need advice
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 37
From: South Central PA
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
need advice
i'm considering offering money for my father-in-law's 87 coupe. i already have an 87 vert, but it's essentailly a muesum piece at this point and i'd like to have something to have fun with. a couple years ago he stripped the paint to have it repainted and the painter backed out on him, so it's been sitting in the driveway for about a year or maybe two. the wheels are off and it's been covered all this time, partially enclosed. the weatherstripping needs replaced, but i think he has the stuff, it just needs installed. the engine was running fine, but hasn't run for awhile.
any thoughts? how much should i offer? i think he might take a low number to get it off his hands and i wouldn't mind having a small project.
any thoughts? how much should i offer? i think he might take a low number to get it off his hands and i wouldn't mind having a small project.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 589
Likes: 1
From: PA
Try to start it (with a fresh battery of course). See what doesn't work anymore, make a list. Tell him how much work it needs. Let him make the first money offer and then work from there. Being he's your father-in-law, you could probably get it for well, a very inexpensive price.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 66,521
Likes: 86
From: Santa Cruz CA
St. Jude Donor '15
Since it's your FIL, make sure he's willing to sell by approaching him casually about it. If he is willing, DO NOT do anything that makes him feel like he got screwed on the deal.
Family deals can cause lots of problems and your wife's Dad is not one to have a bad relationship with.
Family deals can cause lots of problems and your wife's Dad is not one to have a bad relationship with.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,119
Likes: 12
From: Paintsville,ky
Since it's your FIL, make sure he's willing to sell by approaching him casually about it. If he is willing, DO NOT do anything that makes him feel like he got screwed on the deal.
Family deals can cause lots of problems and your wife's Dad is not one to have a bad relationship with.
Family deals can cause lots of problems and your wife's Dad is not one to have a bad relationship with.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 37
From: South Central PA
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
thanks guys. i'm not worried about disrputing family. that won't be an issue. i wasn't sure where to start on price though. i'm thinking under a thousand.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,475
Likes: 270
From: Kingman AZ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
That would be screwing him if you got it for less than $1,000.
I would do some comps. Find out what other early C4s have sold for on Ebay with similar mileage. A good comp would be one with the same transmission and one that needed paint. I would comp out 85 thru 89.
Ebay has a tool on how to find what these have sold for. Approach him with these prices and come to a meeting of the minds.
Have you considered painting it yourself? There are several owners on this Forum who know how to do this and would be willing to help.
Love the 87s!
I would do some comps. Find out what other early C4s have sold for on Ebay with similar mileage. A good comp would be one with the same transmission and one that needed paint. I would comp out 85 thru 89.
Ebay has a tool on how to find what these have sold for. Approach him with these prices and come to a meeting of the minds.
Have you considered painting it yourself? There are several owners on this Forum who know how to do this and would be willing to help.
Love the 87s!
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 1
From: Vero Beach Florida
Since it's your FIL, make sure he's willing to sell by approaching him casually about it. If he is willing, DO NOT do anything that makes him feel like he got screwed on the deal.
Family deals can cause lots of problems and your wife's Dad is not one to have a bad relationship with.
Family deals can cause lots of problems and your wife's Dad is not one to have a bad relationship with.
also I think I would try to get a rough idea what it's going to take to get it running a general dollar figure then add paint costs. Go over it with father in law this way he will have a basic cost if he was willing to get it back on road. Work out a fair price from there based on cars value if it was back in shape less cost to repair. So if a nice shape one is worth
7k and it will take 5k to get it back to that point starting price would be 2k or under. Unless you are trying to steel it, in which case you could always tell him his daughter. and grand kidds are coming back home to live with him again if he just dosen' give it to you
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 37
From: South Central PA
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
haha. i think the threat might work. 
he got it cheap and he's not a vette guy, so i don't think he would hold out for much. especially in this economy. i think he's approaching the 'just get rid of it' stage, and if anyone is going to get a good deal, it might as well be me.
he got it cheap and he's not a vette guy, so i don't think he would hold out for much. especially in this economy. i think he's approaching the 'just get rid of it' stage, and if anyone is going to get a good deal, it might as well be me.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,221
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From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 1
From: Vero Beach Florida
haha. i think the threat might work. he got it cheap and he's not a vette guy, so i don't think he would hold out for much. especially in this economy. i think he's approaching the 'just get rid of it' stage, and if anyone is going to get a good deal, it might as well be me.
he got it cheap and he's not a vette guy, so i don't think he would hold out for much. especially in this economy. i think he's approaching the 'just get rid of it' stage, and if anyone is going to get a good deal, it might as well be me.Tell him right after you finish working on it in his garage he won't have to see it any longer
sometimes you have to make sacrafices in the name of Corvettes. 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 37
From: South Central PA
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
that's part of the problem, he doesn't have a garage. it's covered, but outside. he 'built' a shelter for it, but it fell apart (no damage). and he travels for work. so i'm thinking the rest of the family is getting tired of it, and he's not going to have time to fix it.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 1
From: Vero Beach Florida
that's part of the problem, he doesn't have a garage. it's covered, but outside. he 'built' a shelter for it, but it fell apart (no damage). and he travels for work. so i'm thinking the rest of the family is getting tired of it, and he's not going to have time to fix it.
When he gets home tell him you have a signed petition from the neighbors, call for the hook and get it out of there. It's up on jack stands find the wheels get some rubber away it goes. Good Luck I hope you get it back on the road You could always offer to let him drive it from time to time once it's done
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,284
Likes: 1
From: Whitehall Pa.
Maybe 2 or three thousand - if it runs. As it was stated above, one that is in good condition is going for 8 or 9 thousand. By the the time you deduct work that must be done the price keeps getting lower.