Hi, got a lead on a 1972 convertible for sale. All I know so far is it is a 1972 convertible black (ofcourse it's not the original color) with a 350 automatic, with air. The seller is asking $17,000 for the car.

I really was looking for a big block 68-72 with a 4sp but a guy that told me about this car said trust me when you see it you will want it so I might take a look at it. After all the black 72 in the movie rush hour is SO pretty.

how are the autos in these cars? I think it is the base 350 becaue the guy didn't mention LT1 so with only 200hp and the auto it's probably a slouch but I guess the looks of it being a black convertible might make up for it.

oh yeah I think he said it has both tops. So is the about the right asking price for a car like this?

 

Sounds a little on the high side for a non-original car. Go take a look at it, take some photos if you can, and get back to us

 

Well everything is supposed to be original except the color which is now black.


have you ever driven a car like this? just wondering how the performance is with just hte 350 and the auto.

 

its probably TH350 auto(3spd), we don't know what the rear end is...you can figure cruising at highway speeds will be at 2500-3300 rpm it gets kind of tiring and loud....not enough information to give you any sound advice on the price......... but unless its perfect its certainly not a steal... these cars can cost alot to fix, so make sure its what you want...these car are readily availabe you don't have to jump at the first one...
if you know what you want wait for it.....

 

by todays standards ...sluggish and slow......and it needs a 4th gear....

 

you want a opinion, I'll give you one.
LET IT GO, way to much.

 

The price is high. And don't buy an old Corvette based on a colour seen in a movie. There are more important considerations. Have a trusted professional mechanic give it a thorough inspection. Best $100 ever spent. The transmission should be a TH400 BTW.

 

Without seeing the car I'd say it's high, but verts are comanding more $$ these days.

I saw one last year around here pretty much what you described except no hardtop. Guy wanted $16,000, I said I'll give you $10,000, thinking that would start some negotiation. Nope! Guy said I'll get my $16,000 for this vette. A week later the car was sold.

It's worth what you think it's worth. It's not the deal you got, but the deal you think you got.

 

I don't think the price is out of line if the car is very clean, excellent mechanical condition, good tires, and no rust. Be sure to check for rust really well (rocker channels, windshield frame and cowl, door pillars, frame). Offer him less if it passes all the above, and see if there is room for negotiation.

 

It sounds like my 73 but with a chrome bumper. I think I got a good deal on mine a few years ago, paying about $12-13K for it, needing a top and trailing arms. Book value was about $16-17K. You are not that far off, considering the chrome bumper cars get a little more.

The L48 isn't that bad, if you put the timing where it should be, you'll be making 250 HP and plenty of torque (it's a 350 V8 after all). If you still want more power, a smart cam change will really wake it up.

The tranny should be a TH400, the strongest automatic that GM ever made. You won't find overdrive in any stock C3 except 82, so get used to the idea that highway RPM will be about 3000 rpm, automatic or standard. Once your ears get re-aclimated to the sound you will find the car doesn't mind that RPM, and has nice throttle response.

Take a good look at the car, check the frame and windshield posts for rust. Go thru it like any other 30 year old car. Have fun, Joe

 

JUST got back from looking at it!!! guys by looks this is the best looking 72 i've ever saw!

ok the exterior has been plainted black and the interior has been dyed RED (thought over the phone red? ew but wow it's hot!) the dye job on the car looks stock he has to tell me it had been dyed.

paint looks awesome

hood is not original it looks more like a cowl shape like a 79 or so in fact I think thats what it is.

shape wise it's in great shape although i saw a little rust under the hood at the spots i was told to look for. It is at the corners near the wiper blades it's very little though.

srtingray badges are gone

he said bottom dollar on it is 15k..

he told me it's a driver car thats looks AWESOME but isn't desirable performance wise and all so he was honest about what was original and what wasn't too.

interior looked new and again was dyed red.

wish I had pictured because that black with red interior brings out the lights and red on teh flags and is SUCH a pretty car but what do you think.

that tad of rust scares me how do I make sure the "bird cage" is ok again it was just a little rust on each side above hte wipers in he corner.

it smokes a little on start up but goes away he said some new vavle seals would probably fix that. He has owned it 3 years and said it has never gave any trouble just smokes a little on start up until it warms up then you can stomp on it or whatever and it won't do it and even sometimes on start up it won't do it.

the original color was war bonnet yellow? and tan interior has pw and all ac isn't working though.

even with it not 100% original i think 15k is a nice price on it.

 

Corvettes from 68 up to 75 all got TH400 automatics which are very good strong units. If it has a TH350 then it is a replacement trans.

 

oops..... th400 it is then

 

I need to change the title so those who commented knows I went to look at it but how do i do that? i changed the title under edit but it didn't change the main one.

 

Followed your thread and it sounds like a fairly nice car but the price sounds high. For that money I would expect everything to work, including the A/C.

 

i think thats a reaonable price for that car (make sure you have gone over the main rust prone areas)-heck i have seen CLEAN 75'S GO FOR 25,000!!!!!----- look at the going rates ,, and make the guy a reasonable offer ,, see what happens,he will probable counter you offer,thats what you want,good luck!

 

just remember after you buy it is when the serious negative cash flow starts.............

 

Thanks for all the good thoughts it has really helped because I know nothing about these cars really I actally used to have one but I just drove it didn't know details like you gfuys do about it. This car isn't what I was looking for performance wise and trans since it's a base 350 which has i thnk 200hp? at the automatic but black with black top and that red interior is the best looking c3 I have ever seen so I am going to look at the car again soon to try it out and look into that little bit of rust more and decode the car to make sure the numbers match the motor, trans and rear end.
(btw if someone woudl be nice enough to tell me how/ where these numbers are and also a rpo list to see what options came on it new I would really appreciate it.)

 

Here are the options:

http://www.netvettes.com/1972.html

The fifth digit of the VIN tells you what motor was original. K=base 350, L=LT-1, W=454.

The motor number is on the block in front of the passenger side cylinder head on a pad that extends the head gasket surface. It should be stamped CDJ or CKX for the base motor or CLD or CLH for the LT-1, with smaller numbers stamped below. The last few digits should match the last part of the VIN. The block casting number is behind the drivers side head and should be 3970010 or 3970014.

The tranny number is on the tailshaft housing, I think.

You can take Matching numbers to extremes - the distributor, alternator, etc. But most people are happy if the block matches.

Joe

 

Mine's originally international blue.

Love the black, would never think of changing it back.