VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions corvette question

Yes, if it's a driver car and you're not trying to pass it off as an perfect example then who cares. But just the same, maybe some kind of State required dissclosure should be in place even if it's only to protect the investors that are not motorheads.
I hate to suggest more government involvement, but some states already have a check off box on the title asking if the car is modified. Without going into a lot of detail the owner would have to declare that the car has had a major part changed during his ownership.
Yikes! I can see this getting out of hand real quick.

Maybe I should just leave it as...If your not a motorhead don't invest in a classic car.

...and I think it's allready in place. It's "buyer beware"!

Buyer Beware is two very BIG words in fact. one of the motorheads in your area probably would be pleased to look a car over prior to your purchase, just ask one you trust, I really like to have one of my VCCA friends to check out cars I am not that hands on experianced with, none of them have let me down so far. when one of them says "You might need to pass on this one" I take it to heart.

Actually RG, I think part of the 'problem' with the prices of the cars these days is the NON-motorheads are buying cars. And for some reason many of those folks are paying way too much. Obviously many possible reasons: they simply don't know.... they don't care.... as JYD would say, more money than brains.... they want 'it' so bad they just step up and pay, etc. etc. etc.

A good friend (dlr) of mine sold a very nice 67 396 SS at one of the AZ auctions this past Winter for $37k. (Holy Sheet!) As he candidly said, "He*l Bill, I'd have to sell three of 'em at home (in PDX) to generate $37k!!" THREE of 'em - just like that one!!

I mean it was definitely a nice car.... butternut, black insides and vinyl top, PS, PS, etc. etc. and detailed to the NINE's. Super eye ball. I mean really pretty!! BUT, $37k - are YOU NUTS!!

Yeah, the buyer was. Oh, and plus 8-9% fee.... that makes it a $40k purchase.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Bill.

42Bill; I couldn't agree more. A work mate of mine has a 71 Vette (which has been re-painted a shade off) and he is totally into what these cars are selling for. He actually is planing a vacation to attend a Barrett Jackson next year. He is NOT a motorhead and couldn't tell ya if his Vette has rear wheel drive! Yet he loves how the pricing has skyrocketted on muscle cars and promotes ALL the cruise nights so they become even more popular.
You are right when ya say "they don't know and don't care". I also happen to think that these are the people that artificialy drive up bids on eBay.
These prices didn't get out of hand by themselves. Yes, the cars are not worth it, and if you buy it for that price you are eventually going to screw yourself when you buy the next one.

And I have seen them play with the new toy and get tired of what they really have, and it is time to move on to another toy, like a racehorse or a big boat, Like the Dawg often says "too many frogskins, a itsy bitsy tenny amount of gray matter!".... (or words to that effect)

Naw! The old mutt always says: "They have more money than brains!" :eek:

Dawg, I am glad you cleared that up for us!

Well JYD, if nothing else, YOU ARE PREDICTABLE.....

From my post yesterday at 1139pm and echoed by several others....

:) :)

Bill.

In this case I think JYD might have it in the wrong time frame. I think he means HAD more money than brains paying that much for a car that has been worn out at least once in its life. But they are certainly rebuildable.
Tony

Hey 42bill........at least you get things right. Macky Wacky (being wacky) usually gets things a little off base!

Yes, the old mutt is predicable. Two glasses of beer every night...always watches the western channel on TV.....breakfast with the dudes every other Wednesday and steak for dinner.

Macky Wacky is an old Codger and he don't all ways bark up the right tree, but when I am around you don't need to worry about getting your whitewalls "washed" either You have to watch the old Mutt every minute around your whitewalls!

RGwiz:

So it seems.

And I agree completely with you about your eBay observation also!!

The unfortunate part about all this to me is it's changed the 'hobby' so it just isn't as much 'fun' as it used to be.

I understand 'prices go up' over time. But some of these 'prices' are just absolutely ridiculous!!

Bill.

