VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Entry level older Chevy car

My son (early 30’s) has recently expressed interest in buying an older car. This is new territory for him, so I will be helping him find something suitable and coaching him to keep it in good running order. He is looking for a car that is old enough to be different while easy to work on with basic tools and equipment. His experience has been with newer vehicles (less than 10 years old) doing little more than oil changes.

I'm inclined to look for a rear wheel drive Chevy car from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s. This era has a different style versus modern cars yet offers reasonable performance and parts availability with pre-computer technology....and of course it has to be a Chevrolet! I'd like to find a mostly original vehicle with a presentable interior and minimal rust or damage. He is open to any Chevy make, model or body style except Corvair. Some mechanical issues may be okay. Perhaps a 230-250 c.i. 6 cylinder (preferred) or small V8 … either manual or automatic transmission. We plan to keep it stock, so not interested in modified engines or customized vehicles.

Where have the entry level Chevy cars gone? Are they all lost to scrap drives or consumed as parts cars for restoration of more desirable models? We’ve been watching Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, eBay and local ads without any luck.
Our searches find mostly modified vehicles or desirable trim/option models that are well beyond his $5,000 budget or else projects that are apart, deteriorated or have major issues. Are his expectations unreasonable?

I’d like to hear other experiences or leads on finding an entry level car of this era.

Tom

Good choice in years but at least up here they are not cheap cars, especially if they are in driveable solid condition. They became popular 15 years ago as they were affordable but this pushed up the demand and price. I've seen some stuff in CA online that is interesting for $5k like cool good condition running 60's vans or 70's Vegas/Astras so you might find similar down your way if you are patient. Nova,Chevelles, Acadians, Beaumonts, Impalas, GTOs, Cutlass are many times your budget even basket cases.
Take a look at other GM lines that shared bodies. I had an awesome 1973 Olds Omega with a 350 rocket. It was a Nova body with Olds trim and Olds engine but Chevy T350 trans. It was stupidly fast but cheap as no one wants an Oldsmobile lol.

Pre 1975 non catalytic would simplify it more though they introduced HEI at the same time which is nice to have but can alway be added.

I think mid 70's will be a bit less expensive than mid 60's (notice I didn't say "cheaper"). Congratulations to your son for his desire to get into the hobby. My recommendation would be to shop as close to home as is reasonable. Never buy a car without driving it in person or, at the least, having a professional inspection done by a qualified service. Resist the temptation to jump at the first car found without doing your due diligence. The first car you find might be in reasonable condition, or it might be a pig with lipstick on. As for resources, I found my '53 on Facebook Marketplace 30 miles away. You can also use ebay but put your search parameters to limit the results to whatever distance you're comfortable in driving to inspect it in person. If a seller won't let you inspect it in person run far, run fast, they're hiding something. Good luck.

expand your search area, I was looking for parts within 100 mi. and came across a 72, I think, 4 door Nova looked pretty nice. It had a 250 6cyl and basically complete. He only wanted $1500 for the whole car. I was going to buy it for the drive train and suspension but I have way too much setting around already. He was around Greenville SC. Sorry I didn't save his contact info.

Thanks for the comments.

I remember the 6 cylinder Chevy II and Chevelle cars were quite popular in the mid-60s. They were good basic transportation - easy to maintain and lots of room to work around the engine.
I think this generation of engine was introduced in the Chevy II in 1962 and for other models in 1963. Although it was offered into the late 1970s, by 1975 or so the engine became less friendly due to emissions and fuel economy measures such as the introduction of catalytic converters and a cylinder head with integral manifold.

I am not expecting to find a Malibu, Nova or Impala, but still hoping for a basic Chevelle, Chevy II or Biscayne from 1963-1974.

Canadiantim - I bought a new Vega GT in 1973. A great car for a couple of years but the engine was worn out by about 60,000 miles. As a first entry to the old car hobby, I do not think a Vega would be a good choice. Since you mention Acadians and Beaumonts … they would be great candidates, but I don’t see many Canadian built Pontiacs with Chevy engines here in Florida. I have noticed some ’65-”˜66 Studebakers that were built in Canada with Chevy engines. Might look at them yet.

Tiny and MWLenoir … I really don’t plan to buy a vehicle without seeing it. I am looking at ads from outside my local area but am not inclined to travel out of state right now (particularly with a Florida plate and the Covid issues). Of course, I always could be tempted by a lead on an “ideal” candidate.

Tom

If having a two door isn't a priority you'll find four door cars are about half the price. I had a really nice 62 Biscayne four door that sold at Mecum KC for $8250 & would have commanded $20K as a two door in that condition.