dzehner2

Hey guys! From looking on your forum for a few hours (yeah... lots of time on my hands today), you seem like a really helpful bunch. I'm thinking of taking the plunge into a C3, and as some of you have said I'd like the right car to find me. I'm looking for something under $10,000 that I can use as a daily driver and not have to put a whole lot of restoration work into (I don't have a garage at the moment... so I can't do too much). Any recommendations? Anyone have something for me to take a look at?

dannyman

Try the C3 cars for sale;

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3s-for-sale-wanted-56/

Welcome aboard!!

koakley69

Finding a good running C3 for under 10k will take a lot of patience. It'll have to be a later C3 (after '75) due to the popularity of the horse power of the earlier C3s. I'd also look on craigslist and www.usedcorvettesforsale.com.

7T1vette

Best opportunities would be mid-to-late 70's C3's. Look for a private owner car instead of a dealer vehicle. Unfortunately for them, several folks are having to part with well-cared-for 4-wheeled "buddies" these days. I'm sure that they would rather sell their 'pal' to someone who would take good care of it...like you. Look over the car well for rust in critical areas and for what the car tells you about its care; take what the seller says about it with a polite nod and a grain of salt. Let the hardware speak for itself. Good luck.

Buddy1980

From a guy who has owned 8 Corvettes from 63 thru 01, if I wanted to purchase another right now for under $10,000 I would look around and find a nice 80. These had one of the best looking body styles of the C-3, no computer, and with a little modification can run fairly well. They are also a little lighter in weight than 79 and back because of lighter frame and aluminum rear gear assembly. I bought a 80 about 3 years ago in a good economy and paid $3500 for it and drove it home. No rust at all, the AC and cruise control still worked. If you couldn't find an 80, my next choice would be a 73, but it may be tough to find a nice driver 73 for less than $10,000. Good luck!

08vycpe

Your getting good advice from your fellow CF members. For the money you want to spend you may want to consider a late C3 like '78-80. During that period performance was very low so to compensate they make great cruisers with lots of options and creature comforts and are very reasonably priced.

If it's going to be a DD you can expect it will need repairs. If you can't do the work yourself it can get expensive.

dzehner2

A guy at work has advised me against buying a C3 since they are notoriously horrible in the smallest amount of snow (he told me he hit a tree going 15mph in 2 inches of snow). Is this really true? I figure it maybe more of a "user error" thing sometimes... I really only plan to drive it this winter (I can't afford to buy 2 cars... ), and I only have to go a couple miles to work, so it can't be that bad, right?

fauxrs2

There was once a time when front wheel drive and full time 4 wheel drive wasnt available on passenger cars, somehow our parents managed to drive around in insanely huge land yachts with big ol V-8s in snow and ice without plowing into trees every 15 minutes.

I drove my 72 camaro in snow and ice and yes, it wasnt as easy as my front wheel drive subaru but I still managed to get around, the real issue is tire size, the big fat tires we run on our cars basicly sit on top of the snow and ice and thus get less purchase, remember the cars even as recently as the mid 70's ran on comparatively narrow tires, narrow tires work great in snow compared to big fat meats.

But if you are adept at driving in snow and do not push the limits of the vehicles ability to gain purchase on the road, I see no reason why a vette couldnt work for you. TBH it wouldnt be my first choice, I drove my vette in the snow once or twice and I got around fine but it wasnt nearly as effective as my $300 POS subaru with its painfully skinny tires and front wheel drive. Dont expect to be able to mount chains to the large tires on vettes, I could find none that fit my vette or camaro when I was living back in VA.

dzehner2

Yeah, I was thinking of grabbing something under $1,000 to drive when it's nasty out (aka a Jeep Comanche), but it'd be nice not to have to register/insure 2 more cars... Would snow tires work? I'd imagine that someone has made ones that fit...

