SCM_Crash

Yeah. You gotta keep in mind, when I say daily driver, it's not exactly something I'll be driving a lot anyway. Especially right now. If I drive more than 10 miles every 2 days, it'd surprise me. 200 miles a month on each car max is what I'm going to have to say. I just don't drive much. Most people put 1K miles on their daily drivers a month.

Smadoo

For that limited number of miles, your situation sounds like one of the few instances where a c3 could realistically be used for daily transportation. Plus, you will have the C5 for bad weather or performance, so you wouldnt have to worry about that either.

vettebuyer6369

Interestingly, there was a recent thread about DD C3s, and I made some observations. One of which was that I felt a nice small block made a better "driver" than a big block. I was railed on by a couple big block owners who demanded to know why, screaming that I must never have owned one. I mentioned a lot of what you did, and from the personal experience of owning them. And you didnt even get into the cooling issues and extra insurance. I was positively roasted in that thread.

I maintain that a small block is the answer if you want to drive the car at all. And, in the coupe vs convertible argument, I have always been a convertible guy. Yes they always cost more, so that means you can get into a coupe cheaper. The coupe is also less "creaky," still has an open-air element with the T tops and (up to '72) popout rear window. And more space.

However...

I agree with this statement a zillion percent.

Aggitated Monkey

First thing is you can not listen to compairison of a C3 to later models. Newer generations are just friendlier.

I have had 8 Corvettes in the past 28 years and I have used 6 of them as daily drivers and they are just as dependable as any car of that erea. A nice C3 of any year can be a DD and they have been. I have enjoyed all of mine and I am enjoying my 78 now. I just made 2 round trips from Wichita to Oklahoma City the last 2 weeks and I enjoyed every mile.

I just made a choise myself. With 4 kids and one of them in collage I have reduced my cars from 6 down to 4. The choise i had to make was either keep a C3 or keep my BMW 5 series. I have chose to keep and drive the C3. My wife has a Cadillac that I can drive at times. the other 2 cars are my kids cars.

So here i am doing what I did many years; driving a C3

Buy one, drive it, and when you feel its a little un-freindly drive the C5.

SCM_Crash

EXACTLY what I'm looking for! Just a sweet looking ride. And you don't need to drive fast to make it look attractive. This is the kind of car you can just cruise in.

7T1vette

After reading your posts [and 'between-the-lines'], it seems to me that you want a C3 convertible for under $12K with reliable and fully functional mechanicals (engine, tranny, brakes, suspension, steering) and a nice interior and paint. Honestly, unless you are pointing a gun at someone who owns a car like that, it isn't going to happen. You want a $25K car for $12K. For $12K, you will get a car with still functional, but worn, mechanicals, 10+ foot paint job, worn interior, and questionable reliability, which needs the top replaced. Just look for a decent C4 for that kind of money and get a fairly reliable car that you can easily insure for daily driving.

Derrick Reynolds

I remember that thread quite well. I asked you for more specifics about why you didn't like BB cars, and in the end you gave me a serious and thoughtful reply. I didn't intend to "roast" anyone, and I hope you didn't take it that way.

My opinion that my car sucks as a daily driver mostly has to do with its comfort in bad weather and it being an eye-catching convertible that draws a lot of attention. I agreed with you then, and wrote it in the above, that the only real downside I see to BB cars as DDs is the gas consumption. I burn a lot more gas with a BB than I would with a SB, and most of the time when daily driving the car, I am driving around town where I don't get to use the advantages of the BB. The way I presently use my car, having the BB is great, and I never complain about the extra cost for gas, but I can see that getting real annoying if I used the car every day.

The real problem with a C3 convertible IMO is that it is really only a good car with the top down. Either I am just too picky, or not a great mechanic, but I have never been able to get a soft top to a point where I can just put it up, and get a water-tight environment inside. I put a new top on my old car myself, and spent a huge amount of time trying to adjust it and get it working right. I think I did a "good" job of it, and ended up daily driving the car for months at a time and it was OK, but there was more than once I showed up for a business meeting with a big wet spot on my pants.

Security is another issue, and not one that I feel is peculiar to C3s but to all soft top cars. This is aggravated by the fact that:

1. Older cars in good condition in general, and most especially C3s IMO (or Ferraris or anything flashy) just SCREAM "Look at ME!!!" in a parking lot.

