I am looking at a 71 convertible that is for sale, the car is a driver it does not have the original engine in the car but the owner does have the engine, the car is painted black, black top, white interior ,looking at paying $5000.00 for the car. hope thats not overpaying?

 

It may or may not be. Any rust? Mileage? Paint condition? Upholstery condition? 4-speed? 6 cylinder? Top condition? Everything work? Leaks? Options? Original color? Type/condition of rims & tires? Pictures would help...

 

If it's rust free and a complete driver it's worth it.

 

A truly rust free 71 convertible in good shape is worth more than $5K, so I'd be skeptical. Is there really no rust, or just "no rust visible at the moment"? Check VERY carefully.

 

Here are a couple pictures, hope this works<

 

I wouldn't pass it up that's for sure. I've got 4k in mine after buying this and that and another parts car . And then all the time in it. Shuweeee.

 

Check the floor pans, trunk, bottom of fenders and quarters and the base of the windshield. Really get in there and check. Take out the back seat and carpet if you can. Remove the cowl trim too. Any rust would subtract from the value. A lot of rust would be a deal breaker unless you are doing the work yourself.

Buckets console or bench? Disk brakes? Power windows and locks? Any other options? Those all add to the value.

 

All I see are little things like missing trunk lock, missing quarter trim piece, and a not-so-great top install. (It's missing the welting [i.e., "wire-on"] above the rear window, but no big deal). If the rust is minimal it's a steal. The condition of the inner wheel wells in the trunk should tell you a lot.

What part of the country is it in? Is it a southern car?

Take a magnet, wrap it in a handkerchief so you don't scratch the paint, and see if it sticks as well on the lower parts of the car as it does on the upper parts of the car.

Looks like you may have a live one there. IF IT CHECKS OUT RUST-WISE like 4speed455 says, and the VIN on the dash matches the title, don't wait for us to respond. Be prepared to move fast on the purchase. It won't be around long.

 

well i bought it, floor pans look really good as well as the trunk, wheel wells and the rear panels underneath. the car is in utah now but it came out of southern california many years ago and has been garaged up here. i can tell the car had some damage to the right door and just in front of the rear tire but other than that looks really good.

 

It looks like a great buy for $5000. Is the top rear window glass or plastic? Someone installed snaps through the stainless around the rear edge of the top to hold the boot. Certainly not a knock out. There is virtually no car of this vintage that you can't find some things to correct, change, upgrade or restore, unless you pay silly money for a perfect car. I wouldn't have hesitated to pay $5000 from all I can see!

 

Its does have a glass window in the top, I thought all convertibles used snaps to hold the boot on, i know the boot thats on this car look more custom made rather than what i see on other cars

 

The way these left the factory was with a boot that had a long flexible plastic "clip" of sorts under the edge of the boot, and this "clip" would slide between the chrome surround trim and the body and this chrome surround held the edge of the boot tight against the body of the car. No snaps were used.

The '70 C/S vert I bought used didn't come w/ a boot, and when I ordered a new one, it took me awhile to figure this out (how to attach the boot to the body by sliding the hidden "clip" under the chrome surround trim).

 

For $5K, I think you did VERY well! My '71 Cutlass Supreme convertible is a clean driver, but by no means perfect, probably a #3- or 4+ car and I was offered $12K for it a year or two ago. Any midsized or pony car convertible here in the rust belt in that condition is worth much more than $5K. Again, well bought!

 

X2! I'll (almost) trade you my rusty-quartered '69 convert and $5000 and I'll be ahead!