I don’t know what to make of this car. From first appearances this looks like a cool gasser Corvette, however, the ad states “fuelie big brake package vette barn find” and “rare car only built 246 in 62.” For sale here on craigslist in South Carolina, the ad leaves more questions than it answers. How about the asking price? $57,500!
The only redeeming thing about the ad is that it includes quite a few pictures. But again, one of the pictures shows what looks like a brand new or rebuilt period correct engine. Does that come with the car? I would assume so. The tires and wheels look period, but new. Were they put on just for the pictures to make this look like a gasser? The interior looks fairly stock, which is a good thing. But again, was this really a race car? A gasser without a roll bar or roll cage? Stock steering wheel and seat belts? To command anywhere near the asking price, the car will need to be restorable back to show-room condition. That will be made easier without major racing modifications.
Here’s a look at random trim and other do-dads. From the other pictures in the ad though, it looks like most of the trim is on the car. Are these parts that are extra? Have these parts already been cleaned up and put back on the car? I’ve never typed so many question marks in my life!
Both rear wheel arches appear to have body work done and primer applied. Were the stock wheel arches cut to fit larger rear tires for drag racing? Has the fiberglass been repaired properly? I hope the seller is willing to give more details on this car. Perhaps they are a dealer and they don’t know the history. If there isn’t provable provenance with this car, the asking price of nearly $60k is a big stretch.
A Fuelie would be quite the adventure to own and operate. I can’t help but wonder where you’d buy your gas. You would need a guide to places where you could get ethanol-free gas, in addition to carrying lead additive and octane booster. It might be a good idea to take along a bottle of 2-stroke oil like Optimol or Bel Ray. Just put a dash in when you fill up and the injection system will be well lubed up. I dream of taking a Vette of this vintage on a trip down the entire length of Route 66. I’d like one a little more stock-looking and maybe just a 4 bbl. But I need a major shot in the arm to do something like that. However, it’s on my bucket list…..
That’d be a neat trip to make. The stories and adventures you could have! You know, that would make a really great movie or better yet a TV series. Maybe with a good friend the two of you making your way along the original Route 66…
Nah. Never mind it’s probably been done already. Most of the good ideas have been taken.
Hi David L. I was a fan of Route 66 but I never really got a hankering to drive down that highway until I read a story about a couple of bikers doing that back in the early 80s. It really made me interested in taking a similar trip. Actually I would settle for having the time to just jump in the (God forbid!) ‘modern’ conveyance and do the trip that way. I’m a camera buff and I love to write so it wouldn’t really matter what I drove down that road. But a vintage Corvette would just make the trip that much sweeter…
No proof it was fuel injected, but those are the parts for big brakes. No brake ductwork pics though. The block stamps look restriked on a fresh ground pad so there is that. Without documentation the claims are meaningless. If the motor pieces numbers match up, that motor is worth more than the car right now.
This car sits high as it doesn’t have a motor in it, never was a gasser. Many of the photos were ones I took on my cell and texted to the fellow selling it now.
It’s a real deal red on red fuelie big brake car, and was a local ‘urban legend’ that was bought for a 15 year old on his birthday with no engine or trans, and he and his friends sat in it and made motor sounds up til a couple years ago. It’s been several colors. The original engine and trans long gone. The rest wheels were Cragar SST’s and the rear ones cane loose causing the car to hit the tires and have rear wheel opening damage, insurance paid to have fixed but that owner yanked whatever motor was in it and kept.
A friend of mine bought it and dropped in a motor/trans and took it drag racing, then pulled the mill out to out in a Fiat Topolino. I traded into it cheap and had intended to drop in a 327/4sp, black wheels w dog dish caps w/ black walls and proceed to tick off some Corvette purists.
One day I was thinking about what my friend had told me – that the fins had been knocked off the front drums and realized that typically these cars don’t have finned drums. Upon pulling them I was shocked to find the fans, vent screens and even The tin plates that always get removed when racers install the ducting and elephant ears to go racing. This car likely was never raced. At that point t my plans changed and I decided the car deserved better than what my plans were for it.
Hoping eventually it moves past ‘flip car’ status and into the hands of someone who will invest the time and money making the car as amazing as it was when new. :-)
To see if it was a fuelie, read and check for the items in plaidsides entry here…https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c1-and-c2-corvettes/2991459-62-fuelie-original.html
Confirmation needed for the big brakes would be pictures of the ductwork or even the marks from the bonding fiberglass.
The channeling of the front end requires a new clip to replace what’s chopped. A rear clip is needed to correctly fix the well cut outs.
Research bigly before even thinking of this money for it. Even Putting it together for a whatever car makes no monetary sense.
Definitely a fuelie, heat shield still present on this fenderwell, washer bottle location, Rachel drive, washer hoses all the indicators. The only cars with big brake availability were 340hp and fuel injected. All the brace ducting and elephant ears came in cloth or burlap bags in the trunk – no signs they were ever installed and obviously not with the car. Def. needs a front clip but the rear wells aren’t cut. At the money I paid, it was a no brainer. At the current price no comment. Not my car anymore and I have no ties to seller – I just know a bit more of the story than is advertised. I was offered 20k just for the brake parts / rear axle front suspension and master cylinder, but didn’t want to split the car up – so to someone out there, the value is serious.
I still know people coming close to retirement that sit in their cars and make engine sounds. Maybe I’m hanging around with the wrong crowd.
Guilty!
I do that with my Javelin and it’s always run. Making the sounds of driving it is healthier when you have it parked in a closed garage while you’re restoring it. I’ve also been know to play the video of a SCCA Javelin racing around Leguna Seca while I’m driving my “Daily Driver” around town.
Not every car that sits higher in the front is a gasser. That was a popular trend of the day, gassers, or wanna be gassers took that trend to an extreme.
Steve R
Cool car. I guess you can ask anything and hope for it.
What exaggerates the look of a high front end is that the front bumpers are removed and the lower valence was raised and molded into the upper panel. It’s an old trick. I did it to a 60 that I owned a long time ago.
Times running out on these builds….most with the money – just buy one done.
I’ve been shopping for a ’62 since it’s my birth year and found two ’62s for sale that were complete and not far from show car quality in the low $50k range. What is this guy smoking?
The extra grille piece is from a ’61, ’62s were painted mat black. The headlite
bezels were painted and I agree that the block stamping looks very bogus.
Well, the guy(House of Hotrods) that sold it to this guy said ” The original engine and trans long gone.”, so we know the block stamp IS bogus.