2. The "crime of convenience" is a temptation that some people cannot deny. Anything of any value, even small coins, has been removed from my convertibles when I wasn't looking.

3. Although I am sure any car thief knows a million times more about stealing cars that I do, I can't imagine that having an unlocked door (or car with no top) wouldn't make stealing the car one big step easier.

Putting the hard top on and locking the doors makes the car about as safe as any other car, but since there is not provision to stow the hard top, basically I am left with the decision before I leave the house of whether I want to ride in a convertible or not.

All that said, I fear I may be getting mis-understood here. I'm not trying to steer the OP away from a BB car or a convertible, I just think it wise to consider how I will use a car before I decide on the particulars like coupe or convertible. Given the way he plans to use the car, I wouldn't steer him away from a convertible for weather reasons, but he might want to think about the security issue depending on where he parks. Additionally, I don't "bash" any C3s. They all have their application IMO.

vettebuyer6369

Thats was the plan with this. I did drive it quite a bit before the bad weather got here. The restoration was completed in October. A word of warning: as with all these cars, the costs of getting the car the way I wanted it were significantly more than I'd hoped, and I've been doing this for a long time.

I did not- your questions were legitimate. Actually, my roasting was over a couple threads, sometimes they get fuzzy. I never meant to indicate I didn't "like" BBs, just that I thought SBs were more "driver-friendly."

PK makes well stated points... there are realities to these cars that a person should know before they plan to spend a stack of money on them hoping to drive a lot. The C3 cars are eminently more driveable than the early cars, but still carry with them the usual "old car" issues.
However, the payoff is tremendous.

Easy Mike

A daily driver is driven daily. I used to commute 120 miles a day, five days a week, in my '74. My '80 was my only car for a while, so she went everywhere and did everything. Both were reliable.

vettebuyer6369

Ive purchased 2 '69 small block convertibles in the last 3 years. You are not going to get a decent convertible for the price range described above. Maybe closer on a '73-75, but I will tell you without question, if you buy a rough 12-15k chrome bumper convertible, it will be at $25-30k before you are happy.

gq82

Based on your criteria I would be looking at 74>75's...last 2 years for the convertible. I would think you could find a clean one in your price range.

Here's an example;

http://www.usedcorvettesforsale.com/...tte-33216.html

Good luck with the search.

Michael81Vette

Look at this black rag top! Awesome car!
We - finally - got one: 81 t-tops,engine got the Eldebrock HP upgade - now feels like maybe 350hp -12.5 to 13 second machine but still a DD. A/c works. We put 8k on her this summer/fall and simply love it!
She handles great, beats almost everyone,looks great feels great - upgrade the stereo w/Autosound - nice classic glass body that is very affordable(6k for ours) and is good investment.
For 6k - its a great DD ---- no way is she perfect. Quess what -- I cant handle perfect. My son drives the vette -my daughter,my wife - my buds. No - one little nick on a perfect car - $$$$$$$
Still, most say they are surpised at how low the price was for this car.

Aggitated Monkey

That looks like a nice vert. I like the 74 and 75 cars as they have the early style interior and feel of a steel bumper car with a much lower $$ tag. And....you can drive it without the replacement concern that comes with an earlier car. I realy like 68-72's however I do beleve they are more of a collector than a driver.

The above is a nice example of a clean driver

MMH2009

I agree with easy mike. I own a c3 & his suggestion about corvette c3 buyers guide is a good purchase. It helps a ton. I bought my book from amazon for $9.

SCM_Crash

Yeah, see, that's something I'd go for. Doesn't have to be a chrome bumper car.

Well, I was asking about reliability because I want to know more about the car. Motor-wise, it's hard to break a stock 350 unless it's got 300+ miles... (And sometimes not even then) I'm looking for something with clean interior, but I can do the rest. If need be, I can replace a motor and trans myself. That's not hard. And if I go that route, I can put in an LSx motor and matching trans with no problem. I'd just use an EZ-EFI for the stand alone computer and the rest is a snap. That'd be plenty reliable. But I'm not good with doing interior, which is why that matters to me.

