$25K (in northern pesos) for a '59 shell...

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars...ationFlag=true

 

Nope, too many c3s made,

 

Mike

 

Ya butttt... I ask this...
With many K units made, they are common place and have little respect and most are thus neglected to the point of serious decay. So, how many years will it take for the number of intact C3's to whittle down to the point that they are actually worth something? Does anyone have any data? Wild *** guesses?
I'm 56, will I and my '81 see some re$pect in my life time... :-)

 

basket cases? no. they reflect a percentage of finished car values. that 25k C1 COULD be worth 100k. same with a 63-67. the chrome C3's if special can go above 50. the plane jane 69-72's hafta be really nice to hit 30. Rubbermaid cars rarely see 5 figures...

 

The original question is "will C3 EVER" and the answer is definitely yes. They already do.
It could take 100 years but even common basket case C3's will eventually reach $25k. Basket case C3 L88s are still C3's and they are clearly over the $25k mark for a total basket case. Maybe even some L71's and you can include L89's, LS6's, ZR1's and ZR2's. Maybe even some '72 LT1 air roadsters.

 

Rarity alone does not make something valuable. Even if they whittle down to one car left on the planet if nobody wants it, the car will be worthless. Demand has to outweigh supply. When that happens then the value will increase and continue to do so with more demand and no more supply. I do not see that happening in your lifetime or even your grand children's lifetime with regard to the '81.

But then again why does it need to? I didn't buy my vettes for people to respect them or me. Who cares what anyone else thinks. I like them. The value should be in the enjoyment of your car. I do not care if they become worthless. Im not in a contest to see whos car is worth more and didnt buy my vettes for the dollar value then or there value in the future. I'll probably never sell them so they theoretically have no dollar value to me anyway. Whoever inherits them after me means nothing to me when I'm dead.

Don't worry about it. If you like your 81 and its fun to drive that's all the value you need.

 

Is this a Rodney Dangerfield thing?

 

Once self-driving all-electric cars are mandated and our dead dinosaur fueled cars are outlawed, then they will all be rendered worthless relics. Will that happen in our lifetimes? Maybe not. But it's coming soon. Lets enjoy the aroma of unspent fuel while we still can.

 

I have to disagree with this statement.

A large portion of the collector car market, is driven by nostalgia. The desire to own an old Corvette, Mustang or GTO, is a result of memories of them from the buyer's youth. Most people by a collector car because they always wanted one, but couldn't afford or justify one, when they were younger.

Eventually, those nostalgia based buyers, age out of the market, and/or die off. Sure, it's likely that there will still be collectors, willing to pay for very rare, museum pieces, like L-88's, but high end collectors aren't going to be looking for 75 L-48 automatic coupe basket cases.

I started restoring antique cars in the late 60's, when I was a teenager. Most of those old Model T and A Fords that I restored back then, sell for less today, than they did in the 70's and 80's.

From what I've seen, it's already begun to take place with cars from the 50's, including with 53-62 Corvettes. I personally think the prices of 53-62's is currently be propped up by the resto-mod market. In the long run, it's cheaper to buy a restored 59 for $50,000-$60,000, and turn it into a resto-mod, then to build one from a $25,000 basket care.

 

Face it, muscle cars and all classic cars will die out with the generation that is alive today. After that, they will be useless and value-less. Do you really think the Millienial generation and these electric car fanatics will support a market as it exists today. I doubt it seriously. There has to be a certain volume of people interested.

In a parallel that is applicable, look at Harley Davidson and what is happening. Sales are way down. The huge market success Harley had from the 90's is dwindling because the market is dying off. Its the beginning of a downward trend.

All of this is just how the world works. I hate it that it does. But what do you do? Each generation has a piece of the past and a piece of the future, but certain things just go away. There will always be "small" groups interested, as there as still people who love Model T's, horse and buggy wagons, horses, muzzle loaders, etc. but to support values in the marketplace, it has to be a certain size. I really don't think any of the C3 parts vendors will survive over time, as there simply won't be the need.

