jcnst1

I'm seeking stories, insight and guidance from those in this forum who persevered in finding their ideal C3. I've been "on the hunt" for over 2 years now , and am starting to wonder if I'm being too picky and specific about what I'm looking for, within the budget I have. I've posted several times in the C3 FS / WTB section and scour Craigslist and other online options for C3 Corvette's, and just can't seem to find what I'm looking for. My search is for a 1969 or 1970 427 / 454 manual coupe. I have specific exterior / interior color combos (listed in the FS/WTB forum) with must and nice-to-have options. My budget is up to $40K, but obviously looking for the best car I can buy within and below if possible. For what I'm looking for, this seems like plenty of budget....but am I being unrealistic? Would love to hear your stories about how long your search lasted and any additional advice you may have.

Duke94

This guy has some BB chrome bumper cars. He is "high end" and his cars a VERY nice. To rich for me, but fun to look. I found my latest project in 2 months, but what I was looking for (78-79) are a dime a dozen.
You might try working with one of the broker dealers and see what they can find.

https://inventory.vanguardmotorsales...eq%5D=Corvette

Here's another one in my state (MICH)
https://www.grautogallery.com/vehicl...stock_cont%5D=

Good luck with your search.

Alan 71

Hi j,
While $40,000 is a LOT of money I don't think it's enough to buy a really nice big block 69 or 70 coupe.
I think you're still in very nice sb coupe territory at $40,000.
Regards,
Alan

js1977

While my search and budget was a far less, I can understand your frustration. It probably only took me about two months to find the Stingray I just purchased (waiting for it to be delivered). I told my son that the budget was $20k or less as this is our third classic car. I wanted a rust free car, 4 speed manual and he wanted it to be a true "stingray" (68-76 emblem on fender). Obviously we had to make sacrifices like his request for black exterior and my desire for a chrome bumper car. We both agreed on it being a coupe with everything in good mechanical order and no white, brown, gold, yellow exterior colors. So with our agreed on options and limited budget I started searching. I looked locally and on the internet (cars . com, eBay . com, googled classic corvettes for sale). In the end I found a 1975 silver Stingray (originally classic white) with a L-82 engine and 4 speed manual, zero rust, in good mechanical order and well under our budget. With that being said, the paint has a few spots that need to be fixed and the interior needs a few things replace for the car to win any car shows. It's a great daily driver and will be the perfect car to enjoy and fix up over time with my son. Good luck with your search, it's out there I'm sure.

derekderek

vanguard has a 76 NOM auto for 34,900. I had a hard time getting 7k for my 75...

js1977

Ive purchased a car through Vanguard before..... I'd recommend going there in person and personally looking over the car with a fine tooth comb.... a very fine tooth comb.

doorgunner

It took me a year to find the exact basketcase I wanted.

in other words....I like to use my wrenches.

a 1968 convertible that had 1976 front bumper and rear tail ight panels grafted onto the '68 body.

71 Green 454

For up to $40K, I would think less than a month to find a BB Corvette Coupe that meets your criteria.

Good luck.

The13Bats

My criteria was different and ( self appointed ) budget was way less than yours,

In a way making what i wanted hard to find,
At about 18 months i had not given up but lost so much positive motivation i wasnt looking diligently as i had been and should have been,

Tina my wife found our car on ebay,
Called the seller did the deal off ebay,

In your case which i dont know that much about be sure you are realistic, if your funds will buy what you desire, do you see cars you like in your criteria sold at your budget range?

Look daily, all over the net, no telling where it will pop up,

Be ready to jump but do not get so starry eyed you loose sight of being sure the car is up to your desires and expectations,
In other words dont get in a hurry and make a mistake,

Lots of c3s out there, you will find what you want....

Wee

My search took about 4 months of really hard looking....At one time I think I knew of about every 70-72 coupe listed on the internet for sale. I wasn't looking for a project car I just wanted a good sorted out steel bumper 4spd coupe....No side pipes and no red or blue interior. I ended up buying a pretty nice project car and have been working on sorting out the issues over the last 3 years. To be honest I have really enjoyed working on it and learned a bunch.

Good luck with your search....
Brian

Mr D.

Looks like your only hard requirement outside numbers matching BB is tilt steering, you can add that.

Hit That!

I looked almost 2 years, but much of that time was really trying to learn about the cars and fine tune what I wanted, and what I wanted to spend after the initial purchase. I don’t think
$40K is “off” but depending on what you want it may be worth it to spend more on the purchase as spending less initially does not always mean spending less.

knuckleherby

me too, it took 2 years to find the right 69.
I´m from Germany and for a long time i only searched in Europe. I'm the guy who goes shopping with cash, buys and bring it home, the fastest and easiest way. But either the cars were to expensive or in bad shape.
Then I decided to look in the US for a Stingray, the selection was very large. After a few months later i found it.

It was a long time, but i´m glad to hold on and not to bought the first one crossing my path.

