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Build plate Driver's door front frame Driver's door frame Passenger door frame Passenger door
Looking to purchase this 74 Corvette, but would like to know if the door frames should look like this? Car only has 47k miles and the body looks straight with little to no panel cracks. This would be a good car for me and my boys to share in if this I not an issue. If anyone can offer any insight I would much appreciate it. Thanks
Read the 10 rules sticky at the top of this section. Those door frames look like paint shot on unprepped surface. Definitely painted cuz that plate is supposed to be bare aluminum. But there are MANY more important things to check. Also, where are you? A local guy could maybe go along and point out the good and the bad...
I live in Laurel, DE the car is about 10 miles from me at a small used car dealer.
Here is a link I found from the C3 Registry: https://www.c3registry.com/index.php?job=ShowCorvette&car_id=13695
Any input on if this is a good deal. Price is quite a bit lower than this.
Last edited by Joseph Koski; 02-11-2018 at 02:38 PM.
I don't think mine loos that bad, BUT when ever you you buy a corvette, be ready to spend a LOT of money to bring it up to what you might want it to be, unless you just want a DD, and that takes money for repairs like any car. The interior is very costly to bring to show car appearance. The paint job can be very expensive also. The motor can expensive to bring back to new car usage. I guess any car can be very expensive to do all of this, but if it has the word CORVETTE associated with it, it just costs more. JMO Almost looks like someone used paintable caulk to fill in some gaps. Allan, what can you tell us with your pictures??? Looks like the door jamb has been painted, has the car been repainted sometime lately??
Hi Joesph,
Welcome!!
And considering an old Corvette!
Good For You.
There are many, many, areas and parts that need to be looked at when considering an old Corvette.
Although the body is fiberglass, it was supported by a steel frame work called the 'birdcage. And, of course it had a steel frame too.
Both these parts are susceptible to rust damage so the car needs to be inspected at by someone knowledgeable about mid-seventies Corvettes so they know where and what to look for.
One of the areas that can sometimes have rust damage is the lower windshield frame and hinge pillar. Your pictures show part of those areas.
Even originally those areas were quite poorly finished, but I wouldn't expect them to typically be as sloppy as what is shown in your photos.
There appears to have been work done there. The question that arises is why that area needed to be repaired AND how well was the repair done.
So perhaps some more photos of the car.... even just one each of the exterior, engine compartment, chassis, and interior might help folks get a feel for this car and thus enable them to offer you some responsible advice.
So a few photos to get started?
Regards,
Alan
Here's an example of how poorly that area was done originally.
Here's the hinge pillar on the right side of the same care with all the glop removed and prepared to be resealed.
Car has had one repaint. Not sure when it was done though. Wonder if this is a rush repair or just careless repainting.
Looks like a scuff and shoot paint job to me. Strange to see a twig painted on the lower left corner of the trim tag. Definitely not a Corvette enthusiast paint job....we like our trim tags nice and clean. Do you have any other pics of the car? Also, what are the details of the car?
Not to be to critical of the car, obviously you like it? but it has a "lot" of overspray from the repaint. And to me that indicates a rush job and carlessness. Other than the condition of the frame and bird cage, the most important question is, what is the asking price?
Ok Update, drove the car tonight and runs and drives great. The asking price is $8,995.00.
I have him to $8,500, only issue is that I did find some water in the drivers floor. It did rain quite a bit this weekend.
So know to fins out where the water is coming from.
I am going to make an offer tomorrow morning and see if he bites.
Last edited by Joseph Koski; 02-12-2018 at 10:12 PM.
The water on the floor might come from the wiper tray area.
GM left the area above the door hinge and the wiper tray area in very rough shape.
A good cleaning to remove all the loose stuff and some rubberized undercoating might stop that leak.
Remove the drivers' side kick panel and see how it looks.
Post a picture of it and the passengers' side, it can tell you if the birdcage is leaking.
I won't say welcome to the 74 club yet, since you didn't actually purchase the car yet.
I have had my 74 for 5 years now. Your wiper tray is really in bad shape. Nothing a little scrapping, repainting and some undercoating can't fix.
For the most part, a lot of these cars can be fixed liked that.
IF you buy it, get the leaking under control. Keep the car inside if you can, otherwise more problems will happen.
I'll wait and see if you get the car before going into the specifics of a 74 purchase. Just to be short, I haven't regretted it for a day since I bought it.
I paid 7500 for mine, you should be able to low ball the guy for a car that leaks.
my question is "How long has it leaked?" you might want to pull up the carpet on that side, and maybe both sides. Looks like fog on the inside of the windows, probably from moisture on the inside of car.
Ok update, car was sold out from under us.
But you know good things come to those who wait.
Found a better car just today. Will be picking it up next week.
so, what did you get? I am not crazy about buying from used car dealers. they didn't build it, or store it. they know very little about it. they just want to make a couple thousand profit on it.
Picked this up yesterday. Found a much nicer car!
Bought from a family who had owned the car for the past 25 plus years.
Paint is near perfect and the interior is in great shape, receipts for tons of work done over the years as well.
Once we get the car home I'll post more pictures of it.
Thanks to all you chimed in with the assistance.
Can't wait to take this out over the spring and summer.
02-11-2018, 01:05 PM
Help with buying a 74 Stingray
Almost looks like someone used paintable caulk to fill in some gaps. Allan, what can you tell us with your pictures??? Looks like the door jamb has been painted, has the car been repainted sometime lately??
