Chevyguy1973

I originally purchased my 73 Convertible with the expressed intend of dropping in a Stroker 383, 5 speed, and performance suspension to make it a fun daily driver that I could be proud of at the same time. The car I purchased is a numbers matching L-82 with the close ratio 4-speed. Not by any means a serious collector, but still desired by many. Do I dare continue with my original intent and ruin a numbers matching unit all so that I can enjoy my dream come true daily? Or do I restore it to original and enjoy it when the weather is good and the traffic is light? :skep:

Okay, so I've decided to have fun and let the book value do what ever it will. I can't let that stop anything or else I don't own a car but a museum piece that I'll never want to drive if there is a cloud in the sky. Thank you to everyone who weighed in their opinion and comments. Now all I have to do is figure out where that 6 speed was found at... :D


[Modified by Chevyguy1973, 6:53 PM 8/6/2003]

Edzred72

If it's in great original condition....it will be worth more to many more if you leave it. I've found the majority look for "original" rather than custom when it's time for them to buy.
Eddie

OkeeGuy

:iagree:

Ganey

I would much prefer the "383, 5 speed, and performance suspension" which would be worth much more since less mods would need to be done.
You could build a 383 & have less need for gears & save the L-82.

Tominator

I would opt. for the fun factor (383) and save orginal stuff so it can be put back together at a later date.

MassVette

All Corvette owners LOVE to brag about all the mods to their car- except when they go to sell it.
:yesnod: :lol: :lol: :lol: :yesnod:
IMHO, do what you really like and what will make you happiest. If you want an investment- buy real estate- not cars.

Alwyn678

I would mod the car and save the original motor for when you want to sell it. Let's face it the car is kind of slow even with the L-82 and 4 speed :cheers: Once you mod it you will probably not want to sell it though :cheers:


[Modified by Alwyn678, 9:36 AM 8/5/2003]

Chevyguy1973

Now that I like! I think that is probably the best advise I've received. Of course, it's also the same thing my wife has been telling me since the question originally popped up. I guess that nada.com guide "plus 20%" for the L-82 motor option kind of clouded my judgement.

79VetteMike

When you forget about resale value, you have truely started to enjoy it.

Corvette ED

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

WashingtonRacer

With that logic, I must be the happiest man alive :)

Eddie 70

I have done something similar to mine. I had a numbers matching car that still has all the numbers they are just stored away until later needed. I now have aluminum heads and intake, and a five speed was ordered just last week. We have been enjoying the car almost every weekend we get a chance to. I say do what makes you happy.

77Dream

I say :smash: the heck out of it and then :auto: the heck out of it. If you are already looking to sell it then you should have never bought it in the first plalce.

SmokedTires

This is your Corvette right ? Enjoy the snot out of it while you have it unless your just taking care of it for stranger that you don't know down the road :sad: . Now stop all this talk about selling your C3 and plant your butt in the seat where it belongs :D . :auto:


[Modified by SmokedTires, 6:12 PM 8/5/2003]

WA 2 FST

When I was looking to purchase a classic Vette, I was more concerned with its condition than originality (which so often can be faked...not by you, but a first-time buyer like me was not willing to pay extra for something that is "original").

Tasteful mods are nice and make the car a lot more fun to drive anyway. So I got a NOM car and immediately dropped in a 5-speed trans, upgraded the motor, suspension, etc. I can drive it anywhere and enjoy doing so.

I agree with most of the others here. Enjoy the car. If that means modding it and bagging the original motor, then do it. If that means keeping it stock/original and maintaining more of its resale value, then do that ... and go buy a NOM car you can hop-up. :)

But I've seen more people lately like me, who are more interested in a fun, clean _driver_ than an all-original car that needs work or runs as slow as most of today's imports.

page62

I bought a very original numbers-matching '79. But I decided I couldn't live without overdrive. Well, it turns out the transmission in the car wasn't numbers matching! So I didn't even feel compelled to keep it (thank goodness)!

The car is YOURS. Do what you want with it. There's no shortage of C3's, so it's not like it's sacrilege or anything. Now if you were messing with a '53 instead of a '73...

74 vert

:iagree: , this is a great hobby to enjoy. I'm going the mod route while saving the original parts. :thumbs:

gq82

I would keep it orginal...they're a blast to drive just as they are & orginal cars are appreciating in value....once you start mucking it up (even if you save orginal parts) you'll be in for a rude shock once you decide to sell....and that time will come. That's just my opinion, I could be wrong. :chevy

BTW post this same question on the NCRS board http://www.ncrs.org. and see what type of responses you get. ;)


[Modified by gq82, 10:39 PM 8/5/2003]

NHvette

Do your mods and keep the original parts. If you decide to sell later, swap it
back - sell the vette for $$$ and sell the 'extra' parts for $$.

Until then, enjoy !! :seeya

aharte

I think you should mod the car, and not worry about resale value. You bought the car to have fun, didn't you?

I know its a common thing to tell people to keep the original stuff so that a future buyer could put it back on if he wanted to, but does anyone actually do that? It doesn't seem to me that anyone would buy a modded car only to put it back to original unless it had very rare options (L88, ...). If you plan to replace all the original stuff yourself before selling, then that's more reasonable, but it would be a major PITA.