought it before getting married (like 6 months before) . So my wife knows its the one thing she really doesn't have much say in and beyond her grumbling about it, generally leaves me alone.

So I like the OP got frustrated with all that had to be fixed, little kids took most free time, and just let it sit for roughly 10 years between actually fixing anything. Sure I would drive it a few times a year and start her up every month or so to keep things flowing. But... I've put on <2k miles on it since I purchased the car in 2005 (yes 12 years). Most of that is because it's a chore and usually I get stuck somewhere as my carb likes to flood the engine at gas stations for some reason.

I'm back at it though now and really want to address the more key items in preparation for spring/summer. I've really made progress in the last month or so (a ton of progress), and going through a punch list. I've got a couple high dollar items that need to happen at some point (tires are from before I bought the car, and the exhaust which looks like 20 year old aftermarket cheap chit compared to the rest of the car). My goal is to get my wife to actually want to ride in it for dates and whatnot (the immense heat issue I now fixed..might even now have functional A/C that I didn't know about but needs a charge, battery drain and needing jumps didn't help, and missing interior panels and arm rest/door handles didn't give off a good vibe to her either).

My advice to someone who is getting frustrated... let it sit if you can (though start it up and drive it every so often), and maybe you'll want to come back to it. I took a 10 year break and here I am again and starting to feel proud of my recent accomplishments with the car.

 

I was quoting the ten rules of buying a corvette sticky, I don't know what you mean when you say " Only true if you just bought a car that is pretty" to me the rule applies to all c3's with few exceptions