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The condition of the “birdcage” is the most important to assess. Read up and educate yourself well on this before you go looking for a car. The reason for this is that a badly rotted ‘cage can cause you to put a fork in the car after you’ve sunk your hard earned cash into it. Yes, many times if the rot isn’t too bad it can be repaired but you need some special skills to do that and there aren’t many people who can do this. Determining the full extent of Cage rot is not easy to assess as it is hidden by fiberglass and/or trim so you need to know where to look extensively. It requires removal of trim and panels which is intrusive for a seller which is why they typically remain silent on its condition.
I think this is priority #1, from what everyone is saying. I have a follow-up question that I suppose will be answered with more time, but I'll go ahead and ask it here. If you buy a car and do your due diligence and find you still have issues with your birdcage, can it typically be repaired while "in the car" or does it typically require body off of frame approach? I'm assuming that you have to remove the body to repair properly?
Originally Posted by 69L88
Frame rot can be serious and replacing frame sections, while not like falling off a log, is fairly straightforward. It will require pulling the body off the frame but that is not as bad as one might think.
Priority #2!
Originally Posted by 69L88
A paint job today that is of quality deserving of a vintage Corvette can run $15000-$20000. Materials alone can easily top $5000. Painting is a lot of work but there are plenty of folks who can do the job so this one is a financial concern, not like cage rot which can be existential or frame rot which is more problematic when it comes to skills.
Priority #3. What happened to paint prices?
Originally Posted by 69L88
Mechanical on these cars is, for the most part, no different than any other Chevy. ...
Getting parts for the series Corvettes is a challenge today as many of what is sold is made in a certain country on the western shore of the Pacific and the quality of same can be frustrating.
Priority #4
Interesting how my priorities were not in the right order before talking to you guys and doing a little research. In fact, I was probably looking at it backwards. "Give me a runner and I'll do the rest" might not be the best approach.
Originally Posted by 69L88
Good luck hunting.
I think the available cars with a solid birdcage, frame and paint will be limited. Just by memory, I can probably discount a number, if not all, for sale in my area. Might have to widen the search area a bit.
Since I don't really want to pay for a "pristine" garage queen, that means a car that has the above attributes, but a missing or bad motor/transmission to "save" some money on the initial purchase.
really do your homework before buying one of these cars . They are not like other muscle cars of the era .. completely a different animal good luck 👍
I'm working on it. It's a process. I don't have any experience with muscle cars of that era, so this is all new to me. Thanks for the good luck wishes!
I'm working on it. It's a process. I don't have any experience with muscle cars of that era, so this is all new to me. Thanks for the good luck wishes!
Don't listen to Grady, he comes on here spouting hate about the Corvette and it's the worst muscle car blah blah blah....it's a sports car and Corvettes are awesome!
I'm agreeing with everything said above.
I would rather purchase one with a solid birdcage, frame and great paint that's completely missing the engine and the brakes need work. Than a great runner with a rotten cage or poor paint.
Don't listen to Grady, he comes on here spouting hate about the Corvette and it's the worst muscle car blah blah blah....it's a sports car and Corvettes are awesome!
you’re out of order sir. I’m not spewing hate . I have owned many corvette’s from the 60’s to the present.. In my opinion they are one of worst cars GM pumped out . I just don’t convince myself they are not . It doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them .
I'm agreeing with everything said above.
I would rather purchase one with a solid birdcage, frame and great paint that's completely missing the engine and the brakes need work. Than a great runner with a rotten cage or poor paint.
Look for acceptable paint and no rust on the chassis or birdcage, and you will be miles ahead. All the mechanical stuff can be fixed.
The one mistake we made with my wife's car was buying one with an automatic transmission. That was expensive to fix.
A C3 Corvette is NOT a muscle car. And a C3 with an automatic transmission is not a sports car either, it's just a disappointment.
Google “Corvette what is a birdcage”, then select Images and you will find a plethora of pictures and videos on the infamous ‘cage. The image below is for a C2 but clearly illustrates the fact that the fiberglass panels are assembled around it, making it very challenging to disassemble the sections needed to access the rot. Depending on where the rot is located, repairs can be done with the body on the frame but in many cases, you will need to pull the body off.
