RunningMan373

Just a Poll to see how far from the Idea was from the reality, on inspection.

C3 RV

Mine needed less work than I thought when I bought it. I heard a whine from the rear end when I test drove it and I thought it would need some diff or bearing work. My mechanic said everything checked out OK and I had him change out the rear diff fluid with Schaeffers. That was the only work done on the car in the first year.

Jughead

How far off from what? Passing inspection, being safe to drive, being a basket case, meeting my vision of the vette I wanted?

RunningMan373

How much did you have to put into it to get it to the point you hoped it was, when you first saw it, from when it was parked in your driveway on getting it home. there is a answer for "right on the mark", jug.

AlCherry

We paid 5K for ours, we knew it was going to cost 7-10K to restore. We looked it over pretty good when we bought it. I drove it 90 miles home, with near total brake loss. The motor has great compression!
I did a leak down (2% on 7 cylinders and 4% on the other) and compression test. The tranny is in great shape. The body WAS the biggest issue.

capevettes

I saw my 68 427/390 in Hemmings. I drove to NH that day from Cape Cod. I bought the car that day after inspecting it for 2 hours. I drove it home and only had to do a few small things to it. Usually after buying a car you find things wrong that you overlooked. The more I look at this car the more I like it. 75,000 original miles and really drives like a new car. New paint, fresh original 427. Hasn't always turned out this way when I have bought Corvettes in the past. Very pleased.

Rusted40

we had to use soapy water to get mine to slide off the rollback
although it had a new engine and trans, the chassis needed help

I have less than 5k in it so far including what I paid for it, and it rides like a new one

since I do all of the work I save a TON on labor costs

the paint and interior I plan on doing myself also.
I'd be happy if I get out with less than 10k including the turbo engine

BTW you should put a "I stole it" column in the vote

BB72

Got it home to start a frame on resto....found the frame spliced at the back on an never frame. Thats why is looked half decent. The frame ended up being bent. The left front frame horn and bumper mount was severely slotted to make the bumper fit right. The windshield frame was great, the firewall at the bottom corners, where you can't see it....had holes you could put your fist in. The right rear fender had been repaired with a ton of bondo and fiberglass mat. The birdcage was rusty in all the spots that were covered up. I took the windshield trim off and it looked good but all the other spot were hiding stuff.Check these out



Basically someone bandaided this car together. The outside looked good and straight. So the short of it is I got phycked. I just bought another frame and body off of e-bay. Talk about making chicken soup out of chicken shyte.

Jeffery73

Mine was actually a little better than I thought. The guy told me the exhaust and tires were shot so I didn't even look at them when I did the inspection. They are both fine. It's a Midas exhaust so I will change it out eventually but for now, it works.

C3 4ME

the biggest thing I've done to mine is paint, but obviously I knew it needed that when I bought it. Lots of little things too, though.

john roth

No way I am going to brag about how dumb I was. Bought mine from Michael Montrief, needless to say what I bought and what I got were very different things. Two years and 10's of thousands later I am almost driving a very nice 69 Vert, which is what I bought to start with.

jcswm

Mine turned out to be a LOT BETTER than I thought!!!
It had been parked for 10+ years before bought it & I thought the engine AND transmission would need rebuilt
Replaced a VERY rusty fuel tank (full of water) cleaned the carb and she ran like a top
Bubba had installed a Hurst shifter and never adjusted it.... it took 15 min to adjust and the trans has worked flawlessly for 3 years now

rudolph schenker

RunningMan373

How much did it take to get the car to the state that you thought it was in, when you bought it?
I'm trying to see how big of a fool I was/am, or lucky I was/am, as compared with you. lol
I'm into mine 21k at this point, including purchase price, 5K up from when I rolled it home. and it still needs serious birdcage repair and possibly a head gasket. But I still love the car. That's the thing. The frame is solid, interior nice, body perfect, frame says it's never been in a serious accedent, razor strait. i think the key to these cars is to do all the work yourself, when and where possible. Wear and tear (and rust) just doesn't show up through the fiberglass. the dream keeps me going, and I'm getting closer every day. It's gonna be great!

R96IMP

Mine was what I expected....I knew the interior was crap and the carpet was wet.
I also saw the reciepts for the new 406 that had 300 miles on it and the paint was 1 yr old done by the manager of a FORD dealership bodyshop.
82 charcoal metallic.
Had good T-tops,but the car had sat for appx 6 mos.Tires ok rims all matching rally wheels w/caps and rings(metal).

I've got 4k in the interior and bodyshop work to seam seal the firewall area and install a new windshield.I'm going back together with the interior this week.Did a color change in the interior...went BLACK,its easier than matching new,old,and redyed RED and trying to get the same shade after YEARS of sun fade.

NCRS folks...DON'T SHOOT!!!
The car was so far from original its not funny and it was a L-48.

copter

I bought mine from the second owner(1982CE) and it had been an inside car all it's life.After a lot of phone calls and emailed pictures I felt comfertable in pulling the trigger.I looked and did my homework for a year so I didn't just jump on the first one I saw.Mine came with all maintainace records,window sticker,orginal owners manual.The guy I bought it from had a SS exhaust put on. No cats and had the trans gone through and had the weak parts that the first year 700R4's had replaced and while it was apart he put in a shift kit.He planned on keeping the car forever but the sound of little feet comming changed his mind.Besides he still has a black 78 all built up.I'd love to have his workshop it's as big as a small warehouse!!!Bought it in Tampa and drove it back to Savannah Ga without a problem.I've had the car 2yrs and it's never left me on the side of the road. on wood.

copter

Don't shoot me either.I'd like to do a two tone.Red carpet and black seatsNot on my CE that wouldn't look right.

spedaleden

I wanted a black 81 4 speed. Kept looking, but most I found were junk cars. Then started looking at solid cars and did not care about color. Purchased a beige one in great shape, but I knew I was going to put a lot of money into it. To make it the way I wanted. I could of bought a new one cheaper than want I have into this one, but I do love this one.

DR.Jay

I knew what I was getting into when I bought mine, and the seller took my offer of $1500.oo for it.


The last time I totaled up all the reciepts ( What was I thinking? Yes I keep every single reciept) I had over 12k invested into it, and still going. I did all my own wor except for mount & balance of the tires, and the alignment (couldn't justify the cost of buying the alignment machine)

69camfrk

My as in the fleabay ad "good running 350" turned out to be a basically blown 305. The car was about 3 hours from home and luckily it got me home. The only saving grace was the paint and body work which was fresh and looked good. Alot of money was spent on the car just not on mechanicals. Check out the old motor crud. Worst I've ever seen bar none! Needless to say that motor is long gone and replaced by a gmpp 350/330 motor