Red 63 SWC on Ebay

[Patrick B.]

My friend is interested in a red 63 SWC ( 250 hp, 4 sp, originally silver) being advertised on Ebay for $90,000 by Primo Classic International in Lakeland FL. The vin is 30837S111830, and previous ads by this dealer claim that the car came out of a Corvette collector's estate sale. Does anyone know the history of this car or anything about the dealer. I think it has been on Ebay a couple of times.

[Harry S.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

Patrick, can you post a link to the auction?

[Harry S.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

Patrick, I found the ad and I don't know the car. A quick observation:

It has:

non-63 seat belts
64 seats
64 door pull on drivers door
Exhaust, it's obvious
Wheels, obvious
300hp fuel filter
64 Master Cylinder
Power brake booster looks non-63
No engine shielding for the radio.

Good Luck
Steering wheel should be red

[Daniel S.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

Harry, that is a lot of $ for an average car with a color change. I'd pass.

Dan

[Michael J.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

Harry, that is a lot of $ for an average car with a color change. I'd pass.

Dan

+1, way too much for what it is. You can get a real one for less.

[Frank D.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

I saw that car through the show room window in Lakeland on a Sunday, I had wandered over from the eatery across the street...the dealer wasn't open. The paint was clearly too shiny and it looked over-restored but that was all I could tell. Among the other comments, what are the wires hanging down under the hood release handle ? And you think for a sales picture they could get the DS pinch weld along the rear door jamb at least properly on the seam even if its the wrong color... Or route the power brake booster vacuum hose correctly. Or position the wiper arms at least close to correct. They missed so many easily correctable details and that always brings the whole car into question for me. I think it has a '64 dash clock in it too....

At least $20K-$25K over-priced; prob more if a physical inspection were done...

[Ed S.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

You don't have to look close to see that rubber bushings on suspension components are dry rotted and cracked, chrome on the center console is badly pitted as well. I bet they used more Armorall on the door panels than paint on the body. It is almost criminal to say that this SWC was "restored". There are so many "obvious" (glaring) deficiencies on this car it makes you wonder what deficiencies it has that are no so obvious - then again - this seller might not have the talent to conceal any of the usual defects. I my opinion the credibility and trust worthiness of the seller is suspect - best move on and forget about this one.

[Patrick B.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

Thanks for the feedback. I know a lot more about 67's than 63's, and I missed some important deficiencies like the wrong year seats. This looked like an attractive driver with a top flight price. My friend had actually bought a 63 fuelie SWC new, sold it a few years later as just a used car, and now has the bug for something like it. Certainly a familiar story for a lot of us.

I advised him that this car was overpriced and that he should get educated before he buys a car rather than afterward. I don't think he wants a car for judging and he would be happy with a driver that looked good. Frank -- do 63 drivers go for $65k- $70k with generic engines and resale red?

[Frank D.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

Thanks for the feedback. I know a lot more about 67's than 63's, and I missed some important deficiencies like the wrong year seats. This looked like an attractive driver with a top flight price. My friend had actually bought a 63 fuelie SWC new, sold it a few years later as just a used car, and now has the bug for something like it. Certainly a familiar story for a lot of us.

I advised him that this car was overpriced and that he should get educated before he buys a car rather than afterward. I don't think he wants a car for judging and he would be happy with a driver that looked good. Frank -- do 63 drivers go for $65k- $70k with generic engines and resale red?

If you look hard enough - I bought my red/red split window with original drive train 3 years ago for below $60K from a friend in Ohio. Took 2-1/2 years to find it and I had to correct a boatload of non-original items and a few Bubba issues. Being a base motor example and with too shiny paint and Vintage Air A/C and a 93% Regional Second Flight last year I would peg the car at $90K-$95K on a good day with prevailing winds and that's what its insured for (agreed upon value).

The problem with '63s is that if your friend wants to trend this car back closer to originality the one-year-only parts will have him underwater value wise pretty quick on TOP of the hefty price tag. A restorable '63 clock core...$700; correct 3-panel seat belts...$350-$500...seats...who knows......correct, restored power brake master cylinder....$$$. Andy Cannizzo shifter console restoration $750.

If your pal wanted to take this car back to the original silver - then its Katy bar the door, expense-wise. He could spend $25K without breathing hard and still have a $90K car (if he's lucky). Then, if we are in a split window price 'bubble' which many believe he could watch his investment erode over time... I don't buy this though, there are iconic cars and in a different category value-wise...

You can see where this is going...

There was another red split window from another Lakeland dealer that languished on eBay for months and couldn't break $72K.... The seller's reserve was $74K IIRC. I never looked at it in person and it had a host of issues; but it had every bit as good of 'bones' as this one but took forever to sell (if it ever did)...

[Harry S.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

Court adjourned! Run Forest run...............

[Timothy B.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

If you look hard enough - I bought my red/red split window with original drive train 3 years ago for below $60K from a friend in Ohio. Took 2-1/2 years to find it and I had to correct a boatload of non-original items and a few Bubba issues. Being a base motor example and with too shiny paint and Vintage Air A/C and a 93% Regional Second Flight last year I would peg the car at $90K-$95K on a good day with prevailing winds and that's what its insured for (agreed upon value).

The problem with '63s is that if your friend wants to trend this car back closer to originality the one-year-only parts will have him underwater value wise pretty quick on TOP of the hefty price tag. A restorable '63 clock core...$700; correct 3-panel seat belts...$350-$500...seats...who knows......correct, restored power brake master cylinder....$$$. Andy Cannizzo shifter console restoration $750.

If your pal wanted to take this car back to the original silver - then its Katy bar the door, expense-wise. He could spend $25K without breathing hard and still have a $90K car (if he's lucky). Then, if we are in a split window price 'bubble' which many believe he could watch his investment erode over time... I don't buy this though, there are iconic cars and in a different category value-wise...

You can see where this is going...

There was another red split window from another Lakeland dealer that languished on eBay for months and couldn't break $72K.... The seller's reserve was $74K IIRC. I never looked at it in person and it had a host of issues; but it had every bit as good of 'bones' as this one but took forever to sell (if it ever did)...

I think that's why it's so important considering that kind of $$ to have the car inspected.

[Gene T.]

Re: Red 63 SWC on Ebay

There was one other very obvious defect as noticed on one of the underneath pics on Ebay; the oil filter is the modern type and not the canister type. I agree that it would be wise to keep looking and the right one will be found. Just my 2 cents !