Help on buying my First Vette
 

Hey just found this forum a few days ago and been reading a lot of post and it really looks like a GREAT site....so having said that I would like to get some advice on purchasing a vette for the first time. I really like the body style of the 80 to 82 models and I would love to be able to find something that is in good shape and not require alot of work in order to get it looking like it should and of course running smooth. I have a budget of no more than $12,000.00 and I would like to know when i start going to actually look and touch some of these cars to check them out what would should you be looking for as far as being a piece of junk vs a really decent car?...My knowledge of vettes is very limited so any helpful input would be GREAT guys...thanks in advance

Bubba

P.S> Oh by the way...my wife is going to buy this for me after i lose 100 lbs.....hahaha..only 82 more to go......wish me luck...lol

Hope this is in correct location

Bubba,
Where are you located? You should be able to do very well if you want to spend that much. Check out the For sale section...up at the top, select forums, select C3 for sale and want to buy section. Also, check craigs list, and then ask forum members questions before you buy. You don't want to spend 7800 dollars on a 79 that needs alot of work, trust me!

Yea I understand that...that s is why i am asking about what I need to look for when shopping.....Oh I live in NC and it would really be super if I could find something really nice for less than that

DON'T DO IT! SAVE YOURSELF NOW! :cry There is no cure for this habit, once you get it. It's worse than crack. :ack:

hahahhaha tooo late..wait maybe if i did do crack i prob lose that 100 lbs I have to me to lose so my wife will buy it for me........hahaha....J/K but seriously its too late I am already hooked line and sinker....LOL

When I bought mine, the previous owner had it sitting in his driveway for over 7 years. He said that it ran well and sometimes there would be water in the floor boards but other than that it ran fine. Well, after replacing the weather stripping around the t-tops and doors, all the gaskets in the eingine and tranny, the shocks, springs, breaks, vacuum hoses and carborator, The radiator, water pump, alternator, ac compressor, battery and 2 tires later, it is dependable now. I have done all the work myself so I saved alot of money in labor but it has been pretty expensive and time consuming. Check all those things and you should be all right.

wooow thanks now i am a little scared
haahha naaaaa i would expect to have to do a little minor stuff just did not want to buy 1 and drive it home and the car break into or something so.......lol what about rust under car...should i expect some or is any too much or what??

Hmmm - So you're Bubba.

Better keep a low profile around here, a lot of guys have been looking for you and want to pay you back for what you've done to their cars. :toetap:





:cheers:

Good luck finding a nice car, get someone who knows them to check it out for you before you lay down a lot of cash. And good luck on the next 82 pounds. :thumbs:

for an 80-82 in that price range you most likely going to find a nice car that needs very little or no work depending on how far you want to go to improve it. there is always something you want to tinker with or modify on these cars but thats fun (sometimes) .

you will get alot of good help on here when you are ready to buy. keep reading as much as you can on here and look at all the pictures to find out what it is exactly you want as even from the 81 to the 82 were massive differences .

Bubba, GBM is deadon, in your budget you should be able to get a solid daily driver. Be careful not to fall in love with the first one you drive.

There are alot available for well under your price but will need varing amounts of work which is not cheap, i bought an 80' last year for $7500 and have put more than that into already and i am no where near completing my list.

Be patient and picky. You should be able to find one that is in near mint condition for $12,000.

Differences

1980 is carb only either L48 or L82

1981 is carb with computer

1982 is Throttle body injection with Computer

I would consider a 1980 L82 first.

Start looking on Ebay just to get an idea. Be careful if you choose to buy there.

eg. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevr...fCarsQ5fTrucks

:lol: Ohhh so you're the guy that uses a bobby pin and duct tape to "fix" these cars before we get them! :toetap:

:lolg: those were my exact thoughts. Its all fun and games bubba. Good luck on your vette hunt!

Just read all the post here, and you will get an idea of what to look for.

Most important is the "birdcage" It's the passenger compartment frame. If it's rusted out, then you are looking at major $$$ to repair. Look around the windshield edges, pull the panels on the inside pillar columns, and check the floor kick panels too (body mount bolts are located there). If there is some rust (surface) on the frame it's no problem. If the frame shows severe rust eating through - walk away! Make sure all the electronics are working (don't worry about the clock - Most don't work anyhow and you can get a rebuild kit/digital conversion kit). Have a mechanic look it over, or check the corvette clubs section and see if there is anyone in the area that you can get with to look the Vette over. Best bet - A local Vette club member will probably know who has a Vette for sale!

:iagree:
And remember. You get what you pay for.

As said for that price range you can find a later C3 that is very nice

Something to consider is - do you want it to be original?

Me, I like everything to be original, or when not original, to look original.

Many other couldn't care less about originality.

Niether is wrong, and both will say it's your car, "get what you want". But you should decide where you fit in, because it will help you choose the car you want to buy.

woow thanks guys for all the input...... and as far as being original well yea I would love for it to be but it does not have to be.. and jdp6000 thanks for input ..I am liking the 80 model more and more because of carb only....... and I still got plenty of time and I am not gona rush into anything......sfallison thanks for the description of birdcage i have seen that term used alot wround here but never really sure what it meant........and BTW only 81 lbs more to go........ HOT dam i can feel that vette already..........lol

what a great gift from the wife, good luck with the weight loss...here is my 80 for ya to look at in the mean time...you could own 1 too with hard work...go after yer dream & with the wife's help you can make it happen
Pete.
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...tmobile3-1.jpg

WOOOOOOW Spocc now datss sweeeeeeeet man thanks for the encouragement..... gona be a battle cuz my wife can cooookkkk some mighty fine meals.....but it will be all worth it...i am gona make updates to my progress every so often
lol