Corvette Desireability Chart

[Wamp]

the list

IMHO. I don't like it!!!!!!

with any corvette it is what is yours and since no one replied that was placed on the bottom of the list, I thought I would. I Dont understand how you can rate a corvette, each one is special to it's owner. I love my 74 because it is sleak looking, I Like the chrome bumpers but the split tail and aerodynamic looking front has really grown on me. The last year before they slapped emissions on them. It may be low HP, but I can do ANYTHING to it and never have to worry about the SMOG boys. My suggestion: DELETE the thread.......

 

[Tom Bryant]

Since it was a poll it was probably based on the number of votes each model got. People probably voted for their own car instead of thinking about it objectively. If you do a new poll the same will most likely happen again.

For example in the 1974 car breakdown the 454 4 speed convertible with all the options is obviously more desireable from a value and collectable standpoint but there are way more people that own base engine automatic coupes. The coupes would score many more votes and the results would not be representitive of reality. I used to drive my father in laws '74 orange small block coupe and loved that car. I did try to get him to buy a 454 4speed coupe that was available at the same time though.

Tom

 

[Yoda]

Rare81, why the 71 LT-1 over the 1970?

Even with the reduced hp, a little tuning and walaa, I prefer one of late model 71's minus the fiber optics. The 72 saw just a bit too much reduction in hp and besides my brother had a 1971 that I fell in Love with

Bud

 

[PTighe]

To help clarify or support what the author intended when he made up? the chart, below is the entire article with the chart.

http://temp.corvetteforum.net/classics/yellow67/pictures.1/95cquarterly.jpg

 

[Classicvette63]

Solidlifters, when I read your post, I heard a little voice in my head saying "Danger Wil Robinson, Danger, Danger!"

Any desiribility list would have to have some parameters. There could be several lists. Which cars are most desirable for NCRS, specualting, pleasure of driving, cool factor, drag racing, autocrossing, pleasure of driving, return on investment and so on. The most deirable in one class may not even make the list in another.

A '53 is a desirable car, but if I could only own one vette, it wouldn't be a '53. Except for '63, ragtops are more popular than coupes, except for me. To me, a coupe is more desirable. So my list would either be based on my preferences or what I know to be the trend in the hobby.

A '64 coupe with base engine and 2 spd probably doesn't jump up on anyone's radar screens for most desirable, but if you have it priced anywhere near the ballpark, people will be knocking down your door. '64's in general could be considered desirable simply because they are usually priced lower than the other midyears. Everyone thinks highly of getting a good deal.

Next comes practicality and separating reality from fantasy. A '69 ZL-1 is desirable, but why even consider it? Even if you could afford one, what are the chances of getting one of the two guys who owns one to part with it?

Do the early '60's Gulf Oil cars or Jim Garners L-88 fit in? They are desirable, but to whom and for what purpose? They are desirable not because you could buy one when new, but because of who owned it at one time.

Mileage also comes into play. A bare bones '76 with 12 miles on the clock will get your fair share of "If you ever want to sell" notes left on the windshield.

Let the fun begin Classic

 

[SolidLifters]

"Solidlifters, when I read your post, I heard a little voice in my head saying "Danger Wil Robinson, Danger, Danger!"


So you're thinkin' somebody who doesn't agree might get mad? Surely not. Not Corvette folks..............naw.

As far as the original ZL1's there are at least 3 of the original 2 still around. I've seen articles on a blue one and a white one that were absolutely certain they had the other original. The yellow one is generally accepted as being authentic, with a lot of supporting paperwork and a clear ownership trail back to a verifiable selling dealer. (now owned by Roger's Corvette Center in Fla.)

 

[PTighe]

Here is Kevin Suydam's ZL-1. :eek

 

[Mac]

When I look at a beastie like this one, the concept of a painted stripe becomes very attractive. Hmmm..... cool_rock

 

[PTighe]

Here is the '67 L-88 with 12 original miles that sold for $500K. It's owned by Dave Burroughs, founder of Bloomington Gold.

Photo Edited by: Bud Dougherty Forums Administrator

 

[67HEAVEN]

Here is the '67 L-88 with 12 original miles that sold for $500K. It's owned by Dave Burroughs, founder of Bloomington Gold.

And, for those of you who don't know the history of this car, here's the incredible story as told to Corvette News some 25 years ago.

At that time, it had only 11 miles on the odometer. Wow, a whole mile in 25 years.....and a whole 12 miles in 36 years. :crazy

Page 1
Page 2

For God's sake........would somebody please drive this thing! :cry

 

[Tom Bryant]

Here is the '67 L-88 with 12 original miles that sold for $500K. It's owned by Dave Burroughs, founder of Bloomington Gold.

Photo Edited by: Bud Dougherty Forums Administrator

I have a few pics I took of this car one time. It is amazing.

 

[impala]

Looks like everyone who owned a Corvette I looked at to buy this last year must have seen that chart and felt they had a goldmine in the garage. Started out looking for a 1967 Roadster because it was the last of the series and my brother-in-law has one. Saw a lot of cobbled together pieces of crap going for incredibly high prices. For instance:

Looked at a 67 BB with AC for 49K with a poorly repaired frame and had been hit front and rear. Saw a For Sale sign in back where the owner has started out at 73K.

Drove 7 1/2 hours each way to see a 2nd owner 67 SB for 33K. Talked in detail to the owner twice about the condition and was assurred it was a mechanincally straight car which only needed paint. Owner was disappointed when I showed up with a flashlight - guess that was because there was a hole in the frame big enough to put my arm in.

