Need Advice On Buying a Car
04-21-2005, 12:50 PM
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Need Advice On Buying a Car
Guys
I am new here as of this post.
I have a chance to buy a car and need some opinions. My automotive intersts lie elsewhere than Vettes so I need some advice...nothin mechanical...just some info from some dyed in the wool Vetters.
I have a chance to buy a 66 Roadster. It is a repaint, original white color and the quality is pretty good. Not top notch but not bad. The front end appears to never have been hit because the lights are level and they both work...all the braces appear to be in place from what I can tell. He says all the instruments worked and it has a power antenna. The guy says it is a documented (whatever that means to him I don't know yet) Southern car since brand new. He further claims that because of its southern heritage that the frame must be good......I guess but I dunno? Do 35 year old Southern states document cars have good frames always?
Here are the numbers
Engine Pad 6126652 FO707
Engine Block 3858174 E246
The numbers on the PAD are very crisp and clear. I am sure this is an engine that has never been decked and it appears to be ...dare I say it a Virgin?
Intake 3872783 and what looks like 1D56
Carb 3884506-Da List 3367 2308
Alternator 1100704 37A 7127 12/neg
Radiator 331553166 66-G Harrison
Brake Cylinder (on the bottom side under the piston EIS 111 E
Distributor 111153 Vac Can MS355 115
Vin Tag 194676S126652
Style K18 66467 407BA S88559 972AA
Heads 3890462 F276 and 3890462 F216
Transmission On the side cover side 5S (or 5?) 16652
Trans tag 3870354
The car has two tops, the hardtop is nice as far as the painted areas, the rear window is a little cloudy and the headliner and seals are shot. The soft top has been unbolted but is complete with the entire frame but the window seals for the soft top top are pretty sorry. Leather seats, newly covered and nice and replacement carpets. Kinda cheesy lookin, likely from a lower tier replacement house.
The car has tinted glass ...no scratches and I could get the numbers off the side glass but I did not bother. Windshield appears new and has new rubber seal.
So what is my question?
What is this car worth in up and running condition. Right now it is sitting with parts and pieces here there and everywhere. The guy who owns it is over his head mechanically and likely has been shut off by his wife...... she is so obviously angry about the car you can cut the air with a knife. Perhaps he only knows how to remove nuts and bolts but he cannot tighten / reinstall them so it is just sittin there and she has had it with the mess????
My idea is buy this thing, slap it back together quick and sell it. Not sure what I would have to pay...the guys wife likely will give the car to me if I read body language right. The real question is what can I get coming out the other end after I assemble all this stuff.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I am new here as of this post.
I have a chance to buy a car and need some opinions. My automotive intersts lie elsewhere than Vettes so I need some advice...nothin mechanical...just some info from some dyed in the wool Vetters.
I have a chance to buy a 66 Roadster. It is a repaint, original white color and the quality is pretty good. Not top notch but not bad. The front end appears to never have been hit because the lights are level and they both work...all the braces appear to be in place from what I can tell. He says all the instruments worked and it has a power antenna. The guy says it is a documented (whatever that means to him I don't know yet) Southern car since brand new. He further claims that because of its southern heritage that the frame must be good......I guess but I dunno? Do 35 year old Southern states document cars have good frames always?
Here are the numbers
Engine Pad 6126652 FO707
Engine Block 3858174 E246
The numbers on the PAD are very crisp and clear. I am sure this is an engine that has never been decked and it appears to be ...dare I say it a Virgin?
Intake 3872783 and what looks like 1D56
Carb 3884506-Da List 3367 2308
Alternator 1100704 37A 7127 12/neg
Radiator 331553166 66-G Harrison
Brake Cylinder (on the bottom side under the piston EIS 111 E
Distributor 111153 Vac Can MS355 115
Vin Tag 194676S126652
Style K18 66467 407BA S88559 972AA
Heads 3890462 F276 and 3890462 F216
Transmission On the side cover side 5S (or 5?) 16652
Trans tag 3870354
The car has two tops, the hardtop is nice as far as the painted areas, the rear window is a little cloudy and the headliner and seals are shot. The soft top has been unbolted but is complete with the entire frame but the window seals for the soft top top are pretty sorry. Leather seats, newly covered and nice and replacement carpets. Kinda cheesy lookin, likely from a lower tier replacement house.
