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1965 Corvette Garage Find: Stored Since 1976!

With one owner since 1965 — not sure if that’s the original one or not — and sitting since 1976, this 1965 Chevrolet Corvette is hoping that you will rescue it for Christmas! Okay, that’s not quite accurate because the auction ends on Thursday after Christmas, but you get the idea, right? The Nassau Blue diamond in the rough is located in Sherman, Texas and is listed for sale here on eBay, where no reserve bidding is up to $21,100 as I write.

The seller tells us that the owner, now in his 70s, was in a small accident in 1976, damaging the driver’s side rear quarter of the car. There aren’t great pictures of the area, but it doesn’t look too bad from what I can see.

I don’t miss the split in the window one bit. I realize that 1963 Corvette lovers are coming at me with stakes and pitchforks right now, but I prefer the clean look of the 1964 to 1967 cars. The blue is classic, though, and the car still wears its 1976 license plates, adding even more credibility to the seller’s story of 49,763 miles.

Inside, I can pretty much smell the mildew from the picture. Nothing that can’t be dealt with if you are willing to spend a lot of sweat equity; I once refurbished a Jaguar XJS that had (no lie) about (25) 1″ mushrooms growing on the leather steering wheel. It took more Febreeze and other chemicals than I ever would have imagined, but I did eventually get there after installing a new headliner. Not something I ever want to try again, though!

The seller tells us that this isn’t a run of the mill engine; it’s a 327 cubic inch, high horsepower version that turns over freely, and there’s a four speed transmission and an air conditioning compressor attached to it! I’ll bet I have your attention now! I wish the seller had included a VIN so that we could verify the features of this car, but the picture of the plates is too bright to show the numbers. Perhaps you’re convinced, though — do you want this ‘Vette, too?

Comments

  1. Avatar photo Rex Kahrs Member

    I bet this car was pretty nice in 1976, so I wonder why someone would stop driving it? Maybe after the little accident the insurance went too high. Really nice car.

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  2. Avatar photo irocrobb

    A 11 year old corvette in 1976 I would think would have only been maybe 2500 dollars. This sure could be a great car again and a shame it has not been enjoyed more.

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  3. Avatar photo leiniedude Member

    Incredible find, thanks Jamie. I want to believe in Santa so baaaad.

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    • Avatar photo Jamie Palmer Staff

      Me too!

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      • Avatar photo PAPERBKWRITER

        Neighbor bought one like this (red) new. His wife drove it to work and put on 102k and then he parked it, inside. All original and sat there for years (30) he died a month ago but just before his wife gave it to his nephew. He almost sold it for $1500. 25 years ago but when I told him I’d give him $5k he did a little research and kept it.

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  4. Avatar photo Robert

    The plate # is D5Q-445

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    • Avatar photo Jamie Palmer Staff

      Robert, I was talking about the VIN plate :-)

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  5. Avatar photo RDGRNR

    327,4 spd and AC.I hope the new owner drives it and not use it for a conversation piece.Best day of the week is when I see a car like this out cruising.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar photo Alex

    the tag say D5Q445 if anyone wants to know what it says and I love the slipt window Vetts they look the best and if I had the money I would drive it and it would be fun to have one of those cars.

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    • Avatar photo Bill

      Try looking through rear view mirror

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  7. Avatar photo MIkeG

    Very strange, small accident, so they just stop driving it and let it deteriorate in the garage….

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  8. Avatar photo André

    The L76 did not have air. Only the L79.

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    • Avatar photo ruxvette

      Only L78 (425/396) and L84 (FI) were without A/C.
      For only 50,000 miles this thing is used and abused.
      Current bid $36,600 and 4 days left. I shudder…

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  9. Avatar photo André

    My L76.Goldwood Yellow

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  10. Avatar photo wuzjeepnowsaab

    Wow…great find. Nassau Blue is an awesome color to boot! Reminds me of Hot Wheels!

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  11. Avatar photo D Greenwald

    Actually in 1976 the tags are 3 letters and 3 numbers. therefore the tag reads DSQ-445, but the reference of the tag reflection isn’t the license plates, it’s the picture of the VIN tag that isn’t legible. People need to read better and pay closer attention.

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  12. Avatar photo Jay M

    Jamie, great find!
    Amazing that there are still fantastic cars out there waiting to be discovered.

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  13. Avatar photo BRAKTRCR

    I hope it goes for 100k. I applaud the seller for keeping it. Few cars appreciate in value, if he had sold it in 76, he wouldn’t have received much for it, and it would probably be in pieces today. Now someone else has the opportunity to enjoy this car, and likely has the means to preserve and maintain it. Yes, I have heard the premise, that if he took the 3 to 5 grand that he would have gotten in 1976, and invested it wisely, he would be a gazillionaire by now. Or, he could have lost it in year, and we wouldn’t be talking about it today. Again, I wish this Gentleman in his 70’s every success in the sale, and thank him for saving a piece of history.

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    • Avatar photo Superdessucke

      I doubt he’d have lost it in a year. Had he sold it in ’76 for $2,500 and put that cash in a conservative mutual fund that averaged 10% per year (realistic given our economy from then to now), he’d have 135k in his brokerage account right now, even if he made 0 in other investments.

      Drive the cars folks. Drive the cars.

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  14. Avatar photo Luke Fitzgerald

    Someone’s churning it – wonder what they paid the old bastard? – not 30k+

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  15. Avatar photo mark

    How bout this one?????

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  16. Avatar photo bassboy99

    Another dream gone when I woke up. Sure is hell being poor. LOL.

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  17. Avatar photo Jim

    Awfully distressed looking paint and body to only have seen eleven years of daylight! Anyone agree?

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  18. Avatar photo Gary Evans

    The parents of a former colleague bought him a new 63 Corvette when he was a college student. When the 64s came out, he had a body shop modify the rear window opening to accept the new single window. I doubt he kept the car long enough that the value (to him) was effected, but by the time he told me the story he was well aware of the stupidity of youth.

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  19. Avatar photo LAWRENCE

    Don’t think it’s been aside all that much….pretty bad in the motor area like a squirrel instead of a rat….nice car….also wounder what the flip is going down….

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  20. Avatar photo Wayne

    Nice car Andre’! I like it a lot!
    Merry Christmas Everyone!

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  21. Avatar photo Karl Kretschmar

    The 6500 RPM redline tach were used with the solid lifter engines. The 327/365HP the 327/375HP (FI) and the 396/425HP. In this case it’d be the solid lifter 327/365 HP engine.

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    • Avatar photo ccrvtt

      Great info. The 365 sort of makes it worth whatever they’re asking.

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  22. Avatar photo Pa Tina

    “Stored” ? How about “Parked and left to rot” ?

    Like 0

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