Any idea what my car is worth?

[Fastguy]

Wasn't planning on selling it but somone just offered to buy it. As for value, I have had this conversation with several people and I am getting numbers all over the place from $11,000-$20,000.

Description:

1970 Corvette Stingray Coupe

This is an original 454 LS5 390 hp/ 4 speed car.
Originally red with black interior, currently black/black.
Factory hot rod, no options car. I did add power steering to it. The car came up from Arizona and has no rust or rot anywhere. The body is very straight. Hood, T-tops and wiper doors were just repainted, the rest of the paint is decent.
The birdcage and rocker panels are rock solid. Has T-tops and removable back window, correct big block hood.

Engine = 1973 454 with Edelbrock Performer Cam, Edelbrock Torker II intake, Edlebrock Performer carb. New fuel pump, water pump, belts and hoses.
Ignition= HEI distributor with cable tach drive conversion with Taylor 8mm wires. New alternator. New battery.
Exhaust= Hooker Super Comp ceramic coated headers, 2.5” stainless exhaust, Flowmaster 70 stainless mufflers, with correct 1970 stainless slash cut rectangular tips.
Transmission= Muncie M-20 4-speed with rebuilt shifter, new Zoom clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, front bearing retainer and main bearing, Hayes flywheel.
Differential= Original big block diff with 3.55 gears, Muskegon rear cover.
Cooling= Modine 4 core radiator with dual Flex-A-Lite electric fans and Painless Wiring thermostatic switch.
Suspension= Edelbrock shocks, rebuilt suspension with new ball joints/bushings, VBP fiberglass rear spring, Van Steel adjustable strut rods. New U-joints.
Brakes= rebuilt calipers all around with stainless braided brake lines.
Wheels/Tires= BFG 235/60/15 Radial TA on factory Rally Wheels.

Electric headlight conversion, new door and T-Top weather stripping, 97 F-body seatbelt conversion, all new chrome except for front bumper which is in good shape.
Everything works but the clock, climate control flapper, and the wipers, working to have the wipers hooked up and functioning.
Overall it is a solid daily driver but needs finishing. The vacuum lines for the heater and Astro Ventilation need to be routed correctly, the wipers need to be set up.
I drive it a few days a week, have put about 700 miles on it since I got it roadworthy last summer.

Pics

http://s17.beta.photobucket.com/user...70LS5.jpg.html

http://s17.beta.photobucket.com/user...318_n.jpg.html


http://s17.beta.photobucket.com/user...10001.jpg.html

http://s17.beta.photobucket.com/user...007-2.jpg.html

http://s17.beta.photobucket.com/user...rs/78.jpg.html

http://s17.beta.photobucket.com/user..._6049.jpg.html


http://s17.beta.photobucket.com/user...10004.jpg.html

[The_Dude]

$11k is way too low, but $20k might be a bit high, since it still needs some minor work. If it were me, I think I'd do the minor work and ask $20k.

[Fastguy]

I am seeing much nicer cars trade hands in the mid 20's, but then I see shitboxes needing tons of work for $14-$16k. A lot of people fail to realize that paint is in many cases half of the car's value.
From a purist's view, it would cost $50,000 to make this an NCRS level car that would be worth around $45,000. On the other hand, its a turn key big block four speed chrome bumper car that needs work anyone with hand tools can do.

[RonC5]

That is a solid upper teens car.

[Fastguy]

If you saw the undercarriage of this car, you wouldn't belive how solid it is. It just needs a lot of nickel and dime crap I have no interest in doing. I also have a set of Edelbrock Aluminum heads I was going to put on it but I will probably sell them separately.

[Sea Six]

Originally Posted by RonC5

That is a solid upper teens car.

IF you do the minor work.

The clock you can fix yourself. Mid America sells a quartz conversion that installs in just a few minutes. The key is not to break the chrome bezel as you take it out and out it back in. It is razor thin in one spot, designed to break in an accident. Be very careful and you'll do fine.

Fix the other items. It will cost you hundreds if you pay someone else to do it. Don't do it and it will cost you thousands in the sale value.

[Fastguy]

Originally Posted by Sea Six

IF you do the minor work.

The clock you can fix yourself. Mid America sells a quartz conversion that installs in just a few minutes. The key is not to break the chrome bezel as you take it out and out it back in. It is razor thin in one spot, designed to break in an accident. Be very careful and you'll do fine.

Fix the other items. It will cost you hundreds if you pay someone else to do it. Don't do it and it will cost you thousands in the sale value.

