Resuming restoration of my 1970 Lt1 coupe.Started out as a body-off restoration of a no hit,one owner 17k mile car.Perfect candidate for a NCRS high point car. Making great progress. All work do according to NCRS judging guidelines. Well life got in the way and work on the car was sporadic. Over the last couple of years I’ve seen very nice correct cars not bring what I had expected them to sell for. My question is.... Is it worth doing a car to the high/correct standards of NCRs and get the car judged or just continue the restoration and not worry about NCRS? Seems like point cars don’t really matter that much anymore. People just want to drive them and the that the crowd it once mattered to seems to be waning. So... some guidance/opinions please. Thanks in advance

 

If you can spare $30,000 do the NCRS thing. Someone somewhere will appreciate your efforts.

 

At this point I don’t know if the juice is worth the squeeze. I’m going to do it as correct as possible but don’t think going the extra 100 miles is worth the time and headache of a judge picking things apart like how glossy the inner fenders are. I’m going to drive it for a bit and then perhaps sell it. Probably won’t get much more $ for NCRS certs.

 

If additional restoration has lost it's appeal, go drive it and enjoy it!

If getting it judged locally is easy, that seems like low-hanging fruit.

 

Just sold my 70 L46 last summer I had since 73. I knew every nut and bolt and never stopped tinkering. For me researching, then finding correct original parts was part of enjoying the car. I've gained more knowledge the last 45 years about that particular year than I'll ever use. I never had it judged, wasn't perfect ncrs, but perfect enough to me.

Last summer I found the car I had always wanted A donnybrook green/ saddle LT1 convertible. Beautiful condition, with great paperwork. Already tinkering to correct minor issues.
My point to you is, i could have put 10 or 20k into the L46 to make it perfect ncrs. (Bought it for 2k in 73). It wasn't the money that stopped me. I dont know if at this point in my life I want to tie the car up for extended periods of time. I want to drive it.
Dont know what stage of assembly your car is in, or extent of original parts, but the labor is the same regardless of original, or other parts. I understand exactly where your coming from .You want it to be correct. I applaud you for your effort.
My opinion. I would continue ncrs restoration solely to make it correct, assuming you have original parts. Otherwise, take it to complition anyway you can, and replace and correct while you enjoy driving the car.

 

Buyers will definately pay up for a Top Flight NCRS car.

Is the $$$ difference enough to cover your costs? Not likely. People restoring Corvettes have an expensive hobby/sport. It has never been a way to make money.

Without the Top Flight it is all about the "eye", rarity and condition.

 

EDITTED
My comments below still hold but I had to reread your initial statement as I got long winded. You should still be expecting top dollar since you have a 17000 mile car, it should still have almost all of the original everything with that low of mileage and its an LT1 which is almost as rare as an L88. but our economy is what it is currently, and it will come back. Of course its a buyers market right now so obviously your not selling immediatley. My back ground in short is I wanted achrome bumper car, started shopping in the $5 to $10 K range and bought at $19K. Well above my budget but didnt have a car payment so I could do it. Your car will have a specific price range regardless of how many original bolts are left to find. The mass buyers may still desire an LT1, I would, but my last recollection is they start at $30 to $35k regardless of NCRS

origianl reponse.

At this stage of our country, I think the gloss of the big TV show auctions has worn off a bit and the car will sell for what the market will call for unless you are willing to hold out for that one buyer that wants your exact car. The advice i got from members when I first started is to make it "mine". Do to it what I want done to make me enjoy it and give me pleasure to see her. I myself bought mine to drive and have fun in but I understand the desire to get it perfect or nearly so. I like mine to have all the original designs function like the vacuum system and the fiber optics and it bugs me to no end if they dont, but I drive it for the excitement of it so I have 17" tires, upgraded suspension, a kick *** loud stereo (its a convertible), an aluminum radiator and electric fan and 69 side exhauust for the looks. It is also the original 327 block and is still a "327" but its got a big roller cam in her now, but I wanted to maintain the quadrajet carb, go figure. When I bought it, all I would have needed done for NCRS judging was the exhaust, rear spring, radio and original hood (and undo the bubba fixes) . But again I dont want to rely on what other people think my car should be, especially a 68 when so many things have changed on it during production, seemingly from week to week. I dont think theres anyone around that can remember all the changes unless they worked every inch of the line or was on the engineering team the whole time. But thats me, Back to you

For what you have said, and what I gather, for your personal desire for your car and your goal of selling it, I would get it as close to original as possible that would make it drivable WITHOUT finding the correct stamped manifold bolt for $35 dollars a piece. When I bought mine, if someone said NCRS correct, I would have said "Who?" but then wouldnt have be shopping in that price range either. There is a range of "expected price to pay" for the mass of Corvette buyers and its set on price, chrome bumper, year, engine size and originality, overall originality, body and paint. If you are going through a body off and getting it original, then the mass buyers are expecting that, but not down to the bolt. The big spenders in that group will give you the biggest profit margin for a frame off. The 2% of buyers that want NCRS may want specifcs as well because they may be investors so again that percentage of buyers drops dramatically. And investors want to buy low and sell high, so again, they are going to try and nickel and dime you. I would go for the mass buyers with a faster sell rate and sacrifice the few grand you might possibly make as trying to get a NCRS 100 point car as getting there is going to cost most of your profit.