Even a roller would be OK, but I'll have to hold on that until I get the OK from my doctor to start doing that kind of stuff. I was originally thinking they'd only cost around 12-15K. But that doesn't mean that's my budget. But after looking around, it looks like I'll need to spend a little more. That's not a problem at all. There's no lines to read between. I'm doing my research now. The only time I ever shopped for a C3, it was for that 78 and the guy only wanted 5K for it, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

Bronze76

I think a '75 is a great choice for several reasons. It's going to be a small block with HEI and can still be had for the price range you are thinking. My '76 actually has been super reliable and it does run better the more I drive it. I drove it for 2 whole weeks last month and it got better and better each day. So, they can be reliable if you have a well maintained example. Try and find one that hasn't been modified if possible. You want something that still has the stock manifolds, carb etc because you aren't looking for a hot rod (you have your Z06 for that).

I agree that convertibles look killer, but I have had them before (other makes) and learned they aren't for me. For that reason, I am happy with my '76. it is still pretty stylish, starts every time, stops on a dime and handles pretty darn well actually. Doesn't overheat either, even in stop and go traffic in 115 degree weather.

I REALLY like the chrome bumper cars with the high horse engines. Those things are super super cool.....to look at. You probably don't want to spend the money required to purchase a really nice chrome bumper car...especially a convertible. And if you did, you may not enjoy driving it all that much without stressing out about having a stone tossed at you from passing cars etc. if you want to have a nice C3 convertible...you should look at '74 or '75 small block. The '75 will have HEI but you'll also have a catalyst and basically single exhaust. The '74 would have dual exhaust and no cat...but points distributor, so take your pick. Of course, each of these issues could be easily fixed, so happy shopping!

chief455

Bronze76 - good post!
I read this thread hoping for real tips of what to look for and expect from a C3 with "daily" driving as the goal.
I respect this forum - been reading for years just waiting to find my first vette.
Without repeating what is likey in the "buyers guide"(wish I bought that), can someone just break it down:
1. what are the driveability constraints a C3 has in good operating condition?
2. what chronic repairs need upgrading or just kept up on?
3. what are things to look for on a used C3 to avoid headache?

the comparison to other cars is irrelevant since the original poster wants a C3 - period.
I'll give an example for a 93-02 Firebird
1. daily driving - or being driven all day a few times a week, is no problem. Just be aware the cars are very poor on wet roads, the power windows and headlight doors can fail anytime and the gas mileage is pretty good unless you juice it allot. I drove a new 95 ragtop from coast to coast twice without fail, but one time after eating the car took 10 minutes to start. never happened again. they handle well for what stock is, will slide if too fast into a corner. the anti lock braking is good for me - others dislike it. the brakes are excellent, unless used hard repeatedly, then they fade. rattles and squeaks depend on the exact car, but in general are minimal and easy to find/fix. the t-top cars are super easy to remove and store but they fill the trunk. convertible cars the top unlatches and goes down in 20 seconds from just the driver seat! and unlesss high pressure, no water leaks. huge improvement over other generations here. still the ragtops have more cowl shake then hard or t-tops. a strut brace helps this allot. cup holders in doors and console - the 93-96 console lid flips up where the 97-02 flips open to the side(better) and has more cup holders. this may sem trivial - but it makes "daily" driving more enjoyable than before. good factory steros, air conditioning works well - but if it does fail is difficult/expensive like any car.
2. chronic repairs - 93-97 - opti spark distributor. even aftermarket ones fail. a GM has been known to be the best replacement for a stock motor. no real upgrades without major mechanicl smarts - try to leave them alone.
headlight door motors - the gears wear, bronze replacements help.
power window motors - weak and fail. need replaced often, or lucky cars go awhile.
auto transmission - harsh driving will tax this as the weak link, easy driving should last fine.
rearend - the weak link on manual trans cars. upgrades are endless in aftermarket. a better posi and new gears in stock housing works in a stock car.
3. look for cracks in the dash, door panels, power antenna motor broken, lights, windows and other power options. they can be expensive to replace.
the body and suspension are quite good - just look for signs of accident - off colored panels, poor alignment, clunking ride etc - like any used car. they really have no rust issues or weak points unless abused, so try to know the history.
great cars, some say hard to work on, others say easy - to each there own. depends your skill/patience and dollar level. it is tight for a simple tune up. sometimes removing parts to get them out of the way is faster than working around them.
enjoy.

can someone do that for a '70s C3?

chillipepper

I have a 71 coupe myself with pop out rear window as you said its pretty much a convertible especially with the rear window out which I find fantastic. Also I prefer the look of the t top cars to convertible models. Its pretty much down to preference whatever floats your boat as they say!

