Chevrolet found itself in an enviable position when it released the C3 Corvette. The company sold them as fast as they rolled off the line, with the latest model continuously setting new sales records during almost every production year. This 1968 C3 Convertible recently emerged after thirty-six years in a barn. It is a solid and unmolested example deserving total restoration. Its most pressing need is a new home, with the seller listing the drop-top here on Craigslist in North Versailles Township, Pennsylvania. It could be yours for $18,000.
When Chevrolet unveiled the C3 Corvette, it caused a sensation. If its predecessor featured aggressive and distinctive styling, the latest model took that theme to a new level. Few cars are as instantly recognizable globally, and describing its lines as iconic would not stretch credibility. This Convertible rolled off the line during the first production year, with its original owner ordering it in Polar White with a matching soft-top. This shade is among the rarest chosen in 1968, with only 1,868 buyers ticking that box on the Order Form. The only colors that proved less popular were Cordovan Maroon and Tuxedo Black, with 1,155 and 708 respectively. It is unclear why this classic was parked in 1988, but it only recently emerged from hiding. The photos confirm the paint has deteriorated and is peeling in several areas, meaning the new owner will probably perform a cosmetic refresh as a minimum. Stripping away the worst problems would be wise, but doing so will reveal fiberglass free from significant issues. It is a similar story below the surface, with the underside shot revealing nothing beyond surface corrosion on the frame. That suggests the car is structurally sound, although performing a frame-off restoration would minimize the chances that the existing corrosion will deteriorate into penetrating rust. Most trim pieces should respond positively to a high-quality polish, and the glass looks good.
Chevrolet carried many of the underpinnings and mechanical components from the C2 to the new C3 Corvette. This included the 327ci V8 as the entry-level powerplant. This motor churned out a conservative 300hp and 360 ft/lbs of torque. This car’s original owner teamed this V8 with a four-speed manual transmission, providing the potential for a 14.7-second ¼-mile ET. That was impressive for any vehicle in its most basic form, helping cement the Corvette’s credentials as a high-performance sports car. Unsurprisingly, this C3 doesn’t run, and the accumulated debris on the intake suggests it hasn’t done so for many years. However, if it turns freely, its bulletproof nature might allow it to roar to life with little effort. The seller claims it has a genuine 25,000 miles on the clock without mentioning verifying evidence. We must take the claim at face value, but the Corvette’s limited active life before hibernating makes the claim seem plausible.
Job One with this Corvette’s interior will be for the new owner to perform a deep clean. This solitary shot suggests it might present surprisingly well without spending a fortune. The driver’s seatcover has split, and the carpet looks tired, but those appear to be the only items requiring replacement. The dash and pad are in good order, there are no significant issues with the console, and no signs of broken plastic components. The original owner may have been on a budget when ordering this classic because they didn’t specify options like air conditioning or power windows. However, the AM/FM radio will relieve boredom on long journeys.
Chevrolet scored a home run with the 1968 Corvette, with 28,566 buyers taking one home. That represented a 3% increase over the sales record set by its predecessor in 1966, but would only be the start of the C3’s success story. It would grace showroom floors for fifteen years, and sales volumes would fall below the 1968 record on only four occasions. This 1968 Convertible needs love, but it appears to possess solid bones. It deserves a chance to grace our streets again, but will you be the person to make that happen?
Rodentus Infestus!
The carpet, seat, and pedals whisper 125,000.
Dont even wash it, get it running perfectly and drive it. ALOT, and that will drive people crazy. Far more than another perfect corvette, yawn. That moment of possibility is far more interesting than the perfection of a finished project. And when you decide to sell it, you may actually make a buck on it, rather than loose 100K
I never understood how people could just park these and forget until I met my neighbor who has a 63 split window. Parked since 1967….crazy
It is easy, life. The days roll into weeks, than months, and so on. You wake up one day and realize 30 years has passed. When I relocated I had a building full of things. The one car’s tags had expired 25 years prior. Once outside, as I cleaned it up to ship I noticed some crap on the rear seat which turned out to be books and stuff from high-school. It is not hard to do if your in a stable environment. Your not into clubs or have time for hanging out any longer, other interests, family, travel. Even though they are big they can be squirrel away for decades.
I believe this Corvette to be a true 25K mile car. I owned a 1974 Corvette and I would only drive about 800 miles a year. It does not make for a good everyday car at all. I had a ranch in San Marcos, Texas and once a month would run this curvy road up to Fredricksburg. drink a coffee and then run the curves back to San Marcos. They call this road the “Devil’s backbone.
Exactly, wonderful on a stary night with top open, going through the gears. On a hot day stuck in traffic shifting…..forget it.
Your neighbor has a parked 63 split window. He’s smart, doing nothing to it and it keeps going up in value. Better then money in the bank. But I wished I had it. Lol
Definitely not better than money in the bank. More fun maybe, but not if you don’t drive it.
