Buying first Corvette. What to look for?
 

I am looking at a 1981 Corvette automatic with 11K original miles on it. The car looks very clean. I have read lots on these forums and watched countless YouTube videos but still don't know what exactly to watch out for.

I know that the frame and birdcage are the two major things to check and ensure there is no rust. What else should I look for/ what are other common problem areas?

I would like to take the car to a Corvette specialty shop and have someone experienced look the car over to make sure everything is sound. Can anyone recommend a good Corvette shop in Illinois that can do a thorough inspection of the vehicle?

Thank you.

Saw mine on the side of the road for sale and fell in love with it. 1994 red with 73,000 miles, one owner. I was lucky. Nothing has gone wrong but the dang Opti-Spark. I wish I knew an expert in Illinois but I don't. Good luck!

Well I had the car inspected by a mechanic. Needs a new master cylinder, calipers, and the engine actually has 111k not 11k. Odometer has rolled over. The interior of the car looks immaculate and the paint looks to be in great shape too. Price of the car is $11,000 and the price is non negotiable. Is this car still worth $11k? I'm thinking the interior was completely redone the car looks super clean.

The car is white with a bright red interior which is my favorite color combo for the C3. Although, I would love to have a manual transmission. I do not want to spend anymore than $15,000 on a C3 as I'm only 20 years old and that is a lot of money for me. However, I want to buy the cleanest car I can (I take extremely good care of my stuff. I'm a neat freak.) Is it possible to find a C3 in that price range that will be in good shape and mostly original? I don't want a hacked up project car or too many aftermarket parts(except for maybe performance upgrades).

I'd prefer to spend closer to $10k-$12k but at that price range the cars might not be in the best of shape.

Welcome to the forum.
Are you dealing with the original owner? Are service records available for it? Basically you will need to check everything on the vehicle with that age and miles. The first things that come to mind are wheel bearings, both front and rear, U-joints, alternator, and starter. Probably should pressure test the radiator and check all hoses. Of course it goes without saying to check each and every electrical item to make sure that it functions properly. This is especially true if any aftermarket electrical accessories have been added such as a aftermarket radio.

I might add, drive the car over somewhat rough road. If you hear clunking in the rear it very well may have bad bushings on the trailing arms and the car may not track straight, if severely worn, causing uneven tire wear. They are a real pain to change and not cheep to have it done. Most people know to inspect the front tires for signs of misalignment but don't know about the possible issues with the rear.

….oh ya, if noise from the rear, the axle shaft yokes' u-joints could be worn too.

I have been working a lot and have not had time to check this thread I apologize. There is a local 1977 Corvette 4 speed manual L48 for sale. Supposedly everything has been rebuilt on it.
The list of modifications are as follows:
Base model l48
bored 30 over
mild cam
Aftermarket heads, intake manifold, carburetor
Headers with a full exhaust
aftermarket stereo with speakers in the back
Custom pearlescent blue paint job
45,000 miles on the body. 35,000 miles on the mechanical parts.


The asking price is $15,000 which is WAY too much. I can find an all original clean one for that much and I don't want to spend more than 10k MAX. I like the fact that it's been hopped up. It sounds great and I'm sure will be a blast to drive. However, it is a little rough. The tires are dry rotted and need to be replaced. The paint is peeling in a few spots which sucks cuz I love the custom color. Many people have told me start negotiating at $6,000 and don't pay more than $8,000 for the car but I don't think the old guy selling the car is going to come down that much.What do you guys think the car is worth?

new car
 

I got mine for 9.000.00 four speed, 350, 049 heads, mild cam, alum intake, quick fuel 600, all new interior, paint has a few cracks , but other than that looks good