jcnst1

So you're a roughly 40 - 45 year old male who owns a Vette in these year ranges. As a current owner, what would you tell someone in a similar position but hasn't found their ideal car yet in regards to:

1. Was it worth it?
2. What options are absolutely necessary?
3. Maintenance costs
4. Pros / cons
5. T-top vs convertible
6. Other but equally important

Thanks for humoring me.

KingRat

Seeing how I am roughly 45 years old and do own a '69 427/390 Convertible, a '69 427/435 coupe, a '72 Base motor coupe and a '72 LT-1 Coupe I feel I can weigh in on this a bit.

1. Absolutely worth it. I have owned the '69 Convertible for 28 years. LeMans blue with a hardtop. 4-Speed. Never get tired of driving that car.

2. '69 Big block. Had to have front fender louvre trim. Power steering and Brakes are nice. I like the look of the hardtop on the convertible. Definitely tilt/telescopic steering wheel on one of these.

'70-'72. I really enjoy my LT-1. Its Ontario Orange/Saddle. A nasty little shark. When dialed in right, faster than most big blocks... except the solid lifter cars.

3. Maintenance... not too bad really. Parts are readily available and relatively cheap. I do the majority of the maintenance myself so that helps keep costs down.

4. Pros/Cons-
Pros: Never get tired of looking at it. Run/Drive great.
Fantastic therapy. Celebrity status when you pull up in one.
Usually appreciate or at least hold their value. Smokey Burn-
outs. Meet a lot of people at car shows/ Cruise nights.

Cons: Thirsty. Afraid to leave it unattended too long. People
Sometimes "dare" you to take your turn while driving (they
know you'll yield). Can get a wee bit warm in the interior.
Vacuum leaks. Old cars break.

5. Body style- can't go wrong with either one. A convertible will cost more initially. But, you will make that up when time to pass it on.

6. Beats driving a Honda.

jcnst1

Great reply, thank you! In follow up, your suggestion on where to focus effort on finding a C3.....private seller or dealer?

KingRat

Private seller typically. Where I live taxes are higher if bought from a dealer... the local sales tax as opposed to a flat tax for a private sale. I have gotten much better deals from a private seller than dealers. Private sellers tend to know more about the history of the car and if they've had it a long time, they can better tell you what has been done to it. I have bought 11 cars off of Craigslist in the last two years.

doorgunner

1. usually less than you have in it unless it's a rare one. (I mis-read the question: Absolutely!)
2. None (except those you cannot live without)
3. Rebuild it well/maintenance will be only oil changes and tires.
4. Pros: You never get tired of looking at it/driving it. Cons: Leaving it to go on an ocean cruise.
5. Convertible, of course.
6. Do not buy a project car unless you really enjoy "hands on" experience (don't ask how I know ) DO buy a project car if you want the satisfaction of knowing it from the ground up)

The13Bats

Im 52...too old? But i own a 69,

Most on the forum find it worth it, the ones who dont normally dont care about a vette forum,

For me options are not limited to what the factory did,
I find true side pipes a must, im in fl ac would be nice but can be added, 4 speed, hey, its an old sports car,
Big block, im one of those whose crest falls a little when an early vette doesnt have a bb,
Convertible is a must, with a hard top it truly is best of both worlds,

If the car is up to par and maintained maintenance costs are pretty low. If the car is an old driver in disrepair costs can be wicked high, not the cars fault,

Pros cons, its a corvette, that door swings both ways,

Convertible a must,

vettebuyer6369

Yikes, I'm way over the age limit.

I'm getting back in my '69 and getting out of here.

Alan 71

Hi J,
I'm way too old too!

But, "As a current owner, what would you tell someone in a similar position but hasn't found their ideal car yet in regards to:"


#6:
When nice 69-70-71 Corvettes cost $30,000 and $40,000 there are REASONS why a car is available for $10,000 or $15,000.

It takes $50,000 to make a $10,000 Corvette into a $40,000 Corvette.

An inexpensive car will ALWAYS take far more MONEY and LABOR than you think it will while you're falling in love with it.

Regards,
Alan

There is absolutely NO reason to knowingly get involved with a rusty Corvette. It will take your money and break your spirit and heart.

Easy Mike

Same here. Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, I was 40-45, give or take.

NRAROX

Also above the age range and only have a 68 roadster.

Listen to Alan! Buy someone else's $50,000 car for $40,000.

1. Absolutely. Wish I had bought at 40. Or 30 but had no money then. Or time.
2. None, including the radio that I never turn on. Nor power steering. Nor power brakes. Nor the ac that is there but not working.
3. Maintenance is low if diy. Improvement costs are what will add up. A lot. Especially if you like oem.
4. Pros: you get to drive a piece of art. Cons: the artist died while keeping some secrets
5. I love the convertible but am considering adding a coupe to understand the difference. The convertible hardtop looks great but is a royal pain.
6. LISTEN to ALAN. Buy your car for 70 cents on the dollar. Avoid rust like the plague.

