Salvage Corvettes
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 194
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From: Atlanta Georgia
Salvage Corvettes
With all of the flooding in the country this past week, there will be a lot of salvage Vettes for sale/auction. Is there any value in buying a flooded car. I have seen some C7s for as low as $9,000. Has anyone on the forum bought a salvage/flooded car and got it back to good condition?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
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From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
IMHO, there can be value in salvage title Vettes in general if you are able to do all the needed repairs yourself. With that said, I would stay away from flood cars for sure. You'll likely be chasing electrical gremlins forever. Plus there can also be mold issues to deal with. You don't have to worry as much about rust as with some other cars. Even so there's a reason they total these cars. They are more than likely going to have lots of problems. On the flip side if you find a wrecked Vette with a salvage title, and you can fix it yourself...go for it!
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
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St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
The C5 has enough electrical problems already, I can't imagine what could all go wrong with a flooded C5. 
I guess if the car wasn't completely flooded and it was not salt water, it might be worth checking out.
I guess if the car wasn't completely flooded and it was not salt water, it might be worth checking out.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Back in North Central OH
Back in the 80's my brother in-law's family owned a huge wrecking yard. I got into rebuilding stripped and/or theft recovery cars. Pretty much bolt on parts and paint. Surprised there are more Corvettes in this category. Copart has a lot of wrecked ones and there is a salvage yard a few miles from me that always some wrecked or flooded ones but their prices are so high I don't now how they sell anything.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2003
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From: LI NY
My car was a flood car from Florida, hurricane Irma. Best I can tell it only had some rain water soak the interior. I have not found any evidence that it was sitting in standing water and all the electrical systems have worked without issue from day one. I got lucky I guess but if you could find one like that it could be a good deal. But It all depends. I was watching hurricane Ida footage on the news and some cars were buried in water to the top of the roof. I certainly wouldn't want one of those.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Atlanta Georgia
My C5 Z06 satisfies all of my C5 desires and I love that car. Part of me wants to add a C7 to my stable….optimally a C7 Z06. It would have more electrical gremlins than any generation I guess. Seeing these flood cars on auction sites, there are fully intact late model Vettes that look like all is needed is a good pressure wash. It makes it tempting to get one. But as others have said a totaled wrecked vette would be a better project car.
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From: Los Angeles CA
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
There is no way id come near (as said) anything newer than a c3 for flood conditions
Even if the wiring isnt underwater the corrosion is gonna happen over time and give you fits.
Not sure they would be totaled if they could get back on the road with a cleanup. Thats a huge gamble
Theres guys who dry/clean them up on YT and get them on the road but bet they all sell shortly after.
Even if the wiring isnt underwater the corrosion is gonna happen over time and give you fits.
Not sure they would be totaled if they could get back on the road with a cleanup. Thats a huge gamble
Theres guys who dry/clean them up on YT and get them on the road but bet they all sell shortly after.
Last edited by cv67; Sep 3, 2021 at 05:13 PM.
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So may be able to make the purchase of a flood car work out, but I will just continue to avoid them.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2011
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From: Redondo Beach CA
I will skip the obvious electrical concerns and relate some reading published in one of the corvette magazines about a flood car. This car got flooded in brackish water, but the owner took a cost is no object approach and went full restoration mode.
Unfortunately, salt seeped into the aluminum block and made the car unusable . They tried multiple fresh water soaks and rinse, but finally gave up, I think after the third instal, being unable to prevent the salts from seeping out .
I can say in my area, Los Angeles, most insurers want nothing to do with a salvage title car, because of the difficulty of understanding a repair cost for a non standard car. You will be looking at insurance companies that have non good drivers as the normal risk pool, so expect higher rates and crappy service. The kind of insurance that advertises in the daytime, fishing for what they call the low motivation consumer, and promising instant proof of insurance.
Unfortunately, salt seeped into the aluminum block and made the car unusable . They tried multiple fresh water soaks and rinse, but finally gave up, I think after the third instal, being unable to prevent the salts from seeping out .
I can say in my area, Los Angeles, most insurers want nothing to do with a salvage title car, because of the difficulty of understanding a repair cost for a non standard car. You will be looking at insurance companies that have non good drivers as the normal risk pool, so expect higher rates and crappy service. The kind of insurance that advertises in the daytime, fishing for what they call the low motivation consumer, and promising instant proof of insurance.
Instructor
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 148
Likes: 35
From: Virginia
Back in the 80's my brother in-law's family owned a huge wrecking yard. I got into rebuilding stripped and/or theft recovery cars. Pretty much bolt on parts and paint. Surprised there are more Corvettes in this category. Copart has a lot of wrecked ones and there is a salvage yard a few miles from me that always some wrecked or flooded ones but their prices are so high I don't now how they sell anything.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2015
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From: Southern California
2024 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
With all of the flooding in the country this past week, there will be a lot of salvage Vettes for sale/auction. Is there any value in buying a flooded car. I have seen some C7s for as low as $9,000. Has anyone on the forum bought a salvage/flooded car and got it back to good condition?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
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I'm of the opinion that stolen/recovered cars make for the best car. No flood, no wreck, just call Vettenuts, C&S, whoever, and buy the missing parts. To the best of your ability, ascertain the engine and driveline are OK first.