cyxelsid

So, I just read the "Ten Rules For Buying Your First C3 Corvette"... and I am a little freaked out! I bought my 1969 Convertible C3 recently. I found it in a barn in Northern California, and it looked like it was in pretty good shape to me, but I only got about 45 minutes with it. I live in Southern California, so I have not been up to see it since that first look. Hence, I have fallen into the emotional trap... It then took me 5 months to get the owner to sell it to me. I would check back in with him periodically, and we would tell me he was driving it on weekends, waxing it, that he had fixed this or that little thing. He has been forth coming when I ask questions about the history of the car.

Finally, it is cold up north and he knows it is time to garage it for another winter, and he is ready to sell. He has made me what appears to be a pretty excellent deal for the car, by all accounts, $8,500.00. He has not been pushing the sale on me, in fact, just the opposite.

When I posted pics on the intro section, I got one response that said I should check the wheel wells for damage (which I didn't do, and can't do before I get up there to pick it up). I am wondering if this is just something they said in general, or if they saw something in the pictures I didn't notice. I see that was in the list of things to check generally, so that gives me hope.

I have been working on 60's and 70's vehicles most of my life, but never in a restoration manner... more of a "keep 'em running" way. Now I am older with the resources to attempt my dream car.

So, I am going to repost these photos (unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the engine compartment, but I did not see any red flags there, it all looked stock) and ask for HONEST feedback... do you see anything in these photos that I should be seriously concerned about? The car is already bought and paid for, so I am pretty much stuck with her, lemon or not, so now I just want to know how deep the water is... I am headed up north with a truck and a flatbed to pick her up this weekend. She runs... but I am not going to risk an 800 mile trip without going through her front to back myself.

OK Folks... let me have it.

corvgreg

Hard to tell from pics, but looks like body is unaltered, nothing cut or changed. What is the color code on trim tag? Color is not original, interior looks ok except for no seat headrests and aftermarket radio. Wonder what the engine bay looks like?
Also has ac bezel, so probably factory ac car.

Vette vs Stang

Disregard my post. On my phone, the line running across the cradle looked like the top ridge so I misinterpreted that as being crooked as hell lol. Congrats. I'd love to jump into a steel bumpered vert in any condition. In my area, people are asking about 12-15k for the same car in worse condition. So I woulda paid the 8k too.

cyxelsid

@corvgreg... Unfortunately, I was not knowledgeable enough to think to look at the trim tag when I was up there, so I will have to look at that when I go pick it up this weekend. I was "told" by the current owner that the interior, rag top, and paint were original, minus the obvious radio and missing headrests. I just assumed he was telling the truth as he knows it. I further assumed that this was a severely faded and oxidized Monaco Red.

The engine bay looked like a normal 60's engine bay, nothing special. I have actually asked the former owner for some engine picks, so I will post them when he sends them. I suppose I can ask for a photo of the trim tag as well. Thanks for the input! I am very happy to hear you didn't see anything glaringly wrong!

cyxelsid

Hey Vette... do you mind me asking what area you live in?

ed427vette

The interior might have some original parts but its not completely original. Look at red colored passenger seatbelt. Shifter. And the center console parts are different colors. Nothing major.

Also, its not what you can see in the pics that should worry you. Its what you can't see. You need to check the birdcage and the rear kickups when you get it. Hopefully it will be ok. It doesn't matter if the paint is original or even the original color as it needs paint anyway. Just need to check for damage. Red and tan was not offered but could have been special ordered. I see lots of white under the red.

As long as there are no rust issues and the car runs good, then the price is good. If it has the original drivetrain then you did very good.

Check to see if the tank sticker is still on top of the tank. Its a great piece of documentation that tells you what came with the car and what dealer originally had it.

Best of luck

cyxelsid

Thanks Ed! Interesting that you are seeing white, I didn't pick up on that. I know it does not have the original engine, but I don't know about the rest of the drive train. I will definitely take a closer look at the birdcage and kickups when I get up there. (Of course, I don't know what the kickups are, but I am sure I can find it here on the forum.)

