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In my search for a survivor, numbers matching mid year 4 speed coupe, I have potentially found the almost perfect car.... It most of the boxes - acceptable year, low miles/owners, history from new, original paint, rust free frame, L82 motor, good options list etc, etc..... what's not to love.... except.....
It's code 80 - Corvette Tan.
So, would you sacrifice colour for everything else being right, or potentially hold our indefinitely for the perfect car? (I'd prefer Silver, blue, red, orange, green, white, or black) I'm around the $10k budget so can't afford to be too fussy.
Am I the only one that goes cold over Tan, or is it a decent colour in the flesh?
An option is to paint it down the line, but then it's not the original survivor anymore....
In my search for a survivor, numbers matching mid year 4 speed coupe, I have potentially found the almost perfect car.... It most of the boxes - acceptable year, low miles/owners, history from new, original paint, rust free frame, L82 motor, good options list etc, etc..... what's not to love.... except.....
It's code 80 - Corvette Tan.
So, would you sacrifice colour for everything else being right, or potentially hold our indefinitely for the perfect car? (I'd prefer Silver, blue, red, orange, green, white, or black) I'm around the $10k budget so can't afford to be too fussy.
Am I the only one that goes cold over Tan, or is it a decent colour in the flesh?
An option is to paint it down the line, but then it's not the original survivor anymore....
what year?
imho, id keep looking the alternative is someone else paint it right prolly 15k.....
Ive had 17 Corvettes along with other collector cars, and bar none the #1 consideration for me is color.
Im not going to comment about what color is good or bad; that’s up to who chooses to write the check. But everything else could be fantastic about a car, including price and I wouldn’t consider owning it if I didn’t love the color. (flipping doesn’t count )
PS, regardless of your budget, do NOT settle. You will hate the car in record time. Ask me how I know.
Dear Tri... I'm ALSO not going to get into color. That of course is solely personal.
I agree with our esteemed moderator and say...every time you you look back and say..DAMN! I shoulda!...that last for a long time.
However if the color is this....not too
bad! Different.
unkahal
With your budget I would pick the best car for the money and forget of resale.
lots of colors out there and with $10,000 I would go for what I like and get a solid car
LT,
That Tan could be a tough one. The guys who like it, "like" it. If you're in long term, it may grow on you. If you plan to sell in a year or two, you'll be dealing with a lot of buyers who feel the same way you do right now about this car. Oddly Code 80 Corvette Tan was the 5th most popular color of the 12 choices in 1977 so I'm surprised you don't see more of them. Personally, I've owned many Corvettes and I've kind of OD'd on Red, Blue, Black so some of the lesser seen colors have an appeal for me now. I think the Tan '77 Unkahal just posted looks sharp. I could certainly live with a tan car for a while.
The car checks every box but one for you. It's going to be pretty hard to find a 43 year old car that's as nice as you describe. Tough call brother.
Cheers, Greg
I'd choose a color I like. I have found I spend more time just looking and admiring it than with any other car I ever owned. That being said, I personally think a tan C3 is fine.
This is a bucket list car I'v e wanted for many many years so has to be right and I want to fall in love each and every time I open the garage door, so I guess I've just answered my own question.
It's a shame as it's a 34k mile car with all paperwork from new - the original survivor condition I personally value so much.... except the colour. If it was less expensive and the paint was toast, I'd not hesitate and just buy it and paint a different year correct colour, but it's already over budget by 35% (before negotiation) so perhaps I'm just giddy with excitement that a seller has actually responded to my enquiry, unlike every flakey CL vendor so far.
Cool car. I had a ‘77 L82 4 speed, loaded. Loved it. Black over saddle. I bought it because of the color!
Doors don’t fit well, looks like it needs paint soon. Those stripes are added on, maybe by the dealer. Tough call when dealing with a “survivor.” Im not a fan of tan, but I was thinking it was a little better than those pics, which look a bit washed-out yellow. Maybe the lighting.
Cool car. I had a ‘77 L82 4 speed, loaded. Loved it. Black over saddle. I bought it because of the color!
Doors don’t fit well, looks like it needs paint soon. Those stripes are added on, maybe by the dealer. Tough call when dealing with a “survivor.” Im not a fan of tan, but I was thinking it was a little better than those pics, which look a bit washed-out yellow. Maybe the lighting.
Can I ask what my (normally sharp) eyes are missing re the doors? The gaps look pretty even, which if it;s original paint on a no-hit body, removes anything too untoward going on?
I'm not hell bent on a survivor/original paint, I just prefer them as it removes the big question of what was before a repaint? Was it painted due to accident damage etc? Survivor just gives me added reassurance I'm not buying a poor car and allows me to properly see the car in it's genuine condition without it hiding anything.
Numbers matching is a must for me though unless there's known circumstances and genuine reasons etc.
imo that car looks too nice and original to do a color change. I like it.
im biased tho i have a tan vette. people dig it, its got a toned down era specific look to it. nice change from the standard red, black, yellow classic cars you see everywhere.
imo that car looks too nice and original to do a color change. I like it.
im biased tho i have a tan vette. people dig it, its got a toned down era specific look to it. nice change from the standard red, black, yellow classic cars you see everywhere.
