This is sure to start some discussion in the C5 area, and maybe you guys already knew this: I could invest just under 20K in my car (including purchase) and have a Vette that looked like new, and with certain mods, it would outperform a stock c5!
I know I wouldn't be able to sell if for that much, but, what can you get that would perform that well, and look as cool for 20K or under? :jester

 

My 98 SS Camaro :cheers:

 

Never really thought about it like that but you are right, though those C5 verts are so sweet. I will put some heat and sound deadening in mine over the next few weeks, maybe the addition of a canvas top would cut down on some of the noise as well. I don't drive much with the roof up as it just seems so noisy and I hear all of the rattles instead of the roar of the air nearly blowing me apart. Thanks for this post, I feel better now. :cheers:

 

No, he said perform well and look good. :leaving:

 

oh it burns, get the remark off of me!
:rofl: :D

 

There is a lot of issue here. When I bought my car I looked at everything from a '68 to a '96. C5 prices were still out of my price range at that time. My expectation was that I could make a C3 as fast as a C5 in a straight line but never be able to out handle the newer car. Since I get a lot of my enjoyment of the Corvette experiance in the garage working on my car I decided on a C3. Had I not been willing to modify my car, or even do work on it, the C4 would have been the logical choice.
Now that I can see the end of this project I have a car that doesn't ride as well as a C4, outruns ANY close to stock C4 in a straight line and looks wayyy cooler than any C4. Price, close to the same as what I would have paid for the '96. The handling will never be as nice as a later car nor will the comfort be as good but for the weekend driver that I wanted I'm quite pleased.
Return on investment. Who are we kidding, either car would be worth less than half the price in 3 years. When the C4 prices are botteming out our C3 prices should be going up but if I wanted an investment I would have put my money in stocks.

 

Although difficult to admit, I have close to what I paid for my C5 into my C3. Do I care, not really. Was I looking to make a C5 out of it, no, not at all.

They are two different cars completely. I enjoy driving them both. I take the C5 on longer trips and use it as a daily driver during the summer. The shark in my case is my weekend warrior for sunny Sunday cruises. With the shark, many are, but I was not after performance. I just like driving an older good looking car (at least I think it's a good looking car!).

If you want to build up a C3 to be a C5, ain't gonna happen. But you can build a C3 for great performance and handling and many will do whoop-azz on some C5's. Look around the forum at some of the great mods on some C3's. I'd probably enjoy a highly modified C3 (done right) over a stock C5. Esepcially with the sound of a big block and sidepipes (on my list).

My .02.

 

A LOT! :D :D :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

Thats funny, considering that an SS can outhandle and blow the doors off most factory c-3's (except L-88's etc. of course- we all see those on street ) As far as looks go, get real. :yesnod:

 

I bought the 81 for "fun" only. It's also one of those "fell in love with it in an earlier life but no chance" things. That part of the experience is what's priceless.

I knew I'd never come close to getting out of it what I have in it...but don't care. As the old saying goes "you can't take it with you". I've got about 23k in it now and will probably put another 3k (steeroids and 700R4) in it this year. Should be pretty close to finished after that...if it's ever actually finished.

My LT4 is for performance driving and trips. I'm waiting for the C6 Z06 as it's possible replacement. To me the curent C5 is too "Plain Jane"

Both of my Vettes has it's own personality. The LT4 is fast, comfortable and reliable. The C3 is also fast now, fairly comfortable and I've sorted all of the reliability isses. But it's a totally different experience.

I work in HR so one of the things I cherish most is the time I get to wrench on my cars...it's my "therapy". I've gotten in plenty of "therapy" with the 81.

Guess it all boils down to a matter of personal choices...and financial resources.

 

Same with my LT4 and C3. The LT4 is a daily driver and road trip car. The C3 is therapy. With the AFR heads and roller rockers I added last weekend the '74 is now quicker than the LT4, but a cat back or other simple mod(s) could level the playing field again.

The '74 doesn't have the brakes or handling that the '96 has, but it is a much more exciting car to drive.

As for $$$...well, I've got alot more in the '74 than the '96, but I've been building the '74 for almost 6 years now, so it's no big deal.

Jeff