Wow is the value of C3s climbing?

[Altered]

$34,000.00 1971 BLUE Corvette with a blue interior, 350 MOTOR and auto transmission.<-- Click

I am not trying to downplay anyones car but is this car really even close to worth that? :confused

 

[Vette79]

There must be a reason why the seller is asking so much. Not much information was given except that it is numbers matching and it was restored ten years ago which IMO raises some questions. If all is well along with documentation then I can see this Vette selling for 30K. Chrome Bumper Vette!!!

 

[Maine Vette]

I find that a lot of times its not a question of "what's the car worth" but a question of "what will someone pay?".

Last year I saw a SB 68 4 speed vert (fair condition) for sale at a local dealership. They were asking $35k firm which I thought was quite high considering the condition of the car. It was gone in less than a week.

 

[Altered]

I find that a lot of times its not a question of "what's the car worth" but a question of "what will someone pay?".

I totally agree. I guess I wasn't thinking he might have been fishing. :crazy

 

[minifridge1138]

What is a C3 Corvette worth?
Whatever the buyer is willing to pay.

Consider what happened to the value of the Ford Mustang. In the mid 90's you could get a 1964-1968 mustang coupe for under $5,000.
Then in 2000 the remake of Gone in 60 Seconds came out. Suddenly everyone wanted their own "Eleanor" and the cost sky rocketed. Shelby Mustangs are now going for over $100k. Coups are now going for $20k (i've seen them sell for $30k and more). They even became so popular, that Ford re-designed the car for 2005 to resemble the 1967 mustang fastback. This has triggered a resurgence (2009 Camaro anyone?).

Now Corvettes have always been a superior performing (and better looking) car, but are cheaper than Mustangs. Give it some time and prices will adjust.

And if anyone knows Nicolas Cage, the could ask him to make a sequel featuring a Corvette. Evidently, that is the fastest way to increase the value of a car.

 

[Scott Winebarger]

Vette-N-Vestments gives a 71 LT1 at 37,000, add 5 grand for a big block. He is not too far off if its in #1 condition . Like it has been said before , its all what a man is willing to pay. Go to the Proteam Corvette website and see what they are asking / getting for their Corvettes.

 

[vett boy]

The c-3 chrome bumper cars are slowing heading up hill.They are fine lookin' machines.

 

[bossvette]

well I guess I got mine just in the nick of time, I'll have less then $14000 in it when this was taken

 

[Koop]

2nd owner in 24 years, low miles... If the car is ultra clean, it could bring that at the right auction, I've seen a few not special at all small block roadsters go beyond $40, I've seen tired 350/350, 4spd with AC T-top cars that were all original, intact and completely worn out go over $20k.

Like home values, watch for the values of cars to back off sharply. Home Equity Lines are becoming scarce and that's where the money for big $ toys comes from.

 

[Altered]

Interesting reading. I am no one to judge anyones car or value. I have been looking at the value of these fine cars though and with no more than what was posted in the ad it seemed to be very high for that particular ad. bossvette has a really nice ride and as he stated $14,000 seemed to me like he got a very good deal. I would have thought those cars on average went more in the lower twenty's. But I sure am new to this Vette business and I am learning.

 

[Maine Vette]

Then in 2000 the remake of Gone in 60 Seconds came out. Suddenly everyone wanted their own "Eleanor" and the cost sky rocketed.

So the question is, who's going to do a movie like that featuring Corvettes?

 

[2X4's 60]

Coupe, base motor, auto., 110K miles. It may be worth $15K- $20K at the VERY most. No way will it bring 34K.

 

[kwplot34]

Maybe we can get Mark Hammell to re-do corvette summer on second thought we want are cars to go up in value not down :L

 

[Vette79]

Either way it's a very nice looking ride. I can only hope someday my 79 demands such a high number. Someday...LOL...

 

[TWINRAY]

Until a couple of years ago, they were priced in the low teens. With mid-yr small blocks now starting in the 40's, the C3's also are going up. Pretty soon, it'll be hard to get one for under $20K. I'm assuming "good" condition cars and not rat traps (priced lower) or Concours restorations (priced higher).

 

[Koop]

Coupe, base motor, auto., 110K miles. It may be worth $15K- $20K at the VERY most. No way will it bring 34K.

You are probably right, but the "under $20k" cars I've seen at the auctions for the past year+ were piles, bubba'd, intact and worn out or other.

