looking for first vette
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Parkers Prairie MN
looking for first vette
Been looking for a few months. Lots of weird junk out there. Tonight looking at a buckskin 76 auto. $4000 been sitting 3 years. RUns and drives. No mods. We'll see.
also looking at tonight 1979 white, with factory GREEN interior, auto. $4500. says the carb linkage is stuck, but "You can drive it home". no mods, rally wheels. Any tips ,advice ? Geo
also looking at tonight 1979 white, with factory GREEN interior, auto. $4500. says the carb linkage is stuck, but "You can drive it home". no mods, rally wheels. Any tips ,advice ? Geo
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 526
Likes: 1
From: Millington TN
If you want to enjoy it look at it in person and buy the nicest one your bank account can handle. Also don't settle for anything you don't want. I bought a nice driver on eBay and it wasn't at all as advertised. My super deal turned into just a fair one. But since I didn't settle for what I wanted now a decade later I finally have the car the way I want it. I didn't mind fixing everything because I knew nothing about cars and it's been a great way to learn. But buying a car back then with everything fixed would have been WAY cheaper than the way I went about it. Welcome to the forum and happy hunting!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,151
Likes: 294
From: Opelousas, Lousiana
CI 6-7 & 9 Veteran
Those 2 cars could be OK, but sometimes trying to buy a C3 on the cheap can end up being a very expensive mistake. Make sure the frame and bird cage are not rusty. These are a sign of a terminal C3 illness.
Be sure and look at the stickys for the "10 rules for buying your first Corvette."
Be sure and look at the stickys for the "10 rules for buying your first Corvette."
Last edited by crawfish333; Aug 9, 2017 at 04:16 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 15,818
Likes: 90
From: Fairfield, VA
Crawfish has it right - WAY cheaper to buy finished.
And look at the sticky on the top of this page.
Also think about resale at some point - not sure "Doeskin" rings a bell with muscle car buyers.... just sayin'
should also say 4-speed cars sell quicker.
And look at the sticky on the top of this page.
Also think about resale at some point - not sure "Doeskin" rings a bell with muscle car buyers.... just sayin'
should also say 4-speed cars sell quicker.
Last edited by mchar; Aug 9, 2017 at 08:16 PM.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,153
Likes: 9,282
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Find the year you want, get a loan and buy the best one you can afford. Therre will be hidden problems that will need to be addressed but keep looking, it will show up. I spent $19k on my 68 and put about $2500 into to correct all the wrong fixes and it drove great like that. $700 of that was on tires. The rest was $200 for an Alpine stereo, new wiper motor and all the valves and solenoids and carpet. Lots of screws and wiper parts. Good luck and welcome aboard
Racer
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 336
Likes: 14
From: Upstate New York
The $4500 C3's are basket cases - Trust me (us) Nice later model C3's can be had for around $8500, as a starting point. Earlier high compression or chrome bumper cars are double that, or WAY more!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,200
Likes: 4,287
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Geo,
Buying a first Corvette is pretty exciting but can also pretty nerve-racking!
What cars do you like?
How will you know what you're getting for your money?
What will it need when you get it home and that 'car buyer's bliss' has faded?
Prices for COMPLETE, RUNNING, RUST FREE, 68-82 Corvettes don't really go below about $4500.
So you must be realistic about what that $4500 is buying….. it buys very little of a 69 but quite a bit of a 77 for instance.
People are attracted by the low price but become blind to what the car will require when they get it home…. and what it will be be and have cost when it's done.
Do your HOMEWORK before you buy it not after you get it home.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Buying a first Corvette is pretty exciting but can also pretty nerve-racking!
What cars do you like?
How will you know what you're getting for your money?
What will it need when you get it home and that 'car buyer's bliss' has faded?
Prices for COMPLETE, RUNNING, RUST FREE, 68-82 Corvettes don't really go below about $4500.
So you must be realistic about what that $4500 is buying….. it buys very little of a 69 but quite a bit of a 77 for instance.
People are attracted by the low price but become blind to what the car will require when they get it home…. and what it will be be and have cost when it's done.
Do your HOMEWORK before you buy it not after you get it home.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 252
Hi Geo,
Buying a first Corvette is pretty exciting but can also pretty nerve-racking!
What cars do you like?
How will you know what you're getting for your money?
What will it need when you get it home and that 'car buyer's bliss' has faded?
Prices for COMPLETE, RUNNING, RUST FREE, 68-82 Corvettes don't really go below about $4500.
So you must be realistic about what that $4500 is buying….. it buys very little of a 69 but quite a bit of a 77 for instance.
People are attracted by the low price but become blind to what the car will require when they get it home…. and what it will be be and have cost when it's done.
Do your HOMEWORK before you buy it not after you get it home.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
Buying a first Corvette is pretty exciting but can also pretty nerve-racking!
What cars do you like?
How will you know what you're getting for your money?
What will it need when you get it home and that 'car buyer's bliss' has faded?
Prices for COMPLETE, RUNNING, RUST FREE, 68-82 Corvettes don't really go below about $4500.
