xkeots

Hi All,

I went to see the local 77 Vette today. It was a lot less than I thought it to be.
I will write a small list of what I thought about my small inspection. Please advise if I should go back and buy, thanks!
The last price from the seller to me was $4,500.00.
Here it is. 77 Black Vette, L82 on Hood (valve covers were L82 but #'s didn't match and I have no idea what the motor was from) Automatic and idled real fast. Paint chips everywhere, and small paint cracks & stars in a lot of places. The car had body work that I was able to find. The whole front in front of both front wheels, on both sides (I felt under neath) had seams, it almost seemed like the whole front panel might have been replaced (I was able to see the seams coming through on in the black paint, the underside had reinforcement strips on the seam, but body looked straight) both back wheels, I felt up and there were replacement panels there too. On the passengers side I was able to look thru the passengers front wheel well and see light coming from between the body and well. The doors opened and closed without a droop, so door pillars are good. I couldn't see birdcage but floors were soaked due to T-top leaks. The T-tops had no headliner, only the underside of the fiberglass top and the plastic bags for the T Tops. The Dash top was replaced the the rest of the interior looked like it was spray painted tan. The brake pedal was down to the floor but the car stopped. New A/C compressor but no fan (seller said due to vacuum leak) and no wipers (motor). The frame looked rot free, minor rust along the rocker panels. Headlamps worked, but slowly. I couldn't drive it as it had no plates. The car went back and forth in his driveway. Windows worked and seats were cloth. All panels aligned well. The door opening mechanism in the drivers door needs replacement or repair. Exhaust looked good. Non original wheels. (American Racing)
What advise can I get from an experienced C3 person? (I have to have an automatic because of a back injury)
I was going to offer $4,000.00 or is that too much? Should I pass? I am in no rush, this was a local so I was able to check it out.

Thanks
Jack

blk79nj

It easier to make an assesment, if you post some pictures of it.

Based on what you have said, I would pass on it. With the floors soaked because the t-tops leaked, will proabably have rust involved. The floor will be rusted, along with birdcage.

Is this your first c3?

If you have back issues, I'm assuming that you will have to farm out most of the work that is needed to keep any c3 going. My suggestion would be to find a better car, it will cost more initally, but you will be better off (much happier) in the long run.

pbcanney

I got depressed the more I read the description.

Mike Ward

You don't want that car at any price.

78VetteChic

That's what I'm thinking too.

jbowles49

Run don't walk from this car. Look and it and know by the time you have it to a decent state you will have spent 15-20K. Buy the finest example of the year YOU want and know you will have saved a ton of money and time. Good luck. My opinion based on my experience.

Paul L

So many (and expensive) things are wrong. Pass....

08Roadster

Definitely Take a Pass on this one !!!

xkeots

Thanks for the pats on the back. I was thinking the song that "The Ventures "did "Walk don't Run" I just was thinking that if I was doing a body off would it make a difference.
Someone asked me if I ever owned a C3, the answer is, I had a brand new 1969, a brand new 76 (stolen) then a brand new 77. I wouldn't mind walking into a dealer again and buying a new C3 but that is not happening.
I had a few C2's also but I was too young to buy those new.
My thought is, what is to stop, even a nice car for three times the price having hidden rot? Especially in the birdcage?
I was surprised that this car had no frame rot.
I would be doing all the work myself after I am finished with my 67 GTO Convertible. This would have been a 2010 project.
I have done many body off resto's all by my lonesome. But not one Vette.

Thanks
Jack

joewill

if 4000 is your budget then this is probably the best you are going to do.. unless you have the patience to look at 20 more cars.. but if you have more money then find one for 3 times the money for 10 times the better shape... depends if you will settle for the issues or will try to fix them as time goes by... if so , it will nickel and dime you to death... if you don't do the work yourself it will be a money pit..

i bought mine knowing I would spend 25% more getting it the way I wanted it... it is hard to see what your motivations are, but all these posts should give you an Idea of what you are getting into... buying a top shape car for a low price is just not reality here...

it does not matter if the car is 2000 or 3000 or 4000, you will be buying into alot of work depending on your requirements.. Haggleing the price down another couple of hundred should not be the issue here.. you won't care what you paid after you start spending thousands to fix it.

GD70

It seems to me if you plan and want to do a body off resto, it should at least have a #'s matching running gear. If you don't care about that, and it's just for the fun of the hobby, then do what suits you. Just keep in mind you'll never recoup your investment with a 77 in my opinion. There were 49,312 built. I think you can find one with a better starting point.
Glenn

Love My 72 and 77

Just keep looking. I have been amazed at The beautiful original cars I have found for CHEAP!