The car has tinted glass ...no scratches and I could get the numbers off the side glass but I did not bother. Windshield appears new and has new rubber seal.
So what is my question?
What is this car worth in up and running condition. Right now it is sitting with parts and pieces here there and everywhere. The guy who owns it is over his head mechanically and likely has been shut off by his wife...... she is so obviously angry about the car you can cut the air with a knife. Perhaps he only knows how to remove nuts and bolts but he cannot tighten / reinstall them so it is just sittin there and she has had it with the mess????
My idea is buy this thing, slap it back together quick and sell it. Not sure what I would have to pay...the guys wife likely will give the car to me if I read body language right. The real question is what can I get coming out the other end after I assemble all this stuff.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
04-21-2005, 01:54 PM
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Engine pad stamp (F0707) is missing the 2-digit suffix - would be "HE" for a 327/300 4-speed; if the suffix is missing, it's been decked and re-stamped incorrectly. Dates on the block and heads line up with the car's build date, and with the body date on the trim tag, intake is correct, carb is a service replacement made in July, 1978 (or '88), alternator is an incorrect replacement made in '67, radiator date is OK, master cylinder is a non-GM EIS replacement, distributor band is correct, it originally was white with a red vinyl interior, trans tag says M20.
I'll let someone else guess at its value - if you flash a wad of cash in front of his wife, you may get a deal!
I'll let someone else guess at its value - if you flash a wad of cash in front of his wife, you may get a deal!
04-21-2005, 01:54 PM
#3
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IMO it'sorth 30-40k if you slap it together and all the parts listed are original.
If it's restored correctly, you will get more, but more time and money will be invested.
If it's restored correctly, you will get more, but more time and money will be invested.
04-21-2005, 02:24 PM
#4
NO, southern frames are not always nice. It is like a tropical rain forest where i live in the spring, summer, and early fall. If it has been sitting outside long enough and around mud or grass it can rot pretty quick. i pulled a 65 fastback mustang out of a guys car last year and it basically fell apart while winching it out due to sitting around for only 10 years. It all depends on where it has been. My 65 that i bought had been sitting outside for two years, but in a good area. The frame is in great shape, but it had not top on it so most of the metal on the interior was ruined including the center console which snapped in half when i removed it. The birdcage however was still very nice. Just llittle things like the chrome and wire cover plates were trashed.
04-21-2005, 03:30 PM
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"Engine pad stamp (F0707) is missing the 2-digit suffix - would be "HE" for a 327/300 4-speed"
Cannot read my own notes!!!! " HE " is there (on the motor) it just was not on the Thread. Where are my glasses???????
Now what should I flash in front of his wife?
Cannot read my own notes!!!! " HE " is there (on the motor) it just was not on the Thread. Where are my glasses???????
Now what should I flash in front of his wife?
04-21-2005, 04:30 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
according to the VIN# your car was made in July '66 which was the last month of production for the model year '66. The numbers on the heads I find from a '67 but maybe because this was such a late production date that they started to use the '67 heads?? Others will have to confirm that.
The HE on the stamp pad is a big help, after looking thru my book at the numbers I was wondering about that.
Stock colors were Ermine White with red interior.
figuring the carb and alternator are wrong for the car, the price will still be determined mostly by it's condition and how much work is needed to put her back together.
is the interior in good shape or does it need to be all redone? body and paint condition? how much work needed on motor? wiring harness? How is the chrome and SS moldings? if you need new chrome pieces like bumpers they get expensive, same as the moldings - even rechroming them or getting the moldings polished can get pricey.
if you aren't familiar with Vettes, you need to be sure to check the frame and birdcage very carefully. On the frame especially check towards the back at the kickup area just in front of the rear wheels as this is a common place for rust and rotting. See if you can check any of the birdcage because if the birdcage needs repairing it can get very expensive very quickly.
also, are there any factory options to help increase it's value some such as PS, PB, teak wheel, A/C, FACTORY installed sidepipes, PW, etc.
if you can post any pictures of it so we can see the condition it could help.
if you are looking to buy it, fix it, and sell it, depending on your ending condition and options the retail value should be between $35,000 - $45,000 if it's in excellent condition (excellent driver condition) and you put on the correct carb and alternator. If went with a complete body-off restoration it could go up to about $50,000 - $60,000 if it's a highly optioned car and it was restored to NCRS standards. I got these prices based on current '66's for sale on the market with the 327/300hp motor like this car has.
what you should offer the seller depends on how much work and $$$ you need to put into it and still be able to get your money back out of it when you sell it.
