Looked at "Very Solid 59" today

[Loren S.]

Re: Looked at "Very Solid 59" today

That would be a very cool project, I'm just saying when you pay $4,600 for a stock repro frame, plus several thousand more for a rebuilt front and rear suspension, plus a disk brake upgrade, you are getting close to the $13,100 that will buy you a turn-key rolling chassis with C4 running gear:

http://www.corvettecorrection.com/html/chasis.html

People are buying C1 projects with original drivetrains, and selling off the drivetrains to make restomods. You see them on ebay all the time. Which is a shame, JMHO. With this car, you should get the rusty frame discount, and not feel guilty about restomoding it because it would not be cost-effective to restore as a top flight car with a "restoration" engine.

[John D.]

Re: Looked at "Very Solid 59" today

Maybe I'm the pessimist here but I wouldn't pay anywhere near $25kfor that car....looks like the frame was patched before at the rear kickup..

john

[Peter J.]

Re: Looked at "Very Solid 59" today

Loren
Thanks for the info - That is what I had in mind for this project. I'm sure this lady was told about Barrett-Jackson prices and thinks her car is worth what she is asking. I offered $10,000.and that is it for me and I'm out. I have had the NCRS view of Corvettes for a long time and hate to see a viable car destroyed but this heap is not a feasible Restoration candidate.
I wish you guys could have seen the face of the guy that owned the lift we used to raise the car. The lift pad compressed the rusty frame rail about 3/4 of an inch on the right side. He apologized no less than three times for calling this a "Very Solid" car.
Pete

[Chuck G.]

Re: Looked at "Very Solid 59" today

I went to look at a 69 a number of years ago. The owner, on the phone told me how "beautiful/perfect/original" it was.

Drove about 2 hours to see it. First thing I noticed pulling into the driveway was that the drivers door sagged, and fit like boots on a rooster.

Started looking at the car. Was real purty. Got on my hands and knees to look at the frame under the drivers door.

It was patched with multiple sections of boiler plate and angle iron. Same thing on the passengers side. There was no attempt to try to hide the multiple patch jobs. The welding looked like pigeon splats.

I'll NEVER forget what the owner said when he saw me looking at the frame. He must have been a politician, because he immediately said:

"AND, THE FRAME HAS BEEN RE-INFORCED"

Talk about putting positive "spin" on a bad situation. Needless to say, I walked on that car.

Chuck