C4 or C2

[RichNJshore]

I bought my first Vette 2 years ago. It is a 1993 torch red coupe. I have an opportunity to buy a 1964 roadster from a friend. It is in very good shape. It needs a new gas gauge and the paint job is less than perfect(it was repainted metallic blue). The price: $22,000

The question; I have to sell my beloved torch red baby to buy this one. Any opinions on the decision. All comments welcome. Financial and aesthetic. I know that owning a C2 is a different world from a C4. That's why I am asking.
Cast your vote!!!

 

[KANE]

I bought my first Vette 2 years ago. It is a 1993 torch red coupe. I have an opportunity to buy a 1964 roadster from a friend. It is in very good shape. It needs a new gas gauge and the paint job is less than perfect(it was repainted metallic blue). The price: $22,000

The question; I have to sell my beloved torch red baby to buy this one. Any opinions on the decision. All comments welcome. Financial and aesthetic. I know that owning a C2 is a different world from a C4. That's why I am asking.
Cast your vote!!!

The C2 will need more work before it gets to the same level as your C4- but you kow this.

A C4 and C2 are completely different... Just make SURE it is what you want. Selling one to afford the other- and then being unhappy- would be terrible.

 

[jrzvette]

There are plenty of C4s around, there were less than 14,000 convertibles produced in 1964. A lot depends on the condition, options and originality of the C2 (you already know it needs paint). As long as you don't intend to use it as a daily driver I say go for the C2. If you don't like it you shouldn't have too much trouble getting rid of it and using the proceeds to buy a GS or a C5.

 

[Toms007]

I am partial to C2's. That's what I really wanted, but couldn't find one that didn't need a ton of work (I'm not afraid of the work, just the price that they wanted for them). This one sounds like what I was looking for. Like jrzvette said, if you decide you don't like it, you shouldn't have much trouble getting your money back and putting it toward another.

Ideally it would be great to have both, but I know how that may not be possible.

 

[Lucy64]

Ideally it would be great to have both, but I know how that may not be possible.

WHAT....we don't all own more then one Vette??????????:L :L :L

 

[Toms007]

WHAT....we don't all own more then one Vette??????????:L :L :L

Not yet........:cool

 

[Red Vette]

I bought my first Vette 2 years ago. It is a 1993 torch red coupe. I have an opportunity to buy a 1964 roadster from a friend. It is in very good shape. It needs a new gas gauge and the paint job is less than perfect(it was repainted metallic blue). The price: $22,000

The question; I have to sell my beloved torch red baby to buy this one. Any opinions on the decision. All comments welcome. Financial and aesthetic. I know that owning a C2 is a different world from a C4. That's why I am asking.
Cast your vote!!!

Having owned C2s, C4s, and a C5, this is an easy selection for me, but not for the reason you think. Since the C2 IS NOT RED, I would not make the move, but I am extremely biased. All 6 of my vehicles are red. Actually both cars are terrific and you might be happy in the C2, but your comment about "my beloved torch red baby" tells me you really don't want to part from it. I know that I still think of the corvettes that I have owned and the pains I had when I released them to another party. When I totalled my 91 (and saved the deer), I was devestated; even tho I had the C5, I had to replace the 91. Took me over a year to find it. Whatever your decision, at least you'll be in a corvette. I agree with the others, if you don't want the C2 for a daily driver, the transition will be easier. Good Luck on your decision.

 

[Sunstroked]

How do you use your vette now? Daily driver or only for special drives? Are you in love with the early C2 styling? How much will it cost you to put that vette into the shape you want it to be in?
It sounds like a good deal at 22k, but start adding up the cost to make it really shine and you may be better off looking for one that already does. If your vette sits the majority of the time in the garage, then a C2 would make a nice car to gaze at.
Personally, I drive my C4 quite a bit. Its a fairly inexpensive sports car to own as I do my own work. Parts are readily available at most any corner auto parts store as well. Something to think about.
I knew a co-worker who just had to have a 63 split window. This was about 10 yrs ago, and he did his research on what to look for etc. But got caught off guard when he drove down to a specialty corvette dealer in Ohio. He fell in love with a Nassau blue 63 coupe. I dont recall all the specifics but he paid a then hefty price for it. He drove it home and parked it in his garage. There it sat. And sat some more, until about 1 1/2 yrs later he sold it. The car was too nice, and he was afraid to take it anywhere. He was afraid of the roads, the parking lots, and putting mileage on his classic beauty. What a waste of a car.
I would love to own an early corvette. My dream vette would be a 56-57. But I want it to be a retro rod, with modern C4 or C5 suspension and a modern fuel injected engine so I can drive the thing anywhere and still get decent gas mileage. It will sit next to my daily driven C4. Still dreamin.

 

[Spiderman]

I'd buy the C2 and restore it to new.

 

[vee93]

I bought my first Vette 2 years ago. It is a 1993 torch red coupe. I have an opportunity to buy a 1964 roadster from a friend. It is in very good shape. It needs a new gas gauge and the paint job is less than perfect(it was repainted metallic blue). The price: $22,000

The question; I have to sell my beloved torch red baby to buy this one. Any opinions on the decision. All comments welcome. Financial and aesthetic. I know that owning a C2 is a different world from a C4. That's why I am asking.
Cast your vote!!!

I voted to keep the '93. 'Course, I'm partial.

