bertschb

My wife was raised in a family of car nuts and she has always wanted a C2 Corvette. Now that the kids are raised we have the money to buy one. We've talked about it a few times over the last couple years but nothing serious.

Last week at a dinner party an aquaintence of ours drove up in a 1964 red Corvette convertible. We had heard a couple days prior to that that he was thinking of selling it. Of course, my wife went crazy when she saw it. Now we're pretty serious but need some help to determine value. We do plan to have a local "expert" check it out but I thought I'd get your ideas.

Stats:
1964 Red Convertible
4 speed
327/300
Hard and soft tops
Black vinyl seats
No PS/PB/AC
Original hub caps
Engine and body have matching #'s

The current owner has had it since 1990. He rebuilt the engine and rear end as well as most of the suspension and other stuff under thre car. The engine runs and idles smoothly but leaks some oil. It does not have a '64 hood. Looks like a '65 maybe? That's the only non-original/modified part I could find on the car other than the shifter. I don't see evidence of it being wrecked but I'm going to get that checked out. I'd like to know why it doesn't have the original hood. The original air cleaner is there as well as the ignition shielding. Based on everything else, I suspect the carb is original but I'm not sure how to verify that. The paint is not bad but not good either. Looks great from 5 feet.

The dash is very clean and very original as are the door panels. All gauges work but the speedo jumps around and the clock is finicky. The rubber seals are original and not in good shape. The original shifter was replaced with a Hurst at some point. The turn signal lever needs some work (it works but it's loose and kinda hangs down from the column).

The soft top is in fair condition. No tears but looks fragile. The hard top is in great shape.

It does make a clunking noise when shifting:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1031203

The only work that it really needs is to fix the clunking noise when it shifts and the turn signal. I'd also like to have an original 1964 hood but I'm not sure what that would cost. Maybe I could swap hoods with somebody down the road.

This isn't a show car. It has not had a frame off restoration. It looks great from 5 feet but you can tell it's 40 years old when you start looking closely at it.

The owner is asking $30,000. Any thoughts?

hansenisu

I would guess more like mid to upper $20's. It doesn't have any options that drive prices up like PS, PB, air, higher horsepower motor. But it does have the big advantages of having both tops and the original motor.

Also, not having the original hood might lead me to think if I was looking at the car to see if there are any older body repairs from a frontal impact a long time ago. Of course one of the owners along the way may have just not liked the '64's plain hood indentations.

Another thing that can help value is the documentation that comes with the car - does the current owner have any additional paperwork that comes with the car to document its history?

bertschb

No original documentation but he has receipts for recent repairs.

waynec

I agree.

tdelph

The 64's, if in average condition dont demand the price of the 65-67's. This year should be the bargain year of the mid-year. 20's

LouieM

Do yourself a huge favor and ask here in this forum if anyone near where you live can look the car over for you. A knowledgeable person will notice things that you don't. $100 or so is a standard fee. This will lower the chance that you'll buy a money pit.


IMHO it would take quite a nice 64 to get up to $30K. You may know that disc brakes started in 65, which is a biggie for many folks. Good luck!

bertschb

I live in Salem, Oregon. If anybody here provides that service let me know.

bertschb

I live in Salem, Oregon. If anybody here provides that service and lives in my area let me know.

ctjackster

you guys may disagree, but if it is a true original engine, correct paint color per the trim tag 64 300hp, and in good driver condition (not a "sure will look nice when I get done restoring it" car) I gotta say you won't be finding too many for under 30 - pull all the ads for 64s and get a feel for what they are asking.

since that price includes an upcharge for original engine, you would be well advised to have a knowledgeable vette guy look at it, or study up on casting numbers and date codes and do some detective work.

ffas23

bertschb

Sent you a P.M.

Fred

bertschb

Didn't receive it. Hope I didn't delete it by mistake.

Hitch

Sounds like a good find.

Dave...

odqlesz

Just for comparisons. I sold my 64 which is the least desirable
C2 last summer for over 21. Yours has a lot more to offer then mine.




I would jump on this one
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1031229
but it's probably sold by now.

sting66cp

I am not far away in Tigard. I have been involved with mid-year corvettes for some time and would be happy to look at it for you and give my opinion.

bertschb

Speaking of color, my wife thought she heard the seller say that the car was previously white. But, I looked at the tag under the glove box and the code was

S6160 Body
923AA Paint

I think 923AA means it left the factory as a red car (AA means both top and bottom) - correct?

I didn't see any evidence that it had ever been painted white but I'll look into that more closely if my wife gets more serious about the car.

ffas23

I see you found it. I sent you another.

Fred

vintagecorvette

$30000 does not sound too bad, there is another one in Salem, OR non numbers and no soft top and it is bid to $36000.

bertschb

Is that the silver one on eBay that sold last night for around $37,000?

ctjackster

923 is 64 code for Riverside Red exterior, the AA is simply a St. Louis convention, as opposed to AO Smith, who also began making Vette bodies beginning at some point in the 64 M.Y.

The interior color / material code will be found at the "Trim" field of the Trim Tag.

JSB69

I have a '64, so I pay closer attention than most to their prices. If inspection does not reveal a rust problem and the rest of the car is as described (correct except for the noted exceptions), it's worth every bit of $30,000. Paint 923 is Riverside Red.