rmyers

I have been looking for a C2 Roadster for a few months now. I want to be driving one this spring so I am starting to feel the pressure. I am looking for some help locating something and evaluating them when they come up.

Here's what I am looking for...

Overall I want a nice driver that I am not into for for more than $40k. I would go higher for the right car, but anything over $50k would be hard for me to call a driver.

I like all years, but prefer the later years (65-67).
No custom body mods, but I can live with "factory" mods, like factory side pipes added, or a 67 hood on a 65, etc...

Options I like are side pipes, BB or Stinger hood, along with the normal preferences of BB or high horse SB, power everything.

A NM car would be great, but I know that to get a NM driver in that price range probably won't have options I would like, and for a driver I would rather have the things I like.

I am in the Cincinnati Ohio area, but willing to travel a little for the right car.

Any help locating one is greatly appreciated. I used the forum to help evaluate one I looked at several months ago, and I have been actively participating in the forum since and I have learned a ton, but still want some expert help.

rmyers

BTW I am currently considering looking at one in Youngstown Oh. and one in Rochester/Bloomfield NY. I have e-mailed or talked to the owners of both. Both are NOM.

Here are the Craigslist listings for both. They both seem a little high on price, but in the ballpark of what they are worth and what I want to spend.

I have more info that I can share via PM if anyone can help me out.


http://rochester.craigslist.org/cto/4328928943.html

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/4326626325.html

856666

Hello RM

Both cars look promising and prices are a good starting point for 365 C2's.

I would focus on the Red 66' due to the 10 years by same owner so you can get an idea of it's history. It would be nice to have more pictures.

For the Green 65' - the problems I see are minor: The steering wheel looks cracked, the radiator is not stock and may be brass vs aluminum so check for an over heating issue, not the stock air cleaner, flywheel shield missing, exhaust pipes look 1 1/2 inch vs 2 inch and lots of black spray paint on the chassis - what is it hiding? I would like to know about the "Older Restoration" details

Ask the usual questions:
What components are original/numbers matching
Major component condition - Engine/Trans/Diff/Frame/Brakes/Body
Drive it

I looked at similar cars last year (solid driver 350 hp) for 37K

Phil

Bowtyeguy

I agree with 85666 on the cars, I do think you can get into a 65-67 for 40k BUT as we all know, these cars always need something. They are 45 plus years old and things just break. When you drive them you always have to stay on top of them. Spring is almost here.

rmyers

Thanks Phil and Bowtyeguy,

That is why I love this forum. Knowledgeable people quickly reply to help out a newbie. You picked up on things that I definitely would not have. Here is more info...

For the green '65, I spoke to the seller and he said he just acquired it. He had been offering to buy it for a while, and the previous owner finally decided to sell to him and he bought it. But the timing wasn't good because now he has two projects going and need the money for them. Ironically, the two other projects story was the same for both cars.

What he said was that the chrome is great, interior is very good, paint is good driver quality and the frame is excellent. He seemed very familiar with vettes, so when he described the frame, he knew the typical "problem areas" and said they were solid, and no repairs done.

As for the drivetrain, he said that the motor shows matching numbers, and the casting is correct, but that the motor had been rebuilt during the "older off restoration" and for some reason he was assuming that they had decked and re-stamped a block, vs. it being original. He didn't know about the rest of the drivetrain. If it is 1.5' exhaust, would that be a tell on being an original 365 hp car?

For the red '66, it is definitely NOM. Here is the e-mail reply I received to my questions.

"I'll do my best, I'm not a mechanic so I can only tell you what I believe to be true. I have a small collection of cars and enjoy them for their beauty and some summer driving. I take very good care of my cars and they are stored in side all the time.

I have taken some photos but they didn't turn out too well. I can take more and email them to you if you wish. Let me know.
Paint is in very good condition but there are a couple of locations where the painter left a couple of drips. I suspect they could be repaired relatively easy, otherwise the paint is excellent.
Interior is not new but looks very good. Still has very good black color with no rips.
Chrome also is not new but is in very good condition (no bad chrome). The tires are also in very good condition.

