I have a hardtop that came with my C3. I have no plans to use the top which is currently taking up room in the garage. The car is a nice driver but will never be an NCRS specimen. I mentioned to some other owners that I might be interested in selling the top. Some have responded saying not to sell it. Others have questioned the value of it. Paragon claims they get $1,500 to $2,000 for a used top in good shape. A local parts yard claims $500 to $750 is the going price. My questions are these: What is the value (range) of a hardtop in fair to good condition (good weatherstrippng, no tears or rips in the vinyl, etc..)? What are buyer's rational for purchasing this option? Some opinions on the widsom of keeping or selling this item. Thanks in advance for your replys.
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Re: To Hardtop or Not To Hardtop
Bill-----
The $500-750 price is about what I've seen these tops selling for in good condition. I have never heard of someone having to pay $1,500 to 2,000 for the 68-75 style hardtop. However, the price may be on the rise as interest in restoring the chrome bumper cars accelerates.
Primarily, the hardtop was ordered to provide better element protection during winter driving months. Remember, when these cars were new, many were driven as day-to-day transportation on a year-round or, at least, nearly year round basis. Convertible tops lack the degree of weather protection that some folks like when driving in winter months.
During the pre-75 Corvette period, the hard top was an extra-cost option. However, it could be ordered in place of the soft top at no charge. In fact, this is exactly what I did when I ordered my 1969 brand new. The reasons for me, at the time, were several. First off, I hated "rag tops" then. I just couldn't understand why anyone would want a canvas top on their car and I didn't care, at all, about "open air" driving. Plus, my image of a performance car did not include "boulevard cruiser" convertibles with "willowy bodies".
Although I was stunned by and covetted the then-new and "THE RAGE" t-top, I was also a struggling college student at the time. By ordering a convertible with hard-top only, I saved about $300 over the price of the t-top coupe. I still had what, in my opinion, amounted to a coupe, albeit without the ability to take off the top panels which I didn't really care about. Still, I loved the looks of the t-top coupe and sometimes regretted my decision to save $300.
Within the first 7 years of my ownership of the car, I only took the hard-top off once or twice. Later, I started to "warm-up" to the idea of convertibles and, gradually, a decision that I had come to, at times, regret was transformed into one of "...the smartest mistake that I ever made was to get a convertible". I even began to like the look of the convertible much better than the t-top. In fact, today I PERSONALLY consider that the 68-72 convertible is the best looking convertible that was ever a Corvette. And, the 63-67 coupe was the best looking coupe that was ever a Corvette. These are my PERSONAL OPINIONS, so don't anyone get offended. You can have your own opinions, which may differ from mine.
In 1987 I added a convertible top to the car(at, by then, great expense)and it's been a "rag top" convertible ever since. Of course, for the past 23 years, or so, it has not been a "daily driver" for me.
My hard-top has been, basically, stored away continuously since 1987. Would I ever sell it? Absolutely NOT; not even if the value went to $10,000(which is highly unlikely). But, then, I never sell Corvette parts, anyway.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: To Hardtop or Not To Hardtop
Bill, The short answer is: Keep it. The car is more valuable with the hardtop option, especially if it was factory ordered with the car. Even though it is a pain in the ass to install and/or remove, it is worth it. In my opinion, the looks of a roadster with the hardtop installed make the coupe look a poor relation.Comment
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Re: To Hardtop or Not To Hardtop
Bill, The hardtop improves the value approx. $1500 according to the latest price guides. Remember if the top is original to the car the rear window is date coded and matches the date range of the other windows. Selling a TWO TOP convertable is a big plus.
Texas Chapter NCRSComment
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Re: To Hardtop or Not To Hardtop
Bill --- Joe has pretty well covered all the bases "pro" the hardtop, and I can only add one more point that would make me ADD one, even if the car was originally soft top-only; that is, security / anti valdalsim. The same gang that drags a set of keys down your paint will slice a canvas top for sheer pleasure. And when I'm on road trips; the few times I'm not camping with the car beside me, I like the idea of a hardtop when the car is temporarily out of sight (overnight in a motel / at a restaurant).
Subjectively, I always liked a convertible with a hardtop, or top-down, C1 thru C3. The rag does nothing for me. I even like the vinyl-covered hardtop (C07+C08) from '67 up. Just too bad it's such a hassle to remove/install.Comment
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