sorry this is off-topic but I was thinking of getting a 'vette for my next project and to prevent the jag from getting lonely ( best to think ahead although my Wife disagrees).
These are fairly rare in the UK but as most of the membership of this forum is from the U.S. (and I respect your opinions) I would like to ask how they compare to the xk8 with respect to renovation costs, effort, problems etc.


thanks

 

While I do not have a vette in the US it would be much cheaper to restore a Vette. In the UK getting parts may be an issue and you will have shipping cost. However you can build a Vette from the ground up out of parts catalogs.

Good luck a nice Vette would be very nice to keep your Jag company.

 

Although there is very little similarity between the two, it depends on what generation of Corvette you want, as to the price of renovation.

The first generation of 54 to 62 is very expensive, and not very fun to drive, unless you like driving trucks.

The 2nd generation of 63 to 67 is very desirable, but because of the short time they were produced, the parts are very expensive, and hard to get. They are true sports cars, with independent suspensions, lots of horse power, and pretty decent quality control. The engine and transmission pieces are very strong, and not too expensive to rebuild, because Chevrolet used them from the 60s to the early 80s.

The 3rd generation was made from 68 to 82, and has caught on in popularity, thus the prices of the early ones to 73 are really taking off. The mid 70s to early 80s models had only around 150 horsepower, and all chrome was removed. They are the first Coke bottle bodies that Corvette is still using today, meaning the fenders bulge out, and the doors are more inboard. These are also the first generation of Corvettes, where comfort was not thought of, and the ride is very stiff and the seats are very thin.

The fourth generation of Corvettes is the most affordable, thus least desirable of the group, even though they are starting to catch on. They were made from 84 to I think 96. There were no 83 Corvettes made, except for the one 4th generation, in the Corvette museum, in Bowling Green Kentucky. The 84 Corvette came out with a little over 200 horse power the 85 at 230 HP until they were really fun, at the end of the run. There are a lot of these left out there, and parts are inexpensive, except for the electrical parts, like the binacle, or instrument cluster, as we call it.

The fifth, sixth and new 7th generation Corvettes are the newest, and very desirable. They have gobs of horsepower, lots of high tech goodies, good quality control, faster, and are more comfortable than the older models. That is pretty much Corvette history, in a nut shell.

Corvette parts for you will be about as expensive as Jaguar parts for us. I would suggest hooking up with a yard, like Dino's Corvette salvage, and have them ship parts to you, like I have had Jag breakers ship parts to me, in order to save money.

You would probably be as rare in a Corvette driving around the UK, as I am driving an XK8 in the US. They are very different cars. Corvettes are more plastic, than wood and leather, and the reasons people drive them are different than the reasons people drive Jaguars.......Hope this Helps.....Mike

 

Excellent summary by Mike (mrplow) As a long time owner of a third generation Corvette, comparing one to a modern Jag is chalk and cheese.

What generation are you thinking of getting?

 

Well I would prefer the batman style with the curvy front wings but funds may only stretch to the later gen (same as what's Face had in A-Team)
I missed out getting a 69 Camaro convert just before getting married (women!!!) and have always regretted it, so a corvette would do nicely, it also fits the bill of a good investment as classic cars are increasing in value quite rapidly in the UK.

 

That would be the 1968-82 series. Earlier years with rare options can be worth over $100K USD over here. Later years in 'driver' condition might go for $5K USD. UK prices might be double that.


No Corvette is a 'good' investment, sorry. They just swallow money more slowly than a boat might.

 

I owned a so-called late C4 model (1995) for about 14 years and upkeep and reliability were actually excellent. I view these as the last of the brute/bad-boy Corvettes as from the C5 on they became much more "civilized" and aiming their appeal much more to men of a certain age.

There was nothing quite like cracking open the full clamshell hood of the C4 to catch folks' attention in a gas station. This generation was also reasonably easy to work on for a DIY type and there was no shortage of affordable mods for the LT-1 engine.

I was lucky enough that there was about a year overlap between the time I got my XKR and I finally sold the Corvette and the two cars were totally different. I never could figure out which car I enjoyed driving more--when I was in the Corvette that was the winner but when I was in the XKR, I preferred that one. So many choices!

Doug