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Found a 76 for sale and I talked to the guy and he said paint is great. the interior is great, I could go on and on about what is right.
Here is what is wrong. Windshield wipers don't work, few of the gauges don't work (fuel is stuck at full), has A/C but needs some work, needs rear end work, said it might be a chipped ring or CV joints. He wants $8500 for it. I have seen these go for 11-20k. My question is, is it worth spending $8500 and getting these things fixed or spending a lot more $ to have one that had all these things be a non-issue and pay more $.
I don't mind things being wrong, he said it drives great and had transmission completely rebuilt last year. Not looking for a perfect show car, but a fun weekend cruiser that son and I can share tinkering with.
Not new to corvettes as I grew up around them, but never owned one myself.
There aren't any "CV" joints. "A/C needs some work" is garbage statement. Sounds like a bullshitter. At that price a 76 should pretty much have no problems.
Last edited by carriljc; May 18, 2020 at 02:44 PM.
Nice looking car Stuey. $8,500 doesn't sound too bad for a good looking car like that. If you end up spending a couple grand more, over a period of time, you're still in at a fair price. Always nice to have a drivable project.
Greg
CV was a type, I meant CU.
I keep seeing people say that corvettes should cost XXX, but no one is selling them for those suggested prices. Most I see, even worse than this are like 12-15k.
Thats why I am asking, I don't know how to fair price one.
That's where I am at, spend more to get something already all fixed or get it fixed and still be at the same out of pocket. The big thing that drew me to this (minus the flames) is the paint job, he said its a 9 out of 10 and body is perfect, yet to be seen, but I have wondered where the line is on what needs fixed vs what can be bought that's not wrong.
If you really are interested in the car, have it professionally inspected or have a trusted mechanic give you a quote on fixing the major problems like the rear and the AC system. Then make an offer. Good luck. Jerry
Go to someone who knows vettes and let them check it out ,, could turn out to be lipstick on a pig dont make a 8500 mistake
Yeah definitely. Wanted to make sure what others thought before I even went to go look at it. I am not afraid of repairs or things needing fixed but something that major is a deal killer.
When you state you have seen these go for 11k to 20k are you specifically referring to 1976?
Not enough information on options, mileage, frame, etc. but using the corvette dna app, the price might be high.
When you state you have seen these go for 11k to 20k are you specifically referring to 1976?
Not enough information on options, mileage, frame, etc. but using the corvette dna app, the price might be high.
I've been using the DNA app, but not one of the vettes I see online or at dealers with vettes selling old ones is ever even close. They are usually like several thousand over what DNA says. I wondered about the accuracy of that app.
I think a lot of people are attached to their "baby" and over value them.
It looks like a nice 76 with a few nice options but I would want to meet with the actual owner of the car if at all possible. Not a big fan of selling it for a friend sales.
The AC components are missing, are they included? Can any paperwork be provided from the rebuilt engine and trans? Rear end work could be anything from a
u joint to a differential. Any rot under that nice red paint. As mentioned above, have someone who knows the trouble spots of these car have a look at it.
Good luck.
Just my experience… Go with the most fixed you can.
You will need the reserves on the back end going forward.
These cars or any 43 year old car is never going to be done.
As soon as you think it is, there will be new fixes to deal with.
Purchased my 82 pristine and still spending $$ to keep it there.
Good Luck with your project.
As with any used car, it is only worth as much as somebody is willing to pay for it.
If you are serious about buying then it would be advisable to have a 3rd party qualified mechanic look over it.
All of the electrical issues might be related and/or an indication that somebody has been hacking away at the entire system. If you know how to troubleshoot/repair these types of repairs then use it as a bargaining chip to reduce the price further.
If you are not able to do some serious work on a car of this age then I would not recommend buying one that has any kind of issues.
It really depends on what you want to do with the car. Just drive and enjoy or are you really prepared to get down and dirty with something you just paid $8k for??? Do you have the time/space and patience to take on some major tasks. Farming out work on a 40 yr old car is going to be a huge budget eater.
Finding somebody that isn't funding their kids through college via your car is even more difficult. Good work is sometimes worth it, but are you prepared for it??
haha.. I got flames on my first vette and didn't want them..there staying for now..
for me
-#1 RUST RUST RUST check check check (and frame damage)
- AC with old components..~500 bucks depending on r12 availability.... or swap 134 …
- rear end NO CLUE.. but other may know..
- Paint job overspray anywhere? slob job on edges etc.? if not probably cares..
did I mention rust hidden?
runs and drives 20 miles no issues.... i'm in...cool car..
this ALL ABOVE is DIY
more details of the car and pics would help others too..options etc.. interior...
Windshield wipers don't work, few of the gauges don't work (fuel is stuck at full), has A/C but needs some work, needs rear end work, said it might be a chipped ring or CV joints. He wants $8500 for it... he said it drives great and had transmission completely rebuilt last year.
I'm not usually into flames, but these look very well done (as far as the pic shows). If this is the case, whomever did the paint likely did a very nice job everywhere else.
Says it drives great but may have chipped ring gear or needs u-joint? Hmmm. Not a show stopper but i'm wondering what the car does such that the owner says it may need these things and at the same time says it drives great. Like others mentioned, I'd like to see the transmission rebuild receipt (and maybe check the reviews of the shop that did the work).
I think the price is attractive if it looks as good in person as it does in the photo. If the differential needs rebuilt, plus the other smaller stuff you mentioned, you're probably in the $3000 cost neighborhood. However as long as you get whatever noise/behavior is happening in the rear fixed, the rest can wait until you get to them.
Last edited by barkingrats; May 18, 2020 at 04:41 PM.
Thanks, everyone for the advice and points to consider. Think I am going to pass on this one, but everything was helpful. I will continue to look and shop around with my new knowledge.
Go take a look. As others have said, the rust situation is critical. Watch the videos, bring a screwdriver, and be prepared to crawl under the car and to pull the kick-panels off. I'm glad you like the flames! Does it have three pedals? Don't settle for an automatic if you want a manual, you will never be happy, though a modern 5 or 6 speed can be swapped in.
Expect working AC to cost $2K. Maybe it will be less, but probably not. Budget around that figure, which is about what a complete Vintage Air replacement will cost.
If he knows there's a problem with the rear end, there is certainly a problem with the rear end. Expect to have to rebuild/replace the differential. Half-shafts are cheap (I sent mine to Bairs to be reconditioned with new U-joints, it was the cheapest part of the rear end rebuild).
This could very well be a project car with good paint that needs every rubber part replaced (all bushings and hoses). I have one of those, but knew that going in, and priced it accordingly.
EDIT: Hopefully this is helpful for the next car. Good luck! C3s are lots of fun!
Last edited by Bikespace; May 18, 2020 at 06:40 PM.
Too much $?
