MidShark

Mine was the '57 in my avatar, which I purchased in 1970. I was 15 and paid $300 for it. It was a roller with no motor or tranny, stripped down to primer. We pulled it behind my brother's pickup with a chain to the farm, where I spent the next year and a half restoring it. Along with the pile of parts that came with it were a new wiring harness, and the chrome exhaust bumperettes, still in the GM packaging. I ended up with about $2300 in the car once it was finnished. I had about 4 different motors in the car, the last one being an over the counter 302 Z28 engine. What a fun car! I sold it in 1976 for $3600 (thought I made big money on it).
Let's hear about yours!

Rich

vintagecorvette

I bought a tach from a 1957 for 25 cents at the Monroe Swapmeet in Washington State. The guy thought it was out of a boat.

oWEN

63C2splitter

Can't come close to that, but when I bought my 63 coupe about 5 years ago I strugled with paying the $20K for it. Turns out that it has continually gone up in value since then (thanks to the likes of B/J).

Even if the value had dropped, I am glad I bought it - I have had a blast with it.

Dave

Marks69BB

I traded a spare used C1 hubcap I had for a 1960 wonderbar radio. He had replaced the radio years ago when it quit with one of the repro AM-FM ones. When he showed up at a cruise-in missing a hubcap, we got to talking and the rest is history!

The additional kicker is the hubcap was given to me so I was out nothing!

Dick Horzen

All the deals I made with a 1956, 1962, 1965, and 1971 ended upside down.

Lost money on all of them. But sure had a great time driving them, priceless.

MICK3

Bought My 62 In 1971 Drove It Home, Car Was Complete Including The Hardtop But It Was Not The Original Motor Didn't Know It Than Probably Didn't Care Either. Paid $800.00 Wish I Knew The Future Would Have Bought 20 Of Them I'm Also Surprised It Survived All Those Younger Years Of Boats, Snowmobiles & Dirt Bikes Just Lucky I Guess.

Last 62

All thhings considered, the one I have now (bought in 1965 for $2150.00) was a pretty good deal. I also traded a set of truck fender flares (that I had paid $30.00 for) for a 1963 vert less engine and transmission in 1971, but probably the best was a 1960 that I found in someone's back yard in 1972 with the engine and transmission sitting on the ground next to it and a brand new 327, t-10, clutch, scatted proff bellhousing, headers, dist., carb., hurst shifter, etc. When I asked how much, he said he would only sell the car if I took everything. $1600.00 was the price. I left my wife there while I went to get the money and my trailer ( just kidding about the wife).After I sold all the extra stuff, I was about $300.00 to the good.

Jim

StickShiftCorvette

Around 1977 I needed a center console bezel for my '69. I salvage yard had one and wanted $20 for it.

When I went to get it, I found it was broken in the thin section like most of them are. Anyway, they brought out a second one that wasn't broken, but was complete with ALL the gages. He sold it to me for $40 complete!!!

BlackbirdZ07

Package deal in about 1998. Two Corvettes that were in indoor storage:

1. 1965 Nassau blue convertible with blue and white leather interior, 327/350, 4 speed, ps, pb, teak wheel, 44k actual miles, hit lightly in the front, aftermarket front clip installed but not painted, missing only front bumpers and headlight assemblies, otherwise very good condition, all numbers matched and all parts in the engine compartment were original.

2. 1968 Le Mans blue convertible with black interior, 427/435 4 speed but original motor missing, both tops, great no-hit body but needed complete restoration, real 435 car that was a great project.

$15,000 for BOTH, and the guy threw in a bunch of misc. c2/c3 parts. Wish I still had either one of them, especially the '65!

Ironcross

I didn`t buy them, but I was old enought to order them and told my parents where to send the money. This one started it all and went two months later directly to U of Miami with me. By complete luck the Vette was actually delivered on my birthday

Vette,

Paperwork, enlarge the picture

vettebuyer6369

Around 1994, I decided I wanted a mid-year roadster to use as a driver. Figured Id find an NOM in OK shape for high teens. I received my copy of the Corvette Buyers Guide in the mail and there was a '63 roadster, numbers matching, unrestored for $11500 out near Cleveland. My guess was that it was actually $21500 and it was a typo. I called and wanted to feel him out on the accurateness of the asking price, (without being obvious) so I asked how solid the price was. He said, "oh, I guess Id take $11k." Turns out that what he had in it from years ago.

I sprinted out to Ohio, bought the car for $11k, and drove it home. Could have sold it for $20k without even washing it, but kept it a few years and did much better. The guys in the club still give me grief over that one.

PS, it took about 10 hours to get to Cleveland and when I did, the buyer said the phone hadnt stopped ringing the whole time. Cool guy not stiffing me and standing behind his word.

vettebuyer6369

How could you possibly do this?

1961TUX

I bought my 61' in 1971 for $800.00, drove it home in the rain without working windshield wipers. It sat in my Dad's barn for 33 years before I brought it home to work on. Doing a frame off restoration, frame is done & I don't have the original motor either. Best money I've spent because I haven't been taxed on it yet.

ml1955

Bought my '55 in late 70's for $1400, still have it. Doing a body off restoration to driver condition, finally have time to do it from ground up.

Bluestripe67

Bought a '63 SWC five years ago, had an extra engine in it, 302 DZ code Z-28 plus a 65 Fuel Injection unit on top, no body damage, original perfect interior, '67 disc brake system, perfect chrome and stainless Original 340HP engine on engine stand to be rebuilt. Drove it home for 22K. Sold it two yrs later.

67L36Driver

Box of junk for a buck at a swap meet............. TI distributor, amplifier, 2 coils and harness.

rickjaffe

my dad bought a 66 plain vanilla coup in 1974 for 2,500. He could have had a convertible for the same money. He didn't use it much over the years, and it sat in some restorer's place for years, then it sat outside at a gas station in maryland for a year. The garage owner offered 4-5k to take it off our hands. We declined and I had it shipped it down to texas. Since then I've been upgrading: power steering; hydratek brakes, new exhaust system; vintage air. new carpet, tires, wheels. Next might work on the suspension, then end up with paint and new glass.
oh, I guess you wanted best deal, not how much money sunk into the car. probably qualifies as both; my father is too old to drive it and I get to fix it up and drive it.

provette67

This '67 435 roadster.With protectoplate and sticker still on tank.Came with a 70 LS6 motor in it and the original motor with a spun bearing.Oh yeah I almost forgot I bought here on the forum from a guy 15 miles from me who had owned the car since 1969.This is what it looked like cleaned up $30K

kabong

I bought a 60 in 72 for 1050.00. Still have it. Started looking for parts, was out in the parking lot after work one day, low and behold, on a Ford Van, were a set of 57 to 58 Corvette hubcaps! I offered the guy 50.00 bucks and he took it!!!!

silverslashstreak

I bought my 63 in 1970 for 1100. Both floor boards were full of water, the clutch was slipping the original paint was looking a little rough and before I got it back home a rear spring bolt pulled through. I was as happy about the deal then as I am now 200000 plus miles later.



SSS