Hey guys
I'm looking to purchase a 69 vette in the near future, what reference material/agency would provide me the estimated value for a restored/maintained coup/vert. I usually use KBB, NADA, but due to age do I need to refer to specific agency/reference to see the correct values?

v/r
Mike P.

 

just my $.02 when it comes to published current values ( and I'm probably going to get crucified for this)
I feel It takes allot out of the purchasing experience, if its the car you want... what is it worth?
I recently purchased a 69 that was probably over any published value out there yet I feel like I got a great deal and the best car out there for the money.

 

 

Hagerty and Classic Cars (sold items). I’m not a Facebook person, but there are a ton of cars listed there for sale (and I got mine there). You have to subscribe to all of the different websites etc. and see what cars are actually going for. You can also look at sold cars on eBay.

I did a lot of research for a ‘69 coupe last year. On one hand, there were over 38,700 ‘69s made. You can see the breakdown by engine, body style, etc. To keep me from impulsively jumping at the first car, I had to keep the manufacturing # in mind. I didn’t want the one super rare variant, and I figured there were probably hundreds of cars that could work for me.

On the other hand, it’s not like going to a Toyota dealer and looking through a ton of Camrys. These cars are a half century old, and there isn’t a set price. You also have no control over how many cars are for sale at a given time. You actually don’t have 20,000 ‘69s for sale right now.

You need to know what kind of engine you want (big block, small block, #s matching etc.) transmission (4 speed or automatic), car condition, must-have options, colors, etc., then factor in how much work is needed, etc. Do you want a show car, a weekend fooling around car, a daily driver, or a project?

You also need to drive them. What do you get for $35k? $50k? It’s similar to shopping for a house, of what you get in a particular price range, how much more does another bedroom “cost,” etc.

If a car is “worth” $48k, but you can get exactly the car you want for $52k, is it “overpaying”? I think not. Overpaying is spending $65k on a car that’s worth $45k. That is, given the age, variables in condition, etc. to get exactly what you want in the an approximate price range seems reasonable.

Feel free to post potential purchases here. I did that, and it was very helpful. Good luck!

 

No matter what Greg says......I like Hagerty.
They update values every 3 months & adjust for options.
Last summer at a car show I was offered $18k cash.
Hagerty's value at that time...$18k for a '76 in #2 excellent condition...

 

Another vote for Haggerty. They seem to be fairly accurate. "Corvette" Magazine does a buyers guide but usually the prices the list as values are a bit inflated. They do include a short article each issue about "real world purchases." that'll help. Checking the for sale section here on the forum, Facebook Marketplace, and Classic car sites will provide you a nice range to weigh your option against.

I'll say this about cars advertised online (Craigslist, Bring a Trailer, etc.): they nearly always look better online than in person. You have to drive the car. Go over the undercarriage, birdcage, condition of paint, seats, etc. to really get an idea of value. Great original survivors and recently restored cars are gonna cost you, and for good reason. The costs of restoration (paint especially) are out of this world right now. It seems to me like like every part is up 20% (might just be me). So the old advice of buy the best you can afford rings truer than ever.

All anyone informed can tell you here is an approximate range, not seeing (or knowing) the specific car you are considering.

 

A 54 year old used Chevy is worth what the buyer is willing to pay and what the seller is willing to take. Too many variables to use pricing guides other than to ballpark.

 

Coronette
Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post. I totally agree with your points, I'm used to buying new vehicles, now that I'm in my 60's and I want to get a car that I dreamer about as young kid back in the day. I used NADA and it seemed that the values came in on the high side compared to what the two 69 corvettes (vert/coupe) I'm interested are selling for by 10K. Both cars have been restored/pristine shape by the photos showing front/rear suspension restoration, exhaust, spare tire holder etc.
Thanks again
Mike

 

Coronette
Is there a difference between the 3 speed and 4 speed manuals? I'm asking because one car I'm interested in has the 3 speed and the other has 4 speed. Why did GM have this 3 speed? Is this a carry-over the the C-2 days or was the 4 speeds an option that was pricey? Just trying to educate myself to make good buying decision.
v/r
Mike

 

Then it's time for you to roadtrip to Palm Springs so I can pour beer into you until you see things my way.

 

love Palm Springs, one of our favorite hang outs... at Las Casuelas several times a year

 

5000 to 50000.
i you see anything like this, you can roll up Greg's Hagerty or Nada toilet paper and stuff it in the holes in the frame. (BTW-that would be the 5k version of a 69). and this is why the values can be so far either side of the mid-point. it could also be perfect. owner just spent 40k restoring a car that didn't really need it. and now he has 70 in it...

 

Values across the board, spanning many classic/sports cars - not just C3 Corvettes, are artificially inflated. If you're not seeing that, you aren't paying attention. This is not the time to be in the market for one, but it's a great time to sell one. This coming from from someone who has been following prices since childhood. There are spikes and there are crashes....I prefer to be on the skiing/snowboarding side of the mountain as a buyer....

