A friend took me to see this 74 Vette yesterday. The guy who owns it parked it in this farmyard years ago when the power steering pump went. It has 1994 plates on it so I assume that's when it was parked. My buddy remembers it being in very nice shape back then. It is a one or maybe two owner car, he is not sure. It is white with tan interior, 454,T-400, power windows, locks, tilt, a/c. I don't know the mileage. Poor car has been sitting so long it has moss growing on it. It is sitting on flat tires but hopefully far enough off the ground so the frame isn't rotted away. It was a strong running car when it was parked but who knows what the engine is like after sitting for 15 years. The gel-coat is separating from the glass in some spots. All the window glass is good. I am thinking about making an offer on this poor car after checking it out some more to make sure it is not beyond repair. What do you guys think would be a good starting point for a price? I have never had a Vette but a big block car kind of interests me.

I would think about $2500.00 because it is going to need a lot of work after setting in that field. I would check the frame and windshield post first.
Happy hunting
Nelson

Maybe 3500 due to it being a big block. Ck forv frame rust and windshield header rust.

I picked up a 74 454 in 2001 for $3000, and it was in better shape then that car. So I would say if you can pick it up for about $3000 or so, I think that is a good deal. I will tell ya, if that car is like my corvette, it was scary fast. I want another one myself.

I will try to put air in the tires and get a look underneath. If the frame is rotten I will give him a lowball offer and use it for parts. The brakes are probably seized up after sitting. The least I will get out of it is a rebuildable 454 and t-400. I know these things cost a fortune to restore but I know an excellent body man who did my 69SS and I will get him to look at it to see if it's worth saving. He has done quite a few Vettes and is in fact working on a 74 350/4-speed, original owner Corvette right now. I know if I don't buy it, the poor car will rot into the ground. What drives me nuts is that the guys a farmer with a shop and storage buildings for farm equipment, but not enough room for a little Corvette.

I would give 5k for that car hands down.

I was thinking 5K as well. Although, those model Vettes are the least popular and even that may be high. Im not the most familiar with those.

I think $5000 is too much. It looks worse in person than the pictures show. It will depend on if the engine turns over and how bad the frame is. Poor car will be full of mice and who knows what else. It is a case of probably being cheaper to just buy a nice one than restoring this one, but I know if I don't buy it the car it will be sitting there ten years from now. Realisticlly I can see $20,000 going into this car but it is an interesting project as I have never had a Corvette before. I'll keep you guys posted. I am building a new shop this summer and I need something to put in it besides the 69.

That frame is proabably very scary...don't they rust bad right behind the doors? Sitting in the grass like that cannot be good, good luck! $3k tops

When was the last year for the 454 in the Vette?

1974 for 454 in a vette.

Thanks Redman :)

That frame is proabably very scary...don't they rust bad right behind the doors? Sitting in the grass like that cannot be good, good luck! $3k tops

I guess they do rust behind mthe doors pretty bad. The bodyman I use was loading a 74 parts car on his trailer and the car pretty much broke in half the frame was so rusted. The parts car actually looked pretty good until then.

I'm on the $2,500 bandwagon. In order to buy this car it should be a good deal, and anything over $3,000 is not imho.

Just off of the top of my head: depending on lines and mc upwards of $1,800 for brakes and tires and a few hundred for a tuneup is the best case scenario just to get it on the road. That's IF field mice haven't also destroyed the wiring. Then 5k for interior, 5-8k for prep/paint, then a few thousand for transmission/rearend seals, bearings, bushings and repairs. Now you have a nice driver and not a large buyer market b/c it's a 74.

If it were a c3 then it would be a different story.

What a waste of time. Let it rot.

If it were a c3 then it would be a different story.

Umm, '68-'82 are C3's.

It would depend on how bad the bird cage and frame was IMO before you can put a price on it or even see if it's worth messing with. Around the mid 70's they also swapped to metal floorboards on these cars so also check those for rust.

If you can do the work yourself it might not be a bad deal. 5K for int, 5-8k for paint, etc? hell I'm talking about doing the whole car for 5k if you can do it all yourself...

Late c3's are good buys for the money, sure they are low on power, and will never be worth as much as 68-72's but you can have a helluva car for less than half of a chrome bumper car. I know I just bought a 76 project for $1800

To put it in perspective, a guy I know picked up a 73 454/4 speed Vette with factory A/C and T-tops for $15K about 3 years ago. The car was NICE too...needed only minor detailing.

Yes, I have been pricing similiar Vettes and they are not that valuable. If I buy this thing it would not be for an investment, but for an interesting project. And yes, it will have to be priced pretty low for me to buy it, considering the cash it will take to make it presentable. I am away from home working right now but should have time to check it out closer towards the end of the week. If the owner is reasonable and the car is not too rotten, I will buy it. If not, let it rot. Hopefully he doesn't think he has some rare collectable.

