RatDog

Jason - I think you may have found the elusive "Little Old Lady from Pasadena"

-- Steve

Frankie the Fink

The car looks like it can be resurrected by somebody not intimidated by a full on 'project'... Has a hardtop, the right hood and original trunk spears are in place.

If the frame isn't blown and the engine is original and salvageable it would be a good, but challenging, restoration candidate. Having said that and if you're up for it .. then its all about the price....

monkfunk

Wow,,, I'm shedding tears as I type!
I thought mine was the lost and abused orphan.

Take her into your home and nurse her back to health!!! She needs you to survive!!

INMYBLOOD

Wow, now in 25 years of ownership I've had all those parts off but man. I guess that makes the decision to replace or recrome easy. I'd wonder about the frame with everything else that green. Interior and all the door/window trim. It would be a great project but be dedicated patient and deep pockets.

1fun37

Wow, what a project! Can't believe the deterioration inside the car and the picture of frame rust. I would give her some more rides and let her give you a price before offering any amount, you may offer more than she's willing to take. I agree it will take deep pockets for this one and hopefully you can do most yourself.
You may have only seen the tip of the iceburg. Good luck!

jimh_1962

Her pride and joy will be going to a car graveyard if someone does not save it. She needs to let it go where someone can do something with it.

vettebuyer6369

One thing Ive discovered owning a '58 is that I continue to be amazed at how much more expensive the parts are than they were for my other Corvettes, even the mid years.

Don't overlook the one year only stuff like the gauges, etc. Difficult & costly.

You will likely have to replace every bit of chrome, obviously the entire interior, everything under the hood, etc. Its pretty complete, looks like a good project platform, has the hood and spears, but if you are into the car for $70k when you are done you will be pretty upside down on an NOM car.

These cars are so hard to price. When you have a finished one or close to finished and you look at what it would legitimately would cost to replicate it, the numbers keep getting uglier.

Stewart Allison

Stewy

INMYBLOOD

Looks to have a radio! Any new pictures?

jasonsamara

Went back today and tried to get better pics. Please tell me what you think? The frame looks like surface rust? It's so tight in that garage I just reach under and snap pics. I never realized there was gold on the paint till I got the pics on the computer. I was able to open the passenger door and I was amazed at how it opened right up and felt tight and also shut with ease.

I was told the other guy who wants it has a $20k check just waiting for her to call. I think if she can get that from him she should do it unless I'm missing something?

jasonsamara

Stewart Allison

If she has a buyer for 20k let him have it. It makes me sad that I have spent all my life collecting cars, fixing, painting, restoring them and to see people let valuable cars get to this condition makes me upset..... This 58 Corvette would of been parked in this spot with the chance of somebody being able to bring it back with very little work. Now someone has a massive job ahead of them.... Good luck to the loosing buyer....
It's a shid heap ! Anything can be fixed but the next owner has his work cut out for him. (neglect) Stewy

mechron

my opinion on that car-->
the only good thing i see is the car APPEARS to be somewhat complete without any major body issues (again APPEARS!!!)

what is your local, rust belt maybe? if you do ALL the work on that car yourself you are still going to be way upside down in it. that car needs EVERYTHING and i mean EVERYTHING. parts (58 parts) will take forever to find and will kill you $$wise. IMO unless you have incredibly deep pockets that car will never get finished. that car will take years of work before you even see any progress and will be an endless moneypit. you will lose enthusiasm for the project long before it is even close to assembly, i,ve seen it happen many times. if you are going to be paying someone for the restore you are looking at thousands and thousands of man hours in labor.

sorry for sounding so negative, i don,t mean too. i have been doing these cars since the late 60s and that car is just too far gone. it is a nice dream to see yourself cruising in that car, but in 5 years you will be sick of that car (tons of $$ spent and not even a drive around the block) and be selling a basket case. it has SERIOUS SERIOUS rust issues, let the guy with the $20K check buy it, then in 5 years he will be the one sick of it, way upside down and trying to unload it.

you will be money WAY WAY ahead to just look for a driver 58 now and buy it. don,t walk, RUN away from that car.

i,m just telling you how it is--> i have worked on these cars professionally for decades and am now retired (and now still do body offs on C1s-C2s just for fun) 2-3 years is about what it takes me to do one part time (in much better condition). i don,t think i would want to take on that car if the lady gave to me free!!!

the best advice i have...

that car...

Stewart Allison

Yes I think you hit the nail on the head.
"I wouldn't take this car on if it was given to me for free......"
At the end of the day it would be wiser to part the car out than restore ? Stewy

4440stevesvette

I can't understand how a car could literally fall apart so badly! It looks like they fished it out of some lake after several years. RUN FORREST, RUN!!!!

1fun37

I agree with mechron, the frame and All metal components are questionable. I had a restoration shop in the 80's and you learn very quickly to AVOID rust. Everything including the stainless show some rust or pitting. Even the seat springs probably aren't useable. You can find a very nice rust free driver for not much more than the 20K investment if you are looking for a C-1. It may not be a 58!

jasonsamara

That's why I took the time to ask. Thanks for all the comments good, bad and ugly. The truth is what I was looking for and you guys were honest. I honestly think the simple fact is she will never let it go and it will be parted out when she passes on. I think I will try and convince her to sell it to the other guy for the $20k. I know the guy and he is gonna do the work himself and turn around and sell it. Should atleast be fun to watch huh?

62Jeff

Well if that's his plan, tell him you can save him a lot of work if he'll just write you a check right now for $10k instead of buying the car. You see he's going to buy it for $20k, spend $30k getting it presentable, and maybe sell it for $40k taking a $10k loss.

If he's willing to throw $10k away like that, he might as well give it to you and avoid the work of fixing the car.

*The numbers above are simply representative. The bottom line is I doubt he'll fix it up and flip it for a profit.

RatDog

If you're still around when when all that work is done, post some pictures of it here. I'm in my mid-60's so I probably won't live long enough to see it but there may be others who might still be alive

-- Steve

1snake

I seriously doubt he would make a profit if he was given the car for free. I can see at least $50K to make the car presentable, and that's doing most work yourself.
I've never seen a car with that much corrosion. It must have been submerged in salt water at one time.

Jim