Anyone near Edinburg, Texas? I need someone to look at a Corvette for me.

[George Smolinski]

I need someone to look at a Corvette for me. Willing to pay you for your time. Here's the car:

[Twisted Shifter]

Does ANYONE live near Edinburg, Texas?😲

 

 

 

 

[George Smolinski]

8 hours ago, Twisted Shifter said:

Does ANYONE live near Edinburg, Texas?😲

 

 

 

 

I didn't look at a map before I got all excited & posted my question here. You can't get much further south than where that car is.

[TAKerry]

Looks like a decent car, but I dont think there are any lack of that vintage for sale at any given time. I would bet the transport cost would negate any good deal, but what do I know? My car originated in Corpus Christi, I didnt think one could get much further south than that!!

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Passes the initial tests of matching tires and non neglected bumpers (paint, whether redone or not is not a mismatch).  

Not sure these cars ever had rally wheels colored vz. Argent like silver.  Hate anything but the silver and wonder if that is a clue to more serious "personalization".  The HMN sticker says the owner has interest in the hobby.  

All speculation based on the one pic.  You see 10 junkers for every really nice rubber bumper C3, I like the later ones as well, luckily the 10% of nicer cars is a fairly high number.  I think a clean 80 - 82 is going to be a "better Vette" to have as time goes on.  Look for 3 pedals...

[TAKerry]

I no very little about vettes, but the rally wheels do not look right to me. Are they from an earlier car and were they offered on the year of this particular one? This car does look really nice, but if you look through hemmings I would bet you can find a dozen in the same or better condition. Again, unless they are giving this one away..................

[Larry Schramm]

Wheels looks stock for the year.  Aluminum would probably been an option.  I think Chevelle's also had that style of vehicle in that era, but not sure.

[George Smolinski]

2 hours ago, TAKerry said:

Again, unless they are giving this one away..................

$5900

[Steve_Mack_CT]

1 minute ago, George Smolinski said:

$5900

Ok, at that price I guess you mask the tires and spray bomb the rally wheels....  😁

 

Seems like a good deal but would need to know a lot more about it though.

[a griffin]

Contact Rio Grande Valley AACA. They are a fairly active group and would have someone "close".

[George Smolinski]

1 hour ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Seems like a good deal but would need to know a lot more about it though.

That's why I posed the question. Now that I know where Edinburg is, I don't know if I'd want to pay shipping on it.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

George I will say that price is about right for a real rat.  If it seems too good rule might apply here....

[TAKerry]

Unless there is no motor and the interior is trashed that seems like a give away price. No idea on shipping cost but even at 3k it would be worth it. I would def. want someone local to take a look and make sure its legit before laying down the greenback though.

[SC38dls]

Fly down drive it home at that price you can see a great deal of Texas as you would be crossing most of it no matter which way is home! 
dave s 

[zepher]

8 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Passes the initial tests of matching tires and non neglected bumpers (paint, whether redone or not is not a mismatch).  

Not sure these cars ever had rally wheels colored vz. Argent like silver.  Hate anything but the silver and wonder if that is a clue to more serious "personalization".  The HMN sticker says the owner has interest in the hobby.  

All speculation based on the one pic.  You see 10 junkers for every really nice rubber bumper C3, I like the later ones as well, luckily the 10% of nicer cars is a fairly high number.  I think a clean 80 - 82 is going to be a "better Vette" to have as time goes on.  Look for 3 pedals...

 

But be wary of the crossfire injection models.

They were a problem when new and they aren't any better when they age.
I had a '78 Silver Anniversary with the L82/4 speed combo and I do not think Rally wheels were available in the 80's on the Corvette, or any other Chevy for that matter.
Mine had the factory alloys with a red pin stripe on the lip.

[George Cole]

How long does it take for the dead body smell to go away? 

[Larry Schramm]

1 hour ago, zepher said:

 

But be wary of the crossfire injection models.

They were a problem when new and they aren't any better when they age.
I had a '78 Silver Anniversary with the L82/4 speed combo and I do not think Rally wheels were available in the 80's on the Corvette, or any other Chevy for that matter.
Mine had the factory alloys with a red pin stripe on the lip.

 

Our '76 Corvette hat that style of rallye wheels as standard and the aluminum wheels were an option.

Standard:

 

 

Optional

 

 

The car came standard with Firestone 500 radial tires.  We have had the car since 1978 we bought it with 7,500 miles.

[zepher]

5 minutes ago, Larry Schramm said:

 

Our '76 Corvette hat that style of rallye wheels as standard and the aluminum wheels were an option.

Standard:

 

 

Optional

 

 

The car came standard with Firestone 500 radial tires.  We have had the car since 1978 we bought it with 7,500 miles.

 

I'm not sure how accurate this is, but I found this on a Chevelle forum.

