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I have the opportunity to trade my 1975 Dodge Charger, 53,300 miles, 400 Big Block for a 86 Vette. The charger was just appraised last summer for $5,600. Unfortunately, the highest and only other offer I have is $3,500, but I'm sure I could bump him up some.
But..... Then this guy offered to trade his 86 Corvette for my Charger. I'm thinking of doing it but I just wanted some more opinions. His add for the Corvette reads as follows:
For Sale: 1986 Chevrolet Corvette
trade mopar dodge duster dart cuda challenger
$7,000.00
350/ auto .. all Leather interior in real good shape, digital dash all works, power seats, power everything, new sound system with amp, new alarm , removable top, brand new tires ,built in battery tender, 94k miles ,runs and drives great looks real good ,painted dark green in 1990 and still looks shiny ,, has lil bubble in paint above drivers side headlight, light spider cracks in front bumper nose section and few light scratches by fuel fill , needs mid pipes for exhaust system as these starting to rust threw .
It's an '86 that has been re-bodied to the later style (90-96) body. Why? Was it in an accident? I'd look long and hard at it and probably take it to a body shop that specializes in vettes to take a careful look at it before considering the trade.
Last edited by Silver96ce; Jan 25, 2016 at 11:40 PM.
Nothing at all wrong with the conversion to the later facias and trim. But from the pics, it looks like it's ready for new paint. Things like the spider cracks will only get worse and that scrape at the top of the LF wheel well looks nasty. Figure on anywhere from $5K to double that for a same color repaint.
The later C4 wheels do stick further inside the wheelwells by 3/4" or 18mm due to the difference in offset. That's easily correctable by using 3/4" or 1" adapters. Check the front wheelwells for any sign of the tire rubbing on the frame rails.
The exhaust is not that big of a deal, If the damage is just what is shown in the pic, any good muffler shop can cut that part out and weld in new pipe. Or the entire rear Y-pipe can be replaced.
If you can, I would suggest taking the car to a reputable auto repair shop and get a Used Vehicle Inspection prior to doing the trade. A UVI report will be written and outline the overall condition of the car and any repair recommendations. Figure on around $150 for a UVI.
You herd the other comments, and I wouldn't buy any car private specially Corvette without safety check from Chevrolet dealership, they know what there looking for, things you never think about checking for condition of the car and what they recommend you do to the car after purchase.
Most dealership will charge hour labor, and make sure the Tech is certified for Corvettes.
Corvettes are high price toys when they come to repairs, and since you don't know the history of the car, the dealership can tell you once they input the informations into there computer.
Your car might be in better condition then Corvette, less face it 1986 can have issues, Buyer Be Ware.
The first thing I or any other true Corvette enthusiast would notice is that 1986 Corvette is pieced together. It just doesn't look right in my opinion. Too many things stand out as being wrong. The value of that 86 Corvette in it's present condition would only be about $3500.00 max. And that would have to be with a the right buyer. If you were quoted $5600.00 for your Charger, that's great! They usually only bring about half that amount. If you have a firm offer of $3500.00 on it, consider the money. Pass on the 86 as all the imperfections will be constantly pointed out to you. Trust me.
Thanks you everyone so far for their opinions! I just thought that I should add that I don't care how correct the car is. I currently have a 75 that I have the 80s style front and rear bumpers bonded on, along with an indy style front spoiler. I painted it 2014 Cyber Grey. I also retrofitted a removable rear window and I did the rectangle fixed headlight conversion. Two tone interior (black/firethorne), moon tops, 463HP 383, and many other incorrect items. I basically took all the features I liked and put them on my 75.
So the incorrect bumpers, side vents, seats, and wheels don't bother me so much, I kind of like them. I also don't like or enjoy the Charger, is was an inheritance.
I thought this vette would be fun to drive.
I haven't gotten the VIN yet, and I'm about to call thevettedoctor.com and see what they have to say.
Any more opinions, the more the better.
Last edited by KrisB410; Jan 26, 2016 at 01:14 PM.
I'm not a Mopar fan but there may be some collector value if it is in real nice shape. Not now but perhaps in the near future. The Vette looks like a bit of a dog. I don't like cars that have been gone over. Too many surprises. Typically you'll find with older cars, like C4's, the closer to stock you can find the higher the value.
Thanks you everyone so far for their opinions! I just thought that I should add that I don't care how correct the car is. I currently have a 75 that I have the 80s style front and rear bumpers bonded on, along with an indy style front spoiler. I painted it 2014 Cyber Grey. I also retrofitted a removable rear window and I did the rectangle fixed headlight conversion. Two tone interior (black/firethorne), moon tops, 463HP 383, and many other incorrect items. I basically took all the features I liked and put them on my 75.
So the incorrect bumpers, side vents, seats, and wheels don't bother me so much, I kind of like them. I also don't like or enjoy the Charger, is was an inheritance.
I thought this vette would be fun to drive.
I haven't gotten the VIN yet, and I'm about to call thevettedoctor.com and see what they have to say.
Any more opinions, the more the better.
I think you answered your own question as to buying it in your response
I think you answered your own question as to buying it in your response
Na, I just know more often than not, Corvette guys like stock or it's trash. I'm not, nor have ever been a C4 guy. I like older stuff, except my 91 Camaro, I think I'd get more use out of this Vette than the Charger.
I was planning on taking the Charger to Chrysler Nationals in Carlisle and selling it there. Then I could always find another Vette at Cor vette at Carisle later that year. I dunno what to do.
7,000 dollars for that? What a joke. I'd sell the car for whatever you can get and look for a corvette you're more happy with at a better price, even 4,000 dollar's for that vette is much in my opinion!
I just got off the phone with Dennis at The Vette Doctor, made me feel much more comfortable about the vette, got the whole back story on it. The previous owner Dennis, at that time, worked at a GM dealer. This car was a trade in and he bought it from the dealer and he like the look of the later body style panels. So he bought the parts from the parts department put them on the car and then had the car painted from black to the 96 green. He did all this because he liked it better. He sold it 4 years ago to the current owner for $5,600 or $5,700 with just a few less miles than currently stated. So the current owner either hasn't driven it much, or is lying about the mileage.
I can fix the exhaust myself, and either sell the wheels and get some aftermarket ones, or just get spacers. I have spacers on my 91 Camaro and 75 Vette. I have no issues using them.
So if I can get the current owner to call me back, I may have a new to me vette.
I'm really not worried about the collector value of either the Vette or the Charger. I've talked to enough Mopar guys now to know that that car will never be worth anything. And the Vette is just going to be something else fun to drive.
Last edited by KrisB410; Jan 26, 2016 at 05:26 PM.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
Should I pull the trigger on this 86???