 

[2X4's 60]

You are probably right, but the "under $20k" cars I've seen at the auctions for the past year+ were piles, bubba'd, intact and worn out or other.

You must be looking in the wrong places. Here's a very nice one that you could get for way under $20K http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/car/502106789.html This is typical of what I've seen.

 

[Striker 85]

Picked up mine with 78K on the engine for 18K. Needs a new interior, but no rust on the frame and the powertrain is super strong. The money I am spending now is more estetics. I will end up putting more into it since I want to repaint it because of some scrapes and orange peel. I rebuilt the front end and dropped some redlines on it. Actually the C3 prices have bottomed out from last year.

As far as the Mustangs, all those saps can sit and watch their cash rust away...my 69 will be around long after I am gone...

 

[Koop]

You must be looking in the wrong places. Here's a very nice one that you could get for way under $20K http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/car/502106789.html This is typical of what I've seen.

Late 80's paint (that means at least 18 years ago, 101k on the original drive train (the odo's don't work often in early C3's so more is likely) and you have to look at the wear on both the clutch and brake pedals (101k?) surface rust on the frame? You can see the rust on the frame in the rear wheel wells, needs a steering box and rag joint. Fiber optics, clock and radio don't work, needs a windshield, oil pressure gauge is intermitent... Back sits high, front is much to low, front brightwork doesn't line up, seats look dust, cracked door panels, something is off with the coloring in the interior as the dash pad doesn't match the lower dash which doesn't match the door panels, but the door pulls do appear to match the kick panels (rattle can dye job?), kick panels appear to be for a car with AC (maybe the kick mounted vent lever was gone by '72). NO ICE! OMG THESE CARS ARE HOT INSIDE NO AIR! Alternator appears incorrect, valve covers, rear of drivers door gap looks off (upper hinge?) missplaced random rust in the engine compartment is suspect, overspray on the hood hinge and on the passenger window back side rubber, completely painted rubber below the a pillar on both sides (Correct respray?), screws in the door jambs appear to war bonnet yellow, interior shot shows the tach on 1,500 with no foot on the gas...

A picture is worth a thousand words, there's more than one picture there!

I've seen nice chrome bumper C3's pushing into the high 30's even low 40's for roadsters. That car is probably a very decent weekender and appears to be a well worn, well loved but tired 36 year old car. The surface rust would cause me to attack the frame with an ice pick and the rust by the wiper door actuator makes me wonder what the cage is like. And what's with the miss matched interior?

 

[Scott Winebarger]

Late 80's paint (that means at least 18 years ago, 101k on the original drive train (the odo's don't work often in early C3's so more is likely) and you have to look at the wear on both the clutch and brake pedals (101k?) surface rust on the frame? You can see the rust on the frame in the rear wheel wells, needs a steering box and rag joint. Fiber optics, clock and radio don't work, needs a windshield, oil pressure gauge is intermitent... Back sits high, front is much to low, front brightwork doesn't line up, seats look dust, cracked door panels, something is off with the coloring in the interior as the dash pad doesn't match the lower dash which doesn't match the door panels, but the door pulls do appear to match the kick panels (rattle can dye job?), kick panels appear to be for a car with AC (maybe the kick mounted vent lever was gone by '72). NO ICE! OMG THESE CARS ARE HOT INSIDE NO AIR! Alternator appears incorrect, valve covers, rear of drivers door gap looks off (upper hinge?) missplaced random rust in the engine compartment is suspect, overspray on the hood hinge and on the passenger window back side rubber, completely painted rubber below the a pillar on both sides (Correct respray?), screws in the door jambs appear to war bonnet yellow, interior shot shows the tach on 1,500 with no foot on the gas...

A picture is worth a thousand words, there's more than one picture there!

I've seen nice chrome bumper C3's pushing into the high 30's even low 40's for roadsters. That car is probably a very decent weekender and appears to be a well worn, well loved but tired 36 year old car. The surface rust would cause me to attack the frame with an ice pick and the rust by the wiper door actuator makes me wonder what the cage is like. And what's with the miss matched interior?

He is right , that is typical of what you see for sale. :L

The car needs a lot of work, don't be fooled by a pretty interior or a semi good paint job. It would make someone a good driver and the price isn't that bad for that car. It just needs a little TLC and a few $$ spent on it. It would make a $30,000 car with about 10 grand spent on it.

Thats one example of why a clean/correct C3 is worth more $$ today, between bubba and time its hard to find a nice one under $30 grand anymore.