Old Man in a C

The below is a quote from M22's response to What's your predictions of the future price of the c3
"Comparing the C3 Corvette to it's Bowtie siblings, like the Camaro and Chevelle, while not apples to oranges, certainly more people are finding the Camaro/Chevelle cars are in demand. They don't have a complex rear suspension that rusts likes nobody's business just from sitting, versus a solid rear axle, that hardly has to get touched or even messed with. The interiors are tough, with the door panels a bitch to get to fit back, forming themselves into potato chips after decades, versus the flat cardboard backed Camaro/Chevelle panels and we won't even go into the four piece dash, nor the tough job of finding anywhere to put anything aftermarket into these cars. And I've never seen so many door lock and latch troubles with any Chevelle, Camaro, Impala or Nova, like I see with the C3".

M22, I'm not taking issue with your experiences, but I do question if they're the norm of most owners. I have owned two C3's, I admit that was 35 years ago... they weren't fifty years old. I currently own a 1959 British "sportscar" (my second), a C6, and I've had a handful of 60's muscle cars. All of these cars carry a reputation of potential gremlins and failures. To me that's not been reason for not enjoying them. I don't mind maintaining them. In fact' that's part of the enjoyment. That being said, I've chosen my cars well.
If one finds the "complexity" of a 50 year old Corvette overwhelming, then I agree, a Camaro my be a better choice.

KenSny

I had a 66 GTO and a 69 Camaro and they required upkeep also. As cars get older parts fail, stuff wears out, interiors get ratty, etc.
I also owned a 60 MGA Twiin Cam with Lucas electrics that was a nightmare and always needed fixing.
Maybe he should just get on with life and get whatever he thinks is somewhat maintenance free.

F22

BTW, the comment above was directed at me, F22, not M22. And no, it's not about getting on with life and going 'maintenance free', it's about why the prices on C3's aren't going anywhere. And I'm pointing out the truth about the C3 Corvettes. They have peculiarities that their Bowtie siblings don't, including the C2. I had a restoration shop for nearly six years and we worked on C2's, C3's, Impala's, Nova's, Chevelle's and Camaro's. Of course stuff wears out. Of course parts fail. Door panel on an Impala, Camaro or Nova? Easy. Flat piece that goes on flat metal, same with the dash. But when you're talking about replacing the speedo on a '69 Camaro, versus a '69 Corvette, that's two different jobs. I've replaced nearly every single part on my C3 and while it's a challenge, it is, what it is and I accept that. Just pointing out the obvious, not whining about it.

KenSny

Well, maybe you're not whinng, but you are on a rant.
BTW, I think most of us that care to own a C3 just plain like the car and take care of whatever needs fixing, even though some of it is a PITA.
At any rate I'm done here. Have fun!

7T1vette

Corvettes are Chevys, too. Only they have a body that won't rust.....

birdsmith

I sold my C3 some years ago to pay for a 996 Porsche, and I'd like to offer some observations...

The Porsche doesn't really break, I've driven it pretty much 10,000 trouble-free miles, but I live in mortal fear of the day that it does. I didn't have that feeling with a C3, and even though I kept telling myself that I didn't have an attachment to that car, when I saw it roll away to its new owner, I missed it...

I think prices have stayed down, because (unlike nearly all other musclecars) the lack of a backseat limits what you can do with them, ESPECIALLY taking the whole family to a car show. The most problematic part of maintaining one IS getting the rearend sorted out, especially changing bearings. Chevrolet did not build these things to last, so putting one right can be a challenge. But it is VERY satisfying once you get it there. Once everything has been troubleshot and works like it should, from the brakes to the Quadrajet to the wipers and the headlights...there is nothing cooler-looking than a nicely-restored chrome-bumper C3 Vette. The single biggest difference I've noticed between driving my C3 and my 911 is this-in the Porsche, I get the finger. People just think I'm a rich ***** because I'm driving THAT car. In the C3, I get a thumbs-up or a wave from other Vette owners...

Dirty Dalton

Hysterical re finger in a Porsche. A party I know, who doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut, sold his because of tickets. 😲. He drove my Corvette once and got just a wave from a cop when we went by. He was pissed!

An MGA TWIN CAM!!! The nearest thing to a hand granade with the pin pulled!

birdsmith

I haven't had the ticket problem in the 911, maybe cuz I'm such an old phart that cops don't see me as a problem. The problem with the C3 was really lack of usability...any small block with a carburetor on it is thirsty as hell, on a summer day it was too hot inside to drive for any real period of time, and I just didn't have the patience to rip the entire heater/AC box out to correct that problem. Still, nobody ever gave me the finger in it...

F22

The joke I ask C3 owners at car shows is: "Would you rather take the dash apart or have a colonoscopy?"

The usual answer is: The colonoscopy is easier!

KenSny

You got that right, 10k redline (if I remember correctly) and if you dared to come close to hitting that......call a tow truck.
I broke the timing chain twice. It was a long one and kept the overhead cams in sync. That was always fun replacing any valves that got trashed. Finally got fed up with taking the engine out and fixing it. I got to use the auto pool shop on base, so it was mainly time consuming. Had the car from new until about 1964. But it was fun. Wish I had stored that car just for the $$ it would bring today.

Dirty Dalton

My Brother had two Twin Cams. One came with regular A engine. The other he found in a field, circa 1971... To give the devil his due, damn thing started. First thing he did when he got it home was to put a B engine in it.

KenSny

My mistake on red line it was 7000-7500. Getting senile, I guess.
I was going to put a 1600 with dual Webers in the car but that deal fell through, so I sold it.

Stev-o

Ha! I replaced my [cracked] dash pad last year, the colonoscopy has yet to be scheduled!!!

Fredtoo

I got more waves and thumbs up in one day driving the 72 c3 than I did in 4 years of driving late model 911s.

Redvette2

I agree...I have had Porsches and new Corvettes but my 68 C3 gets much more attention. People talk to me at the gas stations, stores and restaurants and even give me a thumbs up passing me by even if they aren't driving a Corvette. Sometimes even the motorcyclist wave. Because it is not considered an expensive car I think people can identify with the owner being down to earth and not being some uppity rich guy.

Let's all drive what we enjoy and not worry about the investment value or what other people think.

Redvette2

birdsmith

The experience of actually driving my 911 is 100% than driving the C3, and it uses about half as much gas. I guess people give me the finger because they hate that I'm having so much fun!