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'78 Corvette - Value?

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Old Dec 31, 2024 | 11:38 AM
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Default '78 Corvette - Value?

Hello, my father-in-law has a '78 Corvette w/ 4-speed manual, original owner, original miles under 30,000, bet sitting in a barn for 30 years. Just before it was put away, it had hit a tree in the passenger rear, fiberglass was repaired, but not professionally, and is showing a crack now, possible frame issue would need to be diagnosed. Would need to be totally gone though, and professionally repaired whatever the damage may be.

What general value does this car have? FIL thinks of maybe having it restored for himself, but is in questionable health, so contemplating his options.

Thanks for any help.
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Old Dec 31, 2024 | 11:47 AM
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Tough to answer without a ton more specifics about the car, but a quick reaction is that if the whole car needs to be painted for starters, he could be spending $20k to end up getting a car back thats worth less than 15.
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Old Dec 31, 2024 | 11:53 AM
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If it's a L48 Hagerty shows $13,100 in #3 good condition, $6,300 in #4 fair.

L82 is $16,800 in #3, $8,100 in #4...
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Old Dec 31, 2024 | 02:53 PM
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It's more than likely a parts car due to it's being sitting 3 decades outside. Barns are not humidity, nor climate controlled, and as an added bonus, critters live in barns, and critters love cars.

Any spend puts you upside down immediately. More than likely "any" retained value is <$5,000 plus the flat deck ride.

Without detailed pics of everything underneath and inside, it's really hard to judge 100% accurately, but, normally in situations with descriptions like what you wrote, it isn't even necessary to back it up to the telephone to hear it run.....heh.

Last edited by Nikolai122; Dec 31, 2024 at 03:07 PM.
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