Best way to inquire about any CAV GT40's for sale in USA...

[Cliff Beer]

Hello Gents,

Not sure how to go about this, or if it's even allowed.....so, posting this here for feedback/direction.

I would like to post to enquire if there are any USA-based CAV GT40s currently (or prospectively) for sale. I have a C8 Corvette Z06...which has been a phenomenal car...I'm selling to a friend. The C8 is amazing but it's more than I need...in every respect. Something more simple that I can DIY wrench on in my older age is a better fit. I'm familiar with CAV having owned a very nice one in the past for some years.

So, net, is there any way to post looking for enquiries without violating forum rules? I've looked in the For Sale section and it doesn't appear there are any USA based cars currently for sale, but I'm not sure.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Brian Kissel]

Cliff, Thanks for asking. I don’t see any violation of any sort. I personally think it’s great that you are trying to get back into a GT40. Throw an inquiry up on the parts or vehicles wanted and maybe something will come up. I myself am waiting on a ZO6, and a RCR Lola.
Hopefully we both get what we want.

Regards Brian

 

[Randy V]

Cliff, Thanks for asking. I don’t see any violation of any sort. I personally think it’s great that you are trying to get back into a GT40. Throw an inquiry up on the parts or vehicles wanted and maybe something will come up. I myself am waiting on a ZO6, and a RCR Lola.
Hopefully we both get what we want.

Regards Brian

Cliff…

Right…
As long as the potential seller contacts you via PM and not openly offering for sale to you or others in the open forums - there’s no issues. Please just ask that anyone with a lead on a car for sale (theirs or others) contact you by PM.
PS - if the seller is a Supporter of the forum, all this can be out in the open.

 

[Cliff Beer]

Thank you Brian, thank you Randy, that's very helpful information - understood on all.

Cheers gents.

 

[Scott t]

I have seen a few on various for sale places, like bring a trailer, over the last few years. may wish to take a peek there from time to time as well, good luck.

 

[Cliff Beer]

Thank you gents, much appreciated here. Just a quick update.

The Z06 is now with it's new owner in eastern Canada...who is very happy with it.

I've had a couple brief conversations with two very nice guys thinking about selling their CAVs but unfortunately both are a bit out of my price range ($130-150K). Both absolutely beautiful cars.

I'm now thinking perhaps the better pathway is a new base model C8 coupe. Nothing fancy, just like to have leather seats in either black on grey or red on tan. No Z51, no carbon wheels or carbon brakes, no nothing. My local Chevy dealer wants msrp plus $10,000...and can't get me the color or low/no options that I want.

Does anyone know of a Chevy dealer that can order a car with low/no options in either of these specific color combinations without charging a crazy premium over msrp?

Chevy could be selling a lot more of these C8's.......

 

[Brian Kissel]

I have a deposit on a ZO6 with MacMulkins At MSRP, and a deposit on a Zora with Les Stanford also at MSRP. MacMulkins is the number one dealer for Corvettes in the world. Les Stanford is number five, but only a couple hundred miles away. If you would like more information, please PM me.

Regards Brian

 

[Brian Kissel]

You have a PM , Cliff.

 

[Cliff Beer]

Quick update here gents.

While I really wanted a GT40 (preference would be CAV), I found current prices on a decent car to be in the $100,000-$120,000 range. That's a lot to spend on a car, especially since the CAV I bought some years back was only $57,000 at the time. I like wrenching on my cars and a GT40 is a nice way to do that because it's relatively simple for my small brain. There are a couple exceptionally nice GT40s available in the US here right now. However, on to Plan B...

This past week I put a deposit down on a 2024 C8 1LT coupe in black with grey seats at my local Chevy dealer in Seattle. They wanted $5,000 above MSRP but I told them no-go, I'll just go to a different dealer willing to sell at MSRP. So, MSRP was agreed and that was settled. The one I ordered is a total stripper - zero options. No nuthin'. Carbon? Nah. Extra cameras? Nah. Z51? Nah. Race seats? Nah. Mag ride? Nah. The dealer guy literally had nothing at all to check on the options list. Clearly, they prefer to sell highly optioned cars. Nope, sorry.

MSRP - $66,000. Wow. That's a helluva deal. Sure, the 458 is a bit faster, so is the Aventador, etc....but not by much. The C8 1LT is an 11 second 1/4 miler. The C8 exhaust sounds better, not so busy and buzzy. The build quality is great and it's built here in America. Would I get into a 458 or an Aventador and do a road trip across the California/Nevada desert in July? No, no way. In the C8? Oh yeah.

Chevy really has done something pretty amazing here with the C8. An American product that's just as good as the competition (maybe better) for less than half the price. Wow.

The black C8 will sit in the garage next to my black 2002 Chevy suburban with 280,000 miles on it. Hopefully my teenagers won't door ding it getting out of the suburban.....

 

[Ron Earp]

Congrats!

But I reckon new C8 certainly doesn't tick your requirement of being able to work on it.

 

[Cliff Beer]

Congrats!

But I reckon new C8 certainly doesn't tick your requirement of being able to work on it.

Yes, absolutely right....unfortunately. That would be like Fred Flinstone trying to perform brain surgery....

 

[Cliff Beer]

Little bit of an update here.

Chevy wasn't accepting orders on C8's during the strike apparently. That seems to be resolved so now the order can go in on this one. Couple last minute changes - added the sport exhaust and the low spoiler/splitter. 2024 MSRP is up a bit to roughly $70,000 for the 1LT but this now includes the camera-based view mirror as standard and a few other minor mods. Good stuff for $70K.

