Here are some of the pics of the vette I looked at today. As posted in earlier post (69 guys, need advice) 427/435 Tri-carb. 4spd. Yes the #'s match. Engine suffix # TO903LT. Proves the correct motor. However the vettes is need of complete body work to correct spider cracks, chips, former body work. Interior ok, seats need to be done over. Most weather stripping shot. Heater blower, wipers not working. Headlight up switch not working. Not sure about the clock. It displays wrong time. Side pipes/covers need resto. Not correct shifter?? Undercarrige looks rust covered and never changed. Engine dirty and rusty. Non correct valve covers. Hoses, look ready to blow. I did see reciepts of enging rebuild a couple years ago. There's more, just can't think of it right now. Too stressed-out. Probably can get car for 22,000.00. Is it worth it? What do you guys think? I took it for a test drive and yes it is very strong and fast, but rattely. Sorry about the size of pics.
Thanks L8TER, Paul.


[Modified by Vettesic, 6:51 PM 4/1/2002]


[Modified by Vettesic, 6:58 PM 4/1/2002]


[Modified by Vettesic, 7:00 PM 4/1/2002]


[Modified by Vettesic, 7:02 PM 4/1/2002]

 

After looking at the pictures, I would never touch that car for $22k. I passed on an L71 two years ago for $16k that was in better shape than that one. That thing needs $12k easy to repair everything.

-Joe

 

Seriously, I think it's worth about half what he is asking.

Pass.

 

I could have bought a white '68 L71 a year ago for $18,000 in better shape. I swear to you that the yellow '69 L71 that I saw sell at the Mecum auction for $21,000 last fall was a benchmark car and was absolutely beautiful. Green cars do not fetch the higher prices (I'm sorry if you like green but its my observation). Looking at the photos, I would say the car is probably worth mid to upper teens if it is documented. It would take quite a lot to make the car right- More than it would be worth when finished. If you want my opinion, keep looking, you will find a better car in a more desireble color for the same money.

 

KingRat, that white L71 wasn't from Connecticut, was is?

 

I agree with the others. In that condition it should be somewhere in the low to mid-teens. The main problem is that everything would eventually need to be redone and that the undercarriage rust/condition is still a mystery. Of the things you mention, the frame condition and body/paint are the big $ items if the engine is strong as you said. The only positive is that it appears to be a nicely optioned, unmolested, matching #s L71 which is getting harder and harder to find. Unlike the others, I've not seen an original 69 L68 or L71 coupe in better condition for less than $20k with verts bringing mid-$20s but this could be a regional market difference. You never really stated what you want to do with the car. If you really want an original matching numbers car and are willing to spend the money to make it NCRS, go back and check the frame and if it's solid with just surface rust , see if he'll take a lot less due to condition. If you want a toy, I would pass and find an NOM car and mod the heck out of it.


[Modified by Marks69BB, 8:16 AM 4/2/2002]

 

I too would keep looking ,
Sounds about 7k or so too high in my opinion :cheers:

 

OK, Here's where I'm at....Gave the guy a courtesy call back last night to thank him and tell him I would think about it. He then kinda hinted on letting the vette go for 20,000. I said I'd get back to him. :eek:
Alwyn....As Mark says, regional pricing? If I saw a benchmark 69 L71 for 21000.00 I'd buy it today!
Mark.....Yes I'm am looking for a #'s car. I'm not sure I want to go back and look at this thing. L8TER, Paul.

 

That's a Hurst shifter in the picture. Much better than stock, but not original. This car sets off alarm bells for me. With all the stuff not working, I'd really beat him down before I'd go for it. Have the thing put up on a rack (don't forget to release the T-tops if it's a post rack - drive-on would be better) and get a REAL good look at the underside! It's still a 3x2 BB...

