jasonsamara

I know you guys probably get this alot but I'm having a hard time with a fair price for a 1958. I will give you the story because you might enjoy it. I'm a meter reader and one day I walk by this house and I catch a glimpse of a head light peaking out of a garage. I walk halfway across the yard before it hits me. THAT IS AN OLD VETTE! I went back after work one day and this old lady comes to the door and pretty much is giving me the "go away look". I talked to her for quite awhile and of course a bunch of people have tried over the years but she wont let it go. She told me the vin # right off the top of her head so I knew she was in love with this car. So a few months go by and I stop by again and we talk again. Then a few more months went by and I thought of an idea. I bought her a replica die cast of a 58 just like what she has and wrote her a note explaining what my intentions were if I ever got the car. She called me and absolutely loved what I did and asked me to stop by. So I go see her about every 2 weeks and we just talk about this and that and she enjoys it. So she is kind of a shut in, but I took my Z06 over and finally got her out of the house. We were doing 110mph on the interstate ramp and she was loving it and wanting me to go faster! So she made the comment the other day that she thinks I'm gonna get the car. That could be next week or 10 years I don't know.

What I do know is that it's a 1958 and she has owned it since 1963 and it has been parked in a shed (paved floor) since the early 80's. She bought a 327 block for it back in 63 straight from GM, but it still has the original heads. She tells me everything original is either on the car or in her attic except the block. It is a no hit body and not a fuel injection car but the tach reads up to 8000 rpm. The interior is not original but is pretty much a cat haven so all of it will need replaced. I tried sticking my camera under to get a look a the frame. I was told that several years ago she let a guy put it on a rollback and take it to the car wash and he said the frame was good. All I would want to do is turn this into a nice driver. I know it's impossible to price this car but I was wondering what the lowest to highest range would be? Also would $20k come close to restoring this to a nice driver? Thanks for your time.

Stewart Allison

To hard to estimate..... You need to know what is needing to be replaced to make it a good driver. Parts for these are not cheap. Before making any offer to the lady you would have to know what parts need to be replaced...... Stewy

1-2-b-67L89

Quite a story! I do not follow pricing for C1's but as Stewy mentioned more information and pictures would be needed to give you a more accurate range. You might want at some point ask her what the price is. Tell her you will give her regular rides in the car and spend time with it once it is done and of course mean it
What year Z06 do you have?

Frankie the Fink

There was a lot of mis-understanding in another thread just yesterday about pricing a '62. It was thought the car was a total basket case but it was more complete and in better shape than folks thought once pictures were posted. I'll refrain from giving estimates (heck I'm no expert anyway) henceforth without some visual clue to a car's condition.
Others here prob won't hesitate...

I will say that if the chrome trunk spears are missing subtract about $4,000 from any price you are considering; if the 'washboard' hood is missing I'd take off another $1,500...I can safely say that without more info than what's provided here.

Audiophobe

I am NO expert (but I'm an ever increasingly informed shopper). Assuming that mechanically she purrs and the frame is good, a good paint job will cost $6000 (or alot more according to where you live and what kind of job you get). Chrome will be pricey. The "cat haven" will tack on several thousand for seats, carpet, prob dash and door panels. I doubt that the electrical will be plug and play. The top may need work or replacement.
So I guess the question is $20k in parts and you do the labor or, as in my case, pay a resto shop $20k for parts and labor.

ghoastrider1

I think a low price of 20K is about right if all is there and its running/stopping/drivable. I could be way off though,could be cheaper..we will see when others chime in.

Patrick67

Where is the car located...price can vary according to geographical location. People in California and Florida seem to think their cars are worth the most, IMO.

I agree that you can get a beautiful paint job for $6000, it all depends on what materials the painter uses and how good he is at what he does. I can't believe that some people pay $10-12K. PT

INMYBLOOD

Interior is one year, trunk, hood, I think even the tach. Love my car.

firstgear

1958 - one year features mentioned by Freddie the Fink makes it a desirable year. Assuming that the body doesn't have any major damage (big cracks or gouges), all the chrome is there even if it needs to be redone, that the windshield pieces and door posts are there....even if with cat infested interior......$25 to $35k.......

If the car is as you describe, you can plan on putting every bit of $20k in it and then some.

