Im looking to buy a 1981 corvette and ive found one for 4.8k its in good condition and new engine with 50k miles on it around 400 hp. The only thing is it is missing the horn and missing a ac compressor. Im very young and know basically nothing about cars what so ever. I will also have almost no money after this so what would yalls advice be?

 

Is this going to be your primary (ONLY) mode of transportation? If yes, not a great plan. Doable, but not a great plan. Insurance cost is going to be high too.

 

Who will fix it when it breaks?

Any pictures? How is the frame and cage?

 

I'm an old guy, so what is very young to you. If you are a single guy and want to buy a corvette to drive as a daily driver, look at it like any other car you would buy for $4,800.00. Have someone who knows cars check it out to see what it needs now, and what it is going to need and cost you for repairs down the road. If you want a Corvette and this one is in good mechanical shape, buy it, enjoy it and have fun. You can learn a lot doing your own maintenance and repairs and unless you are going to do a full restoration the repairs and parts aren't over the top. If it becomes a burden, sell it and upgrade to something else. I bought a couple POS's when I bought some of my first cars.

 

We haven't seen the car. Why not post some pics of what you're looking at.

For the moment, I would be wary of how much car you would be getting for the asking price.

 

[QUOTE=themikeryu;1593958648]Im looking to buy a 1981 corvette and ive found one for 4.8k its in good condition and new engine with 50k miles on it around 400 hp. The only thing is it is missing the horn and missing a ac compressor. Im very young and know basically nothing about cars what so ever. I will also have almost no money after this so what would yalls advice be?[/QUOTE]

Been there, done that. Consider:
1) This car is 36 years old. Things WILL break.
2) You do not have the skills necessary to fix it yourself (Inexpensively???!) and do the job correctly.
3) You do not have the money to have the repairs done.
4) The current owner knows more about this car than you do. WHY is HE selling it?

If you do buy it, you will experience financial pain and frustration. It will not be a good experience

 

[QUOTE=Rotonda;1593959764]Hay i appreciate all the good advice and will really thing it over. Here are some pictures

 

Buy a civic. Get 36 MPG. Stay in School. Don't do drugs.

 

Also I can afford insurance and gas for a job I build computers and I program html,mysql,java,js, and python to make websites. but my main concern is my "fun fund" will have 800$ left which is not much. Ive been following the Bill o riley 3 folder thing for about 4 years and I really dont want to take out of my savings or anything like that.

 

Hi tmu,
The car looks pretty nice for that money!
Do you know about the rust problems old Corvettes can have in their frames and body framework (birdcage)?
If this car is rusty it won't be a good car for you in your situation…. it will eat ALL your money and spoil the fun of having a Corvette.
Do you have a steady income?…..I ask because you can be pretty sure that this car will need work as the months go by. Maybe figure one or two hundred dollars month…. some months you won't spend it, but some months you'll spend more than that.
Has anyone a little more knowledgable than yourself looked at the car with you?
Have you driven it?
Do you have some idea of where you'll take it to be worked on when it needs something? Not every shop wants to deal with a 36 year old modified Corvette.
Regards,
Alan

 

Read the 10 things to know before buying thread.
Yes you can buy it. Replacement parts are available and inexpensive if your not looking for oem parts. Check your States emmissions regulations to see if you need to have it emmission inspected.

The horn could he a hassle, but the parts are available

These cars dont need a computer degree to fix them like a new car with 5 computers and 500 sensors, although you seem to have that covered.
Just because its old doesnt mean its not drivable as a daily driver, they were when they were designed. Some people like to think these things are magical creatures that only they can fix. If yours is carbureted, theres less mechanics around that can rebuild them but if you can read directions, you can rebuild it. And tuneup ng it isnt super hard with the right tools

You say that it has 400hp so you should get all the engine specifications from the current owner so you know whats in it.
Being in TX you'll probably want to add the ac back to it, you'll just have to track down the missing pump or buy a rebuilt one, or go to vintage air.

