opinions on this car

[goertz]

i'm looking at this car on ebay right now, here's the link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4555572248&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

i have a '73 coupe, L-48, 102,000 original miles, with every nut and bolt original to the best of my knowledge. but......i want a convertable, more than that, i want a blue convertable, and a 4 speed. so i'm thinking about getting this car, and selling my coupe. he's claiming 40 some thousand original miles. I am very skeptical of that. 40,000 mile cars don't need rebuilt engines, or replaced interiors. His reserve is a little below his buy it now price. i'm going over tonight to have a gander at it in person, to see what it's all about. it looks like a nice car, but imho, it's WAAAY overpriced. if it was an L-82 maybe, but it ain't. I'm thinking it's a $17,000 car *if* everything is in nice shape. any opinions?

 

[Mr Dark]

I'm afraid I can't help much, since I know very little about C3's, but someone posted this website once before. It lets you get a current value for any Corvette. Hope it helps!

http://www.corvettemagazine.com/CGI-BIN/CALCULATOR.ASP

 

[goertz]

nice site, although a little harsh on the prices, and hard to put a car in a catagory. take mine for example, it's all original, the interior looks like it did when new, but the paint is original, and definately in need of a repaint. it's a little better than "good driver", but not a restoration as outlined in "very nice". I guess someone could just average the 2 prices.

 

[akfox1]

Gotta love those blue convertibles!!

Original, no-hit cars are getting pretty rare. I wish I had bought an unmolested car, but they were out of my range at the time. I don't blame a guy for trying to get a premium price for a well cared for car, but his "buy it now" is a little steep for a 73, IMO.

That interior doesn't look like it was replaced to me. Maybe he just means carpet?

 

[goertz]

can you please remove the picture of your blue car with the wheels from your posts? your killing me with that! I HAVE TO HAVE A BLUE CAR WITH THOSE WHEELS!

anyway, it's hard to say if those seat covers have been replaced. they don't look like it, but he says $6000 in interior, or something to that effect. we'll see tonight when i check it out. I really doubt the miles though. but if they are real, then it's probably a decent deal, but i still think the buy it now price is high. he told me his reserve is $21k.

 

[lucky76]

I agree, carpet and seats have not been replaced. Also did you notice it has a Texas license plate in some photos and Colorado in the others. However I can't find any info on either of them.

 

[Koop]

i'm looking at this car on ebay right now, here's the link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4555572248&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

i have a '73 coupe, L-48, 102,000 original miles, with every nut and bolt original to the best of my knowledge. but......i want a convertable, more than that, i want a blue convertable, and a 4 speed. so i'm thinking about getting this car, and selling my coupe. he's claiming 40 some thousand original miles. I am very skeptical of that. 40,000 mile cars don't need rebuilt engines, or replaced interiors. His reserve is a little below his buy it now price. i'm going over tonight to have a gander at it in person, to see what it's all about. it looks like a nice car, but imho, it's WAAAY overpriced. if it was an L-82 maybe, but it ain't. I'm thinking it's a $17,000 car *if* everything is in nice shape. any opinions?

That car looks like it was rode hard and put away wet! 44,000 miles my butt! It's tough to look at pics, but here goes.

The drivers seat appears to be leather on the bottom but vinyl on the top (seat back), the drivers side seat back is very worn and the piping appears to be coming through. Maybe it's just the photos but the carpet looks discolored on the passenger side and what is being covered up by those nice floor mats? The clutch peddal and interior shots appear to have wwwaaaayyyyy more than 44,000 on it, there is surface rust in the engine compartment and on the suspension. There is a vacant pulley, is something missing? Smog pump? Power Steering pump? Both? Is that orange overspray in the engine compartment or is it rusty water from a blown hose on a poorly maintained cooling system?

Seller claims the car is loaded w/ power steering (and 44,000 LOL), I can't see the power steering pump in the pic (or AC or Smog or Big Block or power windows or tilt or...) I don't remember if the '73 4spds all had smog pumps or not, but if they did everything is gone on this one.

When the front suspension was rebuilt how come they didn't repaint the parts?

The car appears to be a base model with just a couple of options and it looks like it has 244,000 miles on it and needs to be restored. It doesn't look like a bad car, just incredibly overpriced and tired. Maybe it's a $17,000 car after you dump a ton of time and $ into it.

I would be very sceptical of the condition of the frame with the surface rust.

Unfortunately, 32 year old cars with 40,000 miles do sometimes need engines and interiors, time is the enemy.

It is possible that the seller has guilded the lilly somewhat, maybe alot, okay a ton.

You're in Colorado springs, so Drive to Pomona California to the Corvette Swap meet and I bet you'll find a nice vert that you can see and touch and feel prior to buying. Don't get screwed on Ebay. I think the $12,000 current bid is fair for a car that tired.

I couldn't help but notice that you and the car are both in Colorado Springs...

Take an ice pick with you tonight and poke at the frame.

 

[goertz]

i actually just moved here from Los Angeles, and spent lots of time at Pomona. wasn't into Corvettes at the time, but I always found Pomona cars to be way overpriced. I totally agree on the pedals. that's a dead giveaway to miles. my 1999 Trans AM has 71,000 miles on her, and the pedal pads still look fairly new. I'd guess this car has at least 144,000 on it, and i'll bet i can find evidence of a repaint. my 73 survivor that is all original, with all original paint was always garaged, and the paint is lacquer checked, and no longer shines in some spots. this one wouldn't be an exception. i'll let everyone know tomorrow how it went.