Besides, someday the sun is going to burn out or the ocean levels are going to rise up and swallow us all, according the the "scientists" and we are all dead! I am just happy I lived in the time I have lived....as many things will become worse in the future....as I see it.

 

Gb and Iwasme,
Those are good points.
Its possible by that time or even sooner (maybe very soon) that nobody will even care about these type cars at all.

The more I think about it, the more I think you guys might be right....

 

Interestingly enough the issue is not restricted just to our beloved C3s but all motorsports. I wrote this just yesterday on the Kawasaki forums but it just as readily applies to cars.

The problem with motorcycles in the USA has nothing to do with the bikes themselves. The younger generation rarely divests themselves from their phones/computers/TVs. The idea of going outside to ride a motorcycle is foreign to them. Obviously there are exceptions but it is no longer an aspiration for many to own a bike. I remember growing up how I could not WAIT to have one...I saw them and they were the coolest things since sliced bread.

Our society has turned inward so motorsports of all kinds are hurting. A car or bike is no longer a thing to be thrilled over, it is simply a method to go from one starbucks to the next.

A few years ago my wife and I were actually planning to move to Europe specifically because of the climate for motorcyclists; my eldest son got accepted to a magnet school here which was too good of an opportunity for us to squander so we stayed. Unless we change the climate here, motorcycling will die a long, slow, painful death.

 

Painfully Slow

Totally agree, and this is brought up often on this and other forums. And typically someone defends the new generation based on a few of their own relatives, but fact is, you hit the nail on the head. None of the younger generation that I know have any interest in anything of quality, beside what the next I Phone will do. There is a significant shift in quality of people's interest in things.

Another example....radio control model aircraft. I grew up in my teen years (70's) building airplane models from kits, and sometimes from plans. It provided many things to me....blueprint reading, building and maintenance skills, creativity, pride, ingeniuity, social interation with club members, etc. As time marched on, pre-fabricated models came into existence, and building was done. Then, because you cut that entire piece of the hobby out from the deeper quality of it, many get bored just drilling holes in the sky, and the entire hobby declined.

Many young people like to "defend" their interest by just suggesting that its "different" than our interest, but a new way of doing the same thing. I disagree. New generation people across the board lack the in depth interest to work hard at a hobby, or even work hard on a job. I know there are some, but not like is used to be. Not anywhere in the world I am witness to. They all have had it too easy and the things that they seem interested in are just handed to them or displayed in front of them.

Even my son-in-law, who is 30 years old, can't get his face out of his phone or video games on TV. He buys a Subara WRX cause you just buy something, and drive it. He comes to my house, and is not interested in even opening the garage door to look at the Corvette. He certainly would not know how to turn a wrench. I have had discussions with him about this subject,....and as I said, he attempts to tell me that playing video games offers the same "quality" of a hobby that me building a Corvette does. I think not, and its not just because I don't play video games, its about something deeper about what is going on.

 

I have to agree with Glenn and IWASME- Times are changing as I mentioned in the diff thread in Tech. The average age of guys I work with, that call me, that attend my seminars is about 63 now. I always like to engage younger car guys on what they like and would they want a C2-C3 and for the most part they have no interest. Now younger guys like my son and some here that either grew up with the old vettes or just plain like them will still work on them but I really don't think there is going to be a majority that will and really can you blame them? For about 1/2 the price they can get into a car that is faster, stops better, handles betters, gets good mpg, and they can drive it everyday like I used to with my C2-C3's.

I was just watching Mechum last night, happened to see a very clean, sharp, red 327/300 66 couple sell for $47k. Not that many years ago that would have sold for a lot more and the bidding wasn't fast & furious on it. Yeah the 63 Grand Sport and Z06 I worked on will hold their value but come on guys most are just not going to. The guy that dropped $90k for a base model C2 isn't going to see that again. The chrome C3 are not really rare in most cases and while I love the rubber bumper 73-79's they aren't going anywhere, 80-82 probably less. I am not trying to shatter anyone's dreams but look around and you'll see things are changing. When a guy with a $5k vette wants me to build a $8k IRS for the street my first comment is usually about future value on the car. If that isn't a concern ok but those that I see thinking that their common, yet very nice C3 is going to be worth high numbers- based on today currency exchange, well good luck to you. Remember when $20k salary was dam good money, try living on it today so yeah maybe that mid 70's vette will be worth $50k in future money. All speculation since the economy can tank anytime and we all start over - yet again.