Is the tank sticker accessible from the trunk without removing any major parts?

Yankeededandy

Not much will beat a 69 Corvette convertible. I do hope you'll be happy with the car. Since you ask for honest opintions, I'll address the elephant in the room: The one picture from underneath the car looks to me like serious rust issues. I'd be more than a little worried, in what condition the birdcage and the frame really are.

What is your own impression?

Good luck with the project

Martin

bfit

When you see it next check in front of the rear wheels look at the frame there and follow that inwards to the kick up
Take the kick panels of both driver and passenger sides in the foot wells
On the drivers side it is just left of where your left for sits when you in the car, -as anger side is similar
The bottom of the bird cage is visible there
Check these areas for rust first before any thing else on all c3 /c2 corvettes

Easy Mike

FWIW: there is no trunk.

Dynra Rockets

Its hard to imaging you will be upside down financially at $8500 for a '69 convt 4 speed kept in 'driver quality' if you wrench yourself.

The issue is how much work does it need to make it safe and reliable. A lot of unknowns at this point from frame rot to birdcage rot to drivetrain repair. Keep us updated. Great find!

RonR80

Great find , but hard to tell from the pics what it will need , don't let people on here scare you , you know what you can do , it won't be cheap but only do a bit at a time . No rush do it right the 1st time , get the books and lots of great info here . I just got a 70 and slowly doing work on it , last winter I got it to the point where it's safe to drive I enjoyed it this summer and now getting ready for this winters work on it .

bazza77

looks like a power steering leak at one time , also looks like a new hose on there so maybe you wont have to fix it ........ for a while .

looks pretty good , as in straight . I hope the hood just wasn't locked down on the drivers side .

never seen that white lettering on the tyres before , interesting. but probably very old

if there's no rust 8.5 k is a bargain (to me anyway )

Alan 71

Hi c,
I think if the car turns out to NOT be rusty then there's a LOT to like about it…. 1969, Convertible, 4-speed, maybe (?) even an L-46.

I do think $8500 is about the right amount to have paid for it considering the amount of money that could be spent on it.

The one thing I see that bothers me is the way things in the front don't line up. This could be because the car's been hit. This then becomes a matter of how well the repair was done.

The condition of the drive train and chassis continue to be an unknown and could make this a good deal or a not so good deal.

At this point I think you should still feel "so far, so good"!!

It'll be interesting to hear/see what you discover.
Regards,
Alan

Mr D.

A 1969 Convertible for $8,500, all I would need is 10 Mins with this car to verify the birdcage was good. Doesn't even matter if it runs.

cyxelsid

lol... yeah, I was tired... I meant the top of the tank fill.

cv67

Exactly thats a steal even if it needed plenty
how many old cars have been hit..most so fix it not a big deal;get it safe, inspect and drive as is, no painting

Looks like old gunk and grime underneath mostly
Op I dont think for the money you can do better than that.

ed427vette

You might be able to see it without removing anything major. Lift the gas door, then carefully push down the rubber boot on the drivers side. With a flashlight you might be able to see if the sticker is there. You probably will not be able to read anything but you'll get a good idea of how much of the document is still intact.

Without the original drivetrain its not as important to have except just to give you info on your car.

If it is there and fairly complete, its a good idea to drop the tank to maybe get some pictures of it or at the very least cover it with some clear plastic. They are not so easy to remove without damaging. Sometimes you can, but many times its pretty stuck on the tank and the paper is very fragile being so old.

mardyn

I wish I had read, and re-read, and then read again the "Ten Rules" thread before I bought my '73 C3...

Rule #11 should be "Don't take your over-anxious buddy with you when you go to have a first look"...

As others have said, if the cage is OK, you're gonna' be fine at 8500.00 on this one.

mardyn

gccch

The sticker is not readable while in it's position, but you can stick a camera or phone behind the rubber seal inside the tank fill access and possibly see if it is present. You have to remove the tank to see if you can read it.