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- #21
dstrouts
Member
Bought my first Vette in January '07. After a lot of research, I picked the '81. I really like the late C3 styling, inside and out. I was hoping to find a project car for about $6K and put another $4K in it over time. (I now know I was delusional.) I was lucky enough to find a loaded, well cared for '81 with 92,000 miles. I love that it is road-ready. I have less than $11K in it now. I know it won't appreciate like a mutual fund, but a mutual fund will never put a grin on my face like my Vette does.
- Moderator
- #23
Victory Red C6
Well-known member
A widget is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it
hdkeno
Well-known member
I echo the sentiment of most everyone else.
I did not buy my 81 for investment purpose. I do not intend to sell it.
I haved had 3 different people offer to buy the 81,but nada.
The highest price that I saw a 81 for sale for,was last August at Carlisle.
There was a mint 81,same color as mine,with 4-speed as mine has,with only 800 miles,on the odometer in the car corral for 36K. Dont know if he got that figure,but speaking of Proteam Corvette,they recently sold a beige bronze 2 tone for $22,500.
I bought mine last year,after searching for 2 years for 13k.
The car is in excellent condition,is matching numbers,and I am the second owner.
It has 43k on her,and is a 4-speed,so I dont feel that i did too bad,pricewise.
Later, Ken
I did not buy my 81 for investment purpose. I do not intend to sell it.
I haved had 3 different people offer to buy the 81,but nada.
The highest price that I saw a 81 for sale for,was last August at Carlisle.
There was a mint 81,same color as mine,with 4-speed as mine has,with only 800 miles,on the odometer in the car corral for 36K. Dont know if he got that figure,but speaking of Proteam Corvette,they recently sold a beige bronze 2 tone for $22,500.
I bought mine last year,after searching for 2 years for 13k.
The car is in excellent condition,is matching numbers,and I am the second owner.
It has 43k on her,and is a 4-speed,so I dont feel that i did too bad,pricewise.
Later, Ken
big2bird
Well-known member
IrishJoker
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2004
- Messages
- 79
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
- Corvette
- 81 Gray Coupe, 95 Yellow Coupe, 02 Torch Red
OK, I'll chime in here on this thread:
I did my research when I first started looking for a C3. The 1980 thru 1982 are the BEST looking of the C3 - INCLUDING THE CHROME BUMBER VERSIONS! Sure they might be slightly under powered but so what that can be fixed with a better Catalytic converter and exhaust system for starters and more drastic measure later on (like a new motor)
The 81 went on a diet plus you could have gotten the fiberglass rear spring. Like has been said it's the last year for normal carberation and you could get the manual transmission, something sadly not offered in the 82.
After I did my restoration/custom work on mine, the first show I took it to a guy offered me $25,000.00. I sad thanks but no thanks - I have NO intentions of selling this car. I love my 81 , its a part of Corvette history, it's simply a beautiful Automobile. As you have probably noticed I have more than one Corvette. I enjoy them all, but sitting behind the wheel of my C3 does something to me, just looking out over that long hood and those great curved fenders is a thrill.
I recently changed my insurance policy, still with State Farm but with an agreed value replacement. No restrictions on use, spare parts are covered - I set one price THEY came back with another, higher then what I requested, I am not going to argue with them over it either - $31,000.00 - maybe they know something we don't
Who wants a chopped off rear end vette when you can have those beautiful built in spoilers we have. They are longer more stream-lined then the older C3's, it's just a more refined design of Larry's Shinoda's design.
Call me stupid, but I'd take another L81 over any other C3. Hopefully that will be real soon - can't wait to start all over again
Hey I got a power driver's seat, and my 4 speed, I'm happy
I did my research when I first started looking for a C3. The 1980 thru 1982 are the BEST looking of the C3 - INCLUDING THE CHROME BUMBER VERSIONS! Sure they might be slightly under powered but so what that can be fixed with a better Catalytic converter and exhaust system for starters and more drastic measure later on (like a new motor)
The 81 went on a diet plus you could have gotten the fiberglass rear spring. Like has been said it's the last year for normal carberation and you could get the manual transmission, something sadly not offered in the 82.