Buy them and drive them. Invest in land.

PS- I know a local guy who makes good money parting out the 74-82's all day long. Now the parts are more valuable then the whole car is. Cashing in while the price is good and throwing out the parts unsold.

 

asking $25K for a project and actually getting it are too different things

 

Interesting topic.
I think what's missing for today's youth is the entire culture behind cars in general. If you were a kid anywhere from right after WWII to the '70's you were aware how important "the car" was. From drive-in theaters, pulling a camper, drive-in diners, full service gas stations, building car models as a kid, toy cars, Matchbox, Corgi, Dinky, Tonka, electric slot cars, sexy cars in TV and magazine ads, super cars like James Bond's Aston Martin DB-5, the 1966 Batmobile, the Monkeemobile, Ed Roth, Rat Fink, STP stickers, the music culture behind it as well with the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Ronnie and the Daytonas, Drag strips all across America, NASCAR when it had door slammers you could actually recognize, Hot Rod Magazine, Car-toons Magazine, Road & Track, many, many kids first job at the local Chevron station pumping gas, repairing tires and changing oil, cruising, cruising and more cruising. The driveways in my totally average 1960's neighborhood when I was a kid, would show like a collector car show today. At least a dozen high performance cars, and they were owned by "dads". They drove them to work!
You see? The disconnect comes from an entirely different culture today. None of these things we took for granted exist any more. Younger people are not inundated with the whole mystique of the automobile like we were. For most of them it is merely a mode of transportation, rather than a statement of who you are. Not dissimilar to a city transit bus. And, when you look at some of the crap they get to choose from today, who can blame them?

 

I think you are correct Greg.....and what has it been replaced with....nothing of quality. Just garbage. I know people like to defend and protect their own children, and I have three adult children, but in my opinion, the quality of what we used to have in our lives is replaced with much less quality, if nothing but garbage.....video games, reality television, this insane fascination for a telephone, social media, tattoos, Starbuck, and a long list of human deviance with names I would get blasted for saying. And what is certainly missing is the sense of responsibility that you are responsible for yourself...replaced with either mommy and daddy, or the government will take care of you.

In an effort to stay on target with OP question.....with all this going on and no effort in sight to return to what it was, our cars will be lucky if they are delivered to the scrap yard without paying a tow truck. Imagine your beautiful 67 Corvette Big Block being towed the scrap yard cause nobody wants it...or even recognizes it for anything of value!!!! instead, they are buying Smart Cars, Prius, Volts and all the other "beautiful" automobiles... or better yet, bicycles.

 

I’ve spent most of my time on the C1-C2 side, just spending more time here with the purchase of my ‘71. I agree with the comment about asking and selling are two different things. There is no way that is worth $25K. You’ll have another $70k into a $60k-$70k car.
I think this is a case of you can’t catch a fish if you don’t throw a line in the water. If what’s included with the the purchase is what’s shown in the photos, that car is probably priced double of what it’s worth........... but someone will buy it. Sale price and value quite often don’t coincide.

 

A C3 in similar condition and completeness to this car would be lucky to sell for $2000. They have been shown on this forum, and most suggest to NOT buy it no matter how little the price. And coming from someone who has completely rebuilt a 77 Corvette to better than GM built it, I can tell you with absolute authority that even at $2000 for a C3 project, you will be completely upside down and NEVER sell the car for what you have in it. C1 and C2 Corvettes have had a good run, but I think the days are coming to an end for all of them as "investments". In 30 years, they will be crushed in the trash compactor to recycle them into whatever products the youngsters think matter.

That's why many of us ignore that, and build the car for your own enjoyment in what time is left, and forget about the "value" judgement.