JW3101

With a Corvette or any collectible, it's also nice to have a "beater" - a car you can drive daily that gets you from point A to point B and you won't have to worry about someone stealing it, vandalizing it, etc. If you try to find a Corvette that is a least 14 years old you will be able to insure it as a classic a save a ton on insurance premiums and obtain basic liability for the beater - so insurance won't be too much of an issue $ wise.

dzehner2

I may have found her: http://providence.craigslist.org/cto/1407375218.html

Is there anyone from Rhode Island that can take a look at this guy? It's a little bit of a hike for me (especially when I have to pry the van keys from my wife). Looks ok from the pictures, but of course they don't tell the whole story...

dzehner2

Here's another finalist:http://providence.craigslist.org/cto/1400784609.html

If anyone can identify either of these, or is close enough to swing by and take a look with me, I'd really appreciate it.

7T1vette

If the 34K miles on the '79 is true (check the wear on the carpeting/interior...34K mile interior should be in good condition), that would be the better choice of the two. Both are nice...and very nicely priced.

Backstop

Insurance on a beater with a heater as your second/third car should be pretty cheap for a married couple. Get a small front-wheel drive car or say an early 90's Cherokee and use it for the bad weather days. Plenty of those in New England, there's Cherokees and Grand Cherokees in that very craiglist section you posted asking less than $2000. Then you have something to drive when "Let's rotate the tires" turns into "Might as well replace all the brake lines and paint the frame"

I don't like driving my Vette in rain, much less winter weather, and it's very much a driver not a show car. One thing is visibility, the taillights are small and seem low on the C3 and there's no third brake light. I spend half the time with one eye in the rear-view waiting for some chatterbox to come flying up on my backside on the freeway. Rain or snow would make that worse.

Not to mention: SALT GETTING ON MY VETTE!

GTR1999

To answer your question, yes they were DD cars but now they're 30-40 years old and who knows who owned and serviced them. In addition cars from this area do rot, I've fixed many vettes with rot on them. I grew up here in CT and starting driving C2 & C3 at 18. I used my 69 as DD year round. Rain,snow, everything short of a full out storm. It handled ok in the snow but I can't say I liked it all that much on those days. There is no room to store anything if you want to go to the store. They always need attention. Finding a turnkey for under $20k if doubtful- for a true turn key, all driveline rebuilt,paint and interior good, tires, brakes and all the small things that fail gone over. For $10k you should be able to find a decent car but keep your toolbox close by. There are pro's and con's to each year and style so educate yourself. I saw a real nice Green 79 at the Mystic show on Sunday. I don't think it was for sale but it was a nice looking car, L82 & 4 spd.

As mentioned, good points on where and when to drive it, I always had a back up car as many vettes were stolen here or smashed into on the street.

I would look at each car very closely and not rush into a sale. Many private owners take good care of them but some have no knowledge at all.

There are plenty around as well.There was a white 75 up near the casino that looked good until I stopped one day for a fast look. It wasn't worth $3k let alone the $6500 asking price.
Ask how the car was used, stored,what work was done on it and by whom. If work was done there should be records.

Maybe look into a local club, I used to run tech seminars for Club Corvette of CT when I was in the club. I would get someone with a lift bring in a car then go over it with a group to show what to look for. Not as much numbers but mechanical condition.

GD70

Between the 2, I'd buy the 79.
One thing that will make a difference in the snow is the tranny. Neither ad says what tranny is in the vette. I would only buy a 4-speed, but I think an auto may be better in snowy weather. If you buy a 4-speed you'll need to start in 2nd gear to reduce wheel spin. With an auto it's not quite as bad.
I agree with others though to buy a DD clunker cheap. You'll end up loving the vette and won't want to have to drive in in crappy weather.
Another thing to contend with is the T-Tops are notorious leakers. You'll be getting into a wet car half the time, especially not having a garage for it.
I drive mine during the winter, weather permitting. I never drive it rain, snow or when there's salt on the roads and it's garaged.
Just some things to consider.
Good luck and don't be scared away from buying a vette. Just be careful.
Glenn

Derrick Reynolds

Like others have said, a Corvette will be more challenging to drive in snowy weather than a more modern front or 4-wheel drive vehicle. But keep in mind that it won't be any worse, and may be better than, any older V8 rear-wheel-drive vehicle because the weight distribution (especially for a small block) is almost perfectly 50-50. I had my old car out in the snow many tmes ('69 sb vert), and it was way easier to drive than an old Mustang I had had years before.