Hans

 

Don't go back! You might buy it :lol:

 

Flareside- The white '68 was at the Bloomington Gold show. It had a blue interior, M21 4-speed, 3.55 gears and few other options. The asking price was $18,000 so it could have sold for less. The paint was decent. The interior was very good. The car was right. The engine bay needed detailing but was correct. If I had room for the car, I would have bought it and beat the snot out of it.

 

At least it already has a K&N Filter.......

Well, if you not already did, in my opinion, too, you should stay away.

A 427 /435 is a cool Killer, but there are more out there that deliver a better value for the money,
just my .02 $

 

If I had the money I would get it. Hoses aren't that much. Valve covers aren't too much. Seats aren't really that big of a deal. Weather striping is pretty cheap. Surface rust is taken care of by a wire brush and a hydrualic floor jack and a few hours of your time. But, that's just my attitude...my parent's passed on a 61 in about that condition for about that price, and now there kicking themselves in the butt everyday for it...


Aaron

 

I have to agree that's high. I figure my stock 69 L68 with fresh body off resto and matching numbers might get $25,000. I see a lot of work and bucks in your prospect.

 

Mike, Thanks. I've deceided against car at this point. Nice BB. Like your ZL 1 stripe. Where'd ya get it?

Thanks to all for helping me out on this one! L8TER, Paul.


[Modified by Vettesic, 6:24 AM 4/4/2002]

 

Howdy. Those L68's are great. A oval port tri power is sweet. One word of caution. Look closely at the carbs, and around the intake manifold. If there is alot brown stains, that indicates fuel leaks, which is easily fixed by tightening down all the fuel fittings. Another area that tends to leak are the fuel bowl screw gaskets and fuel inlet fittings that are in the carb bodies. Both are fixed by new gaskets, but carefull, its easy to bugger the fuel inlet treads in the carb body. Of course, the carbs have to come of to fix all the leaks, but its actually very easy, and I could walk you thru it. Ive done it about 50 times

More of an issue is poor idle. After age and use, the primary (middle) carb throttle arm tends to wear, causing an air/vacum leak which will never go away unless you rebush the throttle arm shaft hole. Bushings are available, but a reputable person is required to do the fix.

Alot of folks will tell you tri powers are a a pain. But with simple, basic maintanence, and some helpful hints, they are no more probelm than a q jet. The key is to get them right, before you put them on to run them


Mine are good to go, and I would go anywhere, and distance would not be an issue
Run the car, see how the choke works. Alot of folks have these things misadjusted. Then get it at a good operating temp, and see how it idles, and how it runs at cruising speed

Ive really been thru the ups and downs on these setups, and ive got a pretty good knowledge on the leaks, and adjustements. As far as the detailed rebuilding goes, TOM454 is the man..

 

I had the stripe painted with a complete paint job. I stripped the car and shot and sandedthe two primer coats like the factory. Found a local custom painter that liked vettes. $400 to shoot it and $400 materials. I brought him the AIM page with the layout and he taped and shot the stripe. Everything on the car is stock and I was wrestling with a stripe or something to set it off. I decided it was a "factory" stripe, just not on this car.

 

thats definatley way too much money for a car in that shape! :eek:

 

Dude send me $22k and you can have mine its perfect.

 

Good luck in your search - passing this one up is probably good.
IF your looking for #'s matching, then it sounds like you want to stick with an all "original" car.... To me if this is your priority, then the amount of $$$ you put into it should be for conditioning & not 'chasing' down parts to replace the incorrect ones....
That '69 is a nice car but not 'honest' as things were changed & tweaked over the years - probably worth about $15. :crazy:
Caution - #'s matching means more than the orig. motor - everything must match ! - you'll need to verify engine, transmission, and differential.
There's a really good book on codes, dates, etc. 1968-1982 restoration manual....forget the author - but it'll tell you what's early-68, late-68, early-69, and late-69 etc., etc. so you can nail down just about any part !
That, my friend, will tell you what "is" original to the car - GOOD LUCK ! :seeya