I am at a point in life where a GT40 or 2020 Corvette may be a possibility. For the Corvette, it would be a nice purchase at a fair price and ready to drive. But everyday after the showroom, I would expect its value to decline. Nothing unusual here. Alternatively, I am interested in your thoughts about building a GT 40. What could I expect of the investment (I have built cars previously). Could it sell for my build cost? More? If, I keep it pristine for some time, say 5-10 years, will it suffer the same price decline as the Corvette will? Do I save money if I buy someone's GT40 used? Thanks in advice for your thoughts.
GT40 vs 2020 Corvette
- Thread starter Surypap3
- Start date
I would not buy or build a GT40 as an investment. Granted my Superformance has appreciated some since I bought it 12 years ago, but with this economy I would expect values to decrease a lot. GT40's built by owner like RCR, etc. don't even appreciate as much as Superformance. Bottom line is buy what you want to drive. The new Corvette and GT40's are entirely different cars. The Corvette undoubtedly handles and brakes better and has more creature comforts. Most of us GT40 owners bought ours for the nostalgic appeal and its brutish character.
How do you plan to use it? THAT will determine which car might make the most sense.
A NEW Corvette will be far cheaper to buy turn key (base model anyway) ...'can probably be delivered ready to drive in 6 months to a year (max)...and comes with a warranty. Maintenance/repairs/and 'gremlins' are virtually 'zip'. 'Can be ordered with every gizmo and gadget known to man...and 'has a factory-designed space for every one of them. You can just turn the key and go 99.99999999999999% of the time (100% of the time during its warranty period!). Additional pluses are: ROOM in the cockpit, space for luggage or whatever, faaar higher fuel mileage than a '40 ( ) and a far more comfy/quiet ride for long trips.
Since you've built 'component cars' before, I imagine there's no need to mention a '40 will undoubtedly be the opposite of the aforesaid...more so a used one.
So, once again: how are you going to use it?
A NEW Corvette will be far cheaper to buy turn key (base model anyway) ...'can probably be delivered ready to drive in 6 months to a year (max)...and comes with a warranty. Maintenance/repairs/and 'gremlins' are virtually 'zip'. 'Can be ordered with every gizmo and gadget known to man...and 'has a factory-designed space for every one of them. You can just turn the key and go 99.99999999999999% of the time (100% of the time during its warranty period!). Additional pluses are: ROOM in the cockpit, space for luggage or whatever, faaar higher fuel mileage than a '40 ( ) and a far more comfy/quiet ride for long trips.
Since you've built 'component cars' before, I imagine there's no need to mention a '40 will undoubtedly be the opposite of the aforesaid...more so a used one.
So, once again: how are you going to use it?
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Appreciate the responses. I would look to the 40 for nostalgia …. Beauty and simplicity of the engineering and design, and power. It would definitely find itself to car gatherings, but mostly Sunday drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, I have never driven one. So I have no idea what that would feel like. I did have a friend, Mark Le Vea, who built one. I rode shotgun.
I have driven Lotus Europa and S4 cars, a Porsche 914, a Pantera; and for front engine, older (60/70s) Corvettes and RX7s. I suppose I need to find a demo ride before jumping in. Does the 40 drive like any of the mid engine cars I have listed?
Does the Superformance attract more money because it is a factory built car?
I have driven Lotus Europa and S4 cars, a Porsche 914, a Pantera; and for front engine, older (60/70s) Corvettes and RX7s. I suppose I need to find a demo ride before jumping in. Does the 40 drive like any of the mid engine cars I have listed?
Does the Superformance attract more money because it is a factory built car?
Neil
Supporter
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a nice drive but the speed limit is low and there are too many tourists creeping along. A really nice drive is from Staunton, VA to Bartow, WV. I used to drive this road through the Allegheny mountains in my '65 Pontiac GTO and then switched to a Ferrari 250 GTE. Leave the Skyline drive to Prius drivers.
From what I can gather after reading the above, it appears to me the way the car "feels" when sitting behind the wheel might only be a secondary consideration for you? Apparently, you're not going to be taking it on long trips...'not going to be taking it to the track, etc, etc? If that's the case, I wouldn't think how the car feels when "driving" it should really matter 'cause you're not going to be 'pushing' the car anywhere close to its limits anyway, nor are you likely to be IN IT for hours at a time, right?
