Cars are meant to be driven. However, if you had a classic car worth six figures, would you drive and enjoy it anytime your heart fancied, or would you be protective of it and selective as to when you hit the road? For solid axle Corvette collectors, the desire to drive and enjoy their cars is sometimes outweighed by their ever-increasing value. What if there was another way? This abandoned 1957 Chevrolet Corvette project for sale on eBay in Walker, Louisiana has an aftermarket 1957 body, but it is sitting on an original 1957 chassis. While it is a long way from complete, this Corvette project comes with a period-correct engine, transmission, and many of the parts to complete it. Bidding is currently sitting at $17,877 with just three days to go. Is someone going to end up with a great driver or a glorified replica?
One of the debates that is currently raging through the aviation community is whether or not genuine World War II airplanes should still be flown or if they should be preserved. The number of these aircraft that flew in the skies during World War II would blot out the sun if they all passed overhead simultaneously. Yet they are relatively few today. Thousands of them were unceremoniously scrapped after the war. Those that were preserved are few, and their numbers have been reduced further over the past couple of years due to high-profile accidents. There is nothing like the sound of a P-51 Mustang or a B-17 flying by you at an airshow, but the cost is sometimes too much to bear for some.
One solution the aviation community has come up with is replica planes that are almost indistinguishable from the originals. Manufacturing technology has matured to a point where reproducing a P-51 or a Me 262 is possible at a reasonable price. While the engines may be more modern, construction of the fuselage on a plane-by-plane basis isn’t overwhelmingly cost-prohibitive. There are currently three Me 262 replicas flying at this point. With updated engines and safety features, they are much cheaper and far less dangerous to fly than one of the few remaining examples. With the leaps in technology, we have seen lately in 3D printing and additive manufacturing, the future may bring us back to wholesale production of some of these warbirds.
What about cars? We all love to drive our cars and carry insurance for any accidents that happen. If you wreck a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle, it is a sad occasion. Once insurance pays out, however, you go and buy another one. They made more than enough of them to compensate for just such a tragedy. The story might be different if you decide to drive your 1957 Corvette on the Hot Rod Power Tour, and something horrible happens. Be it an accident or a thief, losing a straight-axle Corvette would make Conan the Barbarian tear up. Knowing that your stolen Corvette would likely be in pieces before the sun rises is equally depressing. While we all want to drive our cars no matter what they are valued at, the world is what it is.
The seller of the car you see in the pictures took a Kobayashi Maru way out of this argument. They decided to not play by the rules by building a Corvette that wasn’t a Corvette. Or maybe it is. This car has an authentic 1957 Corvette chassis, numerous period-correct used parts, and a newer production body that was once sold by Corvette Central. The idea was to make a 1957 Corvette that is stock but could be driven and enjoyed in a way that would not endanger a completely legitimate collector car. Sure, there will be a lot of money tied up in this car when it is finished, but it can also be driven however you want to, from mild to wild, without any weight on your conscience.
The seller tells us that the body sitting on the restored chassis costs over $25,000 when new. This body is said to be 100% correct and is not representative of the low-quality kit cars that are out there. Among the parts that come with the car are a windshield frame, the grille oval, bumpers, headlights, side cove trim, pedals, taillights, and numerous other parts and pieces. The engine is correct to the car V-8 with a 2×4 intake setup and a three-speed transmission. As for the legal aspects, the car is titled and comes with a VIN tag.
The question of whether the costs of the car itself along with the parts and labor to finish it will be worth it in the long run. The answer to that depends on the buyer’s feelings. It is hard to invest this type of money and not have pangs of doubt. It would also be fun to throw a few pieces of luggage in the trunk and head out for a multi-state tour free from worry.
Do you think this is a good idea and a good use of resources, or a fool’s errand? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Really well written, Jeff, covering every angle and approach. In the end this will be as much of a renovated 1957 Corvette as one of the Dynacorn Mustangs or Camaros with an original VIN tag-the buyer will have what they want and perhaps at a better cost than one rebuilt from rust.
