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396-Powered 1962 Chevrolet Corvette

UPDATE 10/11/2021: It seems that the owner of this 1962 Corvette failed to sell it on the last attempt, so he’s having another shot at it. It was unable to reach the reserve after hitting $36,600, and nobody hit the BIN button. Little has changed since then, but you will find it listed for sale here on eBay. It remains located in Lynnwood, Washington, and while the bidding currently sits at $35,300, that figure is short of the reserve. He remains optimistic because he has once again set the BIN at $57,950.

The previous owner of this 1962 Chevrolet Corvette set out to create a “Gasser” with an attitude that would grab everyone’s attention on our streets. I don’t think that there’s any doubt that he succeeded in his aim. He created the car in the 1970s, but removed it from active duty in around 1984 and parked it in a heated garage. The seller purchased the Corvette about 18-months-ago and went through the process of returning it to active duty. With the work now complete, he has decided to downsize his collection by parting with this potent classic. Located in Lynnwood, Washington, you will find the Corvette listed for sale here on eBay. It has only attracted a single bid of $35,000 at this point, which is still short of the reserve. There is a BIN option available if this is an automotive must-have for you. The owner has set this at $62,950.

It is hard to know where to start with this Roman Red Corvette because the previous owner has packed so much into this package. The seller says that around 90% of the paint is original. If this is accurate, its condition is nothing short of astounding. It shines magnificently, and it would take a true perfectionist to find much to criticize about its overall appearance. The White soft-top is a recent addition by the current owner, and it provides a striking and attractive contrast to all of that red. In keeping with the rest of the exterior, the chrome and glass appear to be flawless. The previous owner has done a beautiful job creating the classic “Gasser” stance with the vehicle, and this is perfectly topped off by an immaculate set of vintage Cragar wheels that wear new tires.

It’s always nice to have a classic car that presents well externally, but it is often the underside that can tell the real story about that car. If that theory is true, then the story that this Corvette tells is pretty good. The frame is spotlessly clean, and it has been coated with POR-15 to keep it that way. There is not a trace of surface corrosion to be seen anywhere, and there’s definitely no penetrating rust. Also, reassuringly as we start to turn our attention towards this classic’s drivetrain, there’s no evidence of any history of fluid leaks.

Lifting the hood proves that this Corvette is more than a pretty face. What we find shoehorned into the engine bay is a 396ci big-block, and while the decal on the air cleaner identifies it as the 425hp version, the seller admits that it is a 1965-spec engine that pumps out a “mere” 375hp. The best that a buyer could hope to find in their new Corvette in 1962 was the 327 “fuelie” that produced 360hp. This new motor ups the horsepower figure slightly but should bring a load of extra torque to the party. All of those horses find their way to a Pontiac rear end via a 4-speed Muncie transmission. The car has never seen a drag strip and was built specifically for street use. However, if someone did point it down the ¼ mile, it is almost certain that it would produce a sub-14-second ET with ease. For those who are worried that this could be a highly-strung beast that would be more at home on the strip than the street, you need not worry. The owner doesn’t indicate what gearing is in the rear end, but he says it has been set up as a comfortable cruiser. The list of work that the seller has performed to return the car to a roadworthy state is enormous and would easily fill a small book. It features a new Ecklers 16-gallon fuel tank, new brake discs, a new high-performance clutch, and HPC headers. Since he completed the work, the seller has only accumulated around 30 miles behind the wheel. He recently fired it into life after six months in hibernation, and he says that it started easily and ran perfectly from the moment he turned the key.

If someone were to blindfold you, place you behind the wheel, and then remove the blindfold, you would be left with the impression that this Corvette is a beautifully restored classic. There is nothing inside this car that gives a hint of its potential. The owner has replaced the seat covers, seat foam, and carpet. When combined with spotless trim and a perfect dash, it creates a stunning impression. There is nothing to criticize and no evidence of aftermarket additions beyond the Hurst shifter for the Muncie 4-speed. Everything inside the Corvette functions as it should, including all the lights and gauges and the original Wonderbar radio.

Although I’ve owned several custom cars during my lifetime, I will always have a soft spot for immaculate original survivors. However, I have complete respect for this 1962 Corvette and for the work that has gone into creating this amazing vehicle. The previous owner has created a race car for the road, and with the big-block under the hood, it has the muscle to back its good looks. Would you be tempted to hit the BIN button on this classic?

Comments

  1. bobhess bobhess Member

    Nice workmanship. Wouldn’t pay that much for a modified version of this car but whoever does get a well built machine.

    Like 4
  2. Avatar Steve R

    It’s nice, someone will buy it, if it checks out. The only thing I’d do is replace the modern performance parts such as the MSD distributor, headers and tires with vintage items that fit the cars theme.

    Steve R

    Like 8
  3. Avatar Moe

    Nice Car.
    Head turner for sure.
    I bet its a blast to drive.
    BBC,Vette ,Stick, straight axle.
    Big Fun

    Like 7
  4. Avatar rustylink

    Neat car, but I’d have to undo the “gasser” look and that would require some additional coin..pass.

    M.

    Like 24
  5. Avatar KC John Member

    I dig it. It’s a nostalgia thing I guess. I can see it pulling in to Sonic right now. Maybe some 38 special playing on the radio….. Good times. Lol

    Like 8
    • Avatar Chris M.

