Help needed for a first Corvette

[navy2kcoupe]

I met a guy today who just got his first Vette, and was wondering what he could/could not do to the Vette to insure that it maintains it's value. He says that he wants to show it, and I said that I would ask all of the experts on CAC what his best bet would be. I encouraged him to join CAC, but I don't know if he will or not. His Father-In-Law just passed away and left the Vette to him. The Father-In-Law was the original owner of the Vette. It's a 1970 roadster, bright yellow with black interior and top, 390HP 454, 4 speed, rally wheels with trim rings and center caps with spinners(?). The car has 39,600 actual miles, has never seen rain, and has been garaged it's entire life. Looks like the original paint and chrome. The paint is VERY shiny and just has a couple of chips. This car looks like a "survivor" car to me, and I told him that all I would do to the car is polish it until I found out just how original and complete it is. He says that it runs and drives great but that there is some vibration (he can see the hood bouncing) at around 60 MPH, and thinks that it's the tires. I looked under the hood and the engine compartment shows some signs of being 37 years old. The sticker on the air cleaner has started to disappear around the edges, and the chrome valve covers are starting to show signs of rust. I wouldn't know original spark plug wires from replacements, but his have braided shielding over them that is grounded to the bolts on the valve covers. The shielding around the distributor appears to be intact. EVERYTHING under the hood appears to be original to me, but I'm far from an expert. If any of you would care to share your thoughts and recommendations on this Vette, I'll print off your replies and deliver them to him. This sounds like a rare Vette and a GOLDEN opportunity to do what's right for the car and his desire to show it. Any and all help will be really appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
Andy Anderson
added by edit......He also says that the car has never been in an accident and that it appears on a poster for an event at Daytona. Didn't say what the event was, but did say that he has a copy of the poster.
Andy

 

[1996Z15]

If it were mine I wouldn't touch a thing on it. If it's been sitting as long as you say the vibration may simply be caused by flat spotted tires. I would take the car as is to a local NCRS event and have it inspected by their judges. As a Survivor car it may be awarded a Survivor certificate or some other awards which would add to it's value.
I think the worst thing he could do at this point would be to try and clean it up or change anything. Let the experts look the car over and provide the guideance he is looking for. Just my opinion but, if he's looking to make sure the car retains or increases in value that would be my advice.

 

[6880 Mike]

http://www.ncrs.org/

http://www.bloomingtongold.com/?link=home

Either of these would be a good place to start. Your friend will also want to begin assembling any and all original paperwork which came with this car and which (unless I miss my guess) his father almost certainly kept.

The spinners on the rally wheel hats are not GM, but easy to fix.

Sounds like a nice car.

 

[MikeMc71]

http://www.ncrs.org/

http://www.bloomingtongold.com/?link=home

Either of these would be a good place to start. Your friend will also want to begin assembling any and all original paperwork which came with this car and which (unless I miss my guess) his father almost certainly kept.

The spinners on the rally wheel hats are not GM, but easy to fix.

Sounds like a nice car.

I agree on both counts. Get ahold of the local NCRS chapter and let them tell him about the car, and the originality. DO NOT take their word as gospel, unless the judge has A LOT of experience. This to me would be like getting a second and third opinion from a doctor, once the car is recorded as a survivor, and gets high NCRS scores from competant judges, the value will go way up! Tell him to find and bring ALL the paperwork he has for the car to the judging events, that is very important. Don't change a thing on the car until you get a good list together of what it is really going to need.

 

[Alan 71]

I believe that folks from the NCRS would be very interested in taking a look at this car . NCRS calls an unrestored Corvette a "BOWTIE' car. There is increasing interest in unrestored cars. Go to the NCRS site and look for a nearby chapter under the Contacts heading. There will be some names and phone numbers. Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

 

[red70vette]

Wash it and vaccum it that's all. Take it to an NCRS meet and have it judged. Too bad he didn't speak up sooner since NCRS just had their National meet in Marlborough, MA. The judging will give the experts a chance to tell him exactly how the car is and what it needs to be returned to originality. That is where the maximum value dollar wise is.

In my opinion the maximum value is in driving it as it was designed to be driven ,Fast. Your friend needs to decide what he wants to do with the car. There is no wrong answer only an uninformed one. Do nothing until he decides what he wants from the car. On a survivor or original car it is only original once. If you begin to change things then it becomes a restored vehicle.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Tell him to find and bring ALL the paperwork he has for the car to the judging events, that is very important.

Sorry guys, but let's set the story straight.

NCRS does not take a car's paperwork into account during judging- unless you want to prove that something not typical of factory production is indeed original.

Also, please don't just show up at a meet and expect to enter. You must first be a member of NCRS at the National level and preferably Chapter level also. You must pre-register yourself and the car for the meet. Late sign ups are occasionally accepted, but usually with a penalty.

For Bowtie judging, the car must be viewed at Chapter and/or Regional level for signoff before it goes to a National meet for actual Bowtie/Star judging.

On a personal note, if an owner only wants to get involved in NCRS judging strictly to boost the value of their car and no other reason, I'd prefer that they don't waste my time. There's lots of realcar guys that are ready to get fully involved, but get bumped from the schedule by the pretenders. Nobody really appreciates the one-day-wonders.

In case you didn't know, NCRS judges are not only volunteers, we have to pay out of our pockets for the honour!

 

[MikeMc71]

OK.....maybe i should rephrase...it would be important to me as a car enthusiast, and Vette lover, and an NCRS member. I live to see this kind of thing. Besides all that paper work, like radio warning lables, hanging from the radio, or stuff hanging from the rear view mirrio....or the original window stickers .....doesn't really matter.

Also.....to garner new members, having them join national at the meet, that would be a bad thing.

I believe that the most important thing, is the car itself. Not that you might have enough $$ to pay someone to restore a car for you to NCRS specs, and say ...look what I paid for.

Just my$.02

 

[6880 Mike]

...NCRS does not take a car's paperwork into account during judging- unless you want to prove that something not typical of factory production is indeed original....

My point was not that the documentation would be judged -- only that he will want to assemble it.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

In addition to the above, remember that a car can only be submitted ONCE for star/bowtie judging. If it wasn't viewed as being unrestored the first time, it won't be more original the second.

Flight judging is different, a car can be rejudged as often as an owner wants- until he gets sick of the process or until he gets the results he wants.

The ideal situation is for the owner to NOT TOUCH the car aside from basic cleaning until he decides once and for all what he wants to do with it.

If the NCRS route is appealing, join the local chapter and have the car looked at. If it appears to be a star/bowtie candidate, then no restoration/repairs/upgrades should be done. This is a major commitment as it may be 1 or 2 years before the car will be formally judged. Even then, the meet might be on the far side of the country, you'll need to get the car there and back.

If the car is not deemed suitable for star/bowtie or the owner does not want to make the above commitment, he may choose to go the Flight Judging route. The goal here is to have the car appear as showroom fresh as possible, minus dealer or owner inspired additions or modifications.

This again is a big commitment as you can easily get upside down financially on a car chasing a few elusive points.

Many owners regret going the Flight Judging route as it could turn a nice driver into a trailer queen that they believe is too 'fragile' to dare going for a drive.

On the other hand, you can just clean it, drive it and enjoy it. Stop worrying about the money.

 

[MikeMc71]

Well written Mikey, Thanks.

I have three....none an NCRS car..........yet. I do love dirving the ones that are drivable, and my never go the Flight route, but I do like the organization.

 

[6880 Mike]

...On the other hand, you can just clean it, drive it and enjoy it....

Absolutely!!