Yes and it's a darn shame that most of the pre-war cars can't bring the change that some of the mordern iron does.
Why is that?

RG:

It seems to me that many guys buy their "first car memory" when they buy an "old car," especially their first old car. Many of those buyers are younger than 'we' are. Consequently the mid-50's and up - particularly the 60's muscles cars - are where the demand is. And, of course, the demand has a big impact on the price.

For instance, a guy who's 55 and maybe has a bit of discretionary money for a "toy" was born in 1950. He likely first became "aware" of cars around 1960. Went to his first prom in 1966, or so. Graduated from HS in 1968. Etc. Etc. And there you have it!!!

And this doesn't even 'address' how much more 'driveable' the 60's cars are compared to the 30's and 40's cars.

The relative value of "T's" and "A's" dropped off years ago. Now it's the 30's and 40's turn to drop off.

Bill.

Bill;

I am that guy, exactly! 55 and graduated in 67.
My brother had a 54 4dr, 3 spd. Dad had a 62 Impala 4dr, 6 cyl, 3 spd. and I had a 61 Corvair 3spd.
Pritty nurdy right?
That was all in 1967. The cool cars came a little later.

The most popular car from that time that I would love to have now, and don't shoot me, but it has got to be the 55 Chevy Hot Rod. That car was so cool and every guy wanted one. I'd love to have one in the garage.

RG,

I wouldn't shoot anybody for their 'wishes' about a car. I've always felt the guy whose name is on the title is entitled to do anything he wants to his car. (I understand that's tantamount to heresy in this forum.)

I'm not saying what 'they' do to their car is always 'pleasing' to my eye. But when I see something I don't like at a cruise-in or car show or wherever, I just go the other way. In essence it's the same thing I used to tell the idiots who called the radio station or TV station and 'bitched' about the song we were playing or the program we were airing. I'd simply tell them if they didn't like it (didn't "approve" of it) or whatever, they should simply switch the station / channel - or - just turn it off!

How the he!l hard is that to figure out!!

Incidentally, what would you consider a would be??

Different engine?? "Wild" paint?? Four speed?? Etc. Etc. In other words, what would make it a "Hot Rod??"


Just curious.....

Bill.

RGwiz,

Speaking of the (per your description) "nurdy" cars in your family .....

You know, a lot of us grew up in 'working class' families. Many of those 'working class' families had cars like you mention. There were a TON of guys who had no idea why Chevrolet even bothered to come out with a V-8 in 1955. They'd owned sixes for years.... why a V-8 now??

Obvious testimony to that is the 235's availability until the 1963 model year.

I certainly was from a working class family. My dad had a 47 Special Deluxe five passenger coupe, a '54 Bel Air 4 dr sedan, a 58 Bel Air (that I often seem to mistakenly indicate was an Impala), and then a 63 Impala 4 dr hardtop. The 58 did have a 250 horse 348. But the 63 was a 283 2 barrell. Maybe that 348 was too much for him. Especially seeing as how I went thru THREE Turboglides in the first year or so. Or, maybe it was the dealership that wouldn't sell him anything more than a 283 2 barrell with a PG!!?!!

The 58 was my first date car; prom car; etc. I have no idea how but I 'talked' my dad into glass packs and re-routing the exhaust a bit so I could put chrome pencil tips straight out the back!! (Maybe that demonstrated I should go into 'sales' for a career!!)

Just before I graduated HS in '60, I bought a 55 2 dr post. Power Pack 3 speed. Man, what a car!!

Bill.

Back in those days it didn't take a lot of money. The car would have a floor shifter (hurst of course) usually some extra gauges mounted to the bottom of the dash, Sun Tachometer on the steering post or on top of the dash. The hot motor of the day was a Covette 327 w/ fuelie heads and a big four barrel. Headers and if you can get one, a close ratio M-22 trans and 411 posi rear.
The interiors where mostly stock, but if you had a friend that had a friend that worked for an interior shop, he would cut you a break and install a black diamond tuft or rolled and pleated vinyl interior on the side. (ofcourse on Friday night after the owner went home)
Hard top Belairs without front bumpers where a dime a dozen. If you had a post car you where very serious about cars and usually had a roll bar inside and you drag raced every weekend.
ahhh... this is bringing tears to my eyes!