Without being able to see detailed pics, it's hard to put any kind of fair price on it as it sits now.
keep in mind it's very, very easy to put more money into restoring a Vette than you will be able to get out of it later so determine just how much it will take to make it drivable and look good very carefully while deciding on a fair price.
hope this helps a little
The HE on the stamp pad is a big help, after looking thru my book at the numbers I was wondering about that.
Stock colors were Ermine White with red interior.
figuring the carb and alternator are wrong for the car, the price will still be determined mostly by it's condition and how much work is needed to put her back together.
is the interior in good shape or does it need to be all redone? body and paint condition? how much work needed on motor? wiring harness? How is the chrome and SS moldings? if you need new chrome pieces like bumpers they get expensive, same as the moldings - even rechroming them or getting the moldings polished can get pricey.
if you aren't familiar with Vettes, you need to be sure to check the frame and birdcage very carefully. On the frame especially check towards the back at the kickup area just in front of the rear wheels as this is a common place for rust and rotting. See if you can check any of the birdcage because if the birdcage needs repairing it can get very expensive very quickly.
also, are there any factory options to help increase it's value some such as PS, PB, teak wheel, A/C, FACTORY installed sidepipes, PW, etc.
if you can post any pictures of it so we can see the condition it could help.
if you are looking to buy it, fix it, and sell it, depending on your ending condition and options the retail value should be between $35,000 - $45,000 if it's in excellent condition (excellent driver condition) and you put on the correct carb and alternator. If went with a complete body-off restoration it could go up to about $50,000 - $60,000 if it's a highly optioned car and it was restored to NCRS standards. I got these prices based on current '66's for sale on the market with the 327/300hp motor like this car has.
what you should offer the seller depends on how much work and $$$ you need to put into it and still be able to get your money back out of it when you sell it.
Without being able to see detailed pics, it's hard to put any kind of fair price on it as it sits now.
keep in mind it's very, very easy to put more money into restoring a Vette than you will be able to get out of it later so determine just how much it will take to make it drivable and look good very carefully while deciding on a fair price.
hope this helps a little
Last edited by BarryK; 04-21-2005 at 04:33 PM.
04-21-2005, 06:09 PM
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I thought the birdcage was a non issue in Roadsters???
Interior is very nice. Like I said before the carpets are sorta cheap looking but the door panels and the the dash pad are good. The console looks really nice also.
The bumpers are good..might be recromed but I think the are original...No dents anywhere in the bumpers. I looked at the frame again tis afternoon....pounded on it with a hammer along the horizontal section just ahead of the kick up. Sounds solid. THe end caps are in good shape, obviously thinnner than the frame rails but it looks like the car has not been sittin in a field somewhere. Doesn't smell bad inside eather so I guess mother nature might have missed this "victime" I suspect the milage is pretty high it certainly is over 100K If I am not mistaken the odometer is at 40 something ...likely meaningless.... might have been clocked OR it could be 240K. OH MY GOD can a 327 run that far?????
No way no way no way would I undertake a frame off. First of all this is about makin some quick easy money. In the real estate world it is called "flipping" a property. At least that is what I think they all it. Second of all the idea of paying the prices for any of the original parts (carb, master cylinder and alternator) makes me ill.
You guys are made of much sterner stuff than me when you undertake these restos. This car would leave me and head off down the road with everything it currently has unless I cannot make something work like the current carb. In that case ...quick call to Summit for a generic Holley and on to the next thing like the alternator. If the alternator makes juice and is quiet.....that's it done. If not diodes and whatever get loaded in the old shell. I am not talking about duct tape, chewin gum and spit repairs I would fix it right but I just would not tie up my ash in a long term redo
I don't think the engine needs work...it just needs reinstallation. All the parts came off to "detail" the car / redo the engine compartment and I guess shoot a "spray can" rebuild on the motor. The engine seems pretty clean at least under the valve covers. I suppose there might have been a valve job along the way but for sure the current owner has no clue.
