Hexagonal

i want to buy a project car. i prefer the 72-1982 stingrays. i dont want a running engine as i will be swapping in a 74 big block if its a post 74 vette. body will be dent free, scrathing is ok. flaking paint isnt a problem either since i want to do a complete repaint. lets also say the car is missing seats, but nothing too hard to replace. the tranny i want is the 4-speed.

so engine is wrecked but outside is dent free. how much should i expect to pay for this(canadian funds...multiply by 1.64)??? :cool:

Larry B.

Remember... Corvette bodies are fiberglas (the reason for dent free look) so that can be mis-leading.. Frames rust, windshield posts rust, There are too many variables to estimate the cost of buying/restoring. Some things are easy and cheap while other stuff you expect to be cheap is very expensive and some jobs on these early cars can be costly. Typically it cost a lot more for a junker than it is worth. Some people think just because the flags say "Corvette" it is woth big bucks.


[Modified by silvervetteman, 5:22 AM 2/24/2003]

GREGG-73

See the "sore subject" post, this should give you an idea, plus or minus 10K.

:lolg: :cheers:

Tom73

Cannot help you on the $$ part, but once you determin a cost and time estimate, then double those numbers and you should be close. :)

tom...

ImBatman

Beware of the dreaded "While I'm at it" syndrome. :eek: This will drive the cost up exponentially. :yesnod: Also if you have kids as I do the proccess will be slow and at some times painful :rolleyes: Have a very under standing wife who supports your dream or you will be :boxing all the way. I have been working on mine for about 3 years now and although it is much farther along than my signature pics show I still have a good year and a half left. :cry I saw the cover of the new Super Chevy mag this weekend that has an all black '69 Camaro on it and thought boy if I would have went that route I would be driving my car right now. :lol: Lastly buy the best most complete car that you can afford. Vette project cars are not cheap. :nopity If I haven't scared you off yet good luck and welcome to the faternity. :cheers:

thejaf

IMHO, if the car is already that far gone, it's best used as a flower bed, or a redneck lawn ornament. May also be used for some body parts, but I would cast serious doubt on the structural integrity of the frame and bird cage.

Save your beans and buy a car that's had a lot more money put into it than the owner can get out of the sale. Then you'd be driving right away, and not sometime after your IRA matures.

Ghostrider

There are no 82 Stingrays, but you could buy a rustfree '80 and drop in your a 427 CI (Stingray). You should be able to get a project car for less than $10,000 CDN. Here are some links to Canadian Vette sales.
http://www.canadacorvette.com/c3.htm
http://corvettetrader.com/index.htm
http://search.trader.ca/Results.asp?...CORVETTE&CAT=1

mapman

I would avoid a "project" car, too many potential problems. As stated above rust on the frame and bird cage should be a major concern. Some of the deterioration will not become apparent until you disassemble the car.

Some of what you need to factor in is your skill level and tools. The C3s are simple cars relative to their C4 and C5 brothers so they can be worked on by "regular" folks. Access to welders, engine lifts, etc will likely be needed. These tasks are not anything you cannot do - but be prepared for LOTS of "education" ("education" is not a bad thing). With the disassembly and restoration you should have LOTS of PERMANENT space, at least double the space of the car. You need a good system to identify and keep track of removed parts.

The restoration can take years - conflicting demands on your time and available money (girlfriend/wife/family/formal education/etc)
will always exist.

As several current and archive threads discuss, be prepared to spend well in excess of what the car is likely to be sold for. These cars are NOT money making activities for most of us.

Also, before you spend $$$ on a restored car, carefully check the quality of the restoration. Someone may take a short cut on the restoration just to get into "shape" for sale.

To answer your question, plan on spending in the ballpark of $20k U.S. or $33k Canadian to restore a project car to non NCRS standards.

That said, I have a "project" car. It is both frustrating and rewarding to work on. This forum and the archives are a great source of information. Good luck!

Larry B.

The most accurate way is .. using the car in question... Open the door and start cramming money in until you cannot get another single bill insde. That's usually the exact amount. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Hexagonal

thanks guys. as always you have been a great help. i look forward to my edumacation ;)