Buying a ''69 to '72 C3

[James Vette]

350ci is more than enough to have fun.

 

[Chuffer]

350ci is more than enough to have fun.

So is 305 ci if it`s a 1985 high compression Camaro IROC - Z engine like mine has acquired sometime during its 42 years of life . Originality ?? Who cares ??

 

[Rob Williams]

I was just looking at a vehicle new on the market in Fordingbridge and advertised on Facebook under "corvette stingray C3". Now that looks like a nice car but again no pictures or info' about the chasis or birdcage. That to me is one of the most important bits to know. A chassis that needs work is a body off job to do it properly and that's not for the faint hearted. Every ad I look at is of a highly polished car photographed from every angle but the underneath. The rear lights in the advert by the way look like the ones off a later car!! Plus I'm not too sure abut those seats, or the grubby engine bay! It's a small block too but as our colleague "fine 69" said earlier, that's not a bad thing!

 

[Nassau65]

Underside photographs can be very hard to photograph for the average seller. To get nice detailed underside shots a lift is needed, and of course most sellers do not have one. As to actual chassis condition, many owners don’t really know much, probably only what they were told when they bought it, unless they are really into Corvettes and wish to know. Probably the same with most “old” cars.

 

[Nassau65]

The “matching numbers” thing has been a Corvette “thing” for many years, only because Chevrolet kept records of engine fitted etc Ford on the other hand did not, so a matching numbers Mustang is a pure myth. To many corvette buyers a matching numbers car is a must, just because the market demands it. Does it increase a cars value? to most sellers certainly, to most buyers, they want it. It certainly is on big block motors, however engine pads can be expertly faked. There are more 1967 427/435’s about nowadays than Chevrolet built in 1967.
It all depends on what you want. It wouldn’t bother me if it wasn’t an original motor, unless a BB and I’m paying all the money for it.

 

[Rob Williams]

I'm not bothered too much about matching numbers, I'd say I prefer it but only because people mention that in their adverts so it seems important. What's really important to me is not ending up with a rust bucket. I understand it can be tricky taking photos of the underside of your car. I've had an old Jaguar for years and have millions of pictures from every angle including the monocoque. I still take snaps now when I'm getting it MOT'd just for reference and for the cars portfolio. That's just me but I suppose there's only one way to know and that's to go and view the car yourself.

 

[Nassau65]

That’s about the only time a person can get decent photos of the underside of their car is when they have the MOT test done.

 

[Nassau65]

Again, you’ve bought your NOM Corvette and have been quite happy with it, it’s never bothered you but, when you try to sell your corvette, potential buyers will ask “is it matching numbers” if it’s not, your car is then at a disadvantage against others out there on the market.

 

[Rob Williams]

Not to me it's not!

 

[Nassau65]

Unfortunately it WILL be at a disadvantage, from the selling point of view, as the majority of buyers want a “matching numbers car” even if they don’t really know or understand what matching numbers actually means. Sad but unfortunately true.

 

[Mad4slalom]

Hi Rob , I was at a car show in fowey cornwall today. There was a very nice body off restored 73 L48 vette with a for sale sign. Very nice all round restoration. New interior with black leather seat covers with corvette motif in backs. Everything works inc clock. No a/c but pwr steering and brakes. Auto box . Polished torque thrust type alloys plus original rallye’s , caps and rings . Asking £28500 which is I guess approaching dealer price. I suspect gavin would be asking less . But a very nice sorted car all the same. It was white originally and painted a non corvette colour, ( porsche guards Red) Be interested what folks in the know on here think of the price. A couple of pics attached.

 

[Roscobbc]

I'd get a small block if I were you. Although we all love a big block! The vette engine bay is tight as it is and working on my small block is a pain in the ass, getting to plugs and adjusting the clutch must be a real pig with a big block.

Not always so difficult as one might think - I can change the plugs in mine in less than 10 minutes - no. 7 is difficult being last one on drivers side and close to the firewall - just do it when the engine is cold.

Small block also lighter and better on fuel. My 383 really shifts and handles well too.

Yes and no.......iron headed big block is about 140 lbs heavier than iron headed small block (perhaps 220/250 if SBC has alloy heads)
Alloy headed big block is about 40 lbs more than equivalent iron headed SBC. In terms of weight distribution with a iron SBC at perhaps close to 50/50% front rear even an iron BB only changes to about 53/47 front rear at worse. A really 'hot' factory 'spec' small block can be equal to a 'cooking' big block in terms of economy. Your 'stroker' 383 can give the best of both worlds if spec'd correctly - economy (well, relative economy) and torque related performance.