Interior is very nice. Like I said before the carpets are sorta cheap looking but the door panels and the the dash pad are good. The console looks really nice also.
The bumpers are good..might be recromed but I think the are original...No dents anywhere in the bumpers. I looked at the frame again tis afternoon....pounded on it with a hammer along the horizontal section just ahead of the kick up. Sounds solid. THe end caps are in good shape, obviously thinnner than the frame rails but it looks like the car has not been sittin in a field somewhere. Doesn't smell bad inside eather so I guess mother nature might have missed this "victime" I suspect the milage is pretty high it certainly is over 100K If I am not mistaken the odometer is at 40 something ...likely meaningless.... might have been clocked OR it could be 240K. OH MY GOD can a 327 run that far?????
No way no way no way would I undertake a frame off. First of all this is about makin some quick easy money. In the real estate world it is called "flipping" a property. At least that is what I think they all it. Second of all the idea of paying the prices for any of the original parts (carb, master cylinder and alternator) makes me ill.
You guys are made of much sterner stuff than me when you undertake these restos. This car would leave me and head off down the road with everything it currently has unless I cannot make something work like the current carb. In that case ...quick call to Summit for a generic Holley and on to the next thing like the alternator. If the alternator makes juice and is quiet.....that's it done. If not diodes and whatever get loaded in the old shell. I am not talking about duct tape, chewin gum and spit repairs I would fix it right but I just would not tie up my ash in a long term redo
I don't think the engine needs work...it just needs reinstallation. All the parts came off to "detail" the car / redo the engine compartment and I guess shoot a "spray can" rebuild on the motor. The engine seems pretty clean at least under the valve covers. I suppose there might have been a valve job along the way but for sure the current owner has no clue.
Last edited by LS6Wrench; 04-21-2005 at 08:12 PM.
04-21-2005, 07:02 PM
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Originally Posted by vark_wso
I own 26,204 (July 13th St. Louis ***'y date) & it has the xxxx462 heads.
Vark_WSO I assume your "non de plume" and the picture relate to the F111 Ardvark? Way back when I had hair and wore a 34 inch belt (Cannot tell which of those attributes would be better to have back today) I worked in development engineering for Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. Spent some time in the TF30 development group workin on the P-412 variant of the Ardvark engine that was used for the F14A. Used to oversee assembly and instrumentation of test engines that were loaded into altitude simulation cells for evaluation. We would spin 'em up to speed and leave 'em there or cycle 'em thru landing and takeoff cycle power level simulations. Am I talkin to a "user" as they say in the computer business? I always wanted to do more than just fool with the internals of the engine. Always wanted a ride in the F111 or the F14. One guy in our group was so excited about gettin close to the business end of the product he jumped ship and joined the Air Force.
I remember one P412-A test engine that "went away" at max trust ..sawed itself right in half when something in the turbine gave up. The tech / operator workin in the test cell, not that far away from the engine but behind VERY thick walls, was cleaning his shorts and trying to stop shakin for hours after the explosion.
04-21-2005, 07:31 PM
#11
Drifting
Yep, long time vark operator back in ancient times. TF30, P-7 variant, as I recall. We never got P412 upgrade. Aussie's still have some operational with P-1 & splitter vanes (no spikes)!
Good luck with your Vette adventure. Sounds like a good one.
Good luck with your Vette adventure. Sounds like a good one.
04-21-2005, 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Seaside63
It is my personal hope that somebody that wants this car to fix it up and keep for themselves and can appreciate it, gets it before you do.
Aw come now ...'Nothin personal here just business" as they said in the Godfather. Why get your shorts in a knot? If I score this car and fix it..remember I said no duct tape and spit and chicken wire....whats the big deal? I am just not gonna lavish it with big bucks. I am not gonna get attached to it...I am gonna get it running dependably, possibly drive it for awhile and sell it.
I make a few bucks, the guy or gal after me gets to lavish special attention on it and........ the band plays on. Heck if I pull this off and sell the car I might just try and find another one and do the same thing all over again.
Look at it this way....the guy that has it likely will never figure out how to put it together and I am pretty sure he can't afford (without triggering a a divorce) to pay someone to do it. In the grander scheme of things I am in effect saving it!
04-21-2005, 09:22 PM
#14
Safety Car
Originally Posted by JohnZ
......
