Looking at 80 Vette
#1
07-08-2007, 05:48 PM
Looking at 80 Vette
Have a deal brewing for a 1980 Corvette Stingray. I have always loved the C3's and this is one of my favorite. My problem is making sure I am getting a good deal. The Vette I am looking at could use interior work. Will probably redo door panels, seats, and some of the hardware. Everything else is pretty good. The T-Tops aren't glass and the material attached to them needs replaced. It has a brand new motor (350) in it with about 330 HP and 4k miles on it. Front end has been redone. It is a 3 speed turbo 350 tranny. Window moldings need replaced and headlight actuators as well. Thats everything.
My question is what is the value of this car, rough guess? I have always wanted a Vette and I am debating trading my Hayabusa. Value is at least 8k. Is 8k too much for a 1980 Vette with the above needed work?
I am going back to look the car over real good and see what else may need to be done.
I have seen 1980 Vettes from $6,000 to around $10-$14k average and then way up from there.
Any advise would be great before I jump into this deal. I have bought a couple books to help me and would like people with actual experience with these cars to hopefully offer some advise.
Thank you
Looking foward to learning a lot on this site.
Brian
My question is what is the value of this car, rough guess? I have always wanted a Vette and I am debating trading my Hayabusa. Value is at least 8k. Is 8k too much for a 1980 Vette with the above needed work?
I am going back to look the car over real good and see what else may need to be done.
I have seen 1980 Vettes from $6,000 to around $10-$14k average and then way up from there.
Any advise would be great before I jump into this deal. I have bought a couple books to help me and would like people with actual experience with these cars to hopefully offer some advise.
Thank you
Looking foward to learning a lot on this site.
Brian
#2
07-08-2007, 06:19 PM
RE: Looking at 80 Stingray
Prices can be all over the map, mine is a '78 L48, auto, A/C, p.windows, tilt/tel.,cruise, factory aluminum wheels, 72000 miles when I bought it three years ago, I paid $2,000, trailered it to my buddy's hoist, put brakes on it and have been driving it since. In the winter I have gone through the interior, complete suspension, new body mounts- I've got about $6,000 into parts in it.
#3
07-08-2007, 08:20 PM
RE: Looking at 80 Stingray
Welcome to CF, Brian! 
I bought mine for 3g's. Needed everything. Interior, suspension, and paint were shot.
Put in all new suspension, and trailing arms. About $3500.
In process of installing a 454. Bartered for that.
I've got close to 8 in it now, but I figure another 5 and I'll have new interior and paint. So,... for around 13 g's, I'll have a fairly nice C3.
Take your prospective baby for a drive. Pop the throttle a few times. If ya hear and feel a clunk in the floorboard, the suspension needs new bushings.
I bought mine for 3g's. Needed everything. Interior, suspension, and paint were shot.
Put in all new suspension, and trailing arms. About $3500.
In process of installing a 454. Bartered for that.
I've got close to 8 in it now, but I figure another 5 and I'll have new interior and paint. So,... for around 13 g's, I'll have a fairly nice C3.
Take your prospective baby for a drive. Pop the throttle a few times. If ya hear and feel a clunk in the floorboard, the suspension needs new bushings.
#4
07-08-2007, 09:59 PM
RE: Looking at 80 Stingray
From my initial observation all the big stuff has been done. Has new springs, struts and had the a-arms reconditioned the 350engine is nice and low miles. Mainly it is cosmetic and after checking out some corvette parts dealers I figure for just under 2 grand the car would be looking good. So for around 10 grand (counting the trade for the bike@ 8,000) I'd have a sweet corvette stingray. It is very tempting. I am thinking that 10k isn't bad and even a little more that wouldn't be too bad an investment. Not that I would be planning on selling it when I finished.
I am going either tomorrow or Tuesday to do a detailed runthrough of the car and will take more notes.
I am going either tomorrow or Tuesday to do a detailed runthrough of the car and will take more notes.
#5
07-08-2007, 10:00 PM
RE: Looking at 80 Stingray
BY the way, how do the 3 speed trannies perform? Do I need to change that out eventually or will it be sufficient for the engine and light modifications.