Thoughts on the drivers side rocker panel? Front half looks either damaged or photoshopped?
I know what you mean about era specific - I'm just not feeling it like I think I should on a prospective purchase.
Can I ask what my (normally sharp) eyes are missing re the doors? The gaps look pretty even, which if it;s original paint on a no-hit body, removes anything too untoward going on?
I'm not hell bent on a survivor/original paint, I just prefer them as it removes the big question of what was before a repaint? Was it painted due to accident damage etc? Survivor just gives me added reassurance I'm not buying a poor car and allows me to properly see the car in it's genuine condition without it hiding anything.
Numbers matching is a must for me though unless there's known circumstances and genuine reasons etc.
I think the LH is too wide at the rear and the RH doesn’t fit well bottom half rear. But to be fair pictures, shadows etc throw this off sometimes. I might feel completely different after seeing it in person, which I wouldn’t buy without doing.
Thoughts on the drivers side rocker panel? Front half looks either damaged or photoshopped?
.
That is an odd effect. Shadow? It does almost look Photoshopped. Have to see that in person, too. That’s 3 things that the pictures could be confusing.
PS: reviewing your OP, you are not terribly picky about color like I am. You list a number of options. When I bought my ‘63 only 2 colors would do. This tells me you REALLY should stay away from a color when you aren’t feelin’ it.
I think the LH is too wide at the rear and the RH doesn’t fit well bottom half rear. But to be fair pictures, shadows etc Throw this off sometime. I might feel completely different after seeing it in person, which I wouldn’t buy without doing.
Thanks.
I've asked for additional pictures of paint defects in detail and some of the frame.
If it checks out and the colour begins to grow on me, I'll see if there's anyone in the CT region willing to check it out for me, as I'm in the UK so have to rely on inspection assistance / great pictures from afar.
I've asked for additional pictures of paint defects in detail and some of the frame.
If it checks out and the colour begins to grow on me, I'll see if there's anyone in the CT region willing to check it out for me, as I'm in the UK so have to rely on inspection assistance / great pictures from afar.
I’ll say this one more time, then I’ll shut up. I bought a great car from a dealer back in the 80s, which was the right car for someone, but not me. I even got a decent deal. After 6 months of being unhappy I had to trade it off and buy what I wanted (didn’t have as many buying options as today) and lost a couple grand doing it, needlessly.
Now, I was annoyed with what I had to do to fix it... but you are looking at shipping the car overseas. I will reiterate... do not settle for a car you don’t really want. There’s lots of cars in this era for sale.
I’ll say this one more time, then I’ll shut up. I bought a great car from a dealer back in the 80s, which was the right car for someone, but not me. I even got a decent deal. After 6 months of being unhappy I had to trade it off and buy what I wanted (didn’t have as many buying options as today) and lost a couple grand doing it, needlessly.
Now, I was annoyed with what I had to do to fix it... but you are looking at shipping the car overseas. I will reiterate... do not settle for a car you don’t really want. There’s lots of cars in this era for sale.
I agree - impatience is getting the better of me given so few people respond to my enquiries. I'm betting I don't hear anything now I've asked for more pictures - I'm learning folk are allergic to taking more pics or dealing with buyers not on their doorstep.
I too regretted both my automatic trans purchases - a '92 and a '80 (many years ago), which is why i absolutely will not compromise on a 4 speed this time - no way, no how. To be fair, whilst probably priced right due to the mileage, it's also too far over budget.
'77 is my least favourite year out of my wish list due to the mix of mid and late year interiors, I prefer the '74-'76 console etc, but I'd compromise on that detail for the rest, but I think colour is just too important, the more I think about it, unless the car needs paint so badly it is cheap enough to disregard, which that car clearly isn't.
Last edited by Last Triumph; Sep 16, 2020 at 04:16 PM.
Corvette Tan, some love it, some hate it. Still looks like a nice '77 4 speed. Would look great painted black.
Seller states that the AC doesn't work...maybe your $10K budget would buy it.
This color reminds me of a George Gobel quote: "The world is a tuxedo and I'm a pair of brown shoes".
Heck, I really can't say much....I've owned a Green Corvette for 45 years.
Last edited by 71 Green 454; Sep 16, 2020 at 04:53 PM.
Corvette Tan, some love it, some hate it. Still looks like a nice '77 4 speed. Would look great painted black.
Seller states that the AC doesn't work...maybe your $10K budget would buy it.
This color reminds me of a George Gobel quote: "The world is a tuxedo and I'm a pair of brown shoes".
Heck, I really can't say much....I've owned a Green Corvette for 45 years.
It'll be interesting to see if they respond to my request for more detailed pics. They said they were happy to arrange for me to view, so I explained I was a distance away and would need to get a contact to inspect on my behalf, but would need some more pics before committing to this - frame, trim tag, vin plate etc. We'll see. Experience so far suggests I'll not hear from them. Weird.
Right car, wrong colour?
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