I'll let someone else guess at its value - if you flash a wad of cash in front of his wife, you may get a deal!
I'll let someone else guess at its value - if you flash a wad of cash in front of his wife, you may get a deal!
I just have to share this ( i know, i know, it may not be appropriate)....the last car i bought, i peeled off 100's and a made a huge pile of cash on this guys kitchen table, and slid it over to him and said "that's my final offer" (my offer was under his best price obviously)....... then i laid down another 100, and slid it over towards his wife, and said "and this is just for you". she said "DEAL", grabbed up the 100, and stuck it in her pocket.... lol (i don't think the Dude had a choice at that point... hehehe). yup, i drove it off 5 minutes later
04-22-2005, 02:55 AM
#15
Melting Slicks
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Originally Posted by LS6Wrench
Aw come now ...'Nothin personal here just business" as they said in the Godfather.
There's enough slime ruining this hobby already.
04-22-2005, 06:39 AM
#16
Le Mans Master
Sea
I understand 100% how you feel and where you are coming from in this situation............but hey, let's keep it nice and polite in here without name-calling.
I understand 100% how you feel and where you are coming from in this situation............but hey, let's keep it nice and polite in here without name-calling.
04-22-2005, 07:42 AM
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Originally Posted by BarryK
Sea
I understand 100% how you feel and where you are coming from in this situation............but hey, let's keep it nice and polite in here without name-calling.
I understand 100% how you feel and where you are coming from in this situation............but hey, let's keep it nice and polite in here without name-calling.
Now apparently I am included as part of the "slime" that is ruining the hobby. Why does this guy shoot from the lip with names and perjorative terms? What does he or anyone else care what I do with the car.? Supose I got it cheap enought and just decided strip it for parts??? Another slimy move I guess but then after all it would be MY car and MY money so what the hell does it matter to Mr Conscentious Objector?
I guess more importantly how is he effected by whatever path I might take with this car? Until I mistakenly came over here came over here and asked a few questions he never knew the car existed. If I buy it, part it out, resto it or follow my plan and add a Saffron paint job WHAT THE HELL DOES IT MATTER TO HIM or ANYONE ELSE. I just don't understand.
From my seat he is apparently totally uneffected by what I do. I think after his first little hand wringing expression of loyalty to the hobby he should have BUTTED OUT. We are not talking about a living thing like a 4 week old puppy tossed out of a car in a subdivision. I have one of those and I KEPT that acquisition cause I am sorta attached to the little guy. Not to mention he meets me at the door every night after work and generally sticks with me no matter what household project I am workin on. Is this silly Corvette gonna do that if "I appreciate it and keep it for myself?" Not likely.
If I had said......."I am so happy to find this car I wet my pants, I am gonna keep it forever, be burried in it cause I have no kids to give it to, buy only NOS parts, and restore it to some one of the NCRS standards then I guess I would be a good guy not a SLIME.
Frankly just this type of visceral, gutter mouth response and attitude is a contributing factor to the reason my automotive interests are elesewhere than Corvettes.
To those who helped me and offered useful responses to my questions I offer my thanks. To Mr. Seaside I offer "BUTT OUT"
Slime
04-22-2005, 08:16 AM
#18
Melting Slicks
So whats wrong with buying and sell the car? I just bought a 63 roadster. One owner since 1968. Orig 340 HP car. Black On black never hit. Wrong motor since he told me that he blew up the 340 HP back in 1970. ( like most of them). The car has its orig alt,trans,rear,horn relay voltage reg, and so on. He put the 340 HP intake ,dist and oil pan on the new 350. And it only has a hard top. I need to go through the brakes and then the car go's up for sale. I buy and sell vettes all the time. Mostly C4s. So whats wrong with trying to make a living. Maybe your just rich and money means nothing to you. But I'm a working stiff and try to make all the money can. How do you think I can build and own so many cars? Just my 2 cents. Brian G.
04-22-2005, 08:51 AM
#19
Le Mans Master
LS6
it's actually pretty simple. you will find that 99.9% of the people on here are true Corvette enthusiasts and we own and love these cars for what they are and what they represent to us and we love working on them ,driving them,showing them, etc. it's our love of these cars that keeps us in the hobby.
Now, car hobbies are expensive enough but Vettes are typically more expensive than most other classic or collector cars compared to others such as Mustangs, Mopars, etc. Yes, there are other cars that can get expensive too, but overall the Vette prices are typically higher to begin with.
