Community Chat

[azterry!]

On 6/25/2014 Buck-i-Nana said:

On 6/25/2014 azterry! said:

On 6/25/2014 hckynut said:

I can say this about your question. Whatever they paid out for this Vette 33 years ago is probably not even close to what he might be able to sell it for now. If this car is in any kind of good shape they are worth thousands of $$$$ more than they were back in 1981.

If his insurer is still in business that is an interesting question and I don't have an answer for it and will leave that up to the lawyers to figure out. Now were it my car and I knew it was still in good enough shape to restore? I would pay back what the insurer paid and fix it up and make a more than likely get those thousands of $$$ more that it is probably worth at the present time.

A lot depends on the type of Vette and also its condition.

1979 was not a great year for Vettes.

I found a website that ranked the 10 worst years for the Corvette and the '79 was in that bottom 10.

It looks as though a '79 is good shape is worth about 12k. I doubt very much it is worth thousands more than what he paid for it originally.

It's not just about the money, it's about the passion and the connection vette owners have with their cars. From the report though, it sounds as though the insurance company, AAA, has deemed the original owner is still the owner of the car.

I agree with you Buck. Vette owners are very passionate about their cars. I wasn't speaking of the emotional attachment which doesn't have a price tag.

My comments were strictly in regard to the statement that this 79 Vette is worth many thousands more than the original sticker price.

[Marp2]

According to THIS website a new '79 Corvette had a base price of $10,220.

http://www.usedcorvettesforsale.com/1979-corvette.html

[hckynut]

On 6/25/2014 Buck-i-Nana said:

It's not just about the money, it's about the passion and the connection vette owners have with their cars. From the report though, it sounds as though the insurance company, AAA, has deemed the original owner is still the owner of the car.

I understand about cars as I have been a "car guy" since I was 16 years old. Though my main interest in cars was Drag Racing on Drag strips, which I did for over 15 year at many Drag Strips around the Midwest. Traveled thousands of miles on 2 lane highways about every weekend to go to these races.

Also owned "for good cars" which were the top powered cars of their time made by Ford Motors. All of those types of cars were my "show cars" and I always had a "junker" to drive when it rained or during the winter months. My "show cars" never even saw the rain when I owned them. Sure I got attached to them but I had 3 of these types of cars. I had a 1961 Starliner which was a 390hp with a 4 barrel carb and a 405hp when I put on the 3---2 barrel carbs. Both of these were never driven in rain or snow.

I got rid of the 1961 the next year because it had a column 3 speed transmission and in 1962 Ford decided to put in a 4-speed tranny. While the '61 was a much better looking car, I wanted the 4 speed transmission as it was much easier on the engine and easier to shift without using the clutch.

Also owned a 1970 Mach I Mustang with a Cleveland engine and a shaker hood and everything offered in 1970 involved in performance from Ford Motors. Didn't go for the 429 cu. in. because my insurance would have been sky high for some unknown reason. Take that back. I was not married and I was under 25 years old and even though I had no wrecks on my record I had to be in a Risk Pool Insurance because my mother did not drive.

Had this Mach 1 Custom painted twice. It got caught in the tornado of 1975 in our city and got beat up from debris hitting it. I again got it custom painted this time with a Flame Job which really was unique on those cars at that time. I drove that car until 1979 and I had so many people wanting to buy it I finally gave in and sold it to the son of a good friend of mine. I got 3 times what I paid for it brand new, but for all intents and purposes it was a brand new car. At the time of the 1975 tornado my "junker car" was in dispose and I drove my Mach I for only that 1 day, and wouldn't you now it would be "the day".

Just wanted to let you now I was and still am a "car guy", but Vettes were never my choice of cars. Too much money and too small of a car. While my Mach I was not a big car it was able to accommodate 4 people fairly comfortably. Thought I would throw in my "car guy" history and I also drove the race cars/built the engines and everything else involved in having winning 1320' race cars over many years.

[MomOf4]

On 6/25/2014 hckynut said:

On 6/25/2014 Buck-i-Nana said:

It's not just about the money, it's about the passion and the connection vette owners have with their cars. From the report though, it sounds as though the insurance company, AAA, has deemed the original owner is still the owner of the car.

I understand about cars as I have been a "car guy" since I was 16 years old. Though my main interest in cars was Drag Racing on Drag strips, which I did for over 15 year at many Drag Strips around the Midwest. Traveled thousands of miles on 2 lane highways about every weekend to go to these races.

Also owned "for good cars" which were the top powered cars of their time made by Ford Motors. All of those types of cars were my "show cars" and I always had a "junker" to drive when it rained or during the winter months. My "show cars" never even saw the rain when I owned them. Sure I got attached to them but I had 3 of these types of cars. I had a 1961 Starliner which was a 390hp with a 4 barrel carb and a 405hp when I put on the 3---2 barrel carbs. Both of these were never driven in rain or snow.

I got rid of the 1961 the next year because it had a column 3 speed transmission and in 1962 Ford decided to put in a 4-speed tranny. While the '61 was a much better looking car, I wanted the 4 speed transmission as it was much easier on the engine and easier to shift without using the clutch.

Also owned a 1970 Mach I Mustang with a Cleveland engine and a shaker hood and everything offered in 1970 involved in performance from Ford Motors. Didn't go for the 429 cu. in. because my insurance would have been sky high for some unknown reason. Take that back. I was not married and I was under 25 years old and even though I had no wrecks on my record I had to be in a Risk Pool Insurance because my mother did not drive.

