Hello, all. I’m still looking for a good, driveable condition 4-speed ‘69 coupe. My preference is for the L46 small block, although I have driven a 427. My goal is for a nice, reliable weekend car, and have no desire to have my car in the shop all of the time.

For that reason, I prefer (and have budgeted for) a car that’s in already-restored condition. I totally appreciate the preference for originality, and of course a well-maintained and well-preserved interior is preferable to one that’s been redone. On the other hands, my presumption is that no matter how well a car has been maintained and preserved, there are more “perishable” items on a half century old car, whether it’s seat foam, rubber weatherstripping, etc. that should be replaced (i.el these things have an “expiration date” regardless of how well they are maintained). Otherwise, it’s just a matter of time before a lot of major items need to be changed out.

Is that correct? I was thinking about things like fuel systems (from tanks to hoses), wiring, rubber weatherstripping and the like. My question is prompted by a ‘69 427 L36 for sale on Facebook in WI. Its history is known and favorable. I haven’t had any inspection scheduled yet (I won’t buy anything without one), and I don’t have any underside photos yet, but taking the owner’s statements that it’s rust free and mechanically excellent at face value, it is a well-maintained, well-preserved, well-running essentially original car. Its factory A/C, PW, gauges, fuel system, etc. are all original and working (except for the clock, which isn’t a problem to me), and it has its original interior (seats, carpet) and pretty much everything else (eg T top seals).

I also know the flip side to buying a restored car, that a buyer has to ensure that what’s been replaced has been replaced well. Again, to my lay understanding, I would think that a well-executed replacement fuel or vacuum system that’s 10 years old is still preferable to a well-maintained factory system that’s over 50 years old, but I defer to the experts here.

Here are some photos by the seller.

 

The shifter boot has been changed to a leather one it should have a rubber one ( leather started in 1970)
Headrests have been changed they should not have stiching around the edge

 

It sure looks worth pursuing based on the pictures. Few if any 50+ year old Corvettes are 100% original any longer. I like where it is housed as well as its garage mate, all indications it is/was owned by someone that had the means to properly maintain it. Just my 2 cents.

 

I'd like to see a better pic showcasing the "bumps" between the headlights and the hood. I've never seen an "untouched" 69 without them.

 

“Reliable” and a 53 year old Corvette are, generally speaking, mutually exclusive terms, particularly when you state that’s you don’t want the car in the shop all the time. If you want to wade into these waters, you need to accept the fact that there will always be the threat of something going off-song. Is is possible to not experience any issues week after week after week? Of course it is, but the chances of that happening are not good.

Look hard at the picture of the engine compartment. It is a minefield of potential problems, visible and not. For many of us who have owned these cars for years (I’ve had mine for 50 (yes 50)), it’s not an issue because we’ve probably touched every component and know how they work and how they fail. Now add in the rest of the drivetrain, steering, suspension, electrical, vacuum, etc., etc. So many potential areas to go wrong.

To your point of deterioration of seals and seat foam, etc, nothing has an “expiration date”. You replace seat foam when you are tired of sitting on a hard seat, the weatherstripping when the road noise and/or water leaks become annoying. Not hard tasks but if you have to pay someone $100/hour labor, it will add up. However, if, for example, the suspension bushings are more than about 20 years and you don’t like how the car rides (these cars do not ride anywhere near a modern car, even with everything replaced), that’s a much more invasive (and more costly) effort.

One other thing to keep in mind is that the quality of many replacement parts today is nothing like the originals. That aspect alone is a major concern today for us. That said, one should not draw any broad conclusions of which is better - a 10 year old replacement or a well maintained 53 year old original. Those choices are highly dependent on the components involved.

To avoid disappointment, you should seek out Corvette clubs in your domicile and see if you can determine availability of a technical support network (particularly qualified, honest wrench-turners) so you know where to go when the inevitable happens.

Good luck with your search.

 

There is evidence the car has had a repaint.

 

As Chip Foose says "It's the paint that'lll draw you in." New paint is what gets the oohs and the aahs at the car show. I have spent twice the amount that I paid for my car 18 yrs ago and have never had my still original paint car in the shop. Do I trust it to get me home when I go for a ride? Not really.
I still find myself making lists of things to fix, restore or improve. All the original things are still 53 years old.

 

I dont know much about Corvettes but if I showed up to buy a car and a garage looked that clean and organized with what looks to be a de-humidifier and an air conditioner mounted on the wall it would sure make me more optimistic about the condition of things stored there.

 

If you are seriously looking at this car, put on some old clothes and start crawling underneath and take many pictures.
Inspect the frame, the drivetrain, the front body mounts, the rear most body mounts, look up under the dash and see how the wiring looks, look for any rust around the windshield frame.
As others have stated, the car itself looks like it is in excellent condition and the pictures show it it has probably been well cared for by it’s current owner, but who knows how a prior owner took care of it.
If you are in California right now, there is an event, Corvette Spectacular in Los Altos this Sunday 09-18-22.
There should be many beautiful examples of all years corvettes to admire and you could easily spend the day talking with the owners attending the show.
You could even see some nice corvettes for sale.

 

This is all helpful.

I spoke to the mechanic who’s been working on it the last several years. He said it’s a clean, rust free car. It does apparently have the original suspension and bushings. He’s going to do an inspection for me next week.

 

I posted this car a few weeks ago on the forum. Not my car, just one I came across on FB. It appears to be an original car for the most part with nice options. I would have someone knowledgeable on c3's inspect the car if you decide you want to potentially buy it. Feel free to send me a pm and I would be willing to help guide you through any questions you might have from the pictures etc. Goof luck!

 

I think this is generally true with greater emphasis on foam components breaking down over time due to the instability of the materials. It also depends on what the soft parts are environmentally exposed to. Rubber fuel lines are a common item that should be changed because of the chemicals running through them. Rubber brake hoses likewise. Wiring is usually OK but heat can make the insulation brittle on wiring in the immediate vicinity of the engine, trans, and exhausts. Rubber weatherstripping breaks down due to UV sun exposure but if garaged it can have a very long life. Vinyl dash and door panels likewise.

The seats in this one look good with "puffy" panels between the stitching, so either the foam has been replaced already or the originals are in excellent condition. Original seat foam turns to yellow powder, so if there's not much evidence of that under the seats, there's nothing to worry about there.

Looks like a solid, original car from up top. The 427/390 is a joy to drive and own – not as finicky and complicated as a tri-power setup but a lot of oomph to it. It's no slouch. Love my '67 390!