Audiophobe

Does that mean parts or parts and labor?

jasonsamara

thanks for the response guys. I will post some pics.





















and my 03 Z

Stewart Allison

Ok forget 20k it's in real bad shape. I realise it will look a lot better when the car has had a massive clean. But and this is a big but the interior is shot. The switches are a tell tail of being left out in the rain for many years it looks like salt damage ? The wires and under dash will be shot. I'd think the car will need just about everything interior wise. The chassis looks real tired and will probably need a full rebuild. Having said that I have seen worse restored.
The pitting on the steering column looks nasty and the turn signal will need replacing and maybe a new column if the old one is to shot for paint. I would be looking elsewhere it's a big project. Seriously I have just been through this and mine was 10 times that car and I spent 2 years every second I had just to get it to a good driver. 10k at best ! I'm walking...... Stewy

Stewart Allison

I have had another look at the photos and the car has good gaps in the joins. The body is probably going to be the best part of this. I'd love to see the engine. If the engine isn't shot and the tranny shifts in gears and the diff is ok. It's worth a look ! But this car needs a massive look at on a hoist for hours. Every moving part on it needs to be checked for a tick or a cross. Tread very careful it needs lots of work. I still couldn't give you an estimate of what your up for. As Jim Duram says you need to write out a list of parts to get the car to the stage your happy with and then work out realistically the price you think it's worth and then you can work backwards to come up with a buy price. I could spend 50k on that car at a blink....... Stewy

Gman58

That is definitely a full frame off restoration project. It is the type of car that needs to be torn apart to determine the damage and what is salvageable. Those door panels are classic. On the positive side the trunk irons and washboard hood are there. Price wise it is probably a 25k car. That's just my opinion. Greg

firstgear

in this case, easily parts...your labor.

When I did my car.....just to give you an idea....

interior - $5k
engine rebuild by a shop and some new parts such as carb and distributor - $5k

So there is $10k and you don't have wheels or tires or paint or even the SS with dents removed and polished. And don't forget the chrome to be redone. Pretty soon you are past another $10 k minimum and more like $15k or $20k more.....

Redoing the hardtop alone will set you back a minimum of $2500 to $4k if you do the work yourself and have someone paint it....have Glassworks do it and an outright purchase of a top is almost $6k, again figure you can sell that one for $2k or so, you are back at $3-4k for the hardtop to be redone.

Everyone that has a Corvette has come to realize that the Corvette TAX is in full effect, meaning you will pay a lot more than say a Tri-Five to redo.

If you want to get an idea of prices, I would suggest down loading Paragons Catalog and then go page by page to see what you might need. They have drawings that help and you can make a list and get an idea of what you would have just in parts if you were to buy reproductions just from them.

http://www.paragoncorvette.com/t-CatalogDownload.aspx

Then you can get a budget. Things will cost more than you think so having a budget is a good way to start. Then you can find parts on fleabay, Craigs list or newspaper or even on the forum and possibly save money.

good luck!

by the way, I have an '03 Z06 as well....love the car in 3rd gear.....I call that my "pass now" gear.....because it will take you all the way to 105mph and be pulling the whole way....

Geralds57

You've got a job ahead of you, but I've seen worse. If you plan to do the work yourself, you might as well do a body off because it will need everything replaced. Parts are very expensive and chrome plating is out of sight. I would say all frame work, wiring, gauges, interior, tires, chrome, parts in general, etc. would be 15-20K doing the body off yourself. If you farm out paint and body work, probably 10-15K. I'm sure you would like it as cheap as possible and it sounds like you've made a friend. You don't want to feel like you cheated her, so maybe make a starting offer at 15K and work your way up to maybe 20K IMO.

Qblue92

WOW! I like stuff like that. Those door panels are from a circus or something.

Stewart Allison

YEah what were they thinking....... Stewy

Stewart Allison

It's not a great time in the U.S. economy at the moment. While you would be really busting your chops you could purchase something much better. If you put all your effort and parts into it you could buy a cheaper alternative that is a good driver for much less than you would be spending.... Stewy

jasonsamara

thanks. i just got my Z a year ago and just dug out of the hole in my bank account from that purchase. im not obsessed with getting it, but it would be nice to have. she does not realize the decay that is taking place with it just sitting there. she has a 62 caddy in the garage and it's fully restored. the vette is her pride and joy but she just lets it go. she tells me a story of a 59 her husband had and a 57 with a factory installed rollbar. he traded it for a triumph motorcycle and a $100. she begged him to trade the 58 and keep the 57. thanks again guys.