63vetteman

I greatly value the opinions of all my fellow corvette brethren here, so I m asking for some ideas of value on a potential purchase.
Im looking at buying a 63 swc from a guy very local to me. I finished my modified one 4 yrs ago and want to do an original one now.
The car is a # matching 340hp car. The original motor, trans and rear are out of the car but are included. Motor will need rebuilding, not sure about trans and rear yet. Car needs paint and interior. Body is very good, no cracks or body damage. Interior is just tired, wrong carpet, seats are weak etc. Frame has no rust or repairs. Glass is all orig and in good shape. All stainless is intact and very nice. Birdcage is very solid as are drip rails. The car has a newer 350 motor with hooker type side pipes, not sure what trans or rear but it was run on the track years ago. Im looking to do a higher end driver restoration on it. What should I be paying for it???????? Or should I say what would you guys pay for a very nice restoration candidate? Thanks in advance.

Easy Rhino

Interested in the answers.

My math would go something like this:

Value of car frame-off restored - costs to get it to that condition (parts + labor) = maximum value of sale price. Value of the car goes to its desirability (SWC = $$$), but besides the 340HP, is there anything else that adds to its value? Color, AC, etc.?

The independent variable here, IMHO, is the amount of sweat equity one is willing to throw into the car as a hobby/avocation. If the value of time is = 0, then it's parts only (with the exception of any paid labor costs).

63vetteman

No real options other than sebring silver orig paint color. I agree with your formula, that's why Im curious what others would pay. Im a very hands on sweat equity guy. Sometimes that's my downfall, I never take that into account when I sell.

Boyan

20-25

jimh_1962

really...

docent

63 Vetteman -- Buy it, restore it, and then sell it to me. Only
restriction would be, you'd have to have it done before summer,
so I can enjoy it. I'm still looking.

Frankie the Fink

Not a ghost of a chance of getting that car for $20K-$25K unless the seller has NFL (No Frontal Lobes). I personally know of people that have paid that amount just for a decent body for a restomod...

jimh_1962

could you settle for a 67 BB?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/4348854943.html

no affiliation... just saying keep an open mind is all.

65 Pro Vette

A friend just bought a 63 340 cp that needs full restoration bumper to bumper, very nice body, original motor and trans and all the parts in boxes, he paid $50K he knows the restoration will cost around 80K more but it is the color and int. and engine he wanted. In my opinion he paid about 8 to 10 to much. He should have bought one 2 years ago.

MikeM

How many NFL people do you know!

chevahaulic

If the owner is half way knowledgable ... 35 to 40k. Reality says they can't be bought much cheaper than that. Some buyers indicate half price so the DOT doesn't end up with part of their restoration budget.

56early

They are only worth what the last buyer paid for it . speculation is left for the stock market and casino's . Many people over pay and wait the longer the wait the dollar value decreases and prices driven higher. No one here can put a dollar value on a vehicle that hasn't been be inspected by someone of knowledge. Not every car is sold to the unsuspecting.

Boyan

He asked what I'd pay....

jimh_1962

Okay... Yeah, gotcha.

StingU2

Well then I guess you won't be buying one...

StingU2

63vetteman... does this SWC come with BOTH #matching original motor, trans, and rear along with newer 350 motor, trans, and rear?

-Bruce

chevahaulic

The present ( last ) owner may have bought the car in the 70s for a value less than six thousand dollars. I have owned four C-2 coupes including 3 63s for this amount and less in good driving condition during this time period.
Were not speculating on anything.... just current range of value for an average condition car with described options. If you scout publications you will not find them very much less .... many are priced higher. There not making any more. Complete cars with all their one year only parts are not available on every street corner. SWC's have been popular for years. Due to the recent " I got to have one " requests prices have rose dramatically. If one waits to have a SWC priced in the 35-40 range inspected by an expert ..... they won't have to because it will be already sold.

