Happinow, does your husband have a specific model year range or generation of Corvette that he's interested in? "Classic Corvette" can mean different things to different people. If it's an older Corvette he really wants and all he's wanting to do is just shine it, drive it, and enjoy it, there are lots of decent ones to be had from some model years that aren't really considered (with some exceptions) to be true collectibles at this point. Mid-'70s and newer would fit that bill - will help to keep the cost reasonable. If you go back earlier than that, things start getting expensive pretty quickly in order to get something nice that's all ready to go given the collector value of most of the older cars.
Have a reputable shop (or individual) that is very familiar with older Corvettes check it over thoroughly before buying. It'll cost you a few bucks but you could save thousands of dollars in headaches later on. For example: Hidden frame rust is an issue with older Corvettes, particularly if the car has ever been in a salt environment (winter road salt up north, coastal conditions in FL, etc.). A killer paint job can make the car look great but if the frame is weak/full of holes, you'll wind up with an expensive surprise at some point. It's pretty easy to spot - - - IF you know where to look. Hence, one reason for the suggestion to have a pre-purchase inspection done by a Corvette shop/expert.
Mecum is a very good suggestion as is Roger's. A friend of mine has done business with Roger's in the past and was extremely pleased. Roger's only deals in really nice stuff and as such, prices are on the higher end of the scale. But you'll get what you pay for from them.
Message boards/forums are good places to find out tons of info on a subject, just like right here on TOTV regarding TV! Here's probably the most popular general Corvette forum out there right now:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/index.php
I'd suggest your husband really narrow down his scope to only a particular generation of Corvette (C1, C2.....C6), and probably a specific range of model years within that generation. Otherwise, the expanse of what info/insight he'd need to have in order to be a knowledgeable buyer will be too broad - - - and things WILL start to get confusing after a while!
Lastly, no matter how nice the car is that he might eventually buy, plan on spending more money on it as time goes on, particularly the older the car is. There will always be a little something that will need fixed from time to time, just like any older car!
Best of luck with your search!
Bill