RG,
To go with that fuelie short block you had to have a 300 HP intake along with the Carter AFB. The headers of choice were Sanderson because they were "Tuned". Just in front of the mufflers you had to have a pair or "dumps" with only one bolt holding the caps on so they could be uncapped quickly. In the rear you had to have a pair of traction bars made from old Buick sway bars because they already had eyes on each end. On the rear wheels you had to have a worn out set of ATLAS Bucrons for that extra traction. Up front you had to have the strongest set of coil springs that could be bought. It would take ten people standing on the front end in order to connect the ball joints because no one had a coil spring compressor.To top off the bumperless front end you had to have a pair of tow bar brackets hanging down even if you didn't own a tow bar.

I better hang up this phone, I am already in trouble.

dandyd

Great stuff, dandyd!
We used Hooker headers, 'cause you could use the word "hooker" in front of all the girls...
"Hey guys, we gotta get us a set of those Hookers".

RG,

Just as I described you in my June 29 post, you described my 55 in your July 1 post.

It was my first car. Bought it in April (1960) of my Senior year of HS.

A 55 "150" 2 dr post. Power Pack 265, 3 spd with 4.11's. I put in floor shift linkage. Sun tach on the steering column; but no aftermarket guages. No headers; but I did have short little stubby 'lakes pipes' put on that exited just behind the front tires. I 'lost' the 265 drag racing. Punched a hole right thru the block!! I replaced the 265 with a 283 long block.

I took the vertical bars out of the grill. Nosed and decked, but kept the door handles. Also put 56 Buick tail light lenses in. That really looked cool; but it did 'take away' the back-up lights. I had it repainted a 56 Cadillac color, 'gray dawn.' A very light purple (lavender ??) color. I covered the original seating material with nice black and white 'seat covers.' Mom and I made the black and white door panels and side panels.

Also cut (torched) a coil out of the front. Gave it about a 2 inch 'rake.' The exhaust exited straight out the back with chrome tips.

Man-oh-man, that sure sounds like the car you described to me!!!

And it was fun. A real barrell of fun!! To tell ya the truth, I wish to he!l I (still) had it today. I always wanted to put the Bel Air 'spears' on the sides; but couldn't afford even the parts. That's the first thing I'd do today.

It was one of the fastest cars from stop light to stop light around here until the 327's burried me in the DIRT!!

Bill.

Hey Bill;

That's the car all right.

Man, from New Jersy, to Dandyd in Texas, to 42bill in Oregon, things where pritty much the same clear across this country!

Happy Birthday USA!

my first car, a 49 chev club coupe in 61, blew its 216 in first month. second month found a warmed up 235 installed. a 50 olds club coupe with a 57 371 ci olds would blow my doors off so a 53 caddy 331 found its way into the 49 chev. still couldn't outrun the 50 olds coupe my friend had. went to junk yard in 62 and bought a 60 olds 394 and installed it along with a 37 LaSalle 3 speed and a 50 pontiac rear with 4.56's out of a 39 pontiac. then it'd outrun my buddies 50 olds with ease. still have the 49 coupe. after being put in storage in 1965, re-did it in the early 80's for one of our daughters who ran it daily thru her high school years with a chev 454/turbo 400. it sat unused from about 1990 till a couple weeks ago when i drug it out of the barn and got it goin again. daughters son 10 years old now and it'll go to him when he turns 16.the old girl still turns heads. the 2 cents worth of the car of my youth. mike

I failed to mention the spray on window tint that had more runs in it than a cheap Bebrick paint job.