I'm posting this thread on both C5 and C3 forums. Should be interesting what comes back...

I currently own a 99 roadster A4 but am having a little trouble keeping up with the payments and the insurance. I originally wanted a daily driver and to get into autoXing so a C5 seemed a good choice at the time but it never quite panned out and now the vette is just a weekend car. But still, it is my first Corvette and I would take a little bit of a bath selling it (I've put about $4000 into it in upgrades and I think I over paid for it to begin with) so it is not easy to think about parting with it. It also needs some repairs a (u joints need replacing and hubs need some work) and I dont have the money for it.

So if I sell the car I would have enough to pay off the loan and pick up a 68 or 69, preferably either a big block coupe or a small block roadster (though I'm not sure I could afford a big block in good condition). I like the idea of a C3 because I could fix it up gradually as budget permitted.

I'm looking for some guidance from anyone who has owned or driven both. What is the degree of straight line and handling performance trade offs? Is a big block Stingray on modern rubber as fast in a straight line as a C5? Can a small block's suspension be modified to handle as well as a C5? Thoughts?

 

The C3 would be a fine weekend car but as for saving money, I don't think so.

You gotta remember, you're looking at a car that, at minimum is 22 years old. There's a lot of things that go wrong with a car just driving around the block every weekend in 22 years. Plus you'd probably have to pay a premium for parts for a car that old.

The upside is that you could probably do a lot more work on the car yourself than you can with the C5. You didn't have to have the extensive electronic equipment and experience back then that you do now, particularly if you get a 72 or older (Chrome bumper models).

As for performance, it's not even close. Even the famous L88 427's back then couldn't keep up with a stock C5. Modern technology has changed everything. Handling doesn't even compare, nor does power.

They're wonderful cars and I'd like to have one, but if you're looking for a practical, money-saving replacement, you'd do better with a early 90's C4.

 

You could expect to pay twice the amounts to repair the C3, older car more wear more rust, much more rust unless its a perfect car, parts are not always available or can be expensive. performance- chassis is35 yrs newer (started with the C2) motor nearly the same yes the newer stuff is better, and its easier to find someone to work on the newer stuff than the 30 year old stuff. as a daily driver C5 is more comfortable, better fuel milage, heck even the ac works in these cars also check insurance rates, anti-lock brakes and air bag = discounts. not that you want to think about it but in an accident would you want to be in C3 or C5? well I hope I've made my point, but lets get one thing streight, I do like early cars too, I'd love to have maybe a 57 In the garage.

 

If money is an issue look for a '95 or '96 C4 with low milage. They are great vettes, affordable, yet still young enough that they could be a daily driver. Upgrades are also effective and affordable.

 

I have both, you shouldn't get a C3 to save money. As DRKNGHT said, a late model C4 would be a good choice.

 

I don't know, I've had both and the thought of slowly working on a C3 has a lot of appeal!

 

I agree with the above with regards to getting a C4. Great cars. Unless you know the C3 and a lot of things have already been done that you wouldn't have to pay for. My .02

 

If you're looking for a Vette with superior performance that you can reliably drive daily keep your C5. If you're looking for an investment get the C3.

 

You can just as easily sink $$$ into a C3 as C4......C5.....C6

 

i may end up being the lone voice of decent but here goes. until a few years ago, and for approximately 4 years, my '81 was my sole transportation. of course i had a few problems with it but it was 20 years old after all. i avoided a great deal of problems with a meticulous maintenance schedule, especially for the drivetrain.
i do agree with most that if your budget can afford it, you would be better served with a late c4. however, if your very mechanically inclined and you start with a really good foundation, yes, a c3 can be made a reliable daily driver. for the most part. there is no reason a c3 should be any less reliable than a 60's or 70's era nova, chevelle or camaro. i'm sure we've all seen guys with serious mechanical ability (and desire) driving these cars on a daily basis with no apparent problems. another benefit is that when you do have a problem, you get the car home and fix it. not towed to the dealership.
on the issue of performance, handling and comfort is where you get issues. IF your not governed by the smog *****, you could put a modern FI unit on a 1SBC and have torque, horsepower, and fuel economy close to what an LS1 has out of the box. handling and comfort however, are trade-offs with these cars. the question is which do you want more, or better, how much of a trade-off are you willing to accept. my c3 is currently capable of handling performance on par with a c5, but that comes at a significant penalty in ride quality. to get the car to be as comforable as a c5 would diminish handling ability to about that of a hyundai elantra. the c3 suffers from some suspension design limitations that don't really manifest themselves until being pushed hard but the weekness (and inherent strength of the c5) is the chassis. the c2/c3 chassis (as stated above) is a design that started life literally back in the early 60's with very few improvements in the 19 year production span.
if you still wanted to consider a c3, i would suggest an '80. you have the benifit from the best suspension and chassis from the entire production, a better interior and in most cases, more lax smog laws than my '81 or the '82s.

 

I would also say do the C4 thing.

 

 

You mentioned that your C5 was becoming mostly a 'weekend' car. Not knowing your situation, is it possible to sell your 'weekday' car and get into the C5 everyday?

Possibly cutting payments on the everyday car?

 

I'm with the majority here - look at a C4 instead of the C3. I had four C4's and they were very nice cars. Good handling, performance, fuel economy, etc.

 

I have a '75 and an '04. Since I got the '75, I had been driving it back and forth to work (I live about 3.5 miles from where I work). I've been driving the '04 almost exclusively for the last two weeks.

The reason for that is because the '75 is leaking oil like a sieve, and with work, I just haven't had the time to see where the oil's coming from. Not to mention the fact that I live in an apartment with a 1 car garage (where my '04 lives), so I don't really have a real 'garage'. If you lurk on the C3 section for a while, you'll notice that most of the guys that have nice Sharks are tinkering with them ALL THE TIME. They're not terribly reliable cars. Unless of course, the owners just drive them on the weekend and they're extremely low mileage.

I am hoping to have the money saved up for a new motor/trans/etc, before the end of next year so I can finally start the real restoration of my Shark. But I am fortunate enough to have a reliable car to use while the Shark sits and waits for some TLC.

A C4 should give you the overall best reliability and affordability. I would definitely look into it if I were you.

 

Having owned C3's, C4's and now a C5 I'd say you would be better off buying a 95 or 96 C4.

 

Just to give you an idea of cost, I sold my 68 vert over 3 years ago for $13,600. It had a ZZ3 crate engine in it that was rated at 345 HP and was very close in acceleration compared to my stock C5. Even though I had improved its handling quite a bit, it was still not in the same league as my C5 (with non-runflats). However, Vette Brakes offers enough handling goodies to bring a C3 much closer to a C5 than most people would imagine; it's just that these things cost money. You're right in that you can do this gradually.

Now a nice C4 can be had for $12,000, but the DIY factor is knocked down a bit, considering all the electronics that went into their construction. Still, handling from the factory is leaps and bounds ahead of a relatively stock C3, so you should ahead in the finance department if you go the C4 route.

Good luck!

 

I have an '82 and a '03 AE. The '82 rides and sounds like a sports car, but can't compare to the C5. Even if I dropped a crate motor in the '82, I'd have a great car; with more horse power than original with beautiful styling lines, but after 22 years there's always that "reliability thing" on longer trips. Look for a low mileage C4 that's been pampered by a Forum member...affordable; reliable; and "modible too"!

 

C3 185000 Miles
2" of repair bills in loose leaf book. Parts not that hard to find. But I love driving the car.
C5 2000 miles. Whole different animal.