After I did my restoration/custom work on mine, the first show I took it to a guy offered me $25,000.00. I sad thanks but no thanks - I have NO intentions of selling this car. I love my 81 , its a part of Corvette history, it's simply a beautiful Automobile. As you have probably noticed I have more than one Corvette. I enjoy them all, but sitting behind the wheel of my C3 does something to me, just looking out over that long hood and those great curved fenders is a thrill.
I recently changed my insurance policy, still with State Farm but with an agreed value replacement. No restrictions on use, spare parts are covered - I set one price THEY came back with another, higher then what I requested, I am not going to argue with them over it either - $31,000.00 - maybe they know something we don't
Who wants a chopped off rear end vette when you can have those beautiful built in spoilers we have. They are longer more stream-lined then the older C3's, it's just a more refined design of Larry's Shinoda's design.
Call me stupid, but I'd take another L81 over any other C3. Hopefully that will be real soon - can't wait to start all over again
Hey I got a power driver's seat, and my 4 speed, I'm happy
big2bird
Well-known member
$25,000, and you can have mine.:L
- Moderator
- #30
$23,000 and I'll drive Rare to MaryLand. and make the delivery.... stop and see my ole pal Nut (Bob) with his Nutmeg "SPEC" 1981 
Bud
Bud
o2bnkc
Well-known member
The 1980 thru 1982 are the BEST looking of the C3 - INCLUDING THE CHROME BUMBER VERSIONS!
Give me a 68 or 69 roadster any day. Now, those are the best looking c3s!!
Give me a 68 or 69 roadster any day. Now, those are the best looking c3s!!
big2bird
Well-known member
$23,000 and I'll drive Rare to MaryLand. and make the delivery.... stop and see my ole pal Nut (Bob) with his Nutmeg "SPEC" 1981
Bud
$26,000, and I can get a 1 owner 73 BB, 36,000 miles.- Moderator
- #33
You still talking about it... and you ain't out there buying it.
Wish I'd taken up that guy that offered me $29,000 for Rare :eyerole if I even had a FOOL offer me $23,000 for RARE I'd buy them dinner at Wendy's or something 
If, If, If,
Bud
big2bird
Well-known member
You still talking about it... and you ain't out there buying it.
If, If, If,
Bud
Yep
o2bnkc
Well-known member
"Call me stupid, but I'd take another L81 over any other C3."
Well......................ok.
Well......................ok.
IrishJoker
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2004
- Messages
- 79
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
- Corvette
- 81 Gray Coupe, 95 Yellow Coupe, 02 Torch Red
So why don't you go buzz the C2 or C5 forum? What's your point of commenting here if you don't have an L81? Just to cause contention? Seems it to me.
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;squint:
Keep it cool, folks...
Keep it cool, folks...
- Thread starter
- #38
R
rbell@idtfla.com
Guest
I started this thread along time ago not to find out the value of my L81 but really to get a feeling for what others thought of them. As we have all testified in previous posts the value of our cars is much more than $$.
Having said that, I still am a bit mistified that my 79 6.6 is worth almost twice as much as my L81 or even the 78 Silver Aniversary that I sold? I love the C3's and have since I was a kid. I guess i shoild be happy that others don't like them as much as we do or it would cost alot more to play However it would be nice to know that I could get out of the car what I have in it. 
Having said that, I still am a bit mistified that my 79 6.6 is worth almost twice as much as my L81 or even the 78 Silver Aniversary that I sold? I love the C3's and have since I was a kid. I guess i shoild be happy that others don't like them as much as we do or it would cost alot more to play
However it would be nice to know that I could get out of the car what I have in it.