Your Stingray is already made, you just have to find it, good luck!

greetings
Herby

Wrecked82

My 82 was free in a sense. A lady at my work was selling her 82 with ~50K miles on it in 1997. I sold my Thunderbird to my brother and took an advance on my share of my parent's estate and bought it for $13K. Still driving it near 200K miles later. Yes, some work on things that go bad but it runs like a top now. Biggest continual replacement was the starter motor that was finally fixed with a high torque small starter, wrapped in heat blanket. That and the multiple alternators. But have finally have that solved with a quality, higher amp alternator. Of course, there is the transmission rebuild, new rear trailing arm assemblies, aluminum radiator, master cylinder and ss brakes, new a/c compressor converted to R134a (very cold, believe it or not), borla mufflers, double layer of dynamat, new radio, new engine, modified intake, etc, etc. $13K purchase, easily $15 o 20K invested since. But, like new. Looks given all the time.

Tonio

I searched for my ideal C3 for 3+ years. I knew I wanted either a Donnybrooke or an Elkhart green LT-1 with either a black or saddle interior. I scoured the 'net, went to Carlisle a few years looking, had friends look, even posted want-ads here. I found many candidates but each one turned out to have issues that i felt they shouldn't have for a price range of $35k-$40k. While at Carlisle this year, I bought a '62 vette....white/red...just gorgeous. I drove it off the seller's grass spot and onto an empty spot a few hundred feet away. Before I could even get out of the car, a well known dealer approached and made me an offer for it that I couldn't turn down. I owned my first C1 for maybe 20 minutes. lol. No more than a minute after making that deal, in rolls a '72 Elkhart green LT-1 convertible with a saddle interior.....stunning car. As if it were meant to be! Restored 10-years ago and put into storage. Tank sticker, pop, matching born-with driveline, super clean chassis, mint interior, near perfect condition, brand new white convertible top, very very correct car needing some very minor TLC......and an asking price below that of a similar coupe. I finally found my dream C3.

So keep looking, your dream car will appear. Just be patient, and be ready to make a deal.

Torqued Off

I found mine after a couple months. Looked at one 73, full of rust, and then second car I looked at was my Code 66 Orange 1977......when I rounded the corner and saw it, I knew it was mine. When I was a teenager I built a plastic model of a C3 Corvette.....painted it orange. So when I saw this one, it was done....not to mention it was in good condition at a reasonable price. Never looked back.

BLUE1972

My 72 took 4 years, 18 years ago. It was and still is the perfect car for me. Almost 100% original and very low miles..

The 85 was a fell into my lap - a project cheap, more of a race car than a street car now but a lot of fun, the build was the most fun.

My 71 took 3 years after the 85 was finished. I didn't look every day but checked a few here and there - then at a swap meet there it sat - a basket case , matching #'s - the most fun car to drive now that it's almost finished, just need to add the vintage A/C.

Looking for a C2 - about 6 months - came close Sunday but it was overpriced.. for what it was. Who knows can take a long time..

Don't give up , the correct car will appear when it's ready - then take it ..

Faster Rat

I looked for mine for 1-1/2 years, before finding it clear across the country. I had to have an original drivetrain, documented, side exhaust coupe with a 4 speed, original paint. I did not really care about the color. That was back in 2004 and I paid the $25,000 asking price with no ability to negotiate. Others were supposedly willing to pay that amount sight unseen.

Now that I have spent another $45,000 in parts, rebuilding, storage, insurance and 13 years wrenching on the car, I certainly would never consider selling it for $70,000. I am finally getting to the point where I can really enjoy driving it. I certainly would not even consider donating $30,000 of my hard-earned money to you, let alone all my blood and sweat. Think about it. You will get what you pay for.

JohnnyQuik

I looked casually for about three years for a '69 or '70 BB or LT-1 car. When I got really serious, it took about three months to find a couple cars worth considering, all 500+ miles away.

After going through a couple of long and expensive restorations, I subscribe to the "buy the best car you can afford" philosophy now, so I stretched the budget and bought one I know had no rust and had been restored and painted 15 years ago.

$40k will get you a nice, but not perfect car. The more picky you are about options, the harder it will be to find. If I was looking to sell mine, that's about what it would take. It actually spent the first 45 years of its life within an hour of you in Roxboro.

joewill

I sold my old 70 rusted out, disassembled NOM restoration project after giving up ( I was way over my head ) in may 2007...

I started looking for one already done right away, big block, convertible, great paint, no rust, didn't care about the numbers, just as long as I paid the right price. wanted one local or at worst, a day trip away with my truck and a trailer.

in 3 months, found my car. i reviewed several, even contacted owners on a few. but just asked the right questions and pretty much knew my requirements were for a rare one, so rare that when it came up for sale, I knew it was the one. it was restored, although incomplete, and needed a couple grand in nickel and dime stuff. but the paint, all rebuilt drivetrain, interior, no rust.. made it perfect. bought for low acquisition costs, and from an old gentleman that I knew had not run the car into the ground. easy decision.

I know I paid a couple grand too much.. but my search was over and it was what I wanted. the seller's phone was ringing off the hook as I trailered it away.

my advice to you folks looking.. don't look for 3 years and lose a sale haggling over plus/minus 2K, screw the numbers and buy the best condition car you can find.