For '74 'Vert owners ...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 320
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For '74 'Vert owners ...
Either based on your own car or one you've seen ... what's the maximum "sold" price you've seen a '74 Convertible go for? Reason for the question is the age old not to put too much into a restoration! My car is NOT an investment but I wouldn't want to be too much in the hole if at some time I had to sell it. I'm getting some estimates on a repaint (replacing the bumpers, fixing a few cracks and repainting a different colored hardtop I picked up for it) and that along with some mechanical work (front & repair susp, exhaust, etc., etc.) might run me close to $11K on an 81K mile car that I paid $13.5K almost two years ago. It's a decent driver now, paint is about a 20 footer so I'm hestitant to go too much on a C3 ... lastly if you could share what you've got in your '74 roadster along with any details feel free to share (or brag!) 
many thanks in advance!
many thanks in advance!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,165
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From: Where are the Smoky Mountain Cruisers? Not Correctly Restored Stingray
I purchased the car as a hobby, not an investment. But I'll estimate my cost to date. 
Purchase price two plus years ago, recent paint with engine overhaul at time of purchase, numbers matching, 4-spd. $9800
Bilstein shocks. $250.
Front springs. $80.
Front deluxe rubber rebuild kit. $225. Labor another $1000, included power coating of front a-arms and spring install, etc small items.
Rear dual-mount spring $450
Mallory Unilite, 8mm wires, and coil approx. $300
Jet hot hookers and spiral baffles, $1250
Interior and mis. hardware, $3500
Front Sway bar, $120
I guess I have somewhere between $17000 to $18000K in the car, appraised value, $16500 one year ago by Farm Bureau Insurance. It's a hobby; I've spaced my purchases out over time and have done all the mod work myself except for the front-end rebuild; Bob Moss of Dragon Breath Performance completed my front-end and I'm very happy with the outcome.
Purchase price two plus years ago, recent paint with engine overhaul at time of purchase, numbers matching, 4-spd. $9800
Bilstein shocks. $250.
Front springs. $80.
Front deluxe rubber rebuild kit. $225. Labor another $1000, included power coating of front a-arms and spring install, etc small items.
Rear dual-mount spring $450
Mallory Unilite, 8mm wires, and coil approx. $300
Jet hot hookers and spiral baffles, $1250
Interior and mis. hardware, $3500
Front Sway bar, $120
I guess I have somewhere between $17000 to $18000K in the car, appraised value, $16500 one year ago by Farm Bureau Insurance. It's a hobby; I've spaced my purchases out over time and have done all the mod work myself except for the front-end rebuild; Bob Moss of Dragon Breath Performance completed my front-end and I'm very happy with the outcome.
Last edited by 74 vert; Oct 10, 2004 at 04:31 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,165
Likes: 8
From: Where are the Smoky Mountain Cruisers? Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 320
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Ouch is right ...
and its already met his reserve! Those front bra's almost always are hiding something but even still $8.5K ...
I was hoping to keep my total tab at about where yours is ($17 / $18 including the purchase price) hopefully there's other examples out there ... BTW nice car
I was hoping to keep my total tab at about where yours is ($17 / $18 including the purchase price) hopefully there's other examples out there ... BTW nice car
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 320
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It's not bad ...
from a distance, and the drivers side looks better, the pass side almost looks like two shades of red in bright sun. Additional problem is that my rear bumper is quickly developing more than just surface cracks as these all do with age ... a few more cracks and pieces should start falling off! The front has spider cracks at the "point" of the nose. Car was originally Corvette Orange and probably has been repainted red at least twice over the years so I'm figuring that trying to correct it may be more trouble that just blasting all of the old paint away. A "primo" shop quotes $7,500 (and that's with my own new flex-fit bumpers that I already have) ... I have another shop still giving me a quote that has done several 'vettes that CF members have been happy with as I'm not going for any awards with this car but again I'm still up in the air about it.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 320
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aharte's '74
yours looks great for a modified '74 ... that front end looks like a late C3 ('81 / '82?) along with a single piece rear bumper w/spolier ... looks like the PO also added the side markers from the same late series (white/amber instead of stock one-piece amber) ... mine is pretty much bone stock
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,906
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From: Berlin
Thanks. I'm not sure exactly what was done to the car, but the skirts and hood were added, along with front and rear bumpers from 80-82. Everything was then bonded together (so I guess any major accident will total the car...).
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 320
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On the bumpers ... look underneath the replaced bumpers to see if they retained any of the crash absorbing stuff ... if they haven't (and there is a lot of open space there) any "hit" will push everything into your engine compartment ... these old bumpers were strictly for low-speed impacts ... the bumper "covers" were flexible so that they could absorb minor bumps and had a shock absorber underneath that would recoil under impact.
No other '74 'Vert owners out there ???
No other '74 'Vert owners out there ???
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 201
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From: Little Torch Key FL
Mine was in pretty good shape when i purchased it. Paint is about a 10-footer if not better, but i have a crack in the rear bumper, and a paint chip on the nose of the bumper(i did this after i purchased the car).