AllC34Me

And based on this I think you are the perfect candidate for a low mileage survivor car that would love to be driven a little bit each day or throughout the week. I am not pushing my 77, far from it, I hear you loud and clear on the convertible and almost pulled the trigger on two of those this year alone. I had my eye on a 74 Green with Tan leather interior, stunning. The red one shown in this posting is also a stunning car. I am rebuilding a 71 now, a real challenge to my skills, but a labor of love. My point is that if you really want a convertible then don't settle for less, get the best one with the lowest mileage and stock components you can find and then enjoy it. They are out there, just like mine, with low mileage. Mine has 24K miles on it representing 750 miles per year over the 32 years it has been running. That is the perfect type of keep it lubed, keep it running, keep it clean and keep it original that I like with it.
Good luck with your search and share with us what you find and put in that garage, would love so see it when it arrives.
Best regards,
David Howard

CCrane65

As an owner of a BB C3 coupe that I had intended to be my dd I can tell you why it is not.

It is a '72 and when I bought the car it was 34 years old and so were most of it's parts. I traded an '02 C5 convertible straight up for it. I have had to r&r the brakes, the trailing arms, the tires (which had dry rot cracks), the windshield wiper and washer system, the heating and A/C, the weather stripping, the cooling system and the list goes on.

My point is you don't know when something is going to break on a car this old. And you especially don't know what was done to it before you got it. I found a homemade brace mounted to the headlight header bar and the horse collar and I have no idea why.

Now, about the gas mileage. You really can't be willing to fill up this car more than once a week. My car gets 8 miles per gallon on average. The best it ever got was 12 and that was with a remanufactured carb from Advance Auto that sucked for performance.

Your clothes will smell like exhaust fumes because these cars were manufactured at the very beginning of the pollution control era and their systems are very rudimentary. In fact, the air pump was designed as a way around the rule about tailpipe emissions having to be under so many parts per million. The tailpipe is not cleaner, it just has more oxygen injected into it to reduce the percentage of particulates. Your girl friend will not appreciate the smell when you snuggle up next to her. My wife has been known to make me take a shower before getting into bed to get rid of the exhaust smell.

Then there's the fumes that get into the house from the garage. Search and you will find many threads on that. I generally open all external doors when I start the Corvette and hope for a good cross breeze.

The seats do not have any adjustment for the back (remember, we're talking about early ones where convertibles exist), most don't have cruise control, many don't have power steering, tilt/tele was also optional, if you have the top down, there is very little room to carry anything along with you and what you do carry has to fit under the rear deck lid.

The radios are very basic so you'll probably want a better stereo and speakers so there goes some more of that room.

Don't get me wrong, I love my '72 big block but if I had to use it for a dd I'd not like that much at all. I'm not one to change clothes multiple times a day unless I did some work and got them dirty. When my wife tells me to change because my clothes smell like exhaust it reinforces the point that she doesn't like the car. If this car were to lose a significant portion of it's collectible value I'm pretty sure she would be bugging me to get rid of it.

I saw a previous post where 7T1vette mentioned you were unlikely to find what you are looking for in your price range and I have to agree. Especially where the chrome bumper cars are concerned. And if you're looking for one with a good interior, is mechanically and electrically sound and has good paint you're talking about the holy grail. We all want that untouched barn find that the owner just wants to get rid of.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just educate you on what to expect and maybe set your expectations accordingly. If you want a really nice C3 convertible that you can get in a drive expect to pay $35K or more for a chrome bumper car, $20K or so for a rubber bumper car.

If you find one for less, make sure you understand what it needs and what is involved in fixing it. You will pay on one end or the other. Either up front in initial cost or over time as you repair things to keep it on the road.

Look through the General and Tech sections of this forum and count the number of threads on vacuum systems, A/C systems, trailing arms, carburetors, etc. You will soon notice several recurring themes.

With that in mind, maybe you should drive the C5 daily and have the C3 for fun.

Just my $.02.

cc