Euro QVs in North America?

Thanks TM, I thought that was ckeat's old car. That's a very nice Euro knightmare, enjoy!

And in case you are not already a member, our local FCA Chapter is very active. Check the Texas section on FChat.

-Glen

 

Thank you guys so much, I believe all the payers are keeping me going....

 

Glen, I'll make sure and get on the Texas section... and I'll also start posting my around town spottings as well.

I agree with everyone here in regards to the lag of appreciation for the 308s & 328s in terms of value appreciation but I think that's soon to be changing. I myself have also been looking at the corvettes as of late with a focus on either a 67, or the 68 - 74 years as they're easier to get into however if you do any of them you must get into the big block engine or less produced models. I have the breakdown production numbers for all the vettes if anyone wants me to post them along with most commonly produced colors and what not.

I'm a tech junky/former hacker and have been working on a new online system for profiling and researching vehicles on the market based on aggregate data compiled from CL, Ebay, Hemmings, Hagerty, etc but with scraped points for listed prices, sold, watchers, etc. I'm hoping to make this system available to all of us once I get it all fleshed out. I'm ignoring data from autotraderclassics and a few others since a scary % of their listings come from eastern block european's that scam American's out of around 64million a year in fraudulent car ads. I'm trying to build a much easier/safer way to catalogue all the currently available vehicles on the market you may be shopping for in one place while profiling the best purchase based on currently trending prices and consumption and also profiling the weakest link within your current garage.

We're officially in the era of analog cars and the "classic car" market space can now be better defined and more finite... if you think about it there are only so many classic cars you can now buy into before going analog so the space is now going to become limited as classic investors who enjoy the "hunt" are running out of classics to collect. Personally I think it's inevitable that the 308s and 328s will shock us in terms of their values here within 2 years. Some say the market in Europe trends ahead of us and if so I guess their publications could serve as proof of that.
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Here's a quick breakdown on the 1967 Corvette and some example listings and as you can see plenty of the 327/350 models out there being 6,375 were produced. Good luck finding that many 308s or 328s.

1967 Corvette Breakdown:
(Rarest Production Color: Black - 815) (Most Produced Color: Blue - 6,317)

- Hardtop Option – 6,880
- 427 cid 390hp Engine (L36) - 3,832

- 427 cid 400hp Engine (L68) - 2,101
1967 Corvette 427

- 427 cid 435hp Engine (L71) - 3,754
1967 Corvette

- 327 cid 350hp Engine (L79) - 6,375
1967 Corvette Convertible
Corvette 1967 Conv
Stunning 1967 Corvette Convertible, Goodwood Green & White - H O T
Ideal Classic Cars: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette - Venice, FL
TheVetteNet.com - 1967 Coupe Corvette Details
Used 1967 Chevrolet Corvette in Springfield OH at Mershon's World Of Cars Inc - Carsforsale.com
1967 Chevrolet Corvette for sale at Streetside Classics

- 427 cid 430hp Engine (L88) - 20

- Aluminum Cylinder Heads for L71 (L89) - 16

- Automatic Transmission - 2,324

- Convertible w/427/400 w/Air and auto transmission - 16

 

Trust me I'm not a collector either, just an enthusiast. I love going after cars I had on my walls as well when younger, plus I just can't stomach ever buying a brand new car that only depreciates. Simply put my goal is to drive what I love but that could also appreciate in value while driving it. Not a fan of buying and letting a car sit purely for investment. I never had a Corvette on my wall as a kid but I guess my dad did so he's asked me to look into the vette market for him. Even if the values of 3X8s skyrocket I doubt I'd sell mine... I mean what other car would you move on to that's as sexy.

 

Also, a little info on how many european based models might be floating around in the states. Since 2001, around 186 308s and 328s have been imported into the US based on the Federal Registry report. This may not be accurate in terms of any brought in prior to 2001 but it's something.
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Once again I think these other cars are easy to buy, they don't have the undeserved reputation of being broken all the time and needing expensive repairs and maintenance. I don't think we can just compare production numbers, perception plays a part and Porsche, Corvette, etc. are seen as cheaper to own and to some extent that is true.

 

Is there a link to that Federal Registry report? Thanks...