So you must be realistic about what that $4500 is buying….. it buys very little of a 69 but quite a bit of a 77 for instance.
People are attracted by the low price but become blind to what the car will require when they get it home…. and what it will be be and have cost when it's done.
Do your HOMEWORK before you buy it not after you get it home.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
See "corvette tax" thread. A $4500 C3 can turn into a $25k C3 if you don't do your homework first.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 935
Likes: 433
From: Dutchess county New York
used car
Been looking for a few months. Lots of weird junk out there. Tonight looking at a buckskin 76 auto. $4000 been sitting 3 years. RUns and drives. No mods. We'll see.
also looking at tonight 1979 white, with factory GREEN interior, auto. $4500. says the carb linkage is stuck, but "You can drive it home". no mods, rally wheels. Any tips ,advice ? Geo
also looking at tonight 1979 white, with factory GREEN interior, auto. $4500. says the carb linkage is stuck, but "You can drive it home". no mods, rally wheels. Any tips ,advice ? Geo
I know, these are cool looking and it's easy to get caught up in the moment. Think of it as just an old used Chevy. Right now the world isn't running out of these things.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,151
Likes: 294
From: Opelousas, Lousiana
CI 6-7 & 9 Veteran
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,151
Likes: 294
From: Opelousas, Lousiana
CI 6-7 & 9 Veteran
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 81
From: Hamilton Virginia
Also remember, just because the body is fiberglass does not mean it doesn't rust. Others have said look underneath thoroughly for rust. Look at the window frame, and if possible pull the front kick panels.
You can find good ones out there for $4,500 or less but they will be in the later years.
You can find good ones out there for $4,500 or less but they will be in the later years.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Parkers Prairie MN
Yes, yes, yes. I understand and expect to do work on a sub $8000 car. But some of the work is just asinine. Replaced a brake caliper but didn't bleed the line, now pedal goes to floor and wont "Pump up".
Installed tall air cleaner and also installed "ready rod" threaded rod into carb, yes you guessed it, nice wingnut sized hole through the hood.
Heard clicking after shutting the car off, I could see the amp gauge moving in time to the "clicking" sound. I ask what it was. Owner said "electric fuel pump". On a 79, with a carb? Previous owner blew a fuel pump, he didn't know how to replace it so he installed an electric fuel pump, under the hood.
I've looked at 5 cars in the past month. Every one of them had dangling wires! I want a c3 78-81, I don't want an 82 with the horrible cross fire injection. My budget is $5000 but I'm learning that I need to wait till my budget is $8000.
geo
Installed tall air cleaner and also installed "ready rod" threaded rod into carb, yes you guessed it, nice wingnut sized hole through the hood.
Heard clicking after shutting the car off, I could see the amp gauge moving in time to the "clicking" sound. I ask what it was. Owner said "electric fuel pump". On a 79, with a carb? Previous owner blew a fuel pump, he didn't know how to replace it so he installed an electric fuel pump, under the hood.
I've looked at 5 cars in the past month. Every one of them had dangling wires! I want a c3 78-81, I don't want an 82 with the horrible cross fire injection. My budget is $5000 but I'm learning that I need to wait till my budget is $8000.
geo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,151
Likes: 294
From: Opelousas, Lousiana
CI 6-7 & 9 Veteran
There is a famous mechanic who has done as least some work on almost every C3. His name is Bubba. What you are describing is some of Bubba's handiwork. 
Yes, yes, yes. I understand and expect to do work on a sub $8000 car. But some of the work is just asinine. Replaced a brake caliper but didn't bleed the line, now pedal goes to floor and wont "Pump up".
Installed tall air cleaner and also installed "ready rod" threaded rod into carb, yes you guessed it, nice wingnut sized hole through the hood.
Heard clicking after shutting the car off, I could see the amp gauge moving in time to the "clicking" sound. I ask what it was. Owner said "electric fuel pump". On a 79, with a carb? Previous owner blew a fuel pump, he didn't know how to replace it so he installed an electric fuel pump, under the hood.
I've looked at 5 cars in the past month. Every one of them had dangling wires! I want a c3 78-81, I don't want an 82 with the horrible cross fire injection. My budget is $5000 but I'm learning that I need to wait till my budget is $8000.
geo
Installed tall air cleaner and also installed "ready rod" threaded rod into carb, yes you guessed it, nice wingnut sized hole through the hood.
Heard clicking after shutting the car off, I could see the amp gauge moving in time to the "clicking" sound. I ask what it was. Owner said "electric fuel pump". On a 79, with a carb? Previous owner blew a fuel pump, he didn't know how to replace it so he installed an electric fuel pump, under the hood.
I've looked at 5 cars in the past month. Every one of them had dangling wires! I want a c3 78-81, I don't want an 82 with the horrible cross fire injection. My budget is $5000 but I'm learning that I need to wait till my budget is $8000.
geo
Last edited by crawfish333; Aug 10, 2017 at 02:47 PM.