 

Quote

They were first used on the Corvette in 1967 even though the Corvette first got disc brakes in 1965. The last use on the Corvette was 1982 as the standard wheel. Aluminum wheels were optional on the Corvettes for many of those years. Corvette used steel wheels and full wheelcovers in 1965 and 1966. Those steel wheels were redesigned to fit the disc brakes and made wider in 65 and 66 (15 x 6), but were not the rally wheel, just ordinary steel wheels. Previous Corvette drum brake wheels used in 63 and 64 were 15 x 5.5. The rally wheel became standard in 67 (15 x 6). They changed to 15 x 7 in 1968, and were 15 x 8 from 69 through 82.

 

[Larry Schramm]

3 hours ago, zepher said:

 

I'm not sure how accurate this is, but I found this on a Chevelle forum.

 

 

 

That information is consistent with our Corvette that we have owned for 45 years.

[TAKerry]

I have never  been to that part of Texas, but from what I have seen, the scenery in the pic is what I would expect, and the car does have Texas tags, so those 2 things align, I would still be wary of the deal simply because they are selling the car for about 50c on the $. Careful what may be stashed in the 'hidden compartments'!

[JACK M]

Corpus Christi.

My mom lived there for a short time during the war.

She said if they were ever to give the USA an enema it would start there..

[Ed Luddy]

Ok these are 15 x7 Chevrolet Rallye wheels. NOT 15X8 Corvette Rallye wheels. They were all painted argent from the factory. They are wrong for this car, but thats the least of the worries on these cars. Frame and birdcage rust are the killers.  

[Ed Luddy]

On 1/10/2023 at 12:41 PM, Larry Schramm said:

Wheels looks stock for the year.  Aluminum would probably been an option.  I think Chevelle's also had that style of vehicle in that era, but not sure.

 These are the wrong wheels for this car. They are 15X7 Chevrolet NOT 15X8 Corvette.

[Larry Schramm]

44 minutes ago, Ed Luddy said:

 These are the wrong wheels for this car. They are 15X7 Chevrolet NOT 15X8 Corvette.

 

I said, "I think Chevelle's also had that style of vehicle(meant wheel) in that era, but not sure."

[SC38dls]

The real question is - is George going to pursue this car and drive it across Texas or not? At that price it would be worth the trip to see it. That is if the airplane can get off the ground. You could buy new wheels and tires and still not be underwater. But then again I don’t think there is enough water in Texas to go completely under. 
dave s 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Well regardless George got me thinking about that white over red 4 speed 81, 82 I have wanted since HS.  Or a 78 Pace Car.  Or another steel bumper which I did have, but a really nice one this time... 😁

[John Bloom]

There are endless cars to choose from if you love these years ( soft nose and tail C3 sharks). It isn’t unusual to see people asking 7K for them....... and that is their asking price..... no telling what the transaction price actually is.  I have had a few corvettes. I had a 73 for years which is very similar to this car, but had a chrome rear bumper.  In no particular order I would look for one:

-that hasn’t been hit. 
-has a solid frame, which up here in the Midwest seems rare for these years.

-A correct engine, preferably the one original to the car. Not some crate drop in with bling pieces attached to it. 
-look at the soft nose bumper, is it cracked damaged, warped, or doesn’t match the color of the rest of the car.

-try and find one that’s been a running car through the years, not one that set someplace for 12 years with the fluids in it and hasn’t moved.

-Is it a color you can live with.

 

those are just a few of my thoughts for these years. If you are willing to ship a car. You can search nationwide and I bet that there are 200 to 300 between Hemmings Facebook marketplace and craigslist available today. You only need one. They are not expensive cars so hold out and get the best one you can. I see a lot of these bought cheap and someone starts to take them apart and they never are made whole again.  Their value also is so low that it makes pouring money into a restoration of one of them a very poor financial decision.

One final comment, I like them. I can’t think of anything else as cool to jump in to the collectible car market for under $10,000.

Edited January 12, 2023 by John Bloom (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

25 minutes ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Well regardless George got me thinking about that white over red 4 speed 81, 82 I have wanted since HS.  Or a 78 Pace Car.  Or another steel bumper which I did have, but a really nice one this time... 😁

I would like to have a 78 pace car. They can be had for a decent price these days and a lot are still in low miles good condition. I also like the 78 silver anniversary models. One of those would make a great compliment to my 79 anniversary TA. Might be one in my future, LOL.  These were the b&^%^&%&% step child of the corvette world for awhile but I think they may be gaining some ground. Not the highest of the performance level but I dont need 1000hp to enjoy a nice leisurely cruise. I really like the styling of the 82's as well. I was looking at a friends 74 convertible that he has had since new. Another nice looking car that can be had without breaking the bank.

[John Bloom]

10 minutes ago, John Bloom said:

There are endless cars to choose from if you love these years ( soft nose and tail C3 sharks). It isn’t unusual to see people asking 7K for them....... and that is their asking price..... no telling what the transaction price actually is.  I have had a few corvettes. I had a 73 for years which is very similar to this car, but had a chrome rear bumper.  In no particular order I would look for one:

-that hasn’t been hit. 
-has a solid frame, which up here in the Midwest seems rare for these years.

