SteveR.

In a few months I think I'm going to buy a C3...right now I'm thinking anywhere from six months to a year from now (I want to pay cash). Before then, I need to figure out what I want...

Right now I want a '68 or '69 (has to have chrome bumpers :) ). Preferably a big block...how hard are these to come by? What is the difference in price for BB cars? I'm also thinking I want a stick. I might consider a small block, but I would like something that is putting around 350 HP to the wheels. I would like to pay in the $15K range, +/- a few $K. Is that reasonable for a BB car? I wouldn't mind a light project car if it was cheap (below $8K). Did the '68s or '69s come with t-tops, or only as convertibles? I really want a t-top car. Convertibles are great, but right now I think I want a hardtop. Maybe that will change if I take a ride in one. :)

Other than obvious stuff like rust, what should I look for? What should I expect to pay for a small block vs. a big block? What else do I need to know about these awesome cars!

Numbers matching isn't really important to me...this isn't going to be a show car, just a weekend "fun driver".


[Modified by SteveR., 12:26 AM 12/22/2002]

73 LS-4

BB cars are normally about 5k more then a base small block car if it's a matching numbers big block. Desirable options such as 4spds, air conditioning,etc. can also increase this price quite a bit. 15k for a big block 68-69 isn't going to get you a show car it may get you a decent car that will take a little restoration to get it right. for a real good quality 68 or 69 your looking closer to 20k range (I'm just referrring to matching numbers cars here). All C3's are either T-tops or convertibles. The best advice I can give you is to talk to owners, hang around corvette shows, do a lot of research, Drive them if you get the chance, watch the papers and any other place vettes are sold to keep an idea of current pricing. Keep in mind the two years you mentioned also tend to be the most expensive of the C3's. One important thing to remember with 30 year old + cars is that there will be times when maintenance will be a large part of ownership, so don't spend all your money on buying the car, keep a couple of grand in reserve for the unforseen things you will run across after you purchase it, and it pays to either be handy with a wrench or know someone who is otherwise things can get expensive quick, especially with the back half of the car. I'm not trying to scare you with this at all, becouse once you fix the problems they become pretty darn reliable, you just have to keep on top of them. Oh yea, if you do buy a big block car, expect to spend a lot of time at the gas station, I know I do, but it's a small price to pay for the grin it puts on your face when you crack open the throttle. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions.

:cheers:
Pat Kunz

SteveR.

Thanks for the tips Pat. I can turn a wrench pretty well. I converted my Z28 from an auto to a manual completely by myself, so I can figure out almost anything that comes up I think.

What does a rebuild cost for a big block? I have no idea what parts run. Same for trannies. I've heard the trannies can be rebuilt pretty inexpensively. Just looking for a ballpark figure here...is it closer to $1k or $5k?

Oh yeah, what is this "car burr ator" thing I keep hearing about. :D I need to learn about those things. I know EFI systems really well, but carbs are a mystery to me. Any tips on where to learn about them?

What are the typical problems with the back half of the car? Bushings & other similar parts I'm guessing?

I know what you mean regarding the gas. I have a buddy who has a '70 Chevelle with a 454, so I know how efficient those things are. Just curious, what are average MPG numbers for a '68 BB car? You're right though, it'll be worth the smile it brings.

Ooooohhhh, sidepipes. :cool: :eek: :steering: :steering: :thumbs: I can't wait!

SteveR.

Regarding the BB MPG issue, I have thought about swapping an LS1 into a C3 more than once. I don't know how that is viewed in the "classic" community though. I think it would be awesome...has anyone here ever swapped an LS1/T56 into a C3? I don't even know if it would fit under the hood, but I'm guessing it would since a BB with an air cleaner & carb will fit. Most likely I'll keep the BB, especially if it were a numbers matching car.

Down the road though, I think an injected super efficient '68 or '69 would be very cool.

73 LS-4

BB chevy parts aren't really all that expensive, not as cheap as SB chevy stuff. They are more like small block ford parts as far as price goes, deffinitly cheaper then the mopar stuff. REbuild prices for a BB can vary a lot depending on how radical you want to go, i'd say on average about 2500 but not having done one I'm just making an educated guess. Haven't rebuilt the tranny yet either (car only has 55k on it) so not much help there on price either but from what I see here it's normally not that bad. I was the same as you when I got into this, everything before the 73 was EFI, in fact I was in the last class they taught carbs to in Carbondale SIUC while getting my bachelors degree, thinking back I should have paid more attention to that stuff. If you end up with a quadrajet equipped car, there is a book I think is by Doug Roe I believe on them that is pretty good, but if your like me I learn best hands on, so try and make friends with a good carb tuner so you can pick up some of this stuff, after you get the hang of it, they start to make sense but at first they tend to intimidate. Kinda the same way EFI intimidated asll the older techs at the time it came out, now just reversed. Oh yea you'll often have to deal with the points thing as well, or if your like me, you'll convert it over to electronic so you won't have to deal with them, although some on here like points a lot. Typical problems with the back of a vette :rolleyes: , rear wheel bearings is number 1 (these can get pricey to replace depending on how much damage was done before being caught), Then you have all the suspension adjustment parts that tend to freeze up over time such as the camber cams on the strut rods, the trailing arm shims (to adjust toe) and the bolt that holds them in, and sometimes the trailing arm bushings may also need replaced. These are the major things, unless you do a me and toast a ring gear and take out the posi unit as well (strange that never happened with the stock tires :rolleyes: ) ). Gas mileage will vary quite a bit depending on which BB you have and what gear ratio, but most will average between 9-12mpg if you can keep your foot out of it, mine averages about 10 and got a best of 12. If you could get an overdrive tranny in there I'm sure it would help quite a bit and a few on here have done these swaps, just do a search and you'll see.

