Does Originality Matter for Corvettes?

I do not normally like modded car and this one is extreme.

But WOW

Best

Lee

 

More and from Garage Journal. IGO2XS, a very good thread of a custom builder based in FL and has modified a '63 SWC, currently working on a '65 coupe as well as the subject matter here:
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yes i agree but i keep holding hope for the 78 pace car I have one (3rd owner) with 6500 miles L82 4spd.. but the real collectable corvettes are the 53 thru 72(end of the chrome bumpers) with particular disability for the 67.....

 

That's a beauty. I just got this 1970 I'm restoring
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I would say that the more rare and desirable examples, like 57 a Airbox car, 63 ZO6s, great 67 435s and 67/69 L88s etc. the greater the importance it is that it remain as correct as possible.

 

I'm sorry ,but that thing looks ridiculous. It looks like it smashed through a truck filled with superglue and then careened through the JC Whitney warehouse before coming to rest.

 

To each his own. I think it looks great, like it just dropped a Mad Max set

 

Maybe so, Phil-but this is all I can think of when I see that monstrosity.
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you, me and the thousands of low mile indy and SA cars out there. i cant believe the amount of them squirreled away as instant collectibles..

 

Well here's my take.

From year 53 to 72 I think originally matters if looking to have purchase price remain the same or increase or depreciate very slowly.

73 to 83 I am not so sure as this period of time seemed like a low point of corvette passion.

I would add that the c4, c5, c6, c7 model were produced in such volume that originally does not matter.

Of course there are exceptions in the year 1983 to 2017 model years.
Pace Cars, C4 ZR1, C5 Commemorative Z06, C6 Ron Fellows maybe some others.

So buy what you like and drive it!

FWIW I always liked a C2 1966 small block with AC and disc brakes.
A C4 1996 collectors edition is a beautiful looking vette with a low acquisition cost.

That's my take of the moment.

 

I once read an article about the engine mount brackets for some Corvette, probably C2 given the time this was.
Anyway, it went into detail about how they were dipped rather than sprayed and which hole they were hung from to dry so runs should be in a certain direction, blah, blah.
Given this level of minutia I'd say originality or correctness count for a lot.
Heaven help the poor guy who owns a car which had it's engine brackets hung on the wrong hole by some factory worker in the sixties.

 

IF you are in the market for an investment grade C1,C2, or C3 corvette it will pay to hire an expert for which there are many . I did that with every corvette I bought ...and It paid There was a time i owned some of the best corvettes in the country .. I have since changed my interests but i still have a few which i will keep. I guess i spent 20 years buying very high quality corvettes to keep... I never lost a dime..I only bought one car to flip and that was a very rare car that i got i good deal on ...bought it on ebay but before i wrote the check I flew my guy to california 3000 miles to check it out .. and after his ok and list of things it needed I bought it fixed the list and kept it a few months but it was not for me ... I later took it to a mecum auction and it did not sell at the auction but I had call from someone that i had dealt with in the past call me within an hour of the auction and it was sold .. and saved all the commissions ... and that was still a top flight corvette ... anyway i have seen that car at many auctions since then funny ... the car checked all the boxes but just didn't feel right hard to explain..
on the other hand nothing wrong with a modified corvette just know it will be worth far less so be sure and pay less....

 

I have done that on investment grade cars.

Lee

 

I do that with my investment grade diecast. I drive my sportscars they way they were meant to be-much more fun that way.

 

looks nice for a track beast

 

These are considered by more than a few the best for track. 55k miles for track car sounds liek a lot of hard use, so maybe mtoro and bushings need redoing. On the other hand, you can drop in a 550hp motor for under 10K, the brakes are already done and bushings?

Well a really fast really inexpesive and robust track car, if you dont mind sitting in front of the rear wheels, which is a corvette thing/experience.

 

Question, if onbe were looking for a C2 that drove really right, not really a restomod but can have soem brakes and tires, and was not uppity about numbers matchign etc, what should one look for and what is a reasonable price.

In otehr words a really cool, fast tight drivign road rally vette.

 

Dale, that car looks legit. The only thing I would do is change the valve springs. The bushings are not an issue on these and last well over 100k mi. I know because I have done it. I sold my last one last year with over 118k mi (I got it with 8k) and lots of track time.

 

The great thing about your plan is that you can buy a non matching number C2 for a substantial discount-especially if it's a smallblock. There are many ways to upgrade the handling and stopping without going the restomod route.

I have the complete Global West suspension on mine, competition spec factory brakes with a custom master cylinder, proper lines,pads and fluids, a 500HP small block that runs on crappy Cali gas without complaint, a massive alloy radiator so it always runs cool, offset trailing arms so I can run a bit more rear tire without touching the fenders, period Scheel seats, Momo Lemans wheel,etc. My 67 has proven itself on multiple high speed rallys and some track sessions as well. It pesters my friends in their "R" group 911s in the canyons and blasts by them on the straights. It remains one of my favorite vintage sports cars.
You should be able to pick up a nice NOM runner for 25-35K depending on coupe, vert and year. A less desirable year like a 64 would be the cheapest. I probably have about 15K in upgrades(not counting the engine) and I started with a rare, matching number car and I don't care as I like to drive my cars, not wipe them with a micro fiber.
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WOW!!! Great photo in the turn. Awesome.