-A correct engine, preferably the one original to the car. Not some crate drop in with bling pieces attached to it. 
-look at the soft nose bumper, is it cracked damaged, warped, or doesn’t match the color of the rest of the car.

-try and find one that’s been a running car through the years, not one that set someplace for 12 years with the fluids in it and hasn’t moved.

-Is it a color you can live with.

 

those are just a few of my thoughts for these years. If you are willing to ship a car. You can search nationwide and I bet that there are 200 to 300 between Hemmings Facebook marketplace and craigslist available today. You only need one. They are not expensive cars so hold out and get the best one you can. I see a lot of these bought cheap and someone starts to take them apart and they never are made whole again.  Their value also is so low that it makes pouring money into a restoration of one of them a very poor financial decision.

One final comment, I like them. I can’t think of anything else as cool to jump in to the collectible car market for under $10,000.

Some pictures of a 73 I had that was a nice driver, maybe a #3 car.  I think it was bought for about 8K, enjoyed without needing a lot of money put into it.  Then 

 

 

[John Bloom]

3 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

These were the b&^%^&%&% step child of the corvette world for awhile but I think they may be gaining some ground. Not the highest of the performance level but I dont need 1000hp to enjoy a nice leisurely cruise. 

I agree with you.  I see them as a value if you are guessing where the future may go price wise.... Along with TR6's, 1974 and earlier Alfa Spiders, ...... (I have my list :).  However, they did make a lot of these.  If you like the look, and considering small block chrome bumper sharks are almost all above 20K.....this is a nice compromise and keeps some benjamins in your wallet.  

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Beauty of 73 is tail but NO wiper door to deal with!!! 

 

John that looked like a really nice one.  I think up to 75 has the cool old school steering wheel. 

[zepher]

1 hour ago, TAKerry said:

I would like to have a 78 pace car. They can be had for a decent price these days and a lot are still in low miles good condition. I also like the 78 silver anniversary models. One of those would make a great compliment to my 79 anniversary TA. Might be one in my future, LOL.  These were the b&^%^&%&% step child of the corvette world for awhile but I think they may be gaining some ground. Not the highest of the performance level but I dont need 1000hp to enjoy a nice leisurely cruise. I really like the styling of the 82's as well. I was looking at a friends 74 convertible that he has had since new. Another nice looking car that can be had without breaking the bank.

 

The '78 Silver Anniversary with the L82/4 speed combo that I had was a very fun car to drive but it was no speed demon, that's for sure.

Great handling car but it was pretty lacking in the raw horsepower dept.

But the 4 speed did add a lot to the fun factor.

Plus, I always thought they were a great looking car.

[John Bloom]

My apologies to George for pontificating based on my own thoughts and experiences, and somewhat hijacking his thread.

 

if you want a C3 Corvette on a budget, and are not in a hurry, you will have a lot of choices.

[George Smolinski]

3 hours ago, SC38dls said:

The real question is - is George going to pursue this car and drive it across Texas or not? At that price it would be worth the trip to see it. That is if the airplane can get off the ground. You could buy new wheels and tires and still not be underwater. But then again I don’t think there is enough water in Texas to go completely under. 
dave s 

I don't like the fact that it's almost 1500 miles away, and it's way too close to the Mexican border. I like my safety.

I have 2 others I'll be looking at in spring & may buy both if I get decent prices on them. One is a 1971 350, 4 speed. Original owner. 107,000 miles. $12,000. The other is a 1960 283 four speed. Not original engine, but correct for 1960 engine. Both are good drivers. Haven't got a price on the '60 yet.

[SC38dls]

George, just bring along you own personal army. I’m sure that would give you security. Well maybe not go for the other two. The 60 would be a ball but only if you are not too tall. I’m 6’1” and always felt cramped in ones I rode in. I think my Austin Healy 3000 had more room. Either would be nice to have good luck. 
dave s 

[Ed Luddy]

On 1/12/2023 at 11:50 AM, TAKerry said:

I would like to have a 78 pace car. They can be had for a decent price these days and a lot are still in low miles good condition. I also like the 78 silver anniversary models. One of those would make a great compliment to my 79 anniversary TA. Might be one in my future, LOL.  These were the b&^%^&%&% step child of the corvette world for awhile but I think they may be gaining some ground. Not the highest of the performance level but I dont need 1000hp to enjoy a nice leisurely cruise. I really like the styling of the 82's as well. I was looking at a friends 74 convertible that he has had since new. Another nice looking car that can be had without breaking the bank.

I sold my 78 Pace Car 2 1/2 yrs ago. It was stored for over 30 yrs. when I bought it. I did the usual stuff, drain fluids, all 4 calipers, rotors, etc. Had the seats redone, paint work, new decal kit ( never installed), tires, etc. Yes, I lost money on it but just didn't drive it. I'd forgotten how hot these fishbowl 78-82 car were especially with the glass tops! Then I bought a very original 76 from the 1st owners family. Since 1979 probably bought and sold around 35 of them so I got to know my way around them.