I have driven a Pantera (on surface streets and on the highway)...'owned/driven "(60/70s) Corvettes"...'owned/driven a 2006 Ford GT and 'ridden in a GT40 MKII - "AT SPEED(!!)"if you get my drift! 'Also drove a MK I for a VERY short distance on a private road at ho-hum speeds. From a driving standpoint, the only big difference I noticed with the MK I was its steering felt a bit 'heavy' at slow speeds (no power steering) compared to the other cars I've driven/owned. Yeah, as with all cars, there are pedal feel/off center location differences, shifting differences, brake feel differences - that sort of thing. You've ridden in a friend's GT40, so you already know they're noisy, they aren't very comfortable, they're cramped, their 'ride' is...uh...'firm'...aaaaand they can be a bit 'spooky' in traffic! In short, they look, feel, and drive like a race car rather than a 'road car'. ;-)
I would think, assuming they do tend to garner a bit more price-wise, that's because they're Shelby-blessed and they're the closest thing to an actual 'original' compared to the other offerings out there...mass production-based, anyway.
All the above JMPO. OMV.
I agree with Dave, I would not purchase any production or especially a replica vehicle as an investment. I think we all would like to believe and hope that we could recoup a big part of the dollars invested in our interest but ! ! Unless you have a irrefutable crystal ball that will guide you to purchase the most sought after car in ten years coming the law of averages are against you. The GT40 market had a bit of resurgence last year when the film came out but now all is forgotten. Have a look at the buyers at Mecum and Barrett Jackson and most here i presume how many will be around in ten or fifteen years physically or gray matter wise. What will become of all that inventory add to that the government mandated end of the internal combustion engine in 2035. I am happy to have lived in this time frame but today there is no new timber cumming forth. The skill sets that were once learned from the schools are gone, today it's about a finger on a touch screen. Today what can i lease for two years and be bored with in 6 months, not ideal for an investment. Anyway if you lean toward the GT there are nice examples that come up for sale on this forums classified also as you have built before remember the most lowly Chevy Sonic has more engineering than any replica built. S
Reading above, I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for the idea of the alternate driving route. I am getting the message on GT40 as an investment. Its all timing and a real crapshoot. As for comfort, I still drive my Lotus Europa …. loud, bumpy and hot! Round tripped one from Chicago to California and back in '74. The desert portion was unkind and it was summer.
I do like my S4S ride and comfort, and as I remember, the Pantera was pretty loud and rough. Thank you for your thoughts! Jack
I do like my S4S ride and comfort, and as I remember, the Pantera was pretty loud and rough. Thank you for your thoughts! Jack
I had to smile when I just ran a video on a 40 ride on utube. The first thing the owner did was insert his earplugs. That is a serious loud ride. So it brought to mind, good or bad, my wife would NEVER ride in the car. I must have forgotten how loud my shotgun ride was, but I was younger. Personally, it sounds great! But the wife thing …..
Personally - I would drop the $$ on the new 2020 Corvette!
Why? A number of reasons
1) It is the most long awaited Corvette in the history of the model. It is the Mid-Engine Vette.
2) Given the costs to build something no where even close to as capable as the performance of the Corvette, it is simply a bargain at the Mid-60's USD entry point
3) Even without the Quad Round Taillights, the Vette is quite a visually appealing car
4) From everything I have read about it, the car is actually very well refined on the whole.
5) Ask your Insurance Agent
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I say all this knowing what I know of component cars and the effort it takes to create one...
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Resale value?
It's a crap-shoot either way - but given #1 above, I'd say the 2020 Corvette may well hit the bottom of the depreciation curve and then appreciate to more than it's purchase price a LOT faster than previous "special" Corvettes. That's not to say that it would appreciate any greater or lesser than a good GT40 Replica like an SPF, RCR, Tornado, etc..
Why? A number of reasons
1) It is the most long awaited Corvette in the history of the model. It is the Mid-Engine Vette.
2) Given the costs to build something no where even close to as capable as the performance of the Corvette, it is simply a bargain at the Mid-60's USD entry point
3) Even without the Quad Round Taillights, the Vette is quite a visually appealing car
4) From everything I have read about it, the car is actually very well refined on the whole.
5) Ask your Insurance Agent
---
I say all this knowing what I know of component cars and the effort it takes to create one...