Buy it, have fun. Parts all can be replaced. Buy some tools and learn how. The price sounds good, check for rust, you dont need to touch your savings, just save mney for that ac this winter so you can fix it this spring

Good luck, enjoy it. You'll love it

 

In all sincerity that deal seems too good for the money being asked. Something tells me that there are some serious problems lurking in there. Serious rust in the birdcage and/or frame is certainly a possibility as are poorly executed modifications.

With no tools, no mechanical experience, little money left in the bank after purchase and dependence upon the car for your daily transportation I suggest looking for something a lot less sexy and a lot newer.

Unless the seller is utterly desperate, stupid or both I just can't see it being a suitable daily driver without at least another $4,500 in already present or soon to appear problems.

 

I would be very careful buying this car. I own an 81 and the car in your picture doesn't have a 81 front clip on it, also the 81 was a computer controlled car and only produced 190hp. Ask the owner if the engine has been replaced and if the computer was eliminated from the car. Many 81 owners did get rid of the computer so that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

With your finances, you will become a slave to that cars needs.

 

These are some of the things you need to watch for.

Look how nice and presentable this car looks until you get to the frame.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-roadster.html

Another one that got bad real fast as soon as you started taking things apart.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...hat-to-do.html

With having very little money and no mechanical experience, a 36 year old corvette probably isn't the best choice for a daily driver.

 

At least you came here first, kudos to you ! Most come a month after they buy a C3 with questions about this or that.

The Vette might look shiny but you have to look underneath where things can rust. For $4500 and limited funds to fix I would wait and get one when you have a little more cash flow.

I know it's hard not to buy it believe me. I bought my '80 20 years for 10 grand and was into it double in the first year fixing things that were neglected.

If you still want to buy it make sure you take an experienced C3 guy with you, go to a car show and ask someone with a C3 if they will help you out looking at the car. You would be surprised at how many guys will help you for nothing in return.

 

Looks like a '79 with an '80 to '82 rear bumper.

 

I didn't even want to mention the lack of the front spoiler due to my belief that this is a highly modified car.

If it were a well modified car with the 400HP engine you first stated in condition anywhere near "daily driver" condition the asking price would be more than double,

With 99% certainty I will say that someone is trying to offload a project car that has already cost them far more than the asking price but still needs far more than the asking price to be what they wanted to begin with. Don't walk away--RUN!!!

 

[QUOTE=Rotonda;1593959764]I agree with everything said here, and all the cautions offered in the rest of the thread. I can also think of 100 more reasons for you to not buy a Corvette.

However... I'm going to take a detour and remember in 1976 when I bought my first Corvette. I was 20 and barely knew where to put the gas. I spent $2500 on a '65 roadster, and I didnt have $20 left. I didnt know the first thing about cars or Corvettes. I struggled with the car and drove it to college 40 miles each way every day, even with a hockey stick hanging out the passenger window.

Nearly 40 years and 16 more Corvettes later, I look back to those days and smile and think not every decision is analyzed to death.

 

Have a mechanic check it out and give his opinion.

It's a 70's Chevy so Rock Auto and Auto Zone have cheep parts. Since it's a Texas car You may not have a super rust issue.

I drove cheep cars when I worked in the city due to traffic and careless people. I did the repairs and saved a lot. My 71 is a daily driver in the spring to fall. No snow driving- they use heavy salt here - I want it to last.

I helped a friend get a 77 vette for his daughter - $6K. It was at 33k miles - it is still running strong 6+ years later. She used it for school for 4 + years, as a daily driver. (snow tires in the winter). Now it's her second car & she won't part with it.

Again since you are in Texas - it must get hot - have someone check the A/C.

If you get a good car it will last for a long time. The parts are easy to find and the cost is equal or less than the imports.

I prefer the cars with no computer or injection as the parts don't become obsolete. Any speed shop has a carb for a carbureted car. YOUTUBE will help you fix the car - it's simple and easy..

Just thing your saving the planet - the waste, polution and energy to make a new car is so much more than you driving you're car for 50 + years...