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| Inside the automobile |
| Look for wear areas in the carpet. A common trick
is to apply flat finish matching paint (particularly if the carpet
is black) to areas where the carpet has been worn through to the
car's body. Unless you look closely, you will think the carpet
is in great shape, and later will notice you were tricked. By
the same token, if you observe new floor mats, be sure to look
under them for signs of wear. In the rear cargo compartment, look
for cracked or damaged trim, broken or damaged top hold down hardware,
and scratched or damaged plastic seat backs. Finding these situations
and then pointing them out to the seller should result in a lower
price. |
| Damage History |
| Many Corvettes have some damage history. Most is
minor but occasionally you may run into major problems caused
by accidents. Before you spend your money, take the time to make
sure you are not buying something that recently was in a body
shop, or worse. in a junkyard. |
| Fiberglass Repairs |
Unless a fiberglass panel has been actually replaced,
it is relatively easy to determine if repairs have been made.
On the side of the panel away from the side normally viewed, look
for a built up area where resin and fiber have been applied to
repair the damage. Look at the underside of fenders, the inside
of doors, and inside the engine compartment. In the rear, take
off the license plate and using a mirror and a flashlight, look
at the rear of the automobile for damage.
When a fiberglass repair is made, the area is reinforced with
fiberglass material and often stiffeners or doublers are installed
to make the repaired area strong. You should never see bulges
or areas where the underside of the fiberglass is raged, appearing
thicker than normal, unless a repair had been made. Symmetrical
built up areas are acceptable if they are obviously part of the
fiberglass structure formed when it was originally laid up. These
areas will be smooth and very commercial in appearance. |
| Frame Repairs |
| Frame repairs normally show heat discoloration or
slight wrinkles where the metal has been reformed. While the car
is on a lift, look closely at all of the frame structure and its
supports for any sign of heat treatment or wrinkling. While you
might tolerate a little fiberglass repair, never buy a Corvette
that shows frame damage. Frame damage results in uneven tire wear,
poor cornering, pulling to one side, and even life threatening
situations. It isn't worth it. |
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