 

Answer from Europe, and speaking only for the "Quattrovalvoles": I guess you are speaking of the rocker panels; the consensus here is that it depends on the production period:
-early cars have a delimitation at the crease in the middle of the rocker panel: upper part being painted red, lower part being painted black.
-late production cars have the rocker panel entirely black, like the 328s
(don't ask me the chassis number where it has changed, 'cause I don't know)

Hood and fender louvers were never black on a "main production" euro cars, but always body color.
This with the possible exception (not verified yet) of swiss-market cars: some may (??) have had black louvres, as it seems that some of the swiss "2 valve injected" cars did (?).

Rgds

 

I wish I knew...remember that there is no precise châssis number identifying the "first car" with rust protection; what we know is simply that it started "end December 83 / beginning January 84" but there is no proof that all cars produced after a certain day / point all have been rust-proofed...
Last-chance method is to ask anyone who has an euro 83 and anyone who has a 84 (I am speaking of production calendar year here, not "model year") how are their rocker panels painted...

Rgds

 

My Sept 84 delivery 308 GTS QV 52703 has both parts of the rocker panel painted black.

Also, my car is Rosso Corsa, and the hood and fender louvers are painted black, and are original. Car was delivered on Jersey, Channel Islands.

 

My 83 Euro QV 44849 is rosso corsa and has only the lower part of rocker panel painted black. Louvers are body color. Windshield frame and front edge of rear top frame are black.

 

Gordon,

Hood and fender louvers painted black is highly unusual for an Euro car; all "standard euro" (= LHD cars for Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, etc...) were delivered with louvers in body color from the factory.
Perhaps the cars delivered on Jersey were treated differently?
But here in Europe black louvers is synonymous with american-market models, just as the engine hood when it has the last five rows of vents crossing the whole width.

Rgds

 

Put your ear to the metal.
You can hear them rust.

 

That's me!

I'm still on the hunt in case anyone does in fact want to part with their Euro. After looking at more cars I think a GTS would be just as good for me, and maybe even better.

That said, no one seems to be selling at the moment. I'll just have to be patient, as hard as that is

 

I'll part with mine and together we can set a record, most expensive 308. I'm thinking $250,000.

 

My car is definitely a bit unusual in it's configuration! Here's a photo, all paint is original, and you can see the hood and fender louvers in black. I've also got the dual rear fog lights and speedometer in miles per hour like a UK-spec car (Jersey follows UK road requirements and drives on the left like the UK), yet my car is LHD. I also don't have the (optional) rear 'wing' that all the US QVs seem to be equipped with, and my rear window does not have the electric defroster elements.

I also included a picture showing the rocker panels (from when I was doing all the hoses this winter, preparing to change the heater hose and brake booster hose through the rocker panel) - my car is 52703, a late production 84 (it was delivered Sept 4, 1984, likely produced in July 1984?)
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Deal! I'm assuming that's in Hong Kong dollars, which uses the same symbol. That comes out to 32,245.50 USD. A fair bargain and well struck. I'll expect delivery shortly.

 

Gordon,

The fact that you don't have the roof spoiler is not unusual at all for an "euro" car, as these were only an option here (for which you had to pay extra...) and customers seem to have been divided about 50/50 about liking it or not.

Most, if not all, Euro cars do not have defrosting rear windows (none of the french car has), it was not even an option, the cars were delivered without (except perhaps the swiss-market ones - but the swiss 308 were not "standard euro", they had, among other thing, different gear ratios); so again, nothing unusual for an euro car here.

Left Hand Drive Ferraris for Right Hand Drive countries are not unusual: all Japanese-market 328s (they can be easily identified by having "JAP" in the middle of their VINs) were, for instance, LHD.

But black louvres on an Euro 308 are indeed very, very unusual.

Rgds

 

Just paypal the money and watch for the truck.

 

Nerofer
Have you seen any euro's with the roof spoiler painted body color? I think mine came that way from the factory, or could it be they would build it any way you wanted it. Here's a pic of mine. Don't mind the rear deck spoiler, it will be coming off. :beer:

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My Euro QV ('85) has a body color roof spoiler (red).

 

Well I have made my decision, im going to be putting my 83 Euro Quattrovalve up for sale.It should be on ebay in a week or two. When I bought this car in 2003 I put 9k worth of servicing into it at RTGT but now with all my medical bills I just need to turn it over to someone that can take good care of it. Im trying to get max dollars so I can get another nice car without the maintenace costs. The compomotive wheels are a big plus too & just as rare to find. I will see how it goes...
Kent