I sold the Z06 for a lot, lot more than this after driving it about 1,500 miles. The Z06 was purchased for MSRP only because I have family in Canada who own a large Ford/Chevrolet dealership. The Ford part of the dealership goes all the way back to the 1920's. The sales records were pretty basic back then (see attached). The sales data was recently sent to Ford's archive people so they have the records.

 

[Markus]

Behind The Doors Of CAV: Builders Of High-End GT40 Replicas​

Behind The Doors Of CAV: Builders Of High-End GT40 Replicas - Speedhunters

In 1964, the Ford GT40 was released to the world. This was a car born purely out of the eagerness to give Ferrari a beat-down at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, after a deal to buy Ferrari went sour between Enzo and Henry Ford – something that’s sure to be showcased in the forthcoming feature film …

www.speedhunters.com

Stumbled over this - no connection.

 

[Cliff Beer]

Quick update here fellas.

Picked up the 2024 Stingray and have been driving it a bit. Very impressed with the car.

Unfortunately, the Seattle area dealer I left a deposit with couldn't get the car in stock for about 8 months..... I'm 56 and a cancer survivor. Not waiting 8 months. Very nice people but just not getting it done.

On the Chevrolet website I saw a dealer in Burbank had just received a 2024 in the exact spec I wanted (plus a few extra options). So, drove up there from my place in San Diego and bought it. Drove in with a 2005 Mazda 5 (my son's old car) and drove out with a 2024 C8. Surprisingly, they weren't interested in a straight across trade. Super nice guys - Community Chevrolet in Burbank, California. Big shout out to Jason and Elijah. They sold me the car for MSRP and even filled the gas tank. Drove straight over the Peterson Automotive Museum on Wilshire for a poke around there - wow. Highly recommended. Then a fantastic meal in Santa Monica with a friend. That's a good day.

New 2024 C8's seem to be selling for MSRP now. If you've wanted one it's time to get one. The Community Chevrolet guys have a few in stock - red and white.

 

[Lee Patterson]

Sweet looking car in black.

 

[jfeds]

I know this is an old thread but wondering if there were any other sources ? Just spent a wonderful day at the garageshop (https://www.thegarageshop200.com/aaron-brown) with Aaron Brown looking at the CAV's they are currently working on and discovering to my delight that I actually fit (6'3") vs a SPF. Now looking at build sheets but ideally would buy one used in the USA and then customize / upgrade - as a current Noble M400 owner, no stranger to a wrench .... i see one red CAV for sale online but that's it .. looks like these rarely change hands ?

 

[Cliff Beer]

Jfeds, yes, it's a very limited market for good GT40 replicas. There are many good brands/sources - Superformance, RCR, CAV, etc. - however, at any one point in time it's a very limited supply. I believe demand has gone up over time as well. Movies like Ford v. Ferrari have increased the overall awareness of the unique desirability of the GT40.

If you're located in the U.S. then definitely look for a U.S. car. Importing a GT40 replica can be difficult. Ideally, buy a GT40 replica registered in the state in which you live. That will be easiest. With some patience and a ready bank account you'll find a good one if you're determined to have one.

In my search I found the nicer ones tended to be between $120,000 and $140,000. This is quite different than say 10 years ago when nice ones were in the $80-90,000 range. As much as I like the GT40 replicas, in the end, I couldn't justify a six-digit spend when a new 2024 C8 is available for around $70,000. Personally, I'm getting older now (56), so, some creature comforts like powered windows and a good AC system are more important than when I was in my 30's. I do like to work on my cars and, surprisingly, there's still some wrenching to be done on a C8 if so inclined.

 

[jfeds]

thanks Cliff ... we are the same age so must be that time of life ! Thanks for the input above .. The C8 is a great choice, although I think I am going to go the SPF route and just order a new one with a build slot next Jan - something to look forward to ... but, before i pull that trigger I am going to head up to Michigan Friday and visit RCR ... not a 'Shelby' but then they made the cars for the FvsF movie, so interesting to see what they can do

 

[Cliff Beer]

You won't be disappointed with RCR. Fran has been making excellent products for a very long time and is well respected in the GT40 community and elsewhere.

Personally, I liked the CAV product because of the stainless steel chassis. Exquisite welds and craftsmanship. Not sure if it's still that way today but my 2006 CAV was very well made. Bought it for $52,000 in 2008. Things have changed a bit now.

All the modern made GT40's are replicas, regardless of whether there's an official label applied or not. Some are better copies than others obviously, but none of them are "real." That's why the real ones are $5,000,000+ and the replicas are $150,000.....

Good luck with the search!

 

[Cliff Beer]

Bit of a surprise here...

The fellow who bought the 2023 Z06 from me called me yesterday to report he had crashed the car. Apparently went off the road at high speed and the car is a write off. He was asking me if I had some of the original purchase documentation (window sticker, orig invoice, etc.) for his insurance claim purposes. I told him I would forward this on to him in the mail.

A real shame. Very nice car. Had just less than 2,000 miles when I sold it to him in the fall last year. Was purchased new by me through my cousins who own a Ford and Chevy dealership which has been in business since the 1930's. I got a good deal on it - bought for msrp when these cars were going for $50-100K over msrp. I pretty much paid for the 2024 C8 stingray I have now with the profit on the sale.

You wouldn't think it would be that tough to drive responsibly. Yeesh.