Now, finding a car sitting around that need rebuilding or restoring or fixing up and wanting to do that to save a car is a good thing but what is upsetting Seaside and probably others is that all you are in this for is to flip the car to make a quick buck. I'm one of the greediest capalistic people you will ever meet but what upsets us that that it seems you don't care anything about Vettes and your only goal in this is to make money. Peole here would rather see the car get sold to someone who would want it to care for it, fix it to a proper condition, and love the car, not just because they want to make a quick buck. We would rather see it go to a good home where it will be cared for and respected the way it deserves to be. Yes, I know and everyone here knows it's just a car, but this is how we feel about them.
As an example: my wife and I don't have children, but our '65 Coupe is named BABY because as far as we are concerned the Vette IS our baby. As far as I'm concerned, I'll die before I let my car go. This how much is means to us.
Others here feel the same way.
When we do have to sell a Vette we own because we need the money or because we want to get another Vette, or whatever the reason a lot of people won't sell it unless they know it's going to another good home for the car.
now, such emotions on a car may seem unreasonable, but that's how it is for many.
It's this love for these cars that have allowed many to be saved and restored and rebuilt to the great conditions they are today.
your plan to just slap the car together ,not worry much about if you are using the correct parts or not, and flipping it to make a profit goes against what most people in here like to see in this hobby. In fact, since you would have plans on selling it to make that profit, chances are it could be someone in here that would be the interested purchasing party and therefore your profit that you are looking to make would be coming from the pockets of one of our members. It's reasons similar to what you are looking to do that is helping to keep the price of these cars very high. high prices are good to make profits, but it bad in that it makes the cars more expensive to try and buy so we can have them for ourselves and appreciate them. Overall, actions such as yours are detrimental to the hobby.
Unfortunatley, this problem is not limited to Corvettes. The whole muscle car market is going thru the roof pricewise and some of the reason is people such as yourself that are in it just for the money, not for the enthusiasm of the cars.
So, in a nutshell, Seaside is upset because all he is seeing is you coming on here, admiting corvettes are not your thing but you have an opportunity to buy one and slap it together to resell and make a profit. On top of that you need our advice and information (since you are not that knowlegable about Vettes) but than you are going to try to make your profit off of us and our love of the cars.
Sorry if that doesn't sit well with most of us and we may get a bit upset.
I don't know what cars you are "into" but it would be the same as if I went onto a site such as a Mustang forum and told them "I don't like Mustangs, but I have a chance to buy one cheap, throw it together, and sell it for a profit. I don't care if the parts are correct or what happens to the car as long as I make some money. Can you help me?"
believe me, those Mustang guys would be just as upset as Seaside is.
Seaside was a bit "short" with you, but as I've stated I do understand how he feels. On the other hand, I feel the same way but I did offer my help to you at the same time.
BUT...........if you read between the lines of my previous post to you you may realize that while offering the best information I could to help you, I was also trying to get the point across to you that your chances of making a profit on this car is slim. If you make anything it will be a small amount. Unless you get the car EXTREMELY cheap because he is just desperate to sell it to you, it will probably take to much to buy it and fix it compared to what you will get for it in the condition it will be in when you try to sell it. If it would be in full NCRS standards when you sold it than maybe you would make enough to make it worth your while, but honestly, since you are not prepared to go that route the money is probably not there in this particular car.
sorry if you find any of these reasons offensive to you or your plans, but hey, you asked! Good , bad, or indifferent, that's the way most in here would feel about what you are doing.
Whether or not you end up buying the car, I hope it eventually ends in in someones hands that will fix her up correctly and care for her and want her more than just because of a profit reason.
it's actually pretty simple. you will find that 99.9% of the people on here are true Corvette enthusiasts and we own and love these cars for what they are and what they represent to us and we love working on them ,driving them,showing them, etc. it's our love of these cars that keeps us in the hobby.
Now, car hobbies are expensive enough but Vettes are typically more expensive than most other classic or collector cars compared to others such as Mustangs, Mopars, etc. Yes, there are other cars that can get expensive too, but overall the Vette prices are typically higher to begin with.
