What to check for on a 1969 Convertible?

[smackYYZ]

Heading to an auction tomorrow, and there is a 1969 Convertible going up on the block.
50k miles
350 v8
4 Speed Manual

I wasn't in the market but you never know if it's a good price.

So asking the members what to look out for and where are the locations for checking the numbers?

Going to see if my friend who is a mechanic can come along also.

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Just make sure it will fit in my garage.

I would go early to make sure you can inspect the car as closely as possible. Not sure if there are any common problem areas with that vintage of car but I suspect checking for rust, how clean it is in those hidden spots we love to clean and on and on. Taking a mechanic along would help, just too bad you usually cannot hear them running, some won't even open the hoods.

Best of luck if you are bidding on it.

 

[Keith Tedford]

Salt

Back in those days, a lot of the Corvettes got driven all year, summer and winter. Stay away from winter cars or those that have spent their life on the ocean coast. They can be as bad or worse. Personally I Would never go to an auction to buy a car.

 

[Elf]

Check the frame just in front of the rear wheels .Check the front nose just in front of the hood for bumps ,The radiator mounts may have rusted and expanded causing the bumps .

Good luck

 

[smackYYZ]

I've bought a few cars at auctions. Done pretty good so far. Found a good site with lots of good c3 info. http://corvettec3.ca/ has a lot of useful data which I can use to help figure things out.

Will be leary, states a 350 but hood looks like from a 427.

 

[Keith Tedford]

The early '70s LT1 Corvettes had the 427 style hood.

 

[buckhorn76]

frame, birdcage, and body mounts.

 

[smackYYZ]

Well went and checked out the car this AM.

Not for me, the VIN says it's a 350 small block, but it has a newer Impala 350 engine in it. It has a 454 hood on it and the colour doesn't match the body color. No signs of rust, frame seemed straight. Front end you can see rivet dimples all the way across right in front of the hood under the paint.

Wasn't looking for this much of a project car, and too many people looked interested so it's probably going to go for more then it's really worth.

So headed home, many more things to get done today.

But nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

[Brian Keery]

Some noob will drop a load on it, and be constantly misrepresenting it at cruise-ins all summer.

 

[XFIRE82]

....when I was looking for a C3 , I remember reading guys saying open the door and slam it a pile of times and then look on the floor mat, if you see rust specs then it is falling down from the windshield pillar.....bad sign. Or if you can take out the kick panel then look at the body mount if it is clean or badly rusted out. The guy that came to buy the 70 I was working on a couple of months ago , while up on the hoist , used a hammer and tapped the frame especially in front of the rear wheels, a sort of sound check to see if the steel is still there. Look for cracks in the body, bent strut rods , if has headers are they rubbing or melting the floor . Yeah that 69 sounded like it seen some action. Should be more corvette's popping up for sale now as winter is over.

 

[buckhorn76]

i'm not a big fan of auctions.