Interesting heads up RE:ME-262! Haven’t seen one yet but it should be a showstopper. If you’re out west and have the time check out the Yanks Air Museum https://yanksair.org/ where they’ve a Waco CG4 they’re refinishing and Evergreen Museum https://www.evergreenmuseum.org/ . The Spruce Goose is there with a SR71 Blackbird (AKA Habu in Japan) under its wing..
Well written Jeff?I want to know about the car not airplanes!
I liked the reference to airplanes to farther his example.
Wait….the Spruce Goose …….dang haven’t seen it in ages…..
I don’t see what makes this Corvette any less legitimate than any other. It has its original drive train and VIN; how is this different than a big buck Mopar restoration where an original car is given new replica sheet metal? (a rust repair for example)
This isn’t great grandfather’s ax, it’s an existing car with extensive body repair.
I’ve always subscribed to “it’s worthless if you can’t drive it”. If I’d had the chance to grab something like this along my long journey of car restoring and building I wouldn’t have hesitated. Up to this point this car has been properly restored and completed it should hold it’s own anywhere out there in restoration land.
A hundred grand will put you in a sweet ’57 Corvette. I have no idea what the reserve might be but, unless you can do the work yourself you might be better off buying one built.
Nice start, though.
The body appears to be a Corvette Central Project 57 body. Project 57 was a correct 57 Corvette “kit” developed by Corvette Central years ago, feturing an accurate press molded fiberglass 57 body. From what I remember the idea behind it was to be able to build a brand new, exact replica 57 Corvette, including frame, trim, interior, etc, and not the typical kit car.
I enjoyed your article Jeff, including the warbird diversion! I am 1952 vintage myself, son of a WW ll Army officer. I still watch 12 O’Clock High and Black Sheep Squadron, even though I have seen all of them numerous times. But as far as a reproduction cars, I have no issues, no harm, no foul UNLESS you are representing it as an original.
I was never a ‘Vette fan, but this one looks neat. Will it be worth it in the end? Maybe not financially, but the fun factor will out weigh that any day. My Harley is an ’85 and in the last 25 years it’s had the frame, all of the sheet metal, all of the chrome, and the lights replaced, and 2 years ago a brand new motor. It still has the original serial number. I probably have more in it than we paid for our house (bought in 1984). So just like grandpa’s axe, you don’t get rid of a good bike like that. It will be the same for this ‘Vette, do it the way you want, If your only goal is to make money you’re in the wrong hobby.
Last time I was at the Evergreen museum there was one of the Me-262 reproductions sitting on display. They built a batch (5?) and no buyer was found for this one, so here it sits shiny new and unflown. My guess is there’s no engines and electronics and there never was.
I’d like to see its motor. I’m from Missouri.
’55/60 Vettes are the ones to have is all I can say.
Well…that said one would hafta decide between driving (forever) and investment. Be damed the after in my world. I did enuff rest0mods, quit concourse sales/builds and just have fun now. I’d B able to pudina Blue Flame’n those marvelous YH trips and a 4 speed auto – the heck w/comments as i’d be all mine (at 1/2 the price). Parts I know (8.8 inch, stang frnt end, etc) and wrench on w/o research… a dream. BUT…
I dont need a “sports car” just utility/daily use.
BTW: he posted 2nd guessin himself. “Who makes the body kit?
(Thnx 4 da 7 min dream Mr Bennett)
I would love to have one. But like you said they are expensive and I wouldn’t ever think of buying a car I can’t drive . Life’s short and I won’t waste it.
Was the VIN still on the steering column in 1957?
The VIN tag on 53-early 60 Corvettes is located on the driver’s door jam between the door hinges. It was attached by two Phillip head screws. During the 60 model year the VIN tag was moved to the steering column, where it was held in place by two spot welds. With the start of 63 production the VIN tag was moved to a reinforcement behind and below the glove box.