 

[chickmagnet]

Get a Z06

Sounds like you would have to put more money into it to get it where you want. For that car you'd probably want a good 10k paint job or more, and I estimate another 10k for other miscellaneous stuff. I'd say it's a good investment because I looked that year up on ebay and they sell for 45 to 60k. So whatever money you put into it it would seem that you'd get the money back if you decide to sell later. I'd keep the c4 just because it would be easier to maintain, or I would buy a C5 Z06 with low miles.

 

[aboatguy]

Sell the C4 and buy the C2. My reasoning is your C4 is still on its depreciation curve while the C2s seem to continue to climb. ......So you could buy the C2 and in a couple of years buy another C4 for less money.

Good luck.

The only down side is in my experience C1-C3s look better than they drive.
Mike

 

[Ruby Fan]

You have a nice dilemma. But for daily /more practical driving, the C-4 is the best choice. Runs on pump gas, minimal tune-up. The C-2 in my opinion would become a Garage Queen, and afraid to take it out too often. Unles you live in a warmer climate, and can get more use out of it. I like my C-4's (yeah, I have more than 1 of them), and enjoy using it on trips and other occasions. (the Mrs. just loves it!(them)

 

[Piet]

Collectible Car
1964 Chevrolet Corvette 2 Door Fastback Coupe
Low Retail $19,175
Average Retail Value $34,950
High RetailBase Price $55,975

Collectible Car
1993 Chevrolet Corvette 2 Door Coupe 40th Anniversary
Low Retail $13,600
Average Retail Value $18,800
High RetailBase Price $22,300


From nadaguides.com

From a money perspective... looks like the C2
From a style perspective... I love the looks of a C2
From a drivability perspective... the C4 is a nice weekend cruiser

Do you plan to keep stock? or modify?

I currently am driving a C3 and love how it drives... I will continue to keep it fairly stock (only minor mods) because it drives well... I think that if you wanted the C2 to drive as well as the C4, you would need to do some fairly major modifications.

I think that I will be buying and selling my hobby cars continually... If this is the case for you, you may wish the experience of a C2 for a while?

Don't you wish all our choices in life were between great and great.

 

[rwpeders]

I bought my first Vette 2 years ago. It is a 1993 torch red coupe. I have an opportunity to buy a 1964 roadster from a friend. It is in very good shape. It needs a new gas gauge and the paint job is less than perfect(it was repainted metallic blue). The price: $22,000

The question; I have to sell my beloved torch red baby to buy this one. Any opinions on the decision. All comments welcome. Financial and aesthetic. I know that owning a C2 is a different world from a C4. That's why I am asking.
Cast your vote!!!

I have had a C1 (62) , C3 (73), C4 (96) and now have a C5 (2000). I missed the C2 (I had a '66 chevelle SS396 instead). If you are after a car that will increase in value, the C2 is the choice but it will cost a lot to get it into good condition and its ultimate value will depend on how purely stock it is and condition. The better shape you get it in, the less you might want to risk driving it. So, if you can afford a garage queen, and don't care how much you get to drive it, go with the C2. But if you want to drive it, stay with the C4 or jump to a newer year instead.

 

[Grizzly]

You have a nice dilemma. But for daily /more practical driving, the C-4 is the best choice. Runs on pump gas, minimal tune-up. The C-2 in my opinion would become a Garage Queen, and afraid to take it out too often. Unles you live in a warmer climate, and can get more use out of it. I like my C-4's (yeah, I have more than 1 of them), and enjoy using it on trips and other occasions. (the Mrs. just loves it!(them)

Ruby hit the nail on the head. I have one of each. Yesterday was probably the last show this summer for the '67 that is any distance (hour plus ride) because it is just too uncomfortable to ride in until the weather cools down.

I belong to an active club that likes to tour in the summer and the '92 is ideal for that. I had the '67 first and soon realized I needed another one. Although if one had to go, the '92 would go in a heartbeat.

My advice is to bite the bullet and do what it takes to get the C2. You will not regret it, I didn't!

.................................Griz

 

[Striker 85]

Keep the C4 and buy the C2. Drive the C4 while you slowly restore the C2. Then you will own 2 vettes. The C2 sounds like a pretty good deal, maybe too good. Do both and skip the vacation this year

 

[Topless_Ruby]

I voted to keep the '93. 'Course, I'm partial.

I will second that motion!
TR

 

[PG-LT4]

Hard choice!
A couple of years ago I sold my 1966 roadster and purchased an LT-4 convertible! While I miss my 66 I’m glad made the move. For me it was concerned about someone stealing! About 3 feet of wire, 2 real experienced jerks and 45 seconds the 66 is gone. I like to drive my cars so I hated leaving it in the garage!
The other issue was rust. Unless the C-2 has had a body off you will need to, sooner or later, deal with the unseen rust on the frame. Once you do a frame up you’ll have too much in it to drive it daily!
All that being said there ain’t nothing like the sound of side pipes and the smell of a Holly carb on a C-2 going down the road.
Goo luck on your choice!

 

[f2023]

get the c2

If you want the car for a driver, spend a few bucks and make it safe to drive.
Have the car gone over and fix what needs to done. That is about the only money you will have to spend. Now you can drive around for about 23k, a bargin for a c2.
There are 10k paint jobs and there are 1k paint jobs, not too many dirvers need the 10k one. You will find out that most of the money spent on these cars are for things you want, not need, like any other older car.