greg7097

Yep...thats it. Thanks Howard.
From what i can tell its in good shape and it has been stored indoors since it went of the road in 84 (started a drove aroind the block every few years)

Clams Canino

All I can add to this is that the fact that it has a live ZL1 in it from "back in the day", mitigates a lot of (but not all) the "damage" done by the fact that it's so custom.

Personally, I'd have a top notch body shop restore the 68/69 fender gills back in it and add the old style racing numbers on the doors (in the same blue) - and I think the thing would be a real classic looking knockout. (without changing the character of the car as it sits at all).

Keep us posted. I understand the deal is tricky - but you DO want to keep it in the family and give it a good home where it will get loved and used with dignity.

-W

Vintage Exotics

I agree with Howard - this car is not likely north of 15 k$ and not too much south of 10 k$ depending on the condition of the car. You have to start thinking of it as a potential parts car in terms of cost even though you might be intending to put it back on the road. Kind of a cool looking car but I am remembering something about beauty in the eye ...

Wayne Ellwood

Hello,

I recently attended the "spring" collector car auction in Toronto. A clone (kit) of a MOTION went unsold at a bid of $ 20,000...what a piece of crap...it should have sold at $ 15,000. A stock 1969 427 tri-power went unsold at a bid of $33,000....now, that was more like it. So we can figure that the car in stock trim and medium to good condition is worth $35,000 on today's market. Looking at the car, we can also figure that the whole front end has to be re-built and the rest of the car re-freshed at a cost of $15,000 (no labor included). I would say that you idea of $ 15-18,000 is pretty good....especially if you want to restore the car to its most preferred format. If it's a family deal, you might go to $ 20,000 but now you're relying on speculative increase in value.

oldalaskaman

sounds like you and your relatives need to comunicate, they probably want less then you think.

DJ Dep

I think higher than $15-18,000 might be in order. Consideirng you can get a stock, unmolested Vette from 1974-79 for a lot LESS than that. And those cars are slugs in the performance realm. The ZL-1 engine alone is worth some big $$$$. It's hard to put a price on anything without actually getting to "kick the tires", as they say. I would want to make sure everything in it is sound and working properly. Personally, I don't give two squirts about restoring it to original condition. If that thing can blast down the dragstrip turning some respectable times, and I would think it can, I don't care if it's primer red with a turd brown interior. BTW...if someone made a Motion Performance clone that had ALL the Motion Performance goodies on it, I can see why it would go for big bucks:



And I'll throw in a cliche, since they seem so popular...to each is own.

oldalaskaman

i'm having trouble visualizing "turd" brown, what shade is that? is there a number scale for it?

blckslvr79

$15k - $20k.

DJ Dep

One other thing....anyone ever DRIVE or RIDE in a car with a ZL-1 or L-88? If not, then you need to do that FIRST before making any comments. It is NOT an L-48 or L-82 slug. Also check the price of a new ZL-1.

Heck, I'll save you the effort, it's $27-$28,000.

DJ Dep

AKA dark saddle tan.

73Corvette

very cool car......15-20.....great car......you are probably going to have someone in the family get jealous and mad....but, that just goes with the territory....IF they really love you and "get it" they will be proud and supportive of you......invest in those special people in your life.
Good luck!

oldalaskaman

aha!!

68L71

The documentation that it is a L71 means not too much value without the matching numbers motor. What transmission, m21 (original) or m22?

The ZL1 motor if in running condition is probably worth 5-7k. So I think 15-17k is a pretty good guess.

Dep, there is a brand new ramjet ZL1 on eBay now with BIN 14k

DJ Dep

Something else that has to be considered...the actual use of the car and the mechanical knowledge of the buyer. Is the car for a daily driver, fun cruiser on the weekends, a show car that only gets driven on and off the trailer, or is it going to be raced at sports car or drag races?

IF this engine is an ORIGINAL ZL-1 that still has all the factory ZL-1 pieces in it, you will NOT enjoy driving this around town...

First off you'll have to find a place that sells racing gas, as the original ZL-1 had some wild compression ratios (12-1 I think). Pump gas of today is not going to work worth a dang with it.

Second, the ZL-1 cam was made for racing, not tooting around to the local Sonic or McDonalds.That's WHY most of the cars/engines were sold to racers.

Third, it will have solid lifters. You will have to get aquainted with the famous porcupine head and how to adjust them. And you will have to keep them adjusted if you want it to run good.

Fourth, fuel economy...or lack therof. LOL...if you are buying a big block you can forget about miles per gallon and start thinking in gallons per mile. I'm pretty sure they cam equipped with an 850 double pumper Holley.

So that pretty much narrows down it's use to racing or show car. Both activities can be fun. Now if the engine was detuned to run on pump gas and has a mild cam like a factory 427/435HP engine, then you can probably drive it around town. But that also affects the value of the engine and drops it more in line with Howard's price to $15-$18000.

DJ Dep

I think you're underestimating the engine. If it is ALL ORIGINAL, it will go for a lot more. Know how many guys with 1st gen 1969 Camaros would cut off their left testy to get an ORIGINAL ZL-1?

Would YOU buy an engine off E-Bay?

greg7097

All
Thanks for the great comments and dialog. All opinons are being heard and thought about by me good or bad.
A couple more peices of info that i think you need.
1) There is not much on the car that i cant fix or work on and it will be a show car that i drive around every once in a while. I dont plan to chage a thing on the car. Thats why i want it, to me if the car is resored or changed it looses it value to me. My uncle built that car and its one of the first vettes i rode in at the age of 3 or 4 years old.
2) the motor is..a ZL1 Block and heads, with LS7 guts. So it is a 454 from 1970

Dont know how that changes things?

greg7097

Keep in mind that car was done and has not really been touched since 1970 so all the parts are from that erra.

DJ Dep

Okay that's a whole different ballgame. First off if it is a ZL-1 block with LS-7 guts, it has already been changed considerably. Being that the price drops down to what Howard posted...probably less. Too bad they put the LS7 parts in it. That kills the value of the engine, which was the main plus of the car. And if it is LS7 pistons, you will still have 11.25-1 compression. Which isn't going to work well with today's gas for street driving. The camshaft is also quite radical (if original) and would be a real PITA for street driving.

I strongly suggest you DRIVE this car before buying it. Especially in traffic and around town. That may decide it for you.

greg7097

Thanks for all your imput DJ
Keep in mind back then that motor was a Evolution from 68 to 71 to be the badest street car around.
1) 68 What was the best motor you can get (already hads the headson the work bench) 427 then just bolt on the aliminum heads
2) 69..boy that zl1 block sure is sweet..need to put that in.
3)70 boy that LS7 sure is making good power I think i will put them guts in.

Back then no one cared about stock and saving the parts. Hind site is 20/20 i guess

blckslvr79

Just buy the car already! OR tell me where it is.

From $15K-$20K, you can't go wrong.