well i'm looking foward to be making my first vette purchase. Right now i'm looking to purchase a 1979 with glass t-tops. It has 94,000 and its rust free and its perfect on the outside but the interior is allittle worn and the power lock and windows don't work. I offered them $5,700 for it with a asking price of $7,000. Is that a decent offer or am i being unrealistic? Thanks

 

Based on the info you provided, it sounds like a good price but there's other major variables such as the frame (you're in the snow belt) and running condition of the drive train.

 

1979 offer you a good value for the money. Make sure you'll check it throughout before laying down the cash.

 

1979 is a great year for vettes. make sure you check the frame in the front , they do have a problem of breaking at the bushing arms, if it is , it can be fixed for less then 1000.00. check the tire ware on the front. if ware is on the in side of tires you got problems. 5 to 7 thound sounds like a fare price. it is 23 years old and will have problems Good luck after you buy it...... then the spending starts :lol:
Roger

 

make sure you check the frame in front of the rear wheels and where the trailing arms hook into the frame. these are critical areas. also pour some water in front of the windshield and see if it comes thru on the floorboards, if so, this can be expensive to fix if the metal is rotted out,sometimes it just needs to be re-caulked, like mine did, other times this is a "body-off" repair which gets expensive.

 

The question is difficult to answer without seeing the vehicle. But based on your description the offer is fair. Count on adding a couple of thousand more in mechanical/cosmetic repairs in the coming year.

The other respondents have made excellent points, particularly on frame rot. And you are in a snow/salt belt. In this Province a car must be safety checked before the plates go on. If Ohio has a similar system then the brakes and frame should be covered in that inspection. If your State does not have that requirement, contact a reputable garage and pay for a trip on the hoist. Or contact the local Corvette Club and ask for members' opinions. If your town is like mine the members know (just about) every C3 in the city. Do this BEFORE buying.

This frame issue in not trivial. Last summer a 1980 was for sale at a local GM dealer. New paint and interior, exhaust, brakes and the like. About 60,000 miles on the clock. The asking price was about $12,000US. We checked it out and were able to poke a screwdriver through the frame in front of the rear wheels. The dealer assumed that the car was in good shape from the external appearance. Not so. It could not be saftied unless the frame was repaired. It was taken off the lot and went to auction as is. It a case of buyer beware. Just my opinion.

 

We also have a ’79 and I can say we are very happy with the car. Again check for frame rust; that is a deal breaker. Also check for a replaced front end (nose clip). Unless done well, that would also kill the deal for me. Everything else can be fixed. Our daughter drives the car every day back and forth 40 miles round trip to school. Little problems crop up but that is life with a 20 some year old car basically designed back in 1960.

Go for it.

George