Matching numbers means very little in the real world (except rare engines), a small block Chevy is a small block Chevy pretty much. I didn't even look when I bought my '71 (I should have incase to was a 305!) and it wouldn't have affected how much I was going to pay for the car. Matching numbers is important with very original cars as it's part of the package of originality. Your average vette with a matching numbers engine isn't worth anymore than the next average one without the engine, as much as the owner would like to think it adds lots of £££.

Wouldn't disagree (to a point) - except the matching no's engine perhaps won't always put significant extra value on things unless a concours vehicles.......whereas a 'non' matching engine could potentially reduce the cars value.

 

[Vetman]

FYI. Alloy heads on SBC about 50 lbs lighter for the pair.

 

[Roscobbc]

FYI. Alloy heads on SBC about 50 lbs lighter for the pair.

BB heads aprrox 90 lbs lighter than iron equivalents

 

[Rob Williams]

Mad4slalom....really good photos! It's a year too late for me (sort of) but just what I'm looking for in condition and price! I might have been checking my bank balance if I'd been in Fowey today!! that car is amazing! it looks so good I think I might forget to look at the chassis. I'm currently offshore on a ship in the North Sea so safe from impulse buys!
Just looking at that car I think the '73 model does look good! The paperwork ninth windscreen was out of focus so no telephone number for the seller!

 

[Mad4slalom]

Mad4slalom....really good photos! It's a year too late for me (sort of) but just what I'm looking for in condition and price! I might have been checking my bank balance if I'd been in Fowey today!! that car is amazing! it looks so good I think I might forget to look at the chassis. I'm currently offshore on a ship in the North Sea so safe from impulse buys!
Just looking at that car I think the '73 model does look good! The paperwork ninth windscreen was out of focus so no telephone number for the seller!

I was stuck on a 70-72 for the egg crates and chrome front and also vac wiper door and removeable rear window. On close inspection , the 73 is very very nice, the front grills especially. I couldnt work out if the 73 steering wheel is slightly smaller than the 72. ( any one?) I know roughly where the owner lives so could get the number through the show organisers possibly.

 

[Rob Williams]

Thanks Mad4slalom, I'm on it and have two e mail addresses for the "Fowey classic car show and parade 2022"! I'll e mail them and see about a contact, and thanks for the tip!

 

[Mad4slalom]

Thanks Mad4slalom, I'm on it and have two e mail addresses for the "Fowey classic car show and parade 2022"! I'll e mail them and see about a contact, and thanks for the tip!

 

[Mad4slalom]

You could do worse than have a look Rob , even just to compare others you have seen or will see.
I walked away from over 25 vettes as never found one in the uk , in budget that still didnt need either paint, interior or mechanical work. Finally bought one unseen from the us but only because the seller was president of corvettes of buffalo and I could look back over their archive newsletters over 18months and see what was done each month. Owes me £26250 landed here with all shipping and vat paid.I am an ex car body man and am fussy over paint. This 73 was painted in wales and has none of the usual corvette stress cracks , ripples or popping rivetts near the radiator support. No micro blistering or obvious adhesion problems. A little orange peely on the lower door halves but would flat and polish easily. A definate 9 out of 10 paint with better than usual panel gaps and shut lines. The rear boxes are stainless , the rest of the system not and some rust, the chassis has been undersealed whereas mine is shiny paint but As it was body off restored I shouldn't think anyone would have done that much work on a car with bird cage or frame issues. The interior looked really nice around the dash, door panels , seats and carpets. I forgot to look at the interior of the t tops but I wasnt at that time thinking of doing an appraisal ,I was just comparing it to mine. Then I thought of you this evening. Ps , he wasnt sure if the engine had been rebuilt in the Usa. But stated no issues. The tyres looked to have plenty of tread but he was thinking of a new set as he thought they had gone hard. Could just be over inflation or flat spots from lack of use. I didnt notice if it had been fitted with a composite rear spring,( mine has , and ride quality is excellent)
Not much more I can tell you Rob from the limited time i was looking at it but I know my way around corvettes pretty well and overall this was one of the better ones I have seen on general sale other than full on nut and bolt rebuilds.

 

[Rob Williams]

This is the other potential vehicle I was interested in. Again nothing about the parts of the car you can't see but it's sort of only way to my house so I might swing by and have a look! By the way your Blue "72 (I'm guessing '72)....I've got no words