#7
07-09-2007, 08:36 AM
RE: Looking at 80 Stingray
The tranny in the 1980 is an old school turbo 350, they are built well and can take some abuse but if your planning on racing or crankin' up the hp and torque of the motor you should up-grade the trans. I've got 3.08 gears in my '78 w/TH350 and it turns about 2600 RPM @ 70 MPH. When I first bought the car I changed the trans fluid and filter, It's at 76000 miles now and have had no issues with it, I doubt anything has ever been done to the trans.
#8
07-09-2007, 03:16 PM
RE: Looking at 80 Stingray
buckshot is dead on. The TH350 is pretty bullet-proof at reasonable HP/Torque. I have over 200k miles on my original 1981 block and transmission, and put out a tad more than the stock 190 HP. I paid about $4k for mine with a new interior, slightly bent frame, clean body, needed paint, decent engine, needed bushings and front upper inner a-arms and balljoints, needed clutches in the differential, needed u-joints all around, AC/heater box stuffed full of leaves, AC lines cut, etc.. I'm in it for about $12k with paint, but it is damn near done at this point.
Oh yeah, I forgot to post that piece of info. The wife finally let me send it off for body and paint. It will be metallic dark sonora red (with lots of sparkly goodness) in time for the Corvettes at Carlisle weekend.
The owner of the shop drives a *schweeeet* black 76.bill.
#9
07-09-2007, 04:37 PM
RE: Looking at 80 Stingray
ORIGINAL: bruiserman
Have a deal brewing for a 1980 Corvette Stingray. I have always loved the C3's and this is one of my favorite. My problem is making sure I am getting a good deal. The Vette I am looking at could use interior work. Will probably redo door panels, seats, and some of the hardware. Everything else is pretty good. The T-Tops aren't glass and the material attached to them needs replaced. It has a brand new motor (350) in it with about 330 HP and 4k miles on it. Front end has been redone. It is a 3 speed turbo 350 tranny. Window moldings need replaced and headlight actuators as well. Thats everything.
My question is what is the value of this car, rough guess? I have always wanted a Vette and I am debating trading my Hayabusa. Value is at least 8k. Is 8k too much for a 1980 Vette with the above needed work?
I am going back to look the car over real good and see what else may need to be done.
I have seen 1980 Vettes from $6,000 to around $10-$14k average and then way up from there.
Any advise would be great before I jump into this deal. I have bought a couple books to help me and would like people with actual experience with these cars to hopefully offer some advise.
Thank you
Looking foward to learning a lot on this site.
Brian
Have a deal brewing for a 1980 Corvette Stingray. I have always loved the C3's and this is one of my favorite. My problem is making sure I am getting a good deal. The Vette I am looking at could use interior work. Will probably redo door panels, seats, and some of the hardware. Everything else is pretty good. The T-Tops aren't glass and the material attached to them needs replaced. It has a brand new motor (350) in it with about 330 HP and 4k miles on it. Front end has been redone. It is a 3 speed turbo 350 tranny. Window moldings need replaced and headlight actuators as well. Thats everything.
My question is what is the value of this car, rough guess? I have always wanted a Vette and I am debating trading my Hayabusa. Value is at least 8k. Is 8k too much for a 1980 Vette with the above needed work?
I am going back to look the car over real good and see what else may need to be done.
I have seen 1980 Vettes from $6,000 to around $10-$14k average and then way up from there.
Any advise would be great before I jump into this deal. I have bought a couple books to help me and would like people with actual experience with these cars to hopefully offer some advise.
Thank you
Looking foward to learning a lot on this site.
Brian
It's YOUR$$$.
No such critter as an '80 Stingray (like an '83 vette)- I think the Stingray ended in '77.
#10
07-09-2007, 05:20 PM
RE: Looking at 80 Stingray
[quote]ORIGINAL: cwb
Yeah, learned that yesterday. Must be a common mistake from what I have seen. The 1980 vetteisn't a stingray just a plain old vette. Oh well, I'm ok with that. But thanks for the info. I'm sure lots of people get tired of that error.
ORIGINAL: bruiserman
No such critter as an '80 Stingray (like an '83 vette)- I think the Stingray ended in '77.
No such critter as an '80 Stingray (like an '83 vette)- I think the Stingray ended in '77.
