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Crash Course in valuation of a 61 vette

M

murphm7

Guest
Hello all!

I'm brand new here. Within the next month I will be buying a restored 61. (My father has always wanted one of these, and I now that I can buy him one, I'm going to!).

SO, I need a crash course on how to determine value, originality,
etc, on a 61. Any help you can give me!! I'm open to any suggestions.

Also, if anyone can suggest a top notch proffesional appraiser/inspector, please do!

BTW, he will drive this car, not park it in a showroom or anything.
I'd like a numbers-matching (or at least component-correct car), for the nostalgia, but not something that would be considered too nice to drive.

Help me out if you can!! Thanks!

Mark Murphy
 
I just want to say I think it is great that your doing this for your dad.




:_rock :_rock :_rock :_rock :_rock :_rock :_rock
 
Thanks! I can't wait to see how excited he will be.

I hope I find the resources to ensure I buy the right one!

mark
 
Buying A Corvette

Hi Mark and welcome to the Corvette Action Center. First off I would suggest that you read the Buying a Corvette article in the Knowledgebase section of the CAC. Print the check Sheet and take it with you when you go to look at a car. Some items won't apply to a solid axle car but the sheet is a good guide.

Buy Hemmings Motor News and Corvette and Chevy Trader on better news stands to use for a price check. They both usually have several of each year for sale each month. Remember that these are asking prices. Also watch your local auto traders and newspapers.
Also check for dealers in your area or comfortable driving range in the Portal section of the CAC. Reputable dealers like Corvette Mike and others will often stand behind your purchase in case a problem should arise with mechanical or authenticity areas later on.

Hemmings lists appraisers under "Services Offered" but many are general condition type and may not be an early Corvette expert. Be sure to know the persons ability before contracting with him. References are a must. My best choice would be an NCRS (National Corvette Restorer's Society) judge or expert in the '61 -'62 years. Many members will meet you at a car and inspect it with you for a fee. Go to www.ncrs.org and inquire on the Technical Discussion Board if someone can suggest a person in your area.

Even if the first car you look at seems to be just what you are looking for still look at several more just to get a better feel before you put down any money. The best way would be to line up a few cars to be seen on the same day. It will be easier to compare that way.

There are also some good books on the subject available through the Corvette parts houses and the NCRS Bookstore.

Good luck on your search and feel free to ask about anything you need to know. There are some sharp people on here.

Tom
 
I am close to your location and offer my services for a modest fee.
 
HELP!

Hello!

OK, thanks to all those who responded - here is where I am at. I found a car I like quite a bit, and had 2 inspections done. One of the inspectors tells me that:

* Do numbers stamped on the engine match those on the ID plate on the firewall?

Answer: NO

I haven't had a chance to actually talk to him yet (this was on a written report). The dealership does claim the car is "numbers matching" - is there any possibility of confusion here or is the dealer misrepresenting the car?

Can someone tell me exactly how to know if the car is "numbers matching" or not? Should that ID plate on the firewall *exactly match* the numbers on the block? Or does only a certain part of that ID number relate to the block number (as it would in a more modern day VIN ?)

Help! Thanks!

mark
 
Mark -

There are many definitions of "numbers matching", but commonly, at a minimum, it means the engine's numbers and dates match the car. There was no firewall or dash VIN plate on 61's - the VIN plate is spot-welded to the lower half of the steering column, about 18" rearward of the steering gear - if it's anywhere else, it's suspect. On a '61, the last six digits of the car's VIN number will be found stamped on the machined block pad just in front of the passenger side cylinder head, along with the engine plant identification code. The engine block casting number is on the flange behind the driver's side cylinder head (which should be 3756519 for a '61), and the engine block casting date code will be found behind the passenger side cylinder head (a letter for the month, one or two numbers for the day, and a single digit for the year).

If you have the VIN number, block casting number, block casting date, or the numbers/letters stamped on the front pad, post them and I can tell you if they "match" or not.
 
awesome!

Chassis:# 10867S107472 ___________ Engine:# 72F041200 _______

That's all I have for numbers :< not sure where either of them came from (these are from the written report the inspector submitted). I will try to find out more today. Do these mean anything to you?
 
huh?

Can anyone tell me what this looks like to them?

I do appreciate the help!!!! TIA!!!!
 
Re: huh?

murphm7 said:
Can anyone tell me what this looks like to them?

I do appreciate the help!!!! TIA!!!!

looks like the right side of the block at the rear in front of starter motor.

the bolt is a drain for coolant in the block.
 
That's the correct area - I also see what looks like a crack in the block that was repaired (welded) - possibly from a "freeze plug" failure? Is this a critical area of the block (structural member) and likely to rupture later?

My assumption here is that since this is (presumably) the original block, it was repaired rather than replaced. The question is, is repairing a block in this manner a safe thing to do, or will it most likely fail in the near future?

TIA!!!!!

mark
 
The VIN indicates that the car was built about April 19th; the "engine number" is definitely a non-standard format, could be a rebuilder's code of some sort. Doubtful that it's the original block, although the casting number and date would help to confirm that (or not). The weld repair is in the outer wall of the water jacket area, so it's most likely a result of freeze damage rather than any mechanical damage from the inside (like a thrown rod). If it froze in one area, it may well have frozen in others as well that haven't shown up yet; personally, I'd pass on the car and keep looking, unless you plan on changing engines.
 
I absolutely agree with John. That is a common area to find cracking from freezing. It doesn't appear to have the original engine and if that is real important to you (as it should be if you think you might ever want to sell the car any time in the future) pass on the car. If it isn't I would still pass on the car due to the condition of that block. Since the repair isn't painted I would bet that it was a quicky repair just to sell the car. There is only one original block for any given Corvette and this car doesn't have it's original anymore. There are many nice cars out there with original engines and documentation to prove it. Keep looking.

Tom
 

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