The motor being a 365 horse is from a 1965 Corvette. I don't know about the remainder of the drive train.
The color of the car is red, white top and black interior.
It has power brakes. I don't know much about fabrics so not sure if it is leather or not. I might guess that it is not leather.
It does not have air. I had a professional restoration of the gage cluster done and also one of the radio.

The car is very attractive (eye appealing) and drives out excellent. It is not a chore to drive but rather is fun to drive. There is nothing wrong with that part at all.
Behind and lower than the rear bumper is a valance. The lower bolt hole on the left side is broken and thus does not connect with the quarter at least not at that one location. This would be a very easy repair.
The head light motors work fine as does the power antenna. Each year the car easily passes NYS inspection.

When ever I sell a car I find it difficult to describe the vehicle over the phone or email. Yesterday I had someone look at the car who has three vettes now and he said my phone description to him was very accurate so I hope I have done the same for you. I would love to show it to you if you can visit or send more pictures.

Yesterday I turned down a $36,000.00 offer so this infers that I need to be between $36,000 and $39,900.00. I would like to sell it before Spring as I just purchased two other cars and could use the vette money towards those two. I do not want to sell the vette for any other reason. If it doesn't sell locally I probably will take it to Carlisle in April where I have excellent luck selling."

capevettes

I would want to know why the 65 has a 66/67 grille?

856666

Hello RM

Green 65

I thought the numbers on the pad looked good too. If its numbers matching engine there is a better chance the rest is unmolested and match.

The 1.5 exhaust only means it has been replaced with a smaller size (restrictive) size tube. I pretty sure that 2" is standard for 350-375 HP engines so it something you would eventually want to change. No word on the rest of the mechanical's: Brakes, Steering, Cooling/Radiator etc?

I like this car (green) but the owner has not put miles on it so you really don't know the history and upkeep of the car - It would go to the top of my list if it had the story of the red car.

Red 66
The owners story is what i would want to hear as a buyer plus he is a corvette guy. If you don't mind a NOM and can get it for 36K I would look at this one first. Don't forget to ask about any previous body damage/repairs and repair history of the car

Information on numbers

http://corvette-world.com/corvette_specifications.php

Phil

vetteLT193

Without seeing them both cars seem very fair. Finding a C2 convertible that is running, driving, and looks good is $$$ these days.

There is also another Green Convertible with side pipes at one of the Corvette stores in Tampa. I think it's at 41.5k and seems like one of the better deals out there right now. I haven't personally seen it.

Revfan

Hey
Good luck with the search! I was doing the same thing during 2012-13 and found my car last summer.

I had the same price range as you... and as I have said on other threads, in the $35K price range, unless you LUCK into something (a friend of a friend's grandma's car), all you can really hope for is a solid driver with a good frame and birdcage.

All will need something, so you have to decide what direction you want to go. If its a driver that you would look good in and just want to be the center of attention (I'm guilty) than don't worry about OMs, and if the dates are correct.

Paint jobs are one of the most expensive items, so the better the paint/body condition, the better off you will be. But paint is not as expensive as trying to repair a rusted out birdcage and/or frame. frame/birdcage).

When I started my search, I was fairly closed minded about colors engines etc... by the end of the search, my mind was opened. ALL C2s look good in the color they were born with... ALL motor options are just fine 50 years later.... what I mean is, don't be discouraged by a base model 250hp car. Chances are, that one has been better taken care of over the years than one with a factory 365hp car. Unless, of course, you are a speed freak who wants to buy a 50 year old car to race in...

Here is one recently posted... talk about classy combination!

1966 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible - $42000 (LaGrange, Ga)

No affiliation to the above car, but it looks clean and well sorted.

rmyers

I will be patient and hopefully find one that I feel good about. I don't have illusions of someone practically giving away a high horse original '67.

Regarding the CL listing posted, I sent the seller an e-mail with some questions on it. It does present well in the pics.

stingrayl76

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/4387839365.html