Five or so years back I put one of my coupes on Craigs list for 25k value mainly interested in a C-1 trade. Had two offers, both in state. Recently I advertised for trade only, C-1 with cash either way up or down. My local search ended with an instant overflow of twelve requests from Texas, Florida, several from New york the first day. One project car offered. The rest wanted a " reasonable cash sale price ". Although the car never changed hands I know it is very popular and I learned about searches that alert you when an item appears anywhere on CL.

From this experience I have gathered when your selling buyers want a bargain. When your buying there is no reasonable. The market is just too strong.

1KULC7

Getting both motors, and I assume all the OEM parts are in the interior, you did not mention if the suspension system was modified, or if its stock. You will most likely need a lot of OEM/NOS engine parts to bring the 340 HP back.

This is my best estimate based on the current market values of the SWC.

If I was to sell this car, in the condition you describes, with both motors, and transmission, it would be around the $50K price range.

First of all you mentioned you MODIFIED a 63 and now ready to restore it back to stock or showroom condition..BIG DIFFERENCE between the two.

I have done both, and let me tell you this, you are in for MANY surprises once you start taking this car apart....MANY EXPENSIVE ones if you want to restore it back to NCRS Top Flight condition....

Until you remove the paint you do NOT know the condition of the body, flared wheel wells were repaired so easily, again not know what is need in the 327 engine, and transmission, and you did not mention condition of the chrome. Does it have the original steel wheels and wheel covers, what about the steering wheel, plastic glove box, console covers and rails, stick shift, master brake cylinder, rear spring (is it OEM), shocks, steering box, radiator, correct hoses and hardware, and the list goes on. Many of which are one year parts that are very expensive and hard to fine. If you are trying to get this make to NCRS Top Flight condition, your minimum for restoring, include body and paint, another 25-30 K at least. So if you are luck you end up with a restored SWC for around 80K that might be top flitted. This IS NOT COUNTING LABOR....if you have to send out add about another 20-30K . I have not seen the car, but have run across MANY like you have described, especially ones brought on the track where modes were done to the suspension, Drive line, exhaust system (remember the 63 had different exhaust lines then the rest of the mid years...and changed motors which all resulted in a minimum of $100K (including price of car) to restore. GOOD 63 parts are rare and hard to find, for example the spindles in a 63 have no webbing, and they are date coded, do you know how hard that is to find original rear spindles, also the air box and air fan and ducting is a one year production, changed in 64, there is so much on the 63 it without a doubt is one of the hardest and most expensive Corvettes to restore. Best of luck with you quest, I hope you do bring it back, but you will need DEEP POCKETS, and hope you can do most of the work yourself that helps the old budget. Wait until you replace the rubber around the glass, especially in the two rear windows and try to get the trim on without dinging the Stainless. When I restored my 63 four years ago, it took 7 years, and cost me around $159,000 to restore. I did some of the work, but because I a limited in many skills, I sent it out or worked next to the person to save some money. However my car was in rough shape, but from you described, my car was in better shape i the interior, and suspension. Again best of luck. If I had to do it all over again, I would buy a fully restored 63 that is a proven top flight winner....but to each there own. Hope this helps a little, I am by no means an expert, but I know more about the 63 Coupe than I ever thought simply because of going through the restoration, however, this resulted in one of the nicest 63s in the country, and I paid for it in blood, sweat and tears. Don't mean to lecture, and I am sure you may know a lot about Corvettes, but until you restore a 63 BACK to showroom, you really need to listen to people who have been there and restored a poor condition car back to a top flight Corvette....just want to help you.

63vetteman

sting.........yes, right now it has a mild track running gear in it. all the orig running gear comes with it as well as some original stuff. moldings, etc.

63vetteman

ebvette...............points well taken. Im probably not going the top flight path, I know how expensive that will be. Just want to do a higher end driver that I will actually drive.
I m feeling the 45 to 50 range is top of the mark for this car with 2 sets of drive train and the really nice shape its in now.