New Guy
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
From: Central New York NY
Thanks for all the hello's. It's really appreciated. Also nice to know I'm not the only "old guy" here. Although I have to say that mentally I think I stopped aging at 40. Thanks again guys.
Moon
Moon
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
From: Central New York NY
Gotta get the car to the house before I take any pics. Should be picking it up Mon or Tues with the car trailer. I'll post pics as soon as I can. Can't wait to rip into it.
Moon
Moon
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
From: Orland Hills ILLINOIS
Welcome to the madness Moon. This is a great place for info for your 85. Lots of great guys and gals here who know what they are talking about.
I would suggest going on ebay for a manual. You can get a GM manual there for a decent price. I got one on there for my 84 last year.
Good luck with your vette and welcome to the madness.
Got my first vette at 48. Lots of us old guys are buying them now.
Kevin
I would suggest going on ebay for a manual. You can get a GM manual there for a decent price. I got one on there for my 84 last year.
Good luck with your vette and welcome to the madness.
Got my first vette at 48. Lots of us old guys are buying them now.
Kevin
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 124
Likes: 1
From: Hesperia California
Are you my doppelganger?
I picked up my second one just a few months ago, a white '89 coupe with the ZF 6 speed. I figured that I had better get one while I still can get in and out of one. So far so good!
Welcome to the forum. You will find that these folks here are crazy, helpful, but crazy (in a nice way of course.)
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
Yep, my 1960 was my only car at the time and I drove it year-round. Nobody thought these vettes would be collector cars, they just drove them and had fun. I ended up trading mine for a 65 GTO because I wasn't getting any respect from my muscle car friends! By the way, that same $3300 you spent in 1960 would be worth almost $37,000 today if you'd invested the same money at 5% for the last 50 years - kind of makes you wonder about people buying cars and putting them in storage till they become collectible!
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: liberty illinois
Yep, my 1960 was my only car at the time and I drove it year-round. Nobody thought these vettes would be collector cars, they just drove them and had fun. I ended up trading mine for a 65 GTO because I wasn't getting any respect from my muscle car friends! By the way, that same $3300 you spent in 1960 would be worth almost $37,000 today if you'd invested the same money at 5% for the last 50 years - kind of makes you wonder about people buying cars and putting them in storage till they become collectible!
Racer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
Only two problems I can see with the investment potential of the $3300one; try looking up the value of a '60 vette, and two; I had my first savings account in 1963 (opened with $5000 I inherited) and the best intrest I could get was 4.75 and if you recall it was all down hill from there the last 10 years and avg. intrest on a pass book acct. has been 1% or less unless you are divested in min balance requirements or are playing the money market. My money's still on the C-1s and 2s.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: liberty illinois
Good points, and looking at a savings balance doesn't quite put the same grin on your face. I thought of this, though, when I was watching Bloomington Gold and a couple of C4s came up that had virtually no miles on them, the owners thinking that values would skyrocket. Turned out to be not such a good investment.
Yep, my 1960 was my only car at the time and I drove it year-round. Nobody thought these vettes would be collector cars, they just drove them and had fun. I ended up trading mine for a 65 GTO because I wasn't getting any respect from my muscle car friends! By the way, that same $3300 you spent in 1960 would be worth almost $37,000 today if you'd invested the same money at 5% for the last 50 years - kind of makes you wonder about people buying cars and putting them in storage till they become collectible!
Oh, my mistake. I totally agree with you on a C4 at this point in time regardless of how prime they are, but you have to have faith that some will go up in value some day. Mine's worth a lot to me in fun though. I thought we were using a 1960 C1 in the formula. Sorry.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 399
Likes: 0
I was using the C1 as an example, and what probably won't happen to the same extent with C4s - it's hard to put a value on fun, though. Seeing those nice C1s and C2s on the Bloomington Gold auction made me feel that it's too bad that those cars won't be driven - I'd sure had fun with my old 1960 - slap in an 8-track, pop down the top and ready for summer fun! I guess I'm recapturing that feeling with my 84, but I'm foregoing the 8-track this time.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: liberty illinois
I was using the C1 as an example, and what probably won't happen to the same extent with C4s - it's hard to put a value on fun, though. Seeing those nice C1s and C2s on the Bloomington Gold auction made me feel that it's too bad that those cars won't be driven - I'd sure had fun with my old 1960 - slap in an 8-track, pop down the top and ready for summer fun! I guess I'm recapturing that feeling with my 84, but I'm foregoing the 8-track this time.
with all you're saying! My first was a 1958 that I bought in 1974 from my room mate for $400 (it wasn't running. he had spun a main bearing, cost me right at $600 to rebuild and while I was at it I went through the tranny and had a new clutch put in. Total cost on tranny and clutch $318. God ya gotta love the prices compared to the same work today! I too am recapturing my youth I guess, but there are things I don't miss about the '58 like the ride and that fricken' hula hoop of a steering wheel plus no power steering. The radio's sound sucked and it was hard to keep the exhaust pipes clean where they came through the bumper. Kinda makes us appreciate the ride of theC4s and the sound of the Bose system. (there's better sound systems out there but for their time they were great!)
So I guess it boils down to, they may not be worth a lot at this time but they're funner'n a barrel squirrels!
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Welcome to the Forum and congrats on your new '85 Vette...
The FSM is indeed the main reference of value; if not too familiar with GM EFI there are several other pubs that can help.
The FSM is indeed the main reference of value; if not too familiar with GM EFI there are several other pubs that can help.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,057
Likes: 5
From: Bay Shore, NY
Welcome to THE Forum and congrats on your purchase (fellow 85 owner here). I have the Haynes manual I use for general work, the Mitchell manual on CD and the blue GM binder manual for the more specific work. You can find the red FSM on eBay used every now and then or just purchase a new one from the many Corvette parts suppliers. Check the Parts section of this forum every now and then for your needs too.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