---
Resale value?
It's a crap-shoot either way - but given #1 above, I'd say the 2020 Corvette may well hit the bottom of the depreciation curve and then appreciate to more than it's purchase price a LOT faster than previous "special" Corvettes. That's not to say that it would appreciate any greater or lesser than a good GT40 Replica like an SPF, RCR, Tornado, etc..
Jack, I have a Lotus Europa with a Ford Zetec engine as well as the Superformance GT40. The Superformance is similar to the Europa, but much faster. The Europa is more nimble and brakes better. Both cars are loud inside. My wife will ride in the Europa, but not the GT40 because Superformance makes the RH seat pretty narrow. A/C on the Superformance is nice, but marginal in stop and go hot traffic.
Chris Kouba
Supporter
Do not buy a GT40 as an investment. Buy it as a hobby if that's what you want to spend your time doing. You will spend a lot of time (and $'s) involved with it, whether driving it, working on it, or internetting about it.
Re resale: I doubt my wife will be able to get out of it what I put into it but that's OK because I'll be gone.
Thanks to the people and info on this forum, I persevered through the build process and have come to thoroughly enjoy mine (RCR). This is a fantastic community. The car has had some issues from time to time, but for the most part they are easily solved with time and effort. I know the car is pretty simple because I was able to build it. The drivetrain is straight out of the 60's. I can do the bodywork or revise components as needed. If I don't like something, I change it. The cockpit is set up for me, specifically. The driving position, steering wheel, shifter, pedal cluster, etc... were all laid out exactly where I wanted them and I am very comfortable in it. Odds are you can set a Corvette seat and wheel up to feel good too though.
As has been said already, a GT's creature comforts are minimal at best. My AC is marginal (and also has a leak which I need to trace out) but it was able to keep the cockpit cool enough when temps were in the 80's. I would expect the Vette to work well in Phoenix in July. My home-built GT, not so much.
I haven't driven a modern Vette recently, but I hear they are good. I haven't tracked my GT but I have hustled it a bit and it is a very raw and direct experience- no power steering (not needed), unassisted braking, hiem joint suspension, non-progressive damping, and no driver aids to enhance or spoil the fun. You get out what you put in.
So it's no secret where I put my money. When I bought mine, it was new Corvette money and I went down the GT path. If I were in the the same position again today, despite how compelling the new Vette is, I would probably do the same thing. They are both very high performance vehicles but offer vastly different ownership and enjoyment experiences. The good news is you probably can't go wrong with either of them.
Re resale: I doubt my wife will be able to get out of it what I put into it but that's OK because I'll be gone.
Thanks to the people and info on this forum, I persevered through the build process and have come to thoroughly enjoy mine (RCR). This is a fantastic community. The car has had some issues from time to time, but for the most part they are easily solved with time and effort. I know the car is pretty simple because I was able to build it. The drivetrain is straight out of the 60's. I can do the bodywork or revise components as needed. If I don't like something, I change it. The cockpit is set up for me, specifically. The driving position, steering wheel, shifter, pedal cluster, etc... were all laid out exactly where I wanted them and I am very comfortable in it. Odds are you can set a Corvette seat and wheel up to feel good too though.
As has been said already, a GT's creature comforts are minimal at best. My AC is marginal (and also has a leak which I need to trace out) but it was able to keep the cockpit cool enough when temps were in the 80's. I would expect the Vette to work well in Phoenix in July. My home-built GT, not so much.
I haven't driven a modern Vette recently, but I hear they are good. I haven't tracked my GT but I have hustled it a bit and it is a very raw and direct experience- no power steering (not needed), unassisted braking, hiem joint suspension, non-progressive damping, and no driver aids to enhance or spoil the fun. You get out what you put in.
So it's no secret where I put my money. When I bought mine, it was new Corvette money and I went down the GT path. If I were in the the same position again today, despite how compelling the new Vette is, I would probably do the same thing. They are both very high performance vehicles but offer vastly different ownership and enjoyment experiences. The good news is you probably can't go wrong with either of them.
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Ron McCall
Supporter
Have you considered a Pantera instead of either? They are much more civilized and usable than a GT40 and continue to appreciate in value all of the time. Very much more exclusive than a new Vette and every bit as much fun to drive. Dallara designed suspension, Italian mono chassis, same ZF transaxle as a GT40 ( inverted positioning) tons of aftermarket support and spectacular looks! Sounds like the best of both worlds to me!!