Looked at a 67 for 35K which had a junk motor, no interior, no wiring, sections of bonding strips missing and the owner thought he still had the bumpers ........ somewhere.

Started looking at all midyears and all told probably called about 40 cars and looked at 25 and was driving a 1,000 miles a weekend. Thought about going to Auctions but was forewarned that they are usually populated by people with big wallets and bigger egos when it came to mid year Corvette convertibles.

Bought the 1980 many years ago because it was cheap and bought the 1963 because it was straight, solid and once the salt is gone, will be fun to drive.

It's a Hobby, nothing less and nothing more. Unless you are a Classic Car dealer or a merchant who sells parts. Then you make charts.

Eugene

 

[Classicvette63]

impala, yep there are a lot of people smoking crack when it comes to prices and condition of some of these cars. I begrudge no man a living, but don't expect me to put your kid through med school because you have a '63 gas cap for sale. Too many people are just in it for the money, instead of the love of the cars.

I've said it before, the ONLY way I would spend the money for an all original midyear is if my mother had bought one brand new and kept it secretly hidden from me all these years. Even then, she better have paperwork for the car. Classic

 

[SolidLifters]

Eugene, you said a mouthful on the charts. The ones that are the worst are the price guides that the magazines frequently publish. You can sit with a calculator and plot their prices completely across the board starting with one car. It's totally a percentage game for some journalist, but they're accepted as the gospel by so many people. I think they've done as much to screw up the market as the whores that jump in every time the stock market gets weak. Fortunately I bought most of my cars 15 or 20 years ago when the silk sock crowd hadn't figured they could dabble with old cars and turn a quick buck.

The latest whore's game is buying complete, restorable cars and parting them out. A local guy here has recently disassembled 2 relatively nice 63 coupes and sold em on e bay, including the carcass when all the good stuff was gone. There's also been a straight axle within the last several months, but I don't know the specifics of it. He's doing it full time now and rumored to be making a lot of money at it.

Sounds like another whine about the good old days, but I can remember when it was thought that all us car nuts were a bunch of red necks who didn't have much class. At least back then the stuff was traded around by people who did it for the love of the cars, rather than the fast buck.

 

[SolidLifters]

I remember the story of the under 20 mile L88 very well. One thing that the first owner did was paint everything underneath with white paint (epoxy if I recall) and of course it complicated the restoration. One thing that differs from my memory of the origianal coversation with somebody involved with the car and the article, I thought the original drivetrain was long gone and the sale was for the body, chassis, etc, only. My memory's not the greatest, so I'll have to dig a little deaper on it.

 

[67HEAVEN]

This photo of the 11 / 12 mile L-88 is extremely interesting to me......not only because it shows that beautiful engine.....but because it shows the most mis-understood part of a '67 L-88......the fully-functioning "cowl-induction" stinger hood.

For those of you who don't already know, there were actually three hoods available in 1967. The standard small block hood; the stinger (with removable front metal insert) big block hood (all except L-88) and this fine example of a real L-88 stinger hood.

Note the four air holes facing rear (up in this photo).

And, CLICK HERE to see a larger photo.

 

[SolidLifters]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the 67 L88 hood simply a std big block hood with the air box bonded under it and the required holes for air???? Of course the 68 & 69 L88's had a unique hood, but I always thought the 67 was a modified stocker.

 

[Tom Bryant]

What a great overhead view photo. I always wondered why more people with '67 modified Corvettes with the BB hood didn't copy the L88 system. The air box is available from Ecklers and the air cleaner stuff is available from Paragon.

In '67 when I was shopping for a new car Dehaven Chevrolet in Ft. Wayne IN had a L88 coupe in the showroom. It was Lynndale blue in and out. Story was that some welll off guy had told his kid he could buy whatever he wanted so the kid ordered the L88. When he took it home and dad heard it and saw that it didn't even have a heater or radio he made the kid take it back. The kid left in a SS Chevelle. Don't know if that story was true but I do know that the car was in the showroom and I stopped to look at it at least 3 times. I wasn't nuts about the color and no heater didn't make any sense for me at the time. I understood that it was a race car but if I could have afforded the approx. 6K I probably would have bought it and kept my old '62 Impala convert for a driver. I wonder what ever happened to that car.

Tom

 

[67HEAVEN]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the 67 L88 hood simply a std big block hood with the air box bonded under it and the required holes for air???? Of course the 68 & 69 L88's had a unique hood, but I always thought the 67 was a modified stocker.

Solidlifters,

I guess the debate would be centered around the definition of "modified stocker".

From my point of view, if Chevrolet took regular big block hoods and modified them to permit cowl induction as part of the process of building a L-88 in St. Louis, then that to me is a stock hood different from the regular big block hood.

However, if I took my regular big block hood and modified it to L-88 specifications.....after it left the factory.....then this would become a modified stock hood.

 

[67HEAVEN]

What a great overhead view photo. I always wondered why more people with '67 modified Corvettes with the BB hood didn't copy the L88 system. The air box is available from Ecklers and the air cleaner stuff is available from Paragon.

Tom

Tom,

I've used the across-the-counter L-88 pieces for well over 30 years, but have mated it up to the front hole. You can see it in my signature photo (although admittedly it's pretty small).

Now that I'm on the way to body and paint, it's probably time to make the rear holes.

Two things are missing here. i) The large foam element (wire form is showing in the second photo) and, ii) the thin foam seal that rests below the fiberglass and on top of the black metal base. Both had deteriorated too much to bother keeping. New ones are on the list though.