Stop listening to the 'blue book' and hagerty BS (or similar) crowd - it's annoying and they are being lazy and not doing the work on their own behalf. Look at the market and see what things are actually selling for - it's not hard. It takes persistence and diligence. Value is merely an abstract that is subjective and can (and will) be affected by trends. Pandemic/post pandemic being one of them. When the prices are unnaturally inflated over a relatively short period of time, suspect a trend or other variable that is not sustainable. Anyone been following the stock market the past three years? Wake up!

If you buy now through the normal channels, you will be overpaying.

 

Just like real estate is location, location, location....classic C3 Corvetes are condition, condition, condition. Don't buy on emotion....be smart. Take your time and see what is out there from all the various sources, learn what to look out for on sites like this, and see what is actually selling for price wise. When the right one for you comes along then you will know it. Best of luck!

 

Now this might just be me, but I think C3's are pretty much undervalued across the board. But that is just me.
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If you can find a good running car that needs work, but with a good frame and birdcage get it.
I feel mid 20's to mid 30's for a early chrome bumper car.
74 thru 77 low 10's to low 20,s.
78 up $7500 to $15k.
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Fully restored! Well get your pocket book out.

Now this is just my opinion of course.

 

in my looking over the last few months, most of the 68/69s that i've seen have been 20K or over. really nice ones, well, way higher.
and honestly the 70-73s can be pretty close to that..
74s seem to be the ones that can be quite a range based on condition, but good models, can be up there also, but I also see these not too much.

and i will say, seeing 68/69s are pretty rare, just seen a couple...and the 70-72 are about as rare....i just haven't seen many....good luck...

 

I hope this link works. Under articles on the 1969 Corvette on the C3 registry is this article test driving every engine on the ‘69. It mentions the challenge of finding a 3-speed manual to test even back then.

The 3-speed manuals weren’t very common or desirable even then. I saw one for sale online recently, and it advertised the 3-speed as “rare.” I haven’t seen any others.

Four speed is pretty common for the car. I wouldn’t consider a 3-speed (absent it being an extraordinary car at an extraordinary price). I wanted a manual for the joy of shifting through the gears. It’s muscle memory going through them. I certainly wouldn’t want to skip one gear.

Definitely check out FB marketplace for what’s out there in the market. Don’t jump on the first car you see, unless you have a Corvette expert with you who can tell you the car is great. I jumped on mine sight unseen the day it came up for sale, only because I’d been obsessively tracking the market for several months, drove a few of them, and it was from a trustworthy seller. Get a feel for what $25-30k will buy you, $35k, etc. in $5k increments. You will find a ‘69 for $30k and for $65k. What’s the difference? Does it matter to you? For my purposes (weekend local pleasure driving), a car that cost twice mine probably wouldn’t be as enjoyable to me, because I’d be worried about its condition more. Someone who wants a show quality car, however, would run away from my car.

It’s like buying a house. Know what your price range gets you, and then also look at the next tier up and down and see if either would really make a difference to you. I see the Hagerty guide like real estate guides, that tell you houses in one neighborhood are $300/square foot versus $800. They tell you nothing about location, condition, whether the kitchen needs remodeling etc. Are you paying a premium for a house’s location? Cars this age are like that. Would you rather buy a vintage Corvette from your neighbor who’s owned it for 30 years, or an essentially identical car from a dealer, with unknown ownership history? Which car is “worth” more to you?

As for Hagerty, it’s helpful as a rule of thumb, because they are insurers. Given the age of these cars, and that they’ve all had some work done to them, they are pretty unique at this point. I think there isn’t one number what my ‘69 L46 coupe is “worth.” I think there’s a range of reasonableness based roughly on comps.
Vintage Corvette Article: Wildest Corvette Test Yet - Every body style, every engine, every transmission, every rear ratio, ev (1179 views) Author: Allan Girdler

https://www.c3registry.com/index.php?job=ShowArticle&supersized=1&a p_page=1&art_id=Zml4ZWRfc3RyaW5nZml4ZYKB SJUsBCwpPF/omWc3G7zUE6EHJ4ermWN5i9/D6qhG{s5hotq3GNwfkQPUCNOPNQ==


https://www.c3registry.com/index.php?job=ShowArticle&supersized=2&a rt_id=Zml4ZWRfc3RyaW5nZml4ZYKBSJUsBCwpPF/omWc3G7zUE6EHJ4ermWN5i9/D6qhG{s5hotq3GNwfkQPUCNOPNQ==&ap_page=1

 

Was curious so I looked up the transmission option sales for 1969 in the Corvette Black Book. After adding up all the reported 4 speeds and automatic option numbers sold vs. the total yearly sales, it looks like only 252 were 3 speeds. Standard M20/M21 4 speeds were a $184.80 option on a $4,781 base coupe. So they are rare. That said personally I would not want one but if the price and car is right go for it.