Value is in the eye-of-the-beholder
I have said it many times before..."we L81 owners have a low power complex", and I am convinced that this "perspective" on the L81, whether from outside of the owner's circle or within it, is what drives the "value" of our venerable Vette.
In large part, a lot of Corvette owners own just one example of these venerable sports-cars. Some of us are fortunate enough to have the choice to either own any one Corvette generation or to pursue additional specimens to our own collection. Often the margin in performance between any of these Corvettes to their next generational descendant is minuscule at best, but we still stray and compare our chosen specimen across generational lines that transcend decades of technological advances.
Definitely, if we began our ownership of these special Corvettes in hopes of higher return-on-investment, then we were sadly misguided. Notwithstanding their pioneering on engine control systems, nor the collection of creature comforts, neither the excellent performance shadowing its contemporary competitors would convince anyone of its true value. Perhaps the best opportunity that owners have is to appreciate the fact of the countless miles of unwaivering reliability, performance, and invaluable memories logged in this special sports-car. And from this standpoint -how would "outsiders" really appreciate these facts without owning an L81?
Yet, we bow our heads in recognition at the glory that its older siblings have attained, and we nervously tip our hats while witnessing the impressive skills that the newer generations can muster at a whim. But the fact of the matter is that these achievements are no accident. If the Chevrolet executives would not have feared the impact that the Ford Thunderbird was going to have, and if the "Route 66" TV-Show did not show the true qualities of an early C2, and further yet, if the Last Sting Ray would not have been saved from its demise, then the transcending generations of Corvettes would not had also maintained the tradition to bestow upon today's Super Corvettes the latest technological advances.
The reality is that the L81 has enjoyed average market values for a long time, and should enough time go by, the fact that they still around should elevate our estimates of their true value. Ownership should be seen as an opportunity to enjoy a lifestyle that will reward us with invaluable memories, not as an investment to chance our future, thus, that is what I mean when I say that the 'value is in the eye-of-the-beholder.'
I have said it many times before..."we L81 owners have a low power complex", and I am convinced that this "perspective" on the L81, whether from outside of the owner's circle or within it, is what drives the "value" of our venerable Vette.
In large part, a lot of Corvette owners own just one example of these venerable sports-cars. Some of us are fortunate enough to have the choice to either own any one Corvette generation or to pursue additional specimens to our own collection. Often the margin in performance between any of these Corvettes to their next generational descendant is minuscule at best, but we still stray and compare our chosen specimen across generational lines that transcend decades of technological advances.
Definitely, if we began our ownership of these special Corvettes in hopes of higher return-on-investment, then we were sadly misguided. Notwithstanding their pioneering on engine control systems, nor the collection of creature comforts, neither the excellent performance shadowing its contemporary competitors would convince anyone of its true value. Perhaps the best opportunity that owners have is to appreciate the fact of the countless miles of unwaivering reliability, performance, and invaluable memories logged in this special sports-car. And from this standpoint -how would "outsiders" really appreciate these facts without owning an L81?
Yet, we bow our heads in recognition at the glory that its older siblings have attained, and we nervously tip our hats while witnessing the impressive skills that the newer generations can muster at a whim. But the fact of the matter is that these achievements are no accident. If the Chevrolet executives would not have feared the impact that the Ford Thunderbird was going to have, and if the "Route 66" TV-Show did not show the true qualities of an early C2, and further yet, if the Last Sting Ray would not have been saved from its demise, then the transcending generations of Corvettes would not had also maintained the tradition to bestow upon today's Super Corvettes the latest technological advances.
The reality is that the L81 has enjoyed average market values for a long time, and should enough time go by, the fact that they still around should elevate our estimates of their true value. Ownership should be seen as an opportunity to enjoy a lifestyle that will reward us with invaluable memories, not as an investment to chance our future, thus, that is what I mean when I say that the 'value is in the eye-of-the-beholder.'
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Very nice write-up, Gerry! That should be required reading for anyone who questions the car's value over the years.
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