Derrick Reynolds

Given the description, I agree with the others, there have to be better starting points out there for the same money. Even at $4K, you should be able to get a '77 that can drive, not one where the steering wanders all over and the brakes go to the floor scaring the life out of you (well, it would me anyway), BEFORE YOU EVEN GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY!!!! All of them at $4K are going to have problems, but this one sounds scary. Worse, if there is water on the inside and it has been stored outside, the thought that it doesn't have rust problems somewhere is misguided at best.

xkeots

I am just looking for a car to restore with my son as a bonding thing. He is only 9 but he is interested. I figured that a 77 vette would be a decent car to do that with. $4,000. is a cheap starting point, if I pay more or less, a total resto is a total resto. But I think that I will keep on looking to find one with matching #'s and one that wasn't hit. I hope that I can find one locally.

Thanks
Jack

blk79nj

This is the BEST investment you can make. Just the bonding time alone, will make up any differance you loose in value of the car. Sounds like you will have plenty of time to work on it, since he is only 9.

Please keep the forum updated on what you end up getting.

xkeots

Hi All,

It looks like this.
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...99/77vette.jpg
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...9/f2e44351.jpg
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...9/11054fb8.jpg
Pictures look better than car, much better.

Jack

my 76 ray

The fact that they put the car on a lift but didn't take a picture that shows anything is interesting.

Derrick Reynolds

Sounds like you have a lot more experience with this kind of thing than I do, so don't take it as I am telling you what to do, just what I am thinking if faced with the same choice. I suspect the others are in the same vein as well. That said:

There is water in the car: That means that water is getting to places where it wasn't designed to go. That means that pieces of the car that are not properly protected from corrosion are regularly being exposed to moisture. That means that lots of parts are going to need to be replaced on this car, that possibly wouldn't need to be replaced on one that has been maintained/stored/protected better. This will add to the cost of the restoration. Additionally, if the birdcage is rusty, this WILL make a body off restoration more difficult. If you lift the body off the car, and the birdcage is rusty, you will then essentially have to disassemble the body to repair the birdcage, then reassemble. I'm not saying you don't have the skills and experience to tackle this, as it sounds like you do, but it will add time, complication, and cost to the restoration.

What's the hurry? You say yourself that it will be literally months before you expect to begin on the project, so why not take a month or two to look at some other cars. Believe me, here in NJ, if you want a project '76-'79 Corvette, there are LOTS available.

That said, I think an appropriate value for this car would be as a "parts car". I don't have any experience in the area of Corvette parts cars, but have read here on the forum that $2000 is the right range. So, if you really feel this is the one for you, see if you can talk him down substantially on price. Again, I don't see why you are in a hurry, and I doubt this car is going to go running off anywhere at that price, so if it was me, I wouldn't be afraid to make a low offer and let him stew on it. He may bitch about the "low ball" offer, but IMO ANY car that can't drive should be considered a parts car. If he wants to sell it as a driver, he needs to fix the steering and brakes at a minimum. I would not be shy about telling him that.

PK

929nitro

When I bought my 75 a year and a half ago I paid $2500.00 and drove it home. Look around and find something more solid to start with or at least less money, deals are even better now with the poor economy. Just my 2 cents worth. Enjoy the bonding time that is the best value of them all.

FRSTR90

Personally, If I were going to a body off resto, I would try to find one without an engine and tranny, and has basically everything worn out. These cars you might find for $1-2.5k Others would most likely call it a "basketcase". If I were going to do a body off resto, I would not want to pay the extra $3-4k to have an engine and tranny in need of a rebuild sitting in car able to move the car. If you try to sell the engine and tranny the way it is, you will never get the $3-4k extra you paid to have a "running" car. If you decide to rebuild it, the chances of it have quality parts inside of it is slim unless its an L82. On top of that, no one wants a 3 speed tranny unless the car is not going to be driven much. So, when you buy that "running" car, you are actually money behind.

Here are some general numbers concerning a genral situation(no your situation) Since the average C3 project car cost approximately $6,000, my numbers below will reflect a $6,000 dollar car.

$2,500(cost of a basket case)
+$3,500 (premium to have the "running" car)
+$4,000 (rebuild on the engine or crate engine)
+$1,000 (rebuild on tranny)
$11,000 Total cost for a car with a fresh engine and tranny

Or

$2,500
+$4,500(rebuild+core or crate engine)
+$1,500(built 700R4 + misc expenses)
$8,500 Total cost for a car with a fresh engine and tranny

So, with in mind that you will be rebulidng and/or replacing everything on your chasis and your interior, you could use the extra money towards other up grades on the car.