I now live in central California. My neighbors out in the country will pull out cars from the barns and set them out by the road. The other day was a 1960 Cadillac Coupe De Ville hardtop, white, Bet it sold it for $2,500.00. Another farmer a nice 1963 Imperial 2 door hard top, yellow and a price of $5,000 on it and it is not selling. Been sitting for a month now.
LARGE JOURNEL 327 crank…it’s a not so well kept secret the 350 & 400 crank fit + swap the rods & mild clean up bore gives you a Numbers matching engine with extra oomph.
Earlier small journey cranks you couldn’t do this & the famed 302 Z-28 engine was the 350 w/short crank & swapped rods.
This one would be a fun project resto-mod.
Btw I think 65 was the yr they changed the crank journey sizes on the 327..not sure..any knowledge on this reply below.
Looked it up 68 69 was 327 large journel crank for car truck marine applications and on the forums I read there’s a ton of wild hot rod drag strip swap outs they do…original 327 cranks getting harder to find but the Truck & Marine cranks fit the block crank journels.
Lots of interesting stuff on the forums for 327 large journel crank engines
found a ’75 convertible in about the same general condition. Motors runs great, new radiator, fuel tank, etc
Paint/Body/Mechanical work and all the unknowns will quickly take you beyond current market value. Bird age and frame ?
I’d start with a good cleaning from stem to stern. That’s the inexpensive part. And just about the limit of what this old guy could do these days. Because this car has been inactive so long there will be a whole bunch of parts to be purchased and although they are readily available they aren’t cheap. At a minimum you can expect to replace the whole fuel system, ignition, all rubber including the tires, hoses, belts and tires. On the stopping side probably the whole brake system including the hard and soft brake lines. The parking brakes will almost certainly need replacing and that’s no fun. Shocks? Bushings? Probably. Then there is the question of the true condition of the engine. Yes the seller says it turns over and that’s good….but? Until you get it running and check oil pressure and compression you don’t know what you’ve got. Is the clutch frozen? What about the transmission? And the vacuum system that operates the wiper door and headlights is guaranteed totally shot. I’m pretty much preaching to the choir here but the point I’m making is that this is the poster car for the definition of a “pig in a poke”. Maybe you get lucky maybe you don’t. You just don’t know until you dig into it. But for sure this will definitely be a bunch of hours in the garage just to get it on the road safely. For me if I’ve invested all the time and money to this point I would be compelled to bring the appearance up to snuff. And we all know what preparation and paint costs these days. $18,000 does not add up as my spidey sense tells me that you will end up spending a whole lot more than what you paid for it to restore the car to decent driver condition. You’ll end up having investing Top Flight money and won’t even be close to a car that could achieve that level. And that’s if you can do most of the mechanical work yourself. If you have to use a professional restorer….well, lotsa luck. I’m hoping that the seller can work with a buyer who has the ability and desire to get this worthy vehicle back on the road where it belongs. But I’m thinking that the seller will have to be a lot more flexible in their expectations. GLWTS.
Dude, people don’t go to Vegas and knit potholders…
It’s called a gamble for a reason. Risk vs. Reward.
A “barn find” is the same level of wager… Money spent vs. what it “may” be worth over what it is now.
This one may be worth the effort to get it back to a good “driver” car.
There might’ve been some mechanical reason/issue with this car and that’s why they parked it. GET IT RUNNING! THEN START talking about price. If it has TRULY 25,000 miles, and you DO get it running – it should purr like a kitten! If you CAN’T get it running – this 1968 Chevy C-3 Corvette should be no more than around $3,000.00 ,because, by the time you’re finished – you’ll have at least QUADRUPLE that amount. Good luck. Nice article.
18K for a ’68 Convertible that hasn’t moved in 36 years. From a rusty state, no less.
Not sure that we at that point yet, price wise, but it seems that lately, everything is a least 15K.
I have a neighbor with 5 mid 70’s Corvettes along side his farm house. My favorite year is 1974. tempted to go find out what it will take. Nuts, now remembering I am 83 years old, too hard for me to get in and out of a Corvette now.. I sure enjoyed one back in the 70’s and the Devil’s backbone road in Texas
When I was into Vettes I experienced a lot of engine swaps and this is one of them. That era Vette had aluminum valve covers with the word Corvette on them. The best I can tell, this engine does not have an 8″ harmonic balancer, no distributor shielding and tach drive distributor. I could go on, but this car is in the,$3-5,000 range. We called this year the dog year and was purchasing them for a grand, clean them up and sell them to people who always wanted one, but had no clue as to what was required to keep them up and running. I would run from this one.
Jerry, times have changed since you were into Corvette. A ’68 will never again be a 3 – 5K car.
And as far as I can tell, that is the original 327. These did not come with chrome valve covers from the factory, you might be thinking of early Corvette, or the big block. Yes, shielding is missing, which is quite common.
BTW: Owner has deleted the listing, so it could have been sold.
The 327 large journal crank is the same as a 307 crank and the famed 302 engine was a 283 with a 327 crank