When inspecting a car for potential purchase, with respect to the ‘cage, you want to look at several locations. There are 4 mounts per side with the #1 and #4 visible without having to remove anything. The #2 is accessed by removing the “kick panels” in the interior footwells and the #3 via an access plate in the forward part of the rear wheel wells. These access points will only allow you to see the top portion of the mount area. You will need to get under the car to see the bottoms.
Removing the windshield interior trim (A pillars and the header) will gain you access to the backside and looking through the windshield will give you a limited opportunity for the topside. The main problem with assessing the windshield area of the ‘cage is you need to remove the exterior (bright) trim and that is something most sellers won’t allow because of the risk of damage to the trim and/or windshield. Removing the dash pad gives you greater visibility to the bottom and sides but you are only looking at the backside and the rot begins from the topside.
in some extreme cases, I’ve seen where the topmost rear portion on coupes is rotted but again this condition can be hidden by the stainless trim.
What happened to paint prices? EPA regulations, material supply and demand, shrinking group of painter who want to deal with restoration projects (vs the money-making insurance jobs) to name a few.
If you’re not set on a chrome bumper Corvette, 68 - 73, you will probably get better condition for price with a rubber bumper car 74 - 82.
Condition imo is #1 priority. Fixing a birdcage is often expensive, time consuming. Repairing/replacing a frame requires fewer skills but is another big project.
Does the transmission matter to you, 4 speed or automatic? T top or convertible? Small block or big block? A/C?
Google “Corvette what is a birdcage”, then select Images and you will find a plethora of pictures and videos on the infamous ‘cage. The image below is for a C2 but clearly illustrates the fact that the fiberglass panels are assembled around it, making it very challenging to disassemble the sections needed to access the rot. Depending on where the rot is located, repairs can be done with the body on the frame but in many cases, you will need to pull the body off.
When inspecting a car for potential purchase, with respect to the ‘cage, you want to look at several locations. There are 4 mounts per side with the #1 and #4 visible without having to remove anything. The #2 is accessed by removing the “kick panels” in the interior footwells and the #3 via an access plate in the forward part of the rear wheel wells. These access points will only allow you to see the top portion of the mount area. You will need to get under the car to see the bottoms.
Removing the windshield interior trim (A pillars and the header) will gain you access to the backside and looking through the windshield will give you a limited opportunity for the topside. The main problem with assessing the windshield area of the ‘cage is you need to remove the exterior (bright) trim and that is something most sellers won’t allow because of the risk of damage to the trim and/or windshield. Removing the dash pad gives you greater visibility to the bottom and sides but you are only looking at the backside and the rot begins from the topside.
in some extreme cases, I’ve seen where the topmost rear portion on coupes is rotted but again this condition can be hidden by the stainless trim.
What happened to paint prices? EPA regulations, material supply and demand, shrinking group of painter who want to deal with restoration projects (vs the money-making insurance jobs) to name a few.
Thanks for the insight. I thought that most repairs would require the body to come off, but just wanted to make sure. Not something I want to get into, if I can avoid it from the beginning. Where to look and inspect is something I definitely need help with. I will dig deeper and hopefully find a video of someone inspecting these areas. I wonder if taking it to one's mechanic might make an owner more agreeable to removing trim pieces and kick panels...
I've expanded my search and did find a few potential candidates. Amazing how prioritizing narrows the field.
I remember, not too long ago, when a $5k paint job was over-the-top expensive...
If you’re not set on a chrome bumper Corvette, 68 - 73, you will probably get better condition for price with a rubber bumper car 74 - 82.
Condition imo is #1 priority. Fixing a birdcage is often expensive, time consuming. Repairing/replacing a frame requires fewer skills but is another big project.
Does the transmission matter to you, 4 speed or automatic? T top or convertible? Small block or big block? A/C?
It's funny you ask this, because I was just asking myself a few of these questions.
I do like the chrome bumpers. I'm willing to flex here into the later models if it opens the door to more availability.
I don't think I want an automatic. For me, having a manual will allow me to run it the way I want and it will be more fun. I guess if I were driving it everyday, then an automatic would make sense. This will be a toy/project so it's got to be a manual.
I need ac. I have lived with vehicles without ac and don't want that again. I haven't looked into this much, but I suppose if the car doesn't have factory ac then it can be added by vintage air or one of these other companies that specialize in that?
T-top/convertible doesn't matter at this point. I would love a big block, but I think a small block can provide just as much enjoyment. I'm willing to flex here as well.