 

[Koop]

i actually just moved here from Los Angeles, and spent lots of time at Pomona. wasn't into Corvettes at the time, but I always found Pomona cars to be way overpriced. I totally agree on the pedals. that's a dead giveaway to miles. my 1999 Trans AM has 71,000 miles on her, and the pedal pads still look fairly new. I'd guess this car has at least 144,000 on it, and i'll bet i can find evidence of a repaint. my 73 survivor that is all original, with all original paint was always garaged, and the paint is lacquer checked, and no longer shines in some spots. this one wouldn't be an exception. i'll let everyone know tomorrow how it went.

It ought to be good for a laugh, maybe it's just the pics though.

I guess I didn't cover any of the good...Oops. The paint looks real nice in the Pics. Both tops, all intact, original (looking wheels)...Everything looks to be in well preserved condition for an unrestored car with that many miles.

I gotten some great buys at Pomona.

 

[Achilles]

I'd say from the looks of things more like 140K on the odometer. My 82 has 115k on the original motor and mine is waaaaay cleaner than that. I know the car is 30+ years old, but come on. How many of us have 40k on our steel bodied cars and they don't look that bad. It is a nice ride though, but only for the right $$.

 

[maxrevs85]

I,m not sure , but the luggage rack doesnt appear to be factory.:confused

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

It is indeed missing all the smog equipment, and has a replacement master brake cyl. and booster too. That's a shame as getting the correct parts will put you back a grand or two. The windshield washer pump is a service replacement also, but that's easy and cheap to replace.

Interestingly, it has '74 style front grills which were seen intermittantly on July '73 build Corvettes. My car is S/N 32042 and had them, this car is 32462. I've seen later cars that still had the '73 style grills. NCRS accepts both styles for July cars, if you're into that.

 

[craig32]

My 82 has 115k on the original motor and mine is waaaaay cleaner than that.

Damn Chick, I thought I had the only Corvette with over 100,000 miles on it! Oh and BTW, '20 footers' photograph real well, you should see the pics of mine. Goertz, use your head and not your heart.

Craig

 

[The73vetteman]

Well let me add my 2c worth...

Hard to believe that's the original paint. You'd need to get up close to tell for sure.

Isn't there rather too much air between the rear tire and the top of the arch, suggesting an aftermarket spring has been fitted?

Parking brake lever looks like it may have seen some use too.

Seats look like they've seen more than 44k as well.

I was once told to look very carefully at the condition of the pedals - few people ever bother to replace them and they're not shown in the photo.

When I'm buying a car I look at the seller almost as closely as I do the car. You've got to decide if you can really trust him. Sure, it looks nice in the photos, but a "Buy it now" of $23k?!! You can Buy mine right now for $20k.

John

 

[goertz]

ok, i checked the car out. paint is not original, and miles are NOT 44,000. although the owner whole heartedly believes this to be true. that been said, the car is very beautiful, and would do well at small local shows, or make a great driver. it looks much better in person than the pics. it's very hard to tell the paint isn't original, but there are a few overspray spots on a marker light, and my keen eyes picked up on the fact that the screws holding the rear air vents on the decklid should be black, and not blue. the owner didn't know any of this, and does now. other than that, the car is really solid. It was from Texas, explaining the plates. He bought it on ebay a few years ago. no rust, nice car. way over priced though. he said he has some solid bidders on it, and as of today, it's over $17k. of course though these people think they are getting a 44k mile original car. i'd buy it for $14,000-16,000, as it really is nice, but no more. It's not a scam though, the guy honestly believes the car is as he has stated. engine is original, all the suspension has been rebuilt. carpet is new, and really nice. seats look about how they do in the pics. he said the exhaust was shot when he got it. not really typical on a 44k mile car. he replaced all the exhaust with L-82 stuff, and it looks well done.

 

[ZRGator]

Patience will get you the right car in the right color. Good luck and good hunting.

 

[geekinavette]

Damn Chick, I thought I had the only Corvette with over 100,000 miles on it! Oh and BTW, '20 footers' photograph real well, you should see the pics of mine. Goertz, use your head and not your heart.

Craig

My '84 turned 175,000 in Kansas City on the way back from Cruisefest.

Goertz....do you have the name of the owner? I've been asking the local club(s) if they know who it is. BTW...are you familiar with the RMCSC? www.rmcsc.org

Bill

 

[Koop]

Was the drivers seat back vinyl and the bottom leather? It sure looks like it.

 

[Achilles]

Damn Chick, I thought I had the only Corvette with over 100,000 miles on it! Oh and BTW, '20 footers' photograph real well, you should see the pics of mine. Goertz, use your head and not your heart.

Craig

Oh yea, you got to look real hard to find them.

Goertz, I'd do a Carfax on anything before I'd buy it, just to verify the mileage if anything else.

 

[goertz]

Was the drivers seat back vinyl and the bottom leather? It sure looks like it.

no, the seats were vinyl top and bottom, and are original. I'm going to pass on the car. all of the owners stories aside, it is a decent car, but like I said, maybe for $14k, not $23k.