SleekLines

Well, I've finally managed to free up and save a few pennies and I'm excitedly looking :D Only problem is I'm not exactly sure what to expect in my price range. (6-8k) I've been browsing Ebay and a few other online classifieds to get ideas on prices, etc.

Is it possible to get a solid Vette in that price range ? Minor problems and fixes are okay, but not looking to undertake a major project at this time. Prefer the 68-77 body styles, but I'm not that picky. I've seen some beautiful 78-82's out there. Though I would like to not have to deal with cat converters. (PA emissions) Oh .. and a manual tranny would be nice :D Gees, I feel like a kid at Christmas. :)

Well, back to surfing the classifieds. Any advice offered would be greatly appreciated. :)

-Sleek
C3 hopeful :cool:

79Redvette

Check out Corvette Trader. Or go to some Corvette shows and swap meets.

1980 razz

if u look ..u will find..i wouldnt get a vette from e-bay though..they seem to go for more than there worth..i picked up my 1980L-82 for under 2 grand..1750 plus a piece of crap truck..it had a trashed interior,bad paint,rusted radiator support ect. ect. i had 2 concerns that i looked for..the frame,which was rust free, and the engine which had only 52,000 original miles..ive done every thing myself,purchased mostly used parts of off e-bay and vette venders, and have learned asi go..the best pat is i know this vette inside and out now..people c the vette now and dont believe me when i tell them its the same vette i purchased 7 months ago..check ur local listings and bring a check list with u of things that that year vette have problems with..the price ur spending u should be able to get a fairly good deal..as far as body styles ive always wanted a pre 78 too ,but now that i have a 1980 i luv the extra space , and i think it looks better than the older ones..just my opinion thou..lol hope u get a great deal :)

82dukman

If you are not in a real hurry, you could wait until Carlisle. Sunday is deal making day, nobody wants to haul the cars home :yesnod:

81VETTOM

sometimes you can find deals locally. Carslile is a good place, but have $$ and be prepared to transport it. Take some one with you. If you got a club locally, another pair of eyes takes the emotional level down and clues the seller that you are serious about what you want. If you find one, have it checked by an independent mechanic or a good chevy dealer. Pay the check out money, it is cheaper than what you would pay for the car. Good luck.

Double Aught

6-8k may get you an OK car. Don't forget, you are dealing with an old car. Vettes of the vintage you are looking at typically need brakes, front end work, shocks etc. My feeling is, I will pay more for a car that has been maintained and perhaps has had allot of that type of work done in the recent past. If not, figure 2-4k on bringing the car up to specs. When I have sold my Vettes in the past, they were all in very good running and looking condition. I asked for near top dollar for my cars and pretty much got what I wanted. I was willing to compromise with the buyer and I was successful in selling them. Good luck in your search. You have found the best Vette site on the Web.

trs77

This old adage applies... shop till you drop! You need to LOOK at a lot of cars. You'll be amazed how many are for sale and the vast differences in quality and price. Most are over-priced. 8k should buy you a REAL GOOD driver from 76-77. Don't let great paint jobs fool you. Anybody who has had their vette painted for 4-5k or more is going to try and get that back on a resale. Its not worth it. Buy a DRIVER, not a looker. All IMHO.

Oh yeah... and have FUN! Make it a fun experience. Take your time with the cars, etc. Take notes about each one. Take a flashlight and old blanket to get underneath. Show the seller you know your stuff. Do research on the net. Lots of great mechanical buying tips out there.


[Modified by trs77, 8:15 PM 2/20/2002]

Black68Vette

Avoid 68s like the plague? (unless you feel like learning what "One year car" really means)

Nah, just kidding there. I picked up this one for $7000 last year, and the main "real" thing it needed was new brake calipers, that and the front end was a little loose, so new tie rod ends + control arm bushings (ok, so I went ahead and went with the brand new tubular ones and the transverse leaf spring) would have only been a few hundred dollars. Basically driveable from scratch. I just was going to all the car shows I could, and waited till I saw one in the price range I was willing to pay in the condition (and with options I wanted). 4-speed, less than 20k miles on an engine rebuild, and all the parts for A/C are there (other than the compressor). She could still use a paint job, and a few hundred into the interior to bring her back to original year and nice. But overall, just hunt till you find the right one. You'll be wanting to keep her a while, so don't rush into anything..... It was around 5 years from when I started looking till I found the right one




[Modified by Black68Vette, 2:19 AM 2/21/2002]

DaveMerth

I have seen a few 78 - 82 for under 8K. I bought my 80 last may for $3,800. It was in good mechanical condition. It needed new suspension and bushings, and had 92,000 on it. The paint is in ok condition. Anything under 10K for the most part is going to need a bit of work, mostly body, interior, and suspension. Thats what i learned when looking for my car. good luck.

ROD NOCK

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=241282

Good Luck- Rod :chevy

ORVette

I think that whatever you buy in that price range, try to shop about $2000-$2500 under your budget so you will have some cash on hand to go shopping for parts and maybe a few compliments to your tool collection to work on it. I paid $7500 for mine last April and have spent around $4500 since then on stuff related to fixing it up, including parts, fluids, special tools and/or basic tools that I didn't own. Only thing I had to have done professionally was the rear and head rebuilds, the rest has been hands on experience so far. I think I payed too much for mine to begin with, but what the heck. I've also developed the opinion that while looks are important, having a car that is mechanically sound is the goal. A slightly ugly 'Vette on the road still feels good, but a pretty one in the shop or broken down doesn't always. No matter what-you will wish you knew now what you will know 6 mo. from now, but it's relative, so don't sweat it. It's always easier to give advice than take it I think. Each experience is bound to produce its own unique, personnal lessons. Learn what you can and just go get one! Best of luck.

SevenT1Shark

I had been looking forever for my vette , but anyways after i finally bought it i went to some larger corvette shows and rallys and there are a lot of vettes there for sale. :cool: :cheers: :seeya .........

stickboy

Since you are in PA, I would recommend not getting an '81 if you want cheap HP. It is the year of the Computer Controlled Carb :mad. Too bad I didn't find this out until after I spent the money on it. I still love it tho, just limits my upgrade options if I want to keep it emmisions legal

Juliet

Make sure you read & study the pre-purchase inspection details link on my web page: http://www.annapolis.net/members/jul...Buy&Price.html I also have some pricing guide links and for-sale site links. Two biggest things to look out for are frame rust in the rear kickup area and windshield pillar post rot. :) Good Luck! ~Juliet

Marks69BB

Another good website with info BEFORE you buy is:
http://WWW.corvettefaq.com

:cheers: