Fake C3 and price ?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 56,381
Likes: 79
Fake C3 and price ?
With the ability to get new C3 frames with C4 bolt on parts, and I'm sure with catalogs you can get the body and all interior pieces necessary, has anyone made any totally fake C3s?
Has anyone done this or priced it out? Thanks.
http://www.streetshopinc.com/frames_index.htm
Has anyone done this or priced it out? Thanks.
http://www.streetshopinc.com/frames_index.htm
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I don't know of anyone that has done this yet. But, I would think that the C4 frame and suspesion would be so sweet under my vette. Best of both worlds. I have seen one company that built a C3 with a C4 suspension. It would seem the cost would be prohibitive to most, especially me. But I love the idea.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,455
Likes: 5
From: Upstate South Carolina
I think that I remember a post like this in the past and the conclusion was that it would take a great deal more money in parts and labor to make a fake then the real car would be worth. Someone had done the calculations and came up with a figure somewhere around $100,000.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 56,381
Likes: 79
Originally Posted by mstanton
I think that I remember a post like this in the past and the conclusion was that it would take a great deal more money in parts and labor to make a fake then the real car would be worth. Someone had done the calculations and came up with a figure somewhere around $100,000.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,025
Likes: 12
From: Pleasant Grove AL
Paragon is building (probably finished now) a complete C1 out of little more than a rear clip and floor pan that was in their junkyard. Aside from the advertising value, they have produced a brand new 58 Corvette that is worth some pretty good money, like maybe $75K+. Worth probably almost as much as they have invested in it.
You could build a similar C3, that might be worth as much as $30-35K when finished, assuming it is a big block, 4 speed vert with ac. Of course, it will cost a lot more than the C1 to build, since it is more complex and has a lot more parts.
On the other hand, you can buy a very nice C3 driver for $20-30K, (or a lot less if you settle for a coupe or plastic bumper car) On top of that, there a about a billion C3's out there, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to build your own.
You could build a similar C3, that might be worth as much as $30-35K when finished, assuming it is a big block, 4 speed vert with ac. Of course, it will cost a lot more than the C1 to build, since it is more complex and has a lot more parts.
On the other hand, you can buy a very nice C3 driver for $20-30K, (or a lot less if you settle for a coupe or plastic bumper car) On top of that, there a about a billion C3's out there, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to build your own.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 26,545
Likes: 46
From: Huntersville NC
When you look through some of the vette catalogs, and they seem to have virtually every part of a corvette including body panels, it is very natural to wonder if you could build an entire car from the catalog.... I remember wondering the exact same thing!! 
But it is usually cheaper to at least start with some kind of a parts car and salvage a few small items.... like... the vin plate!
My other related thought is.... the 100% numbers matching perfect looking brand new 1967 427/435 hp car cloned and manufactured in CHINA!!! Think about it!
But it is usually cheaper to at least start with some kind of a parts car and salvage a few small items.... like... the vin plate! My other related thought is.... the 100% numbers matching perfect looking brand new 1967 427/435 hp car cloned and manufactured in CHINA!!! Think about it!
Last edited by PRNDL; Sep 8, 2004 at 10:59 PM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 5
From: Sacramento California
That might not be too far off. I just received the new Hot Rod mag and there is an article about a company that now manufactures a crate 69 Camaro vert. Complete body and subframe minus the front clip. They go on to say that a coupe is in the mix and a 70 Mach 1 and 70 'Cuda are on the way! Oh by the way the article title is "This changes it all"
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,707
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Originally Posted by mstanton
I think that I remember a post like this in the past and the conclusion was that it would take a great deal more money in parts and labor to make a fake then the real car would be worth. Someone had done the calculations and came up with a figure somewhere around $100,000.
I made the mistake of actually tracking my costs lately and it's amazing how fast the cost of small things like replacement bolts and fittings add up. It sometimes feels like I'm going to end up doing what you propose one bolt at a time. At least my VIN plate hasn't rusted out yet.
Last edited by CA-Legal-Vette; Sep 9, 2004 at 12:27 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,220
Likes: 208
This is so far most interesting C3/C5 conversion I've seen.
http://www.philadelphiamotorsports.com/69C5.html
http://www.philadelphiamotorsports.com/69C5.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,435
Likes: 0
From: largo florida
I dont see how the headlights are rice? Arent those the racing headlights that came out back in the 70s? Anyways, it looks like you can buy just the frame, suspension and drivetrain if wanted.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,216
Likes: 4
From: Smile, it's just the internet.
Just another replicar. No biggy, just need a market.
Think Cobra. $50K will get you a real nice (Just add labor) 428 FE-powered Cobra with a painted fiberglass body. I already did the math and several months of research. Almost put down the deposit at ERA, but fate would have me in a '68 Vette instead. You can get a turn-key for not a ~whole~ lot more... That's top of the line stuff, too, not some hacked-up Mustang II.
Point is, I don't see ANY reason why ERA or Superformance couldn't whip out a C1-C3 Corvette on an ultra-modern chassis for about the same price as a Cobra...except, of course, GM's copyright/trademark. Shelby American made their mistake decades ago, but the General wouldn't be so stupid...
Think Cobra. $50K will get you a real nice (Just add labor) 428 FE-powered Cobra with a painted fiberglass body. I already did the math and several months of research. Almost put down the deposit at ERA, but fate would have me in a '68 Vette instead. You can get a turn-key for not a ~whole~ lot more... That's top of the line stuff, too, not some hacked-up Mustang II.
Point is, I don't see ANY reason why ERA or Superformance couldn't whip out a C1-C3 Corvette on an ultra-modern chassis for about the same price as a Cobra...except, of course, GM's copyright/trademark. Shelby American made their mistake decades ago, but the General wouldn't be so stupid...
