I have probably developed a bit of a reputation here at Barn Finds for preferring my classic cars to be original and unmolested. The truth is that I am partial to a good custom build as long as a bit of thought has gone into it. That appears to be the case with this 1971 Corvette because the wheels that it wears are only the tip of the iceberg. As you will soon discover, it is a classic that promises to be extremely entertaining when the owner buries the right foot. After 5-years, the owner has decided to part with the Corvette, so he has listed it for sale here on eBay. It is located in Lords Valley, Pennsylvania, and it seems that I’m not the only person who likes what he sees. There have been 33 bids submitted, and these have pushed the price to $15,201 in what is a No Reserve auction.
Looking at the Corvette as a total package, there’s no doubt that it would not have had the impact that it has if it were finished in one of the more subtle colors in the 1971 Chevrolet color palette. However, Mille Miglia Red is anything but subtle, and I feel that it is well-suited to this car’s character. It shines beautifully, with only a few minor defects on the nose. This extends to some cracking in the fiberglass below the paint, so it will probably need some attention soon. The rest of the body looks great, and the owner doesn’t indicate any rust problems with the frame or birdcage. The chrome appears to be excellent for a survivor, while the same is true of the glass. The alloy wheels are an aftermarket addition that gives the impression that this is a tougher car than your average Corvette. As you will see, this is pretty true of this vehicle.
The buyer won’t need to spend any money on the Corvette’s interior unless they want to return it to 100% stock and original. The leather-wrapped wheel is a later addition, as are the Hurst shifter and the radio/cassette player. The rest of the trim appears to be standard, including the recently-installed leather covers on the seats. It all presents nicely and looks inviting. The dash and pad are spotless, as are the console, carpet, and door trims. It appears that everything works as it should, and while the interior isn’t loaded with optional equipment, air conditioning has been an intelligent addition.
Now we reach the point where the Corvette has a story to tell. The 350ci V8 under the hood is numbers-matching, but it has received a few upgrades. It is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission, allowing the car to exploit its upgraded potential to the maximum. It appears that the engine has received a rebuild before 2016, and the work included some unspecified upgrades to the bottom end. A hotter camshaft was fitted, and the cylinder heads have been given a bit of a tidy up. The original intake has made way for an Edelbrock aluminum unit, and this appears to have a pair of carburetors from the same maker bolted to the top of it. Spent gases find their way out of the engine via a set of stainless headers, with all of this suggesting that this should be a potent beast in a straight line. However, roads are seldom straight for long, so this classic has been made to stop and handle. Those wheels are wrapped in a relatively new set of Goodyear Eagle tires. The brakes have been rebuilt, while the suspension bushings and ball joints were replaced. With a new fuel tank, radiator, alternator, and battery on-board, this is a classic that is ready to hit the road for a spot of automotive fun.
I admit that I prefer my classic cars to be original, especially when we are talking about one as desirable as a chrome-bumper C3 Corvette. However, I like this one because it comes with a slice of attitude. It looks like it would be a blast to drive, and it’s easy to see why the bidding has been so enthusiastic to this point. I’ll be interested to know whether we have any readers who are tempted to join the bidding part. If you do, I could hardly blame you.
This would have been “The KIng” in 1973. I like it!
“It looks like it would be a blast to drive”
My thoughts exactly.
Interesting comment on having dual quads on it. Sure looks like a single Holley to me. On the stance, that also looks like it’s wider tires on back and I prefer 4 square on tires.
Before laying out any $$ on it, I’d have to have a personal inspection of the car.
I agree with 86 vette convertible about the extra carb but Adam I cant believe you missed the bubble tail lights
Pretty Car. Probably gets extra points just for the color. Lots of aftermarket (dated) add ons. Bottom line its a small block 4 speed Corvette, a very common car but the price seems right at least so far. I would ditch the carbs and put fuel injection and electronic ignition on it, Source and original steering wheel and cruise the hell out of it
No A/C, single carb. Seems a rush to publish and a bit lazy.
Cool car.
That’s a Holley double pumper
Agree with BA on the carb but the ad says AC and the vents are there as well as the belt to drive the compressor going out to where the compressor should be. Neat car but there are better looking wheels out there that look great on the C3s.
No A/C. The center vent isn’t there. Also no compressor. The vents on the side are “astro ventilation” all of them had it. And why do people have to change the shifter? Stock one is an easy rebuild.
Odd i never seen an old Vette with chrome Magnum 500 wheels.
6500 miles?
Oh boy, wish I have this! My favorite color on a Vette, hade these same wheels back in the day (on something, I forget what) but they are a no go on this Vette. A nice new set of Crager SSs would be in there place, just to piss off the purists and prove once more that I never grew up…
Car has no evaporator box on the firewall and non A/C fan shroud. Small steering wheel makes ingress and egress easier. The seller (or ad writer) doesn’t seem knowledgeable about what they are selling. Nice car if the price stays low enough and you wanted a red Corvette. Hurst shifter a plus.
“If you want a red Corvette?” there’s red and then all them other unimportant colors.
Is it the L T 1 350 OR BASIC 350?
@larry
impossible to tell from the ad pic. It has aftermarket intake, carb and headers so could be any of the offered 350’s. best to ask the seller.
Fan shroud, hood and redline on tachometer say it is a base engine car. There are other clues but the ad doesn’t show them.
Without seeing the passenger side of the carb it is difficult to see if it is indeed a double pumper. All the Holley 4150 models use the center hung fuel bowls that are quite often mistakenly referred to as a double-pumper. The presence of a dual-feed fuel line on a Holley also causes people to refer to them as a double pumper. The double pumper has an additional accelerator pump located on the rear bowl. Back in the day it was all about the bragging rights to proclaim your car had a double-pumper. Double-pumpers were better suited to a race car than a street car. Vacuum secondary carbs are the ticket for street cars.
This car has been for sale for a long time both on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace, think they wanted something in the 25000 range
Way overpriced. It may be a nice car but not that nice. Too many non original pieces and not enough original equipment. Base engine, base interior, base everything. Nothing special.
this is a great car i want to surprise a man i have loved for more than 53 years ho has 5 wonderful children and 13 grand children been thru afire cancer stem cell transplant autistic grandson make a wish foundation is my 1st charity our grandson wished for a red corvette for him ronald mc donald house is my other wonderful place i have donating to hope his dream comes true111111111111 kathleen rotonda west fl
I live 20 minutes from this car. Had a 71 big block in the 70s. Now have a 73. This is a great car to drive and have fun. Far from an NCRS car, but who cares, life is short. Drive it to 6,500 every day.