I bought it for $8000, I put about $3000 into it, but recently sold off all the performance stuff i bought to return to stock, so i am back at the $8000 starting price. I plan on spending whatever it takes to make it as perfect as i want it to be, as i will not sell the car, unless some ridiculously high offer is made.
That was how i purchased it, except for the sidepipes which i bought, and recently sold to another CF member. With just a thurough cleaning it looked great!
I bought it for $8000, I put about $3000 into it, but recently sold off all the performance stuff i bought to return to stock, so i am back at the $8000 starting price. I plan on spending whatever it takes to make it as perfect as i want it to be, as i will not sell the car, unless some ridiculously high offer is made.
That was how i purchased it, except for the sidepipes which i bought, and recently sold to another CF member. With just a thurough cleaning it looked great!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 320
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Your paint does look quite good ... black wasn't original on '74's but I've seen it used on quite a few '74 & '75's, looks sharp. How long have you had it? The reason being is that when I looked for mine (also had to be a '74) anything under $10K was in pretty rough shape ... and some of the "specialty" dealers were asking $22K+ ... which goes back to the original question of how high these have gone.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 320
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Trying to keep this thread alive a bit more ...
I know that Corvette values are fairly elusive but Corvette Magazine does a market report on each "C" series every couple of months ... a '73 Roadster rated "Fabulous" (and not w/ a 454) is $19,900 a '74 in the same shape drops down to $16,900 and a '75 to $14,300 (these were from the June '03 issue) ... this could be why an original '74 Roadster never went above $15,700 (w/only 24K miles ... of course it was my old original color, Corvette Orange, an auto vs 4-speed and this is the wrong time of the year to sell a 'vert but ... ) on eBay Item number: 2492458756 recently. What does CF think about these numbers ... a good average ... not "real world" ... etc. ???
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,135
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one of the judges at chevy vette fest in chicago sold his 1975 coupe last year for $25,000- the car was in great shape ,but a normal underneath(the frame ect was not all painted up )so its worth what someone is willing to pay for it---- i decieded before doing my body off that i was keeping the car,so i didnt care what i spent..after the $50,000 mark i am winding down(i would say done ,but your never done)- if i ever had to sell it i would never take a price that is listed in the buyers guides... im not saying i would get what i put in it, i know i never would, but i would never sell for $18,000-- hell its insured for $32,000-(thats the current appraised figure for insurance reasons) so i believe its a matter of finding the right buyer who is interested in all the work you have done
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 320
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I hear ya ... I don't think the writers at the typical Corvette magazine include total frame off examples in their discussions about pricing ... and it will always be what someone is willing to pay and what the person who's selling is willing to sell it for ... no argument there. What I was looking for is what these actually end up selling for and the 'vettefest judge's '75 coupe was a good example ... the "book" says $12,600 as the "average" price for a "fabulous" '75 coupe, getting $25K sounds great but how much do you think he had into it?
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,135
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i dont know how much he had into it. i will see him at this nov's show. i know he did not do a body off- unless it was done 10 yrs. ago since we're on the subject of john's car(hes the c-3 judge) the new buyer was run off the road on his way home with his new purchase,,, a truck ran him off the road and the car was totaled, passenger and driver are o.k., but what a drag buying a nice vette, only to crash it on the 1st day- on a lighter note, a guy in my old neighborhood has a 73 vert, that has the origional 11,000 miles on it- its got the big block-removable hardtop, and has the origional allum rims that were recalled back then, i think there is only 8 of these out there,maby less(there was a post on this yesterday)i'd like to get my hands on that car.
Last edited by carl a; Oct 12, 2004 at 04:26 PM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 399
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From: Chambersburg PA
I have a 75 matching numbers, red car with every option:
L82 Engine
F41 Suspension
M22 Close Ratio
Convertible no hard top
leather Deluxe interior
Air (Still working)
Power Windows, brakes and steering.
Tilt Tele
75,000 origional miles
GA car with NO RUST anywhere
Realistically I would take $20,000 for the car and be happy. A small block rubber bumper just isn't gonna get more that $25,000 ever. The big value comes from origionality and if your shooting for an origional car no one wants a SMOG car. That is why the 69-72's are the hot C3's. I love the 74-75 looks...I think they are clean and smooth (Don't like cheeze gratter fenders) but SMOG killed the legacy.
I'm building mine the way I want it. Crate motor, overdrive and modern suspension. How else am I going to get a sexy 400+hp IRS convertable for less than $50k?
L82 Engine
F41 Suspension
M22 Close Ratio
Convertible no hard top
leather Deluxe interior
Air (Still working)
Power Windows, brakes and steering.
Tilt Tele
75,000 origional miles
GA car with NO RUST anywhere
Realistically I would take $20,000 for the car and be happy. A small block rubber bumper just isn't gonna get more that $25,000 ever. The big value comes from origionality and if your shooting for an origional car no one wants a SMOG car. That is why the 69-72's are the hot C3's. I love the 74-75 looks...I think they are clean and smooth (Don't like cheeze gratter fenders) but SMOG killed the legacy.
I'm building mine the way I want it. Crate motor, overdrive and modern suspension. How else am I going to get a sexy 400+hp IRS convertable for less than $50k?