Yeah I'm a bonehead, I meant 68-72

I have found another 74/454 Vette for sale locally for $12,500. Second owner since 1988.Garage stored, never winter driven, one repaint years ago, engine/trans. rebuilt at the same time. Red/ red int., 116,000 miles. I'd probably save a lot of money just buying this one over the white one. The owner has it in getting a brake caliper replaced this weekend so I will check it out on Monday. The seller seems very up front about any problems with the car. He told me about a few small leaks etc. He also agreed to let me take it and put it on a hoist to check out the frame and undercarriage so I am pretty optomistic about this one. See what happens.

I do think the 74 Vettes w/454 are the bomb!
EVERYONE expects a POS low horse 350 and you rebuild the 454 with say 9.5:1, some headwork on the 049/781s, a real cam....sweet!
Some fella named LINGENFELTER set the Super Stock Class world on fire in the mid 70s with a POS 74 454 Vette...

Hey guys what do you all think a 89 vett is worth? The guy say it needs just paint have no seen it yet, don't no mileage. Asking 2.500. One of his dads cars, dad passed away.

Well I finally took a good look at the white 74 Vette and it is a total POS. The gell coat is separating from the glass all over the body, the interior is rotten and full of mouse crap, the cowl and windshield posts are rotten and the engine looks like a ball of grease. I talked to the owner and the idiot wants $7000! He seems to thing he has some real gem of a collectible instead of the turd that it is. I guess he gets to keep it. I think the car is already beyond repair.

Well I finally took a good look at the white 74 Vette and it is a total POS. The gell coat is separating from the glass all over the body, the interior is rotten and full of mouse crap, the cowl and windshield posts are rotten and the engine looks like a ball of grease. I talked to the owner and the idiot wants $7000! He seems to thing he has some real gem of a collectible instead of the turd that it is. I guess he gets to keep it. I think the car is already beyond repair.

WOW! Paints a clear picture!:yes:

I was thinking 5K...Although those model Vettes are the least popular, and even that may be high.



'74 to '77 was a real low point for Vettes...with power bottoming out in '76 and '77.
It's a time in Corvette's history that GM would probably really like to forget about.

Five thousand dollars for that model Vette in that condition is definitely too high.

Regards,
-Greg

I can tell you this.. if the Gel coat is coming up; you can count on spending atleast 10K for a decent paint job with fresh gel coat.

I work part-time at a Corvette Restoration shop and for us to do it would be around 20K..

I can tell you this.. if the Gel coat is coming up; you can count on spending atleast 10K for a decent paint job with fresh gel coat.

I work part-time at a Corvette Restoration shop and for us to do it would be around 20K..

I figured at least $10k for paint and body, an easy $5k on drivetrain, $2k on interior and I already have much more into it than the car is worth. I am still looking at a very nice red/red 74-454 for $12,500. The seller has had it for sale for three months so I think he will come down in price. I am still in shock over the white POS 74 for $7k. I really don't like to laugh in someones face but I could not help myself when he gave me that rididulous price.

I figured at least $10k for paint and body, an easy $5k on drivetrain, $2k on interior and I already have much more into it than the car is worth. I am still looking at a very nice red/red 74-454 for $12,500. The seller has had it for sale for three months so I think he will come down in price. I am still in shock over the white POS 74 for $7k. I really don't like to laugh in someones face but I could not help myself when he gave me that rididulous price.

It is amazing what people think the car is worth just because it says Corvette on it. Personally, I don't know if I would own one unless it was a C5.

Personally, I don't know if I would own one unless it was a C5.



Late model C4's are great cars.

Regards,
-Greg

I like those year of Vettes. You can make a real fast sleeper out of those. They come with 049 or 781's in the 73-74 454 Vettes. Interesting is the 72 LS-5 Corvettes are rated at 270 HP. The 1973 LS-4 454 is rated at 275 HP even though the EGR valve and other controls are there. Then in 1974 they are rated back down to 270 HP.

A lot of people don't know the L-82 350 is rated at 250 hp those years as well. The L-48 350 only rates 195-200 HP. The L-82 replaced the LT-1 in 1973. The L-82 cars are a lot more desirable cars than the base L-48 cars.

My 76 Vette L-82 was factory rated at 210...

Yeah 1975 added the catalytic converters and really cut the horsepower down. The L-48 was down to 175 hp or so. Wimpy for a 350 4 barrel. Your L-82 still had the 350 350 hp cam, 2.02 1.60 heads, guide plates and screw in studs in the heads compared to the other engine.