With the strength of the Canadian dollar, many of us might be considering purchasing a corvette in the U.S.  Every corvette has a story to tell.  Its up to us to look at the details of the vehicle to formulate the story.  The following are some tips to assist you in formulating the story:

 

External Factors:

1. One of the most important indicators of the condition of a corvette is not actually on the Corvette.  The floor upon which the corvette is stored will tell you all about the leaks of the vehicle.  Critical engine, transmission, radiator, power steering, and brake issues can easily be uncovered by simply looking at the floor under which the Corvette was stored.

2. The habits of the driver of the corvette will impact the quality of the vehicle.  Tires and brakes are a good indicators if the vehicle has been driven hard.  (i.e.  if the tires are bald ... they might pamper their corvette like Max :))

3. The "brand" of the ownership is critical.  Ensure that the brand of the ownership is "none".  Any other branding is an indication of a troubled past.

4. Check to ensure the vehicle is titled properly for the regional in which it is located.

5. Check to ensure there are no liens on the vehicle.

Exterior:

1. Closely inspect the all of the body panels for consistency of the paint.  If any of the panels appear to be inconsistent with the rest of the car (overspray, off-tone colour, excessive orange peel), it may be an indicator of  a collision.

2. Closely inspect the inner fenders.  Run your hand underneath each fender to ensure it is free from body repair.

3. Closely inspect the fit of the corvette.  The fit of older corvettes was not great, but excessive fit issues such as doors not closing properly could be an indicator of a collision and significant frame or birdcage damage.

4. For the older corvettes, closely inspect the chrome.  Chrome re-plating is very expensive.

5. Inspect the date codes of the glass for the vehicle.  Any incorrect dates could be a result of a collision.

6. Inspect the condition of the door pillar.  Many vehicles that had water issues will have excessive rot in the door pillar.

Interior:

1. Check the condition of the carpet, seats, dash, door panels, and trim.

2. Check the functionality check on all of the instrumentation components.

3. Check the functionality check on all of the interior options.

4. Check the interior for non-factory anomalies (extra wires, etc...).

Mechanical:

1. Inspect the frame to determine the extent of rust.  If the frame is rotted ... walk away (unless you are only interested in the body for a resto mod). If the frame is rotted, most other major components will be rotted and you will need to perform extensive restoration on the vehicle.

2. Inspect the suspension for condition/cleanliness.

3. Inspect the drive-train for condition/cleanliness.

4. Inspect the engine compartment for condition/cleanliness.

5. Perform a functionality check on all of the mechanical components.

6. When starting the vehicle, watch for the colour of the exhaust.  Excess black or blue exhaust often indicate engine issues.

7. When test driving the vehicle, pay special attention to noises and vibrations.

Originality:

1. Whether you care about owning a factory original car or not, its important to inspect the originality of the vehicle.  Non-original vehicles are non-original for a reason.  At times, the lack of originality could indicate a questionable past.  My recommendation is to always do the numbers on the vehicle.  Even if you are not interested in originality, it could give you a bargaining chip.

2. The NCRS handbooks and the Black Book are great references when determining the originality of the Corvette.

3. If you are not familiar with determining the originality of your next corvettes, seek someone who is.  Fellow members of the club are always willing to help out.