Had this Mach 1 Custom painted twice. It got caught in the tornado of 1975 in our city and got beat up from debris hitting it. I again got it custom painted this time with a Flame Job which really was unique on those cars at that time. I drove that car until 1979 and I had so many people wanting to buy it I finally gave in and sold it to the son of a good friend of mine. I got 3 times what I paid for it brand new, but for all intents and purposes it was a brand new car. At the time of the 1975 tornado my "junker car" was in dispose and I drove my Mach I for only that 1 day, and wouldn't you now it would be "the day".

Just wanted to let you now I was and still am a "car guy", but Vettes were never my choice of cars. Too much money and too small of a car. While my Mach I was not a big car it was able to accommodate 4 people fairly comfortably. Thought I would throw in my "car guy" history and I also drove the race cars/built the engines and everything else involved in having winning 1320' race cars over many years.

John, you write the MOST interesting posts!!

[Volare]

Last time George Talley saw his beloved 1979 Corvette, it was parked on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit in the summer of 1981, reports WXYZ. He'd long ago given up hope of ever getting the stolen car back, but then came a call out of the blue from authorities in Mississippi who found it via a false VIN number. Better yet, it seems to be in decent shape, with only 47,000 miles. Talley, now 71 and still the rightful owner, told the tale on a Detroit radio station today, his only lament being that he had to figure out how to get the car shipped to Michigan. Enter GM exec Mark Reuss, who happened to catch the show, reports the Detroit Free Press. The company is going to pick up the car for its former employee and ship it back free of charge. (A 1957 Chevy stolen 30 years also recently made its way home.)

[hckynut]

On 6/25/2014 MomOf4 said:

On 6/25/2014 hckynut said:

On 6/25/2014 Buck-i-Nana said:

It's not just about the money, it's about the passion and the connection vette owners have with their cars. From the report though, it sounds as though the insurance company, AAA, has deemed the original owner is still the owner of the car.

I understand about cars as I have been a "car guy" since I was 16 years old. Though my main interest in cars was Drag Racing on Drag strips, which I did for over 15 year at many Drag Strips around the Midwest. Traveled thousands of miles on 2 lane highways about every weekend to go to these races.

Also owned "for good cars" which were the top powered cars of their time made by Ford Motors. All of those types of cars were my "show cars" and I always had a "junker" to drive when it rained or during the winter months. My "show cars" never even saw the rain when I owned them. Sure I got attached to them but I had 3 of these types of cars. I had a 1961 Starliner which was a 390hp with a 4 barrel carb and a 405hp when I put on the 3---2 barrel carbs. Both of these were never driven in rain or snow.

I got rid of the 1961 the next year because it had a column 3 speed transmission and in 1962 Ford decided to put in a 4-speed tranny. While the '61 was a much better looking car, I wanted the 4 speed transmission as it was much easier on the engine and easier to shift without using the clutch.

Also owned a 1970 Mach I Mustang with a Cleveland engine and a shaker hood and everything offered in 1970 involved in performance from Ford Motors. Didn't go for the 429 cu. in. because my insurance would have been sky high for some unknown reason. Take that back. I was not married and I was under 25 years old and even though I had no wrecks on my record I had to be in a Risk Pool Insurance because my mother did not drive.

Had this Mach 1 Custom painted twice. It got caught in the tornado of 1975 in our city and got beat up from debris hitting it. I again got it custom painted this time with a Flame Job which really was unique on those cars at that time. I drove that car until 1979 and I had so many people wanting to buy it I finally gave in and sold it to the son of a good friend of mine. I got 3 times what I paid for it brand new, but for all intents and purposes it was a brand new car. At the time of the 1975 tornado my "junker car" was in dispose and I drove my Mach I for only that 1 day, and wouldn't you now it would be "the day".

Just wanted to let you now I was and still am a "car guy", but Vettes were never my choice of cars. Too much money and too small of a car. While my Mach I was not a big car it was able to accommodate 4 people fairly comfortably. Thought I would throw in my "car guy" history and I also drove the race cars/built the engines and everything else involved in having winning 1320' race cars over many years.

John, you write the MOST interesting posts!!

Hi MomOf4

Glad they interest someone besides myself. On almost all of my passions both past and present, even of decades past I get started and I don't know when to stop. I am the same in real life and my wife lets me know it quite often. Can strike up a conversation with about anyone and next thing ya know I am rambling on about something.

I loved and still love cars but I only go on past pictures and memory in lieu of driving them now. Thanks for your comment always nice to know someone understands and likes some of my "ahem" rather long posts.

=^..^= =^..^=
=^..^=

[ennui1]

On 6/25/2014 hckynut said:

Just wanted to let you now I was and still am a "car guy", but Vettes were never my choice of cars. Too much money and too small of a car. While my Mach I was not a big car it was able to accommodate 4 people fairly comfortably. Thought I would throw in my "car guy" history and I also drove the race cars/built the engines and everything else involved in having winning 1320' race cars over many years.

And lots of car guys adore Corvettes. It's personal preference.

It's easy to dismiss a Corvette ... until you own one.

[Luv2Decorate]

FTA:

“Corvettes are special cars and we understand what they mean to their owners,” he said. “If we can help reunite a Corvette and its owner, we’re going to do everything in our power to help.”

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140625/METRO01/306250062#ixzz35kV4YhWs

It would be bad PR for GM to keep the car, GM doesn't need anymore bad press right now...

[qualitygal]

My next door neighbor has a Corvette. She could be a daughter (on the low side) I think of mine. Not sure of her age, that's why I say that.

I agree with John and others who work, race, collect cars. My BIL works on cars, buys older and fixes them up. He's so good at this!! they go to car shows, go out of town to buy cars, he even update a Model-A. He's SO good at that!!

Just wanted to throw that in. Mustangs were the other "collectors" car of my youth. Ah good memories.