i'm considering a '77 coupe as a second car for driving casually on weekends and nice days. the paint is gorgeous, the drive train is fine, the 350ci engine is fine though a bit dirty, the leather seats look great, and there is a new kenwood CD head unit in the dash. on the downside, there is no A/C and the rest of the interior looks a bit rough and has a hideous color scheme in my opinion.

i'm checking out the car on friday. any advice on things to check? i don't know as much about cars as the people on this forum. for a point of reference, i've owned and maintained a nissan maxima for a year and i've been learning about corvettes so i'm not completely oblivious.

i'm not looking to restore this one, i just want to have a fun car. i WOULD like to add A/C, and change the interior to a better color scheme. are these things possible and worth the effort?

i'd post the URL for the car's info but i'm not sure i'm allowed to put ebay URLs in the forum. please tell me if it's ok. thanks.

 

Keep in mind that Interiors can get expensive to upgrade.....Is it a #'s matching car....Auto or 4?? A/C will cost you at least 1000 bucks no matter what so u better figure that into the scheme as well......some of the members have links of sites to go to that will tell u what to look for.......How much is he asking for the car :smash:

 

There are a lot of '77 corvettes out there. Find one with the options you want.

 

:eek: I just purchased a project 75 coupe. Make sure that you check the radiator for leaks, the radiator core support that secures the radiator for rust . This secures the radiator and can be costly to replace. Also you may want to check behind the headlight assembly underneath the fiberglass to make sure that the steel headerbar is good condition. This is not a routine job for the average person. Check the exhust system also. Good luck!!

 

I agree ... buy one with what you want already. This past weekend I saw in a 2001 price book that you add $4500 for air in a 72, so I image a 77 would have a similar price increase. There's a guy here in Albuquerque selling a white/white 77, L82, 4 sp, numbers matching with 58,000 miles. He's asking $8000. I don't know all the rest of the details, but the car is rust free southwest car. Gives you an idea what is out there.

 

You should probably check this out if you haven't already:

Check out the inspection articles at:
http://www.sharkwerkes.com/sharktank/tech2/tech2.html

I also agree with some of hte comments above. Only settle for what you really want and get the nicest car that your budget can afford. You will save in the long run. Take my word for it: :cry

 

Hi Jody,

You can put urls to ebay in here. We do it all the time.

Since you don't live far from Carlise, why not visit Corvettes at Carlisle during the weekend of Aug 24-26. I'm sure you'll find a vette there that you'll like. :yesnod:

Look for some of us at the tent by the ZIP products. It will be the Corvette Forum set up. :cheers:


[Modified by VetteChick73, 11:30 PM 8/14/2001]

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cg...item=594249624

i guess it's not that great compared to other C3's considering everything i've learned about the C3 in the last few days. i might not even drive those two hours to look at it now.

as for matching numbers, would this be important for any reason other than restoring or collecting?

 

Well, the only other reason matching #s are important is that they raise the value of the car if and when you want to sell it. A lot of folks even keep the original engine and/or tranny when they swap out, putting it away somewhere so it can be rebuilt at some point and restored to the car.

JB

'78SA

 

Jody, I just went and looked at that car & it looks like a pretty nice ride. He's done some of the expensive work already (the new paint and the suspension rebuild). I don't like the fact that the car hasn't been driven in 3 years, and if I bought it I'd change out every ounce of fluid in the car (brake, coolant, fuel, etc.), which could be a bit of a hassle. But if you can get it anywhere near the current bid of $5600, you'd be doing good, I think.

JB

 

like you said, this car has many things going for it. i just don't know enough about cars and vettes in particular to make a decision about whether it's worth getting and improving the things i don't like. other people advised me to just buy a vette with everything i want instead of changing this one. i could spend the $12k for a restored C3 coupe to my liking, but for $6k this one is close with a few changes.

 

'Don't buy an EBay car' is my advise!
Too risky

Also seriously consider a salt free car from the southern states. It makes a BIG difference!

Oh and if you are that close to Carsile go there first.

 

Jody,

Since no one else has mentioned it, I will; frame rust. As one mentioned, the radiator support is a problem area for rust, as is the windshield frame. But frame rust is a common affliction for a C3, and a Cleveland car is especially susceptible.

Check the frame in the area right in front of the rear tires, there are several problem areas there. I have looked at vettes that had rust so bad there I could push my fingers through the frame.

I also agree you would be better off looking harder for a car more closely suited to what you want. It's out there, but it might be hard to find.

Chris

 

Sounds like you have made an attachment to this one car. That fact alone will make you happy if you buy it. But the reality is, buying a vette means get ready to open up you wallet somewhat. They suck up money. At the very least, do this: Look at some other cars. You may discover you see something even nicer. The more you look the better idea you will get for whats available, and the condition. If the car does'nt have A/C, personally I think it will cost more than a thousnd to put in from scratch - all that labor, to get it done right. Corvette A/C's dont exactly have, well, a good reputaion for providing massive cold air like some newer vehicles. You mentioned you were not really thrilled about the interior. So look around. Going to Carlisle will be good, its only a couple hours from Pittsburg. Spend a couple hours checking out a bunch of cars.