That reminds me, I actually have an NOS bezel in a box. I may spend a weekend just going through the car and tidying it up.
Problem is, it's in storage for the winter and my C5 is in my house garage on jackstands with the motor and suspension out of it.
The reason I am thinking of selling it is because I really don't drive it much, my wife hates it, and ( I am going to catch hell for this one) I want to buy another boat. Yes, I know I am getting rid of a stable-to-appreciating asset to buy a rapidly depreciating asset, but I am just sick of maintaining an aging fleet.

[RED-85-Z51]

I could see that car going for 20K around here, 25K if it was red.

35K+ if it had the correct engine in it, was red....50+ if it was #'s matching and original, but needing some work.

[Datawiz]

If I had spare $$$, I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

[Fastguy]

Originally Posted by datawiz

If I had spare $$$, I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

No tilt wheel, according to Snide, you tall mofos would be all origami to get inside. Whenever I sell a car, people say, "it should be worth X" and then I end up pricing it too high, sitting on it, dropping the price, and then someone says, "damnit, i would have paid X for that car!"
I have bad timing or something.
I sold this turnkey 100% (except for really bad paint) L48 automatic, power everything, tilt, AC, etc. for $5,500 a few years ago.


I sold this 71 LTD vert with a new top for $4,500 the year before.



After I sold each one, people were telling me they would have paid X for them, but they never seem to have the cash when I want to sell.

[Grey Ghost]

My experiences have only been with midyears (about 20 yrs. following and ownership). I can only speak from that type of mindset. I think almost any vintage Corvette value is based on factory originality to a collector.

Pros - factory red, high hp BB.
Negs - currently not factory color(and red is resale red in the Corvette world), non-original motor, and modern updates from factory.

Any original paperwork ?

Look at the final price for some of these with original motor. It's a $10k hit in the midyear world for NOM. I'm not sure about the C3 world.

You can put '454' in the keyword section to narrow the results.

Searching Auctions for Chevrolet Corvette | Keith Martin's Collector Car Price Tracker

[Datawiz]

Originally Posted by Fastguy

No tilt wheel, according to Snide, you tall mofos would be all origami to get inside.

That can be converted, right? But, as you say, I'd be hosed as it sits. I couldn't drive Liz's '68 at TMS when we were out there for BR1.

[Sea Six]

Originally Posted by RED-85-Z51

I could see that car going for 20K around here, 25K if it was red.

35K+ if it had the correct engine in it, was red....50+ if it was #'s matching and original, but needing some work.

On all counts

[GRN ENVY]

Originally Posted by datawiz

If I had spare $$$, I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

Originally Posted by datawiz

That can be converted, right? But, as you say, I'd be hosed as it sits. I couldn't drive Liz's '68 at TMS when we were out there for BR1.

Don't worry Craig, I'll drive you around in it

[Fastguy]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

Any original paperwork ?

Look at the final price for some of these with original motor. It's a $10k hit in the midyear world for NOM. I'm not sure about the C3 world.

You can put '454' in the keyword section to narrow the results.

Searching Auctions for Chevrolet Corvette | Keith Martin's Collector Car Price Tracker

That is a really neat tool. No paperwork, the car was totally cheesed out by someone in AZ. It had all the chrome DA'd and painted flat black, goofy twin turbo hood, all the emblems and door handles shaved and filled. It was very 80's. I bought it as a roller with no drivetrain, exhaust or cooling and slowly put it back togehter, which is a PITA.

Originally Posted by datawiz

That can be converted, right? But, as you say, I'd be hosed as it sits. I couldn't drive Liz's '68 at TMS when we were out there for BR1.

yes, you can convert it, but they are hard to find and expensive, I should have swapped the tilt out of my 75 when I sold it.

[Montehall]

I should think its worth a project 84 Corvette

[Entropy]

It's fun selling a bumper car.

I ran into quite a few tire kickers (and email senders) when I started posting mine.

Ended up getting 10.5. Had okay paint (30') with an original motor. I had paperwork and it was running and driving. Bad stuff was not an LT-1, no A/C and green color is hit or miss for a lot of people.

I would think you would be able to get $15K for that as it sits. Big Block is definitely a help, along with solid frame/bird cage.

[Fastguy]

The crazy thing is people will pay $7-$8k for a basket case that needs $20,000 of work to be a $15,000 car.

[kingpin]

If you're looking for a trade, I will give you a real pretty 16 x 20 photo frame.
I will even put a piece of glass in it.

[Grey Ghost]

Every old car that I bought needed restoration. I would have been better off buying a turn key car. But, I enjoyed turning a wrench and doing the work myself. Similar to you with this '70. I was always careful not to get upside down with the total $ I had in the car and always came out OK. I think people look at the low cost of entry and fail to realize the amount of $ it will take to restore.

Originally Posted by Fastguy

The crazy thing is people will pay $7-$8k for a basket case that needs $20,000 of work to be a $15,000 car.