3X2

Bought my 69 when I was 20. I'm 61 now, still have it.
1. yes.
2 big block, preferably a solid lifter one.
3.fluids, tires, calipers. the normal wear and tear stuff.
4a. pros- ahh the feel of 427 under your right foot, smell of burning leaded octane fuel. The wow factor of the early C3.
4b. Cons- new ones are faster, stop better, handle better, have more features, but they aren't a C3. You have to drive these compared to new ones. Can't park it anywhere out of constant eyesight and the 9 mpg.
5. coupe for me, but either if optioned with a bbc if I was buying another one.
6. pay the extra dollars and buy one that's done so you can drive it and enjoy it unless you have the time and place to rebuild it. Of course, having the necessary funds to rebuild it so it doesn't sit and sit and sit only to be sold as another unfinished project.

Black_Magic

I'm way way past the age limit (74)

As others haves posted buy someone else’s investment

I purchased my Frame Off ’69 Roadster – 350/350+ Brogeson Steering – Hydraboost Power Brakes – SSBC disk – 15*8 Knock Offs – Tilt/tele Column - P/W - Al Knoch -- about 3 year ago --- $33,500
Added Vintage Air – Tremec 5 speed – Side pipes – other minor stuff
Also have Black Vinyl Hardtop which I have yet to install.

What I’m getting at is I now have a complete go anywhere comfortable car that is done the way I want for less than $40,000. While that may seem high for some it is a complete everything works basically new car and again it is the way I want it. Best I can tell it has ~4000 mile since frame off.

So take your time and look, look and look some more. Do you homework and enjoy 

BTW.. I've had a '68 427/435 - '69 427/390 - '68 327/300 - '79 LS3/425 but I like this one the best

George

Mr D.

Just want to say X2 for Alan's post;

I have owned and wrenched on C2/C3 Corvettes for the last 30 years to include 3 frame off restorations and several frame on. My current frame off project is a numbers matching 71 SCG Coupe I picked up for $5,600 that hasn't run since the mid 80's and am about one weekend away from having it running, drivable and ready for the frame off to start next year. I now have $9,000 in this car.

Guess the point I'm trying to make is if you can't wrench and troubleshoot these cars yourself than the cost to maintain can add up quickly when you are paying someone $75-$110 hour labor plus parts.

I have the 1) knowledge, 2) tools and 3) space to do anything ever required on a C2/C3 Corvette be it normal maintenance or frame off restoration. If you don't at least have #1 & 2 in your too bag than stay away from a "fixer upper" or "Driver" type car and target one with zero issues. You will pay more up front but in the long run will look back and know it was the right think to do.

My $9K 71 will require about $30K more in parts and materials before I'm satisfied with it and know that I have car worth a solid $30K.

Mr D.

Post #13-----> Nothing more purdy than a freshly painted pile of parts ready for the frame.

keithinspace

I am a 43 year old male who bought my 1970 when I was 38, so I guess I fit the mold...

1) YES. If I had to pay someone to work on it, my answer would probably be different. But I love working on my car, so all of the things I must do to it are part of the awesome adventure.

2) Stick shift.

3) Probably less than you would think. The engine is quite inexpensive so long as you don't go the NCRS route. The rest of the car is very well supported through a variety of dedicated aftermarket providers of quality components.

4)
Pro: It's awesome. I feel less like an owner and more like a "curator" of a kick-butt hot rod.
Con: It's small and there's a bunch of crap stuffed into every nook and cranny on the car. It is a race car for the street, so there is generally only one way to take things apart and put them together. And the interior can get warm in the summer.

5) Coupe. No question.

6) Dunno...get a good example. Don't get a project. Get something that is running and driving to whatever degree you'd like to use as a starting point. You WILL spend money to get the car to where you want. You can spend $7k (like me) and put another $15k to get yourself to a $15k car, or spend $20k and spend $5k to get yourself to a $20k car. Please don't go in thinking this is a money making proposition. You'll be bummed.

ENJOY IT. I know I do.

oldgto

I`m about 20 years past the age limit, but...

1. Every penny!
2. For a "Retirement Toy"... automatic. I had my share of banging gears 40 years ago. Now I just want to cruise. Less options mean less things to break down on you!
3. Should be like any other...gas, tires, oil, and brakes.
4. Wife loves it. / It`s expensive.
5. T-top best of both worlds. Convertible when we want it, hard top when we don`t. A "removeable" hard top won`t fit behind the seats!
6. Wife loves it. We`ve built several cars together in our 33 years of marriage. This is our 1st Vette, and our favorite of them all!

radiotexas

First thing you need to do is toss out questions 1. and 3., you'll thank us later.

robmccon

I'm 47 and bought my 70 convertible 2 years ago!
1. YES.
2. Definitely personal preference, but for me the 4spd and PS (which I have). A/C would have been nice, living in SC.
3. Surprisingly low. Most of the drivetrain is standard Chevy. Plenty of aftermarket support for Vette-specific items. The more work you do yourself, the better. Part of the fun (for me) is using the AIM and forum support to do my own maintenance.
4. Pros-Stress reliever (both driving and working on it), feeling connected to the road, the community of other Vette owners, comments from others. Cons-Even on a well-maintained car, things can break.
5. Convertible!
6. Don't settle, hold out for the car you want (and what options you want). Better to wait and get the right thing, then regret it later.

cv67

Its all up to you personal preference..they do get warm inside are you a needs ac guy or no?
Like the rest said get one done youll thank yourself later, "cheap" vettes can be real expensive.

Corey_68

That's easy, a '68 of course.