The big thing that started recently is barn finds. Everything is a barn find and theres a toe of shows about them. THats the new gold standard. If you have pics of yours parked in a garage before you started to restore her that would be the new marketing approach. " Found in a garage upteen years ago, faithflly restored from the frame up to bring her back to her original glory. Yours for only this many clams". You can always get her judged and decide whether or not to post the points. Just be like Jason in marketing and say what they want to hear. "NCRS judged." dont give a point standard unless asked and then have the sheet if they are an NCRS guy. They may want to finish the last 15% themselves

my 2 cents

 

i think the whole toy car market is gonna take a hit real soon. people with 20-40k spare cars in the garage aren't usually living paycheck to paycheck. a lot of em have 3 houses. 2 rented to people that got furloughed.

 

I agree, if they dont own the other 2 houses out right, then they need to still make payments and may not have the rent to do it....most people are going to feel this, except maybe Nancy and her fridge full of ice cream....

 

It would have been nice to see what the 17K mile LT-1 looked like when you started. IMHO, it might have been better to just clean and finesse it and see where it would stack up to a Bloomington SURVIVOR or NCRS Bowtie car. Preparing a car for both certifications is a great experience even if you don't pull the trigger and actually go that course. If you are a NCRS member ($35.00 annual membership), you may be able to have the local NCRS Chapter members give it a once over at a Judging Seminar or something similar. I have been a member of NCRS for nearly 30 years and had cars Flight Judged several times. It's a great experience preparing for the event. You have a very desirably car there.

 

Wow! Lots of good insight.This is a complete numbers matching car. I have good paperwork for the car. I sent the smog out the Bill Hodell and had that completely restored with the correct clams etc. I think I’m going to continue on the NCRS route and have the car judged but I don’t have the time and the desire to travel to the nationals . I think once the car gets done it’ll get judged once regional and that will be it.Thanks for all of your comments.

 

BTW. I am an NCRSmember and have been for a while.Well it probably should’ve been kept that way but the “barn find” wasn't exactly desirable at that point. It really was a barn find a I live in a rural area. The guy bought the car brand new in 1970 when he was 18 years old and just never really drove it.My friend gets wind of it and buys it. He owns a small dealership and he and his dad were into Corvettes and they started restore it. He had health issues and could’t complete the car. They were doing work in a building that I owned so after a year or so of just sitting there I took over the project. I learned my lesson on original cars. My 59 Corvette was featured in Corvette magazine in May 2019?.

 

http://www.superchevy.com/features/v...hark-survivor/

See link to my 68 Bloomington Gold SURVIVOR and two time NCRS Top Flight. I currently have a 72 LT-1 Top Flight car. Is you 70 Donneybrook Green?

 

Bridgehampton Blue. I have a white 70 convertible also. bought from Yenko brand new with all docs.

 

Nice collection!

 

With the background of the car and the smog system intact and rebuilt, you are wise to continue on, you must not need much to track down to finish it up. Good luck and post some pics for us

 

Here's my take on restoring:
I plan on driving the car and don't want to worry a lot about keeping it pristine but do want to make it easier for someone down the road to fully restore. I have not desire to chase points and/or trailer the car. I am in the process of semi-restoring using the judging manual and AIM as guidance.

As I work through things, I rebuild original parts when they can be, refinish, and ensure the use of proper fasteners. While rebuilding the engine, I'm trying to find date correct components like the water pump because that's more difficult to change out than the alternator or starter. Another example was the manifold water outlet; my original had a broken neck. Instead of buying an autoparts store replacement, I watched ebay for a nice correct one and only paid $20 more. Things like that are financially doable in small steps, I know it's correct, and it's there for the next restorer.

 

I was at a local donut shop cruise in and spotted a gorgeous "NCRS" restored tri-power car. I pointed out that his radio ***** were from a 72-76, they had the little music note, and antenna on them. The owner was incredulous and told me he had won numerous blah blah blah....

 

With that said, I usually avoid cars that advertise NCRS when looking for Vette deals.

I would not go the extra mile on the restore.

 

no pics?