1969 C3 BB Coupe

[Stephen W.]

Looking for some reasonable expectations for a value range.
The car was last registered in 1976. All tags in windshield are correct for my state. The frame is solid because the car has been stored indoors.The body looks to be unhit, gaps look typical for 1969. Paint is Lacquer and shows its age with checking started on most top surfaces. I don't have the code but its Maroon with a saddle interior. The interior is all there but the console and radio have been removed. It's a single 4bbl (390hp?) BB with 4 speed. The factory shifter was replaced with Hurst. The front header is showing rivet pops all along the reinft. All glass is original but w/shield is turning white in corners.
It looks to be a complete car. It all looks original.
I first saw the car last year and the guy joked that he thought it was worth 12,500.00 the way it sat. It had just been pulled out of the garage and was super dirty.
Today I saw it again but now he has stripped all bumpers , Side pipes, lights and had it freshly pressure washed.
I joked about when he would sell it and he threw me a 15,000.00 price.
He also told me his friend checked the numbers and its a numbers matching engine. The engine fires up and runs but without any sidepipes it is loud and rough but it runs.
This will need full restoration but looks like an original car.
42000 miles show on the odometer.
Would I be unrealistic to expect 45,000 or more when finished?
Looking for an excuse to drag another project home home.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

Not good enough to put the bumpers back on, clean it, and try for a Bowtie Award?

Patrick

[Steve Wallach]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

If you "fully" restored it, it could be worth 45, does it come with documentation? (Tank Sticker, build / order sheet, invoices, POP)

A single carb would seem to indicate a 427/390hp car, but it may have had the carbs and intake replaced? The L-88s have a single carb, but I doubt that's what it is from the description.

Good luck

Steve

[William C.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

One year only carb I believe, frightfully difficult to come by if not on (or with) the car. Figure 50,000 for the resto and where are you? Labor of love (assume your time is free so the 50K is cut in half?) if you really like the car, otherwise ???

[David B.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

I agree with Bill, the 7029215 is hard to find. I would like to find one for mine.
Dave B.

[Stephen W.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

Great info thanks,
I don't think it would be a good candidate for a a bow tie. There was evidence the mice had a home in that console and i wouldn't trust any wires for the dash. The car was stored in a garage but not stored properly to preserve it. To make things worse they used it for a shelf. All top surfaces show scratches and checking. The hood by the eyebrows are so worn from sliding boxes across it they wore down to the factory primer.The front shows all the rivet pops and then someone told him to see if he could " sand them out" He used a grinder on one to "cut it smooth" The car need full resto but everything is there.
I don't know if the tank sticker is there but the tank sure looks original and has not been out. Would it be on the tank or stuck between the guages like my 71 was?
Keys are original. He says he has the bill of sale from the dealer ( one owner before he got it)
So would this be worth dropping 15,000 and then another 25000 to resto it?
I'm not looking to make money here, Just wanna see it back to its former glory ,have fun doing it and not get hurt.

[David B.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

69 Sticker is on the tank. No sticker on the dash.

69's are pretty neat in my opinion - especially if loaded with options. They should continue to appreciate slowly but not a big moneymaker most likely for the short term. The front rivets are an easy fix. Some folks prefer to not even fix them because of the originality of leaving them puffed up. Your preference.

The dash is difficult to deal with but not beyond doing yourself. If you enjoy the car and the process, then it may be a good project. I don't see it taking as much money as you estimate to make it a very nice car - not a show car.

If you do fix it, they are a really nice driving car and gobs of torque.

Hope this helps.

Dave B.

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

------The idea of leaving the front header-bar rivet bumps intact because they prove originality is carrying this original stuff just a bit too far in my opinion. Granted, once you have restored this old 69 it wont see much bad weather, but even so the corrosion is still going to grow over time so the bumps will keep growing as well. The header bar has to be removed and the problem fixed the correct way. There are plenty of other ways to prove that the front end is original and undamaged.........Bill S

[David B.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

Bill,
Glad to hear that viewpoint spoken - and I agree. I decided to fix mine and it turned out nicely. But, did want to point out there are some different opinions on the item.
Dave B.

[Stephen W.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

Would it be possible to open the blister and expose the rivet, replace the rivet and reglass it without actually dropping the reinforcement?

[David B.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

Steve,

It would be possible, but is unnecessary. Some folks drill them out and leave them out.

Dave B.

[David B.]

Re: 1969 C3 BB Coupe

Steve,

Here is an old message in the Archives that deals with one method of doing the repair without total replacement.

Dave B.

Re: Body bumps in 68 from headlight suppport rivet (message posted by David Harris)

Size: 1 kb; Posted 15 Oct 2001

Robert; I repaired my '69 myself in about 10 hours. Mine was really bad as every rivet was coroded that is 28 in all I think. What you must do is grind through the top surround and then through the panel adhesive and then you will see a cloud of white dust, that was the old rivet head. Grind alittle more to rough up the glass reinforcement that is the next peice and leave the remainder of the rivet on the bottom so it still holds the metal part of the reinforcement and looks proper from the bottom. Next glass up the areas (which should be about 2 or 3 in. in diameter. Grind down later and use