350/4-Speed: 1971 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

This 1971 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible has spent most of the last fifteen years in storage. It wears a healthy coating of dust, but it appears to be a solid classic that would be an easy prospect to return to our roads. Its drivetrain is original, and it has no rust worth mentioning. If you feel up to the challenge of tackling a driver-quality Corvette revival, you will find this one located in Scottsville, New York, and listed for sale here on eBay. Solid building has taken the price to $17,100, which is beyond the reserve.

It seems that part of this Corvette’s history is as a wedding to present to its previous owners. The story is that they drove the Mille Miglia Red ‘Vette a few times but placed it into storage around fifteen years ago. The current owner purchased it two years ago and intended to return it to active duty. This hasn’t happened, so he has decided that it needs to go to someone who could complete what he hasn’t started. Below the coating of dust, the paint seems to hold a healthy shine. The owner admits that it isn’t perfect, with a few chips and marks present. He also indicates that the fiberglass has some cracks, but they may be pretty small as these aren’t visible in the photos. The best news with this car occurs when we delve below the surface. We’re told that the frame is solid and rust-free, and the supplied photos seem to support that. If the birdcage is in a similar state, it should be possible to return this to the road at a tidy driver with little effort. The chrome is acceptable for a survivor, as is the White soft-top. The glass looks good, and the Rally wheels add a muscular stance to the exterior.

Continuing this Corvette’s theme as a tidy driver-quality classic, the interior presents well. It has no immediate needs and no evidence of physical damage or abuse. The Saddle vinyl upholstery on the seats shows some minor stretching but no significant wear or other problems. The dash is in excellent condition, as is the console. One of the few flaws worth noting is some fading on the carpet, but this is extremely common in Corvettes of this era. The buyer could choose to spend $300 on a new carpet set, but since there’s no scuffing or wear, I’d probably keep that money in my wallet. The original radio has made way for an aftermarket radio/cassette player, but there are no other visible additions. The original owner ordered the car with air conditioning, but it will probably require a service and recharge given years of inactivity.

For purists, they will find the fact that this Corvette is a numbers-matching classic to be positive news. Its engine bay is occupied by a 350ci V8 backed by a four-speed manual transmission. With 270hp available under the right foot, this Corvette would have stormed the ¼ mile in 15.3 seconds before finding its way to a top speed of 120mph. I know that we have readers who grind their teeth when a seller says that a car ran when parked, but that appears to be the case with this Corvette. The good news is that the period elapsed since this occurred is only two years. That means it may not take a lot of work to coax this classic back to life and return it to a roadworthy state. If that’s the case, it is possible that this car could be back on the road as soon as the warm weather hits. That has to be a tempting prospect for any potential buyer.

The next owner of this 1971 Corvette could treat it to a restoration, and they would be starting the process from what appears to be an excellent and complete base. That would make it potentially a straightforward process and one that they could tackle in a home workshop. However, reviving it as it currently stands and enjoying it as a daily driver is a possibility worth considering. I’m not sure which option I would choose if I were to purchase the car, but do you know which way you’d go? Are you tempted to submit a bid when you look at what is on offer? If you do, I could hardly blame you.