      Vivid imagination you have there KC!

      Like 1
  6. Avatar Ike Onick

    Really nice car. Great job.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar 1-mac

    IF the car was that nice to start a shame to alter it like this. Put the front end down where it belongs. It cannot drive properly set up like it is. Too bad the builder didn’t start with a rough car that was damaged rather that cut a really nice one.

    Like 12
  8. Avatar Grumpyboy

    Never saw cars like this in the 38 Special era, sorry KC Johnny, it was more like first gen Camaros and Mustangs dominating the streets of KC.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Don Eladio

      Yeah, you need a Road Runner for those tunes…or a Charger!

      Like 1
  9. Avatar gbvette62

    There’s just something about 58-62 Corvettes, that they really do look good built up as a 60’s gasser.

    Though the nose high, straight axle stance had gone out of style at the drag strip by the 70’s, it was still a quite popular look for custom, 58-62 Corvettes in the 70’s. When I bought my 62 in 76, a previous owner had added 2″ spacers to the body mounts, and was running big and little’s on it to give it that gasser look. It looked better than it sounds, but obviously it wasn’t the best way to achieve the gasser look, and I quickly removed the spacers and switched to a wheel/tire combo that was more handling friendly.

    As someone who’s old enough to remember when the gasser look was first popular in the 60’s, I’m kind of happy to see it has made a bit of a comeback in the last 10 years. And not just for early Corvettes, but also on Tri-Five Chevys, shoebox Nova’s and other 50’s & 60’s cars.

    Like 12
  10. Avatar LMK

    That stance always sends my memory to the movie “Hot Rods To Hell’ !

    Like 5
  11. Avatar John

    Not a fan of the nose-high look. Especially not a fan of straight axles and skinny tires under heavy motors for street use. I cannot imagine how it handles or stops. To each his own. It seems like a very nicely done version of a car I would rather see left stock. I presume the headlights might be a bit high coming up behind someone at night and the poor short-statured would be invisible. It would be nice at oil change time, though.

    Like 4
  12. Avatar Tort Member

    Investing in a hardtop enhances the looks immensely on any Corvette in the C 1 years and this nicely built Corvette with a gasser look even more so. If the seller would do so I believe he would get a return on the purchase of the top by attracting more buyers.

    Like 4
  13. Avatar Graeme Reynolds

    Too bad it’s a gasser. Return it to original stance and you have a beautiful classic

    Like 5
  14. Avatar JoeBob

    I think it’s interesting that the seller says that it’s only been street driven 30 miles since completion and he’s decided to sell it. Has he been hit by a sudden need for cash? Did he decide that his street creation wasn’t really a good street ride in 21st century traffic?
    Beside, I thought gassers were built to race.

    Like 3
    • Avatar CJinSD

      He bought it in this configuration. The owner previous to him did the work decades ago. That the seller went through the trouble of recommissioning his ‘Long ago teen dream came true’ Corvette only to sell it without ever running through a tank of gas says that there is more to this story. If he was selling it because he needs money then he probably wouldn’t say in the ad that he’ll trade if for a stock ’55 two-door sedan.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Javman

    It would be a great car for cruise ins or shows, probably not regular street use would have to ditch the hood scoop though.

    Like 2
  16. Avatar Lowell Peterson

    Had a ’58 gasser Vette in the ’60’s 10:16/134mph at San Gabriel Raceway which became Irwindale. Sold it for $1380! CASH! Then passed on a ’55 speedster for the same money! Great buy? But it was…..yellow! Back when a dollar was worth a dollar!1969.

    Like 3
  17. Avatar dogwater

    I like the comments that it would be nice to turn it back to a stock front end.

    Like 6
  18. Avatar AMCFAN

    Surprised no one mentioned Hot Rods from Hell. This looks like the gasser Vette in the movie. Pretty cool.

    Not sure why someone would cry about turning it back to stock. There seems to an unlimited supply of stock originals everywhere you look.

    People forget that in the 70’s and 80’s rich guys started buying them up to fix up and restore back to stock. Modified cars just like this were restored back to stock. Many 1-800 build a car catalogs were created with the Corvette……and with the Square body Chevy truck.

    It’s great this guy built the car as it would have been used and enjoyed in mid to late 1960’s. Long live the Cregar wheel!

    Like 2
  19. Avatar Tim

    First thing to do is cut the gasser stuff out and put it back to factory specs

    Like 1
  20. Avatar Steveo

    Put tens of thousands into a car to make it just how you want it, drive it a half hour and say ‘OK, all done. Time to unload it on someone.”

    Like 3
    • Avatar Dave

      One of my brothers in law did exactly that with a 70 Vette…finished restoration, drove it once, and a guy offered him way too much money for him to say no. Anyone who offers at least twice what I paid for something is the new owner.

      Like 0
  21. Avatar 19sixty5 Member

    I like the look, it literally stands up among the all the others at a local or cruise. This is what the car hobby is about, there are no rules, although at times you see something that makes you wish there were rules! While I love original Corvettes, it is fun to see a bit of hot rod “history” on display. Other than covering the plywood in the truck, I’d just drive it as is and have fun listening to the comments at shows.

    Like 2

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