Hey there,

I'm planning on getting my father-in-laws 1978 Corvette back up and running. It's been sitting in a garage for well over 12 years. I will be doing this for the experience. I want to get my own project car. I have never worked on a car previously. I did take an auto class in high school and know the basics.

I have been looking at prices and anything that is 1st or 2nd gen is either already restored or a rust bucket. The 3rd gens seem to be much cheaper and in decent condition. For example, I can pick up a ~85 Z28 or IROC in running condition w/ no rust for just over $5000. I would be LUCKY as hell to find anything earlier without rust for that much, and it probably wouldn't have an interior or an engine.

I want to keep it as close to the older cars as possible. My questions are:

1. How electronic are these? Are they comparable to the 1st/2nd gen engine-wise?
2. How are the bodies? Are they comparable to the 1st/2nd gen as well?
3. How is the re-sale? As this is just a fun restore project, I don't expect to make a profit. But, once I restore it can I expect to at least make some money back?

Thanks.

 

You won't ever get you're money back out of a 3rd gen, at least not for a long time, so plan on keeping it for awhile. $5000 could buy you a nice IROC that needs little, you should be able to find a nice project car in the $500-2000 range.

 

Vettes are more rear. Find the parts you need NOW for the Vette. Collect what need, box it. The more years go bye, you start to buy at a sellers market. Right now, they are worth less. Now would be the time. You can always replicate a 500 Indy Pace Car they had that year for that '78.