This
is a photo of a 1954 Corvette as it was brought to a Corvette restoration facility
with a damaged left front fender and rocker from a minor collision. Until the
fender is removed the real damage and repair cannot be seen.
never
appreciate in value above their restoration cost. The Corvette hobby is somewhat
different from many other marques, in that there is a limited supply of Corvettes
built each year and the lower production numbers create more demand over time.
With original documentation a necessity in high dollar restorations today, many
Corvette restorers have decided to restore cars which do not have the appeal
that other more desirable cars do. This is where the actual car worth equation
becomes very tricky. Many lower optioned Corvettes are being restored today
due to a lack of rare, high option cars being available, and many are spending
the same amount on these restoration costs as on a rarer car. The rarer car,
over time, should bring the owner more of a return on his restoration investment
than the less rare car.
Jeff Burnhardt, owner of The Restoration Station in
Springboro, Ohio, which specializes in Corvette restoration, shares these observations.
"I have seen people go to the low end Corvette dealer establishments
