Internet auction and classified...
Internet auction and classified sites are another good way to find a project vehicle. Much like real-estate comparables determine the value of a home, we've always considered eBay sales to be a good indicator of classic car values. Of course eBay is worldwide, so the cost of transportation must be factored into the price.
In the case of our C3 project, we've considered several names, including the "Recession Special," due to the humble beginnings of the car. We have a feeling, however, that our budget Corvette will soon be anything but, as we modify the suspension, brakes, and drivetrain for maximum performance. With that in mind, we're considering naming the Stingray "C3 Triple Ex." No, we didn't come up with this name because it took three ex-wives to find a girl great enough to let us build it, nor for the somewhat pornographic connotation. Rather, the trio of Exes would stand for "Extreme handling, Extreme braking, and Extreme acceleration."
That being said, we'd like your input as to how we should build this project, and what we should name it. Please email us at vette@sourceinterlink.com and share your thoughts, your experiences building your own C3, and your suggestions for a suitable project moniker. And be sure to put "C3 project" in the subject line so we can distinguish your email from the thousands (OK, dozens) of others we receive daily.
We value our readers' opinions, so please share your thoughts on how we should build and name this C3.
Prior to bidding on any collector...
Prior to bidding on any collector car, it pays to do some research. By referencing Mike Antonick's Corvette Black Book, we learned the rarity of certain cars we were considering. Additionally, we learned that the '71 C3s had the lightest curb weight of any early C3 Stingray.
After two weeks or more of...
After two weeks or more of chasing down leads, attending the auto auction, and searching the Internet, we scored a deal on this '71 Stingray coupe, purchasing it from a seller on eBay for just under $5,600. As a non-numbers-matching small-block car, this Corvette is ideally suited to be modified in the pages of VETTE.
Eager to see the new project,...
Eager to see the new project, I hooked up the car trailer and headed to Chesterfield, Virginia, to seal the deal. During the 12-hour road trip, I saw several Vettes on Interstate 95, and even gave this guy the "Corvette wave." (He ignored me, obviously not recognizing me as a bona fide member of the clique. Once I get the new project underway, maybe I'll get some respect as a Corvette owner!)
After a quick inspection to...
After a quick inspection to ensure the car was what the seller claimed, we quickly sealed the deal, signed the title, loaded up our new Vette, and strapped it down for the ride home. The seller was genuinely sad to see the car go, and he even included several boxes of extra parts to help us get started on the project.
After 11 hours on the road,...
After 11 hours on the road, I was happy to arrive in the state of Virginia, where my purchase was located. Remember to factor the cost of transportation into any car you purchase out of state. While we could have paid to have this car brought to us, it made more sense economically to get it ourselves, especially since we have a suitable truck and trailer.
We had nearly made it home...
We had nearly made it home with our purchase when the injector pump on the truck quit working. Fortunately, we were close enough to home to call friend and diesel mechanic Tod Struck of Inline Performance, who came by and had us back on the road in about an hour.