 

Since I told you I like the car, I'll post again to say 427V8 is right--buying cars on ebay is kind of risky. Ebay offers very little protection if you get screwed. If you do it, make darn sure the seller's willing to use an escrow service with you, so no money changes hands until you can physically inspect the car and take it home with you. There was a recent thread with some poor fellow who paid for an ebay car in New Jersey and, it appears, lost both his money and the car, but (if I understood right), he hadn't actually ever seen the car and had only arranged to have it delivered to him after he paid for it.

JB

'78SA

 

Jody,

First of all, I'd also be weary of an ebay car. There are just toomany questions left open with it.

If you want a car with air conditioning, then don't buy this one. In 1977 45,000 of the 49,000 cars built had A/C. It isn't rare. In fact, this car is rather unusual by NOT having it. With that said, A/C should add little to nothing to the price of a '77. On an older car like my '69 where about 12k of the 38k cars built had A/C, it's a more valued option. I would hate to even consider the work necessary to add A/C to my car. (I'd much rather have to repair an existing A/C system than add one. Way too many A/C specific parts to do it from scratch.)

There are many things to consider when looking at a Vette. Condition of the frame is first and foremost. If the frame is heavily rusted, move on. Then look at what rear end work has been done recently, engine work, what old parts have been replaced (radiator or heater core for example), and the interior of course, and get a good picture of the overall condition of the car.

Nobody has asked yet so I will. What's your budget and what year(s) are you looking for? The nice thing about the mid 70s cars is that they're very plentiful and relatively cheap. Finding one with everything you want at a reasonable price should be relatively easy.

Try http://www.collectorcartraderonline.com and search for cars in your area. I found that the online site is updated very frequently and cars make it onlint before they hit the print version of Auto Trader. So you can check for new cars each day and get a jump on other people looking. It won't be tough to find the right car.

Dave



[Modified by ddecart, 8:37 AM 8/16/2001]

 

I ditto the statements about frame rot, A/C, and Carlisle. I bought my 70 at Carlisle from a private owner.... it was from Donegal PA. Please do yourself a BIG favor and go to Carlisle. There is a "owner for sale" area that avoids the pricey vendor markups. It's all the way in the back by the fence, on the hill, behind the pavillions. That's where I found my 70. If you don't find anything, at least you will be much better informed on what to look for and what to avoid. And I re-iterate... check that frame thoroughly.

 

after one week of learning about C3 vettes, i think my ideal car would be a 74 coupe with the 454, targa tops, leather, air, stick, power steering, power brakes, power windows, tilt-tele, in black or red. this is the last year for the 454 and the last year before the catalytic converter, also, it still has the notch back window (i don't like the fastback window after 78) and doesn't have the chrome bumpers (i like the soft bumpers better), though it doesn't have the aluminum wheels which arrived in 76(?).

i can't afford one of these in good shape. i figure it would cost $15k.

i've settled on a similarly equipped 75-77 with the base 350. to me, it's more important to just have that beautiful shark working good and looking great, than it is to have a rare, really mean machine. the details about year and engine are probably lost on most people.

i can afford one of these. probably $9k tops.

the reason i like this car on ebay is because it meets most of my needs, and it's close enough for me to inspect and drive before i bid. the owner claims there is no rust on the frame. the problem, as people have pointed out, is that it's not EVERYTHING i want. i'd have to work on it, and i don't know how, though i have a friend who knows.

i'm not sure about going to corvettes at carlisle. i'm going to detroit for the dreamcruise this weekend and that may be all the long distance driving i can handle for a week.

keep the advice coming. i appreciate it.

 

Jody,
Where are you going to be this weekend at the dream cruise? You'll have to look for some forum members while you're around. Check out this post http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=129139 and let us know when and where you'll be and I'm sure some of us will also be around. This would be a great opportunity to look at some vettes, too. You might even find a few nice Vettes for sale this weekend. It's raining here now so I hope the weather holds out.

How concerned with originality are you? Do you have to have a numbers matching car? is original color a necessity?

Dave


[Modified by ddecart, 1:21 PM 8/16/2001]

 

As far as cost for what u get.........68-72 are really up there in price.....73 is still pretty high because of the chrome rear.....I think for the cash....If u could a fine 74 splittail......U may get the most bang for the buck.....U get the great stingray styling and u get a car with true duals and NO Emissions.....Chrome bumpers bring a permium and I luv them but I think they are a bit Pricey..Plus the 74 had a lot of amenitiies that were rarer on the early Ray's :seeya