:cheers:
Pat Kunz

Ryan77

You will definately pay more than usual for the combo that you want, and don't forget the 70 and 71 were also chrome bumper, high horsepower cars so include them in your search too. Don't look for too specific a car, and don't buy a car just because it has the options you want. I didn't intend to buy a 77, I wanted a 78-81 vette, but it was what I wanted and the price was right, so I bought it. Throuroghly check the frame for rust, and check the brakes for leaking and/or a soft pedal, as these seem to be the most common C3 problems. As far as price, for a nice, numbers matching, 4 speed big block car with T-tops it would be around $15-20K. The convertible and A/C will cost you a good amount of $, so I'd go T-top an no A/C, as you really dont' need it with T-tops, but you might want if you live in Dallas. A buddy of mine bought a numbers mathching '72 corvette in mint condition, with a 4 speed, T-tops and a 454 about 1 1/2 years ago for $15k. I'd also try the for sale/wanted section here in the C3 forum. Good luck in your search :cheers:

MotorHead

Try and find someone you know that has owned a C3 for a few years, you won't be able to beat that for advice. Make sure the car is rust free and get the one in the best shape you can afford, it will save you time and money.

Get the car checked out in a garage by a certified mechanic, chances are the mechanic will tell you not to buy the car (that usually means he would not buy it ) or will point out many things that are wrong with it. Don't let that worry you too much ( it is a 30 year old car ) and tell the seller the things that need to be replaced/fixed and factor those in with the asking price.

Also as stated above small block parts are cheaper and you can get 450 HP and 500ft/lbs of torque put of a small block relatively easy.


[Modified by MotorHead, 3:03 PM 12/22/2002]

terryrudy

I have a little writeup on basic stuff that I've seen for C3s here: http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3upgrade.asp

good luck!
-terry

mastiff

Most people will tell you to avoid 68's- they have the most problems and have a lot of hard to find parts. Also, none of the stock vettes will have 350hp at the wheels, even the big blocks. And if you are not concerned with leaving the car stock, I would suggest going with a 71 or 72. These still have the chrome bumpers, but have a much lower price than the 68-70. They have less powerful engines, but you are going to change this anyway.

Don't get a vette with body damage, and its a big plus if they have decent paint, because its expensive to paint fiberglass correctly. Even if you want to work on the car yourself and are capable, I would suggest getting a vette with little or no known problems. Parts for them are expensive, and problems always show up that you did not expect, and they will cost you. If you get one thats in good running condition, then you can go right to personalizing the car with performance mods and the like instead of spending the next 6 months just trying to get it road worthy.

gerry72

One would assume that in the thirty-five years of ownership, the quality shotcomings these cars had when they left the factory have long since been addressed. While the '68 has its share of "unique" parts, this shouldn't put one out of consideration by any means.

The most important things to understand when looking at a chrome bumper car are that the desireable ones are far, like twice, beyond your budget. Even the base-engined cars are getting pricy. Price reflects condition. Also, you are not buying a new car so things are going to need attention. No matter how good the car, have a couple of bucks in reserve so that you can keep the car on the road.

SteveR.

Most of all I want a stout frame & good body. It isn't going to be a daily driver or anything, so it is OK if it is down occasionally. If i have to spend three years working doing big jobs on it a couple of times a year, that is fine. I need to find out when/where the C3 guys hang out in Dallas so I can learn all this stuff.

Oh yeah, I want the shark (vertical) gills. The dash ignition is cool too. :) Living in TX AC isn't considered optional.

Can anyone give me a ballpark estimate on what it costs to replace the interior in a C3? Seats, carpet, dash, etc.? I'm guessing the dash is a huge chunk...but am I looking at $2K or $5K total (or more?)?

Ryan, it sounds like your buddy got an awesome deal. I met a guy when I lived in Chicago last year who had a '68 for sale for only $10.5K He had owned it for about 15 yrs. Paint was good, only a couple of dings. Interior was good, no tears, cracks, or bad fading. Frame looked good as far as I could tell with it sitting on the ground. It was a smallblock, but the engine was clean (no old rotted parts, no serious corrosion, etc.). I asked him about it, & why it was so low, he said he thought it was fair. Of course, there could have been something wrong with the frame that I didn't know about. Still, that was a nice car for $10.5K. You could tell it spent most of the last 15yrs in a garage. I told him if it was a year later I would be buying it. I want to find something like that again...a car in good (not show) condition, that I can drive but periodically improve on. I wouldn't mind flying accross the country to pick it up if I could drive it back.

Thanks for all the help guys!

Ryan77

There's also another option, I forgot to mention. Buy an excellent condition later C3 with a 4 speed for about $10K, and then call up AR Racing like some of the other C3 forum guys have (there's a post running about these right now) and buy one of their 383's with 440hp, 475ft/lbs of torque and drop it in. It's $3500 for the nearly complete motor including shipping, and it will cost about $500 more for the finishing parts like a water, HEI distributor, pulleys, etc. So when you add it all up, even with the price of a professional install the car will be faster than any big block and will cost about the price of a slower, good conditon early vette. I wish I had known about the AR Racing 383's before I had started my buildup.