I recently looked at and drove a 1973 convertible and am seriously considering taking the plunge into corvette ownership. The car is a numbers matching with 7300 original miles and has an L82 350 V8 with dual exhausts, manual transmission with both the convertible top and black vinyl hard top. It does not have air conditioning, power brakes or power steering. My main concern is that the car was painted from its original factory silver to Mille Miglia Red. The paint job is in excellent condition. Does anyone know if this would affect the price of the car, and if so, by how much? The price of the car is $27,500. 

Well it is numbers matching but not original conidition, why was such a low mileage car painted? Did you get a profesional inspection done?

The price is excessively high, imho. $21,000 would be more in the right ballpark....but I haven't seen the car, so.....
The repaint WILL devalue it somewhat, just from the color change aspect. Even a top notch, professional color change will effect true value of the car, so you need to see how well the change in color was done. If it is noticeable at all, then the value would be even less....
Silver colors do not stand up very well in time....I can see having, or needing, a repaint with low miles, but I would wonder about the color change...what was the reason? Has the car been wrecked/damaged? Did someone really want to get rid of it quick, so they had it painted "Resale Red", so it would move quicker?
Inquiring minds want to know...

That being said, if the car is what you are looking for, drives/stops/handles well, and you "feel" good about it, then the color change really shouldn't keep you from buying. Just know that a quality repaint back to the original color, should you ever decide to do it, will cost around $4000>, in most cases.
I definitely would NOT pay the asking price for the car...period....but that's just me. I feel the car is way overpriced for one that has been repainted a different color, no A/C, power anything, etc.....just not worth that kind of $$$, unless it can be proven to be some sort of special order car, or was owned by someone famous....something like that.
Just an opinion...


|UPDATED|8/22/2011 10:13:32 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

I was told by the current owner that the original owners got divorced and the car went to the wife. She apparently did not like the silver color and had it painted red. Just a color preference for her. I am unaware of any damage to the car. It has been covered in a heated garage the past six years and started every month or so, but has not been driven more than 100 miles since its been garaged. I will try to post some pictures that I recently took.

Wally did you get an inspection done by a Corvette Specialist? Thats a lot of money to invest and if you have not please do. Is this a dealer that has it now?

Ebo, The owner is a private party and it was her husband's car. If it was an automatic she would not be selling it. I have not had the opportunity to take it to a garage for an inspection yet, but that is something on my to do list.

I think thats a plus dealing with the owner, how did she come up with the pricing?

I am mainly dealing with her son on the pricing. I don't know what he based his asking price on except for some internet research.
Wally

Hopefully you can work the price a bit with him, unless they are knocking the door down.

Hi Wally,