The materials alone for a top quality paint job today can approach $5k!
Reach out to @Coronette on this forum. She recently acquired a 69 that she spent a lot of time researching for with a lot of posts on this forum. Great example of someone who educated herself first, then put a plan together to find the car she wanted.
Yes, A/C can be added but you are far better off finding a car with factory air. The 68-75 cars have fiberglass floors and are notorious for interior convective heat from the engine whereas the 76 and later have steel and are somewhat better. You can easily add insulation to any cars to significantly improve this.
Big blocks carry significantly greater value with the tri-power versions commanding a higher premium yet.
I have a 68 big block 4spd, if I had to have a rubber bumper car I'd only consider a 74, 73 to me looks off balance with only chrome on the rear (although Larry shinoda said 73 was his fav)...so the case for the 74, last year of the big block and true duels. But for cruising, non performance based fun and if all the doodads like power windows, power brakes, power steering, automatic trans and a/c were important to me any 75-82 will do. That's not to say that a 75-82 can't be made to have performance based fun. Just my .2 cents.
really do your homework before buying one of these cars . They are not like other muscle cars of the era .. completely a different animal good luck 👍
That's because Corvettes ARE NOT a muscle car. They are a SPORTS CAR!
" Muscle cars have more powerful engines and also feature larger and boxier designs. They reach their best speeds when driving in relatively straight lines. Sports cars are small and sleek and hug the road while driving — giving an extra feeling of control, especially when making tight turns at high speeds."
Think frame and paint.... Find out where to look for frame and bird cage rust issues and if you find a car that has them, run away. Some people skilled at metal work and welding can fix them, paying someone is very expensive. Some people say you can't find one without issues, well mine does not... Find one that has a frame in reasonable shape. Try to get a car that has a body and paint condition that is acceptable to you because fixing and painting one of these is very-very expensive... Read over the stickies at the top of the forum, great info.
60
Welcome!
You’re already much more advanced mechanically than I am.
This is sound advice. First, of course, are the structural integrity issues, frame and birdcage.
Paint condition is a consideration, because the fiberglass and the curves make these cars time intensive to prep and paint. One of my friends told me to love the paint job on the car I’m getting, because a good paint job is $10k. After knowing what others here and in my club have paid this is actually a conservative number.
Drive as many as you can. They are of course old, and they’ve all had work done on them, so they are drive all handle differently.
Of course, post away with photos and listings. I’d post some for sale on line and just ask for feedback here. You also need a seller you can trust.
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by Jon350
I need ac. I have lived with vehicles without ac and don't want that again. I haven't looked into this much, but I suppose if the car doesn't have factory ac then it can be added by vintage air or one of these other companies that specialize in that?
The newer the C3, the better chance for factory A/C. From '80-'82 it was standard.
I have a 68 big block 4spd, if I had to have a rubber bumper car I'd only consider a 74, 73 to me looks off balance with only chrome on the rear (although Larry shinoda said 73 was his fav)...so the case for the 74, last year of the big block and true duels. But for cruising, non performance based fun and if all the doodads like power windows, power brakes, power steering, automatic trans and a/c were important to me any 75-82 will do. That's not to say that a 75-82 can't be made to have performance based fun. Just my .2 cents.
Didn't realize 74 was the last year for the big block. Makes sense I guess. EPA emission standards were implemented around that time.
PS, PB and PW would be nice, but not a requirement for me.
You’re already much more advanced mechanically than I am.
This is sound advice. First, of course, are the structural integrity issues, frame and birdcage.
Paint condition is a consideration, because the fiberglass and the curves make these cars time intensive to prep and paint. One of my friends told me to love the paint job on the car I’m getting, because a good paint job is $10k. After knowing what others here and in my club have paid this is actually a conservative number.
Drive as many as you can. They are of course old, and they’ve all had work done on them, so they are drive all handle differently.
Of course, post away with photos and listings. I’d post some for sale on line and just ask for feedback here. You also need a seller you can trust.
Thanks for chiming in. I was wondering if you saw the post after the @69L88 mention. Always appreciate any relevant information you can throw my way.
Hadn't thought about how similar models might handle differently. Good point.
Will definitely post some ads the closer I get. Did you whittle your choices down first by asking the owner questions over the phone? Wonder what kind of response one would get if you start asking about rust on the birdcage and condition of the paint and frame. The good examples around me are getting further and further away.