Ron
Ron
Attachments
Interesting Idea. Like to learn more. I just saw the 2020 Corvette ordering as been shut down. Perhaps cut short by COVID19.
If you go the Pantera route, be sure to commission a PPI by a Pantera EXPERT before purchase.
Famously, rust is an issue (De Tomaso used bare, untreated steel for its unibody), electronics are often a problem, the ZF's second gear synchros tend to wear out and the factory cooling system can leave much to be desired.
Happily, these days solutions for the above (and other issues) are available...but, 'at a cost'. ;-)
And again, a 2020 'Vette can be in your garage for a lot less "coin" all the way around.
JMPO. OMV.
Julian
Lifetime Supporter
Ah the Pantera bashing begins.... the ZF is common to both the GT40 and Pantera, as such so is the second gear syncro wear!
Personally I am fortunate enough to have a late model Pantera GT5, the ERA GT40 and an Ultima CanAm. The Ultima is the ultimate street legal track weapon, the GT40 one of the most iconic designs of all time, I literally drool every time I open the garage and pull the cover off. But if it came down to keeping only one of the three, the Pantera wins every time. Last fall my wife and I took a 2,500 mile trip from Reno, across to Hwy 101 and drove north to British Columbia, that's more miles in a week than the Ultima and GT40 have combined in 12 and 7 years of ownership respectively. The camaraderie between Pantera owners is second to none, I have gotten to know and meet people from all corners of the globe.
Pantera's are off their high's currently and I believe there is still some upside for investment, many are modified, some mildly to simply address the shortcomings of the original, others wildly, but there is something for everyone.
Personally I am fortunate enough to have a late model Pantera GT5, the ERA GT40 and an Ultima CanAm. The Ultima is the ultimate street legal track weapon, the GT40 one of the most iconic designs of all time, I literally drool every time I open the garage and pull the cover off. But if it came down to keeping only one of the three, the Pantera wins every time. Last fall my wife and I took a 2,500 mile trip from Reno, across to Hwy 101 and drove north to British Columbia, that's more miles in a week than the Ultima and GT40 have combined in 12 and 7 years of ownership respectively. The camaraderie between Pantera owners is second to none, I have gotten to know and meet people from all corners of the globe.
Pantera's are off their high's currently and I believe there is still some upside for investment, many are modified, some mildly to simply address the shortcomings of the original, others wildly, but there is something for everyone.
'Not "bashing". 'Simply stated facts, Julian.
Ya, I know the ZF is the same unit used in a number of cars...but, for some reason, the occasional Pantera had syncro issues. A doctor in a nearby town replaced his twice. WHY that happened I have no clue. I'd ask him, but, he died about three decades ago.
(Edit: Incidently...a while back, I asked certain Pantera owner HERE to be on the lookout for Pantera for me. 'Want a nice one that has had all the trouble-avoiding updates. So, "bashing"? Uh...no.)
Ya, I know the ZF is the same unit used in a number of cars...but, for some reason, the occasional Pantera had syncro issues. A doctor in a nearby town replaced his twice. WHY that happened I have no clue. I'd ask him, but, he died about three decades ago.
(Edit: Incidently...a while back, I asked certain Pantera owner HERE to be on the lookout for Pantera for me. 'Want a nice one that has had all the trouble-avoiding updates. So, "bashing"? Uh...no.)
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'Second that.
I wanted one of the 1,1000 - 1,200 horse TTs (currently being referred to as the "Zora") and called to sign up for one..................but, they're supposedly coming out in 2024. I'll be 80 then...so...
I have had a deposit on the Zora since last August . Now it looks like it has been moved out until 2025. I’ll wait as patiently as I can for now.
.https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.com/forum/me-discussion-photos-videos/140625-650-hp-z06-and-all-corvette-development-work-halted
www.hagerty.com
.https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.com/forum/me-discussion-photos-videos/140625-650-hp-z06-and-all-corvette-development-work-halted
GM to supply partners: Hold your horsepower - Hagerty Media
GM's executive director in charge of program management recently issued a blanket order pausing all future development, including Corvette.
www.hagerty.com