Now, finding a car sitting around that need rebuilding or restoring or fixing up and wanting to do that to save a car is a good thing but what is upsetting Seaside and probably others is that all you are in this for is to flip the car to make a quick buck. I'm one of the greediest capalistic people you will ever meet but what upsets us that that it seems you don't care anything about Vettes and your only goal in this is to make money. Peole here would rather see the car get sold to someone who would want it to care for it, fix it to a proper condition, and love the car, not just because they want to make a quick buck. We would rather see it go to a good home where it will be cared for and respected the way it deserves to be. Yes, I know and everyone here knows it's just a car, but this is how we feel about them.
As an example: my wife and I don't have children, but our '65 Coupe is named BABY because as far as we are concerned the Vette IS our baby. As far as I'm concerned, I'll die before I let my car go. This how much is means to us.
Others here feel the same way.
When we do have to sell a Vette we own because we need the money or because we want to get another Vette, or whatever the reason a lot of people won't sell it unless they know it's going to another good home for the car.
now, such emotions on a car may seem unreasonable, but that's how it is for many.
It's this love for these cars that have allowed many to be saved and restored and rebuilt to the great conditions they are today.
your plan to just slap the car together ,not worry much about if you are using the correct parts or not, and flipping it to make a profit goes against what most people in here like to see in this hobby. In fact, since you would have plans on selling it to make that profit, chances are it could be someone in here that would be the interested purchasing party and therefore your profit that you are looking to make would be coming from the pockets of one of our members. It's reasons similar to what you are looking to do that is helping to keep the price of these cars very high. high prices are good to make profits, but it bad in that it makes the cars more expensive to try and buy so we can have them for ourselves and appreciate them. Overall, actions such as yours are detrimental to the hobby.
Unfortunatley, this problem is not limited to Corvettes. The whole muscle car market is going thru the roof pricewise and some of the reason is people such as yourself that are in it just for the money, not for the enthusiasm of the cars.
So, in a nutshell, Seaside is upset because all he is seeing is you coming on here, admiting corvettes are not your thing but you have an opportunity to buy one and slap it together to resell and make a profit. On top of that you need our advice and information (since you are not that knowlegable about Vettes) but than you are going to try to make your profit off of us and our love of the cars.
Sorry if that doesn't sit well with most of us and we may get a bit upset.
I don't know what cars you are "into" but it would be the same as if I went onto a site such as a Mustang forum and told them "I don't like Mustangs, but I have a chance to buy one cheap, throw it together, and sell it for a profit. I don't care if the parts are correct or what happens to the car as long as I make some money. Can you help me?"
believe me, those Mustang guys would be just as upset as Seaside is.
Seaside was a bit "short" with you, but as I've stated I do understand how he feels. On the other hand, I feel the same way but I did offer my help to you at the same time.
BUT...........if you read between the lines of my previous post to you you may realize that while offering the best information I could to help you, I was also trying to get the point across to you that your chances of making a profit on this car is slim. If you make anything it will be a small amount. Unless you get the car EXTREMELY cheap because he is just desperate to sell it to you, it will probably take to much to buy it and fix it compared to what you will get for it in the condition it will be in when you try to sell it. If it would be in full NCRS standards when you sold it than maybe you would make enough to make it worth your while, but honestly, since you are not prepared to go that route the money is probably not there in this particular car.
sorry if you find any of these reasons offensive to you or your plans, but hey, you asked! Good , bad, or indifferent, that's the way most in here would feel about what you are doing.
Whether or not you end up buying the car, I hope it eventually ends in in someones hands that will fix her up correctly and care for her and want her more than just because of a profit reason.
04-22-2005, 08:57 AM
#20
Le Mans Master
Hi Brian
there is nothing wrong with buying and selling cars to make money. The difference here is that you are also a Vette owner and enthusiast where LS6 is here simply for a one-time deal to make a quick buck - or that's the impression that he puts out anyway. he admits he doesn't like vettes.
I think it's his aaproach to this on here that doesn't sit well with many others.
Oh well, to each his own.
there is nothing wrong with buying and selling cars to make money. The difference here is that you are also a Vette owner and enthusiast where LS6 is here simply for a one-time deal to make a quick buck - or that's the impression that he puts out anyway. he admits he doesn't like vettes.
I think it's his aaproach to this on here that doesn't sit well with many others.
Oh well, to each his own.