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2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C8 Stingray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
As mentioned there a number of things to check out on this car but regardless I think its way overpriced. I believe the market determines the value of the car not the restoration costs. Id shop around some more.
As mentioned there a number of things to check out on this car but regardless I think its way overpriced. I believe the market determines the value of the car not the restoration costs. Id shop around some more.
It does. Look for comps on Bring a Trailer to see what it might actually be worth.
It's listed at way above retail to try to find one sucker to buy it.
I think this is right. I've seen photos where the engine paint had worn and you could barely see that crayon marking underneath (couldn't find one just now). Maybe when they stripped the paint from the engine, they saw the crayon marking underneath and thought it belonged over the paint.
Or maybe some dummy saw a photo online and tried to copy it. Could be the wrong code for that engine; pad stamp will clear that up.
Edit: So, I inquired about the ad. Here's what I asked:
"Hello- I see in the photos the marking on the engine block is "CMJ". Does that match the stamp on the engine pad? I would like to see a photo of the engine pad stamp. Thanks"
Update: Got a reply, car is in storage and he will get a picture soon.
This is the answer I got when asking for a photo of the engine pad stamp. This guy doesn't seem to have much of a clue:
"Actually Scott those letters on the block are suffix letters which denotes engine size and H.P so 350/270 horse V8 the vin number matches the number on the block pad"
This is the answer I got when asking for a photo of the engine pad stamp. This guy doesn't seem to have much of a clue:
"Actually Scott those letters on the block are suffix letters which denotes engine size and H.P so 350/270 horse V8 the vin number matches the number on the block pad"
So, he sent photos of the stamp. Those look legit. Don't know what the deal was with putting CMJ on the block. Just by deduction, the full VIN should be 194371S113381.
I answered him back and told him the CMJ marking was wrong for his engine and suggested he remove that photo or add a note to explain it's there by mistake. And to add this photo.
Last edited by zxryder72; Dec 14, 2025 at 03:54 PM.
This is the answer I got when asking for a photo of the engine pad stamp. This guy doesn't seem to have much of a clue:
"Actually Scott those letters on the block are suffix letters which denotes engine size and H.P so 350/270 horse V8 the vin number matches the number on the block pad"
Actually the seller KNOWS lots more about it than anyone here; he's playing dumb for good reason.
This IS all about selling a used car; nothing much about that has changed and caveat emptor remains THE byword.
It's pretty BUT it's overpriced, and even if motor IS correct, at best it's still a Base, low power motor. No cachet of SHP or Big Block. Just another smog-era ZQ3; yes, a pretty but pricey one.
People can be pretty rough on here. This car had a full restoration just over a year ago. Apparently won some award, I'm sure that can be verified. That engine stamp is pretty clear that it's numbers matching. Seller updated the listing with a photo of the engine pad stamp, and I see the trim tag is on there now too. (Photo of VIN wasn't included but that's easily checked.)
Definitely some confusion about that CMJ marking but looks like during restoration someone just got overzealous with trying to get all the correct markings on it and blew it. Asking price is too high for a base 350, but seller didn't say firm. I wouldn't run from it, would just not pay that much.
Last edited by zxryder72; Dec 15, 2025 at 09:16 AM.
I do have problems with folks that either mislead with information or lie about information and from what I can tell that is what we have here. I f you folks are comfortable with that , so be it, I'm not.
I do have problems with folks that either mislead with information or lie about information and from what I can tell that is what we have here. I f you folks are comfortable with that , so be it, I'm not.
I'm not interested in the car, just was curious why that CMJ was marked on it. Seller was quick to answer my questions and sent photos to verify the engine stamp. He just didn't seem very knowledgeable, maybe just accepted what the restoration shop was telling him. I didn't feel like he was intentionally misleading.
And yes, I have too much time on my hands...
Last edited by zxryder72; Dec 15, 2025 at 03:34 PM.
Earlier this year I went and checked out an old Pontiac SJ with 455 badges on it. It had been on a rotisserie at some point and had fantastic paint, underneath it was all body color and the floor pans had been pinstriped. Never saw that before.
It was at a small dealer that isn't too slimy, they buy lots of cars at auction and flip them. I crawled underneath checked out the powertrain and found it's the original 400 not a 455. Somebody went through all that trouble and dropped the original leaky high mileage mess back in. I pointed that out along with some other small stuff to the dealer.
The dealer believed me and instantly edited the ad on the spot saying its a 400 and dropped the price. No mumble mumble about mistakes, nothing. They seem decent enough but just failed to catch it due to volume. That's someone one consider buying a car from (maaaaaaaaaybe).
The one with this 'vette and the car itself screams RUN at me.
I don't go along with some of this criticism. The mistake that was made was not something to trick someone into thinking it had an engine that didn't belong. Some dummy at the restoration shop probably saw CMJ on another engine and thought they all had it. The CMJ was nothing that would jack up the value of the car, it actually hurt by making people think the engine was swapped with an inferior one.
Seller had no problem providing the engine pad stamp and stating the shop that did the work. I don't see a single thing the seller is trying to hide. Just asking a lot for it but probably because he paid a lot to D&M for the restoration.
Last edited by zxryder72; Dec 16, 2025 at 10:16 AM.
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Originally Posted by pigfarmer
Earlier this year I went and checked out an old Pontiac SJ with 455 badges on it. It had been on a rotisserie at some point and had fantastic paint, underneath it was all body color and the floor pans had been pinstriped. Never saw that before.
It was at a small dealer that isn't too slimy, they buy lots of cars at auction and flip them. I crawled underneath checked out the powertrain and found it's the original 400 not a 455. Somebody went through all that trouble and dropped the original leaky high mileage mess back in. I pointed that out along with some other small stuff to the dealer.
The dealer believed me and instantly edited the ad on the spot saying its a 400 and dropped the price. No mumble mumble about mistakes, nothing. They seem decent enough but just failed to catch it due to volume. That's someone one consider buying a car from (maaaaaaaaaybe).
The one with this 'vette and the car itself screams RUN at me.
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NO CHANCE, a dealer who buys / sells / flips cars didn't know that !!! He got caught with his pants down. If you don't believe that they were well aware of what they owned & were hoping the next guy didn't have a clue like you, then i'd have say there are a few bridges that are for sale really cheap, like the Brooklyn Bridge, because it's really old, worn out & not worth much Gimmie a break ..........................
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Last edited by 427SIXPACK; Dec 17, 2025 at 12:50 PM.
NO CHANCE, a dealer who buys / sells / flips cars didn't know that !!! He got caught with his pants down. If you don't believe that they were well aware of what they owned & were hoping the next guy didn't have a clue like you, then i'd have say there are a few bridges that are for sale really cheap, like the Brooklyn Bridge, because it's really old, worn out & not worth much Gimmie a break ..........................
Didn't have a clue,I think the guy knows what he's looking at. As far as the dealer,they got caught.
Gimmie a break ..........................
