427/4-Speed: 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

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For classic car owners, it is always disappointing when they have to sell a project vehicle due to circumstances beyond their control. That is the case with this 1966 Chevrolet Corvette. The owner has placed the car on the market because the owner of the workshop space where the car is located recently passed away. He can find no viable alternatives, so the Corvette has to go to a new home. Its drivetrain combination makes it a potent classic, and it should command respect once complete. Located in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, you will find the Corvette listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $34,950, although he may consider offers.

It appears that this Corvette suffered accident damage while in the care of a previous owner. The seller has been working through restoring the car to its former glory, and part of that included replacing the frame. Judging by the standard of finish that we see here, he aimed for a high-end result once he downed the tools for the final time. The frame appears to need nothing, and he has sourced another body to bolt on top. The new body is missing its front clip, but sourcing a replacement should not be an issue with these readily available. One of the things that makes this car desirable is its original paint color. For some reason, Tuxedo Black was the least popular shade to grace the panels of a 1966 Corvette. Only 1,190 buyers (or 4.3%) selected that shade, and this was one of those cars. There’s no doubt that with the original color reinstated, the ‘Vette would make a bold statement. It appears that the exterior chrome is all present, as is the soft-top. The aluminum knock-off wheels and a side exhaust add a menacing finishing touch to the exterior.

I wish I could tell you that this Corvette is a numbers-matching classic, but unfortunately, it isn’t. That’s a shame because its original drivetrain combination included the potent L72 version of the 427ci big-block V8. This monster churned out 425hp, which got to the rear wheels via a four-speed M21 manual transmission. When it came to the performance potential, this was as good as it got in 1966. If the owner pointed it at a ¼ mile, it would storm through in 13.5 seconds. The owner indicates that the code on the engine block shows that it is a 427 of 1968 vintage. The cylinder heads decode as from an L71 motor of the same year. If the builder has produced an engine to factory specifications, this beast could produce 435hp. However, the owner doesn’t provide any information on that front. It presents nicely, but we don’t know whether it runs. We also don’t get much information about the interior trim for this classic. The photos indicate that many components like the gauge cluster, dash, and radio are present. The seller states that the vehicle was complete before the accident, so hopefully, the upholstery and other trim items remain intact.

Even though it’s not original and numbers-matching, I’m not surprised that this Corvette has generated some interest since it hit the market. It offers the potential for a rewarding driving experience, and even non-original C2 Corvette Convertibles will still command impressive prices. There are eighty-nine people currently watching the listing, and I won’t be surprised if somebody hits the BIN button soon. The big question is, could that person be you?

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Comments

  1. angliagt angliagtMember

    IKEA Corvette,without assembly instructions.
    Maybe if you had a ’66 AMT Vette kit you could use
    those instruction sheets.

    Like 11
  2. JACKinNWPA JACKinNWPAMember

    Let me get this right, replacement frame, different body only needs a more different front end and the engine is not original, maybe no interior too. But it does come with George Washington’s original hatchet!

    Like 20
  3. grant

    Replacement frame, replacement body, this is a ‘bitsa’ as the Brits say.

    Like 6
  4. Claudio

    This is a great project for the great vin switcheroo
    Some guys can just smell the opportunity

    I remember going to a insurance auction and this flattened corvette selling for $5 k and that was in 1995 price , there was nothing left on it but a CLEAR TITLE
    Why work , when you can cheat !

    Like 3
  5. Poncho

    I saw this listed on Fleabay before it hit BF. For the asking price, there is no way i would consider this as a project as I have seen complete driving decent cars for about the same price. This seller is NUTS! No deal!

    Like 8
  6. Jamie

    People need to read the ad a little more closely. It’s not a replacement BODY shell that he has acquired, it’s a replacement DOOR shell. Therefore it has its original tags attached to the original body. Still a lofty price but I’m sure they will get it.

    Like 7
    • PRA4SNW

      Jamie. I agree with you. There are so many Vettes out there with replacement frames that this is nothing out of the ordinary for a fully restored car..

      The wreck and the subsequent Salvage Title will put a kibosh on the value, no matter how nice the finished product turns out to be.

      Like 4
  7. fran

    Its a convertible alright! Its also something else!

    Like 1
  8. dogwater

    A lot of work and money for a car with a salvage title

    Like 1
    • walt

      I never saw anywhere that implied that it had a salvage title! I’ve fixed many of cars that were wreaked that didn’t. That is something 2 inquire about/look @ before buying any vehicle

      Like 1
  9. Howie Mueler

    Scary parts car.

    Like 0
  10. Rj

    Don’t tell Deaks to pay attention to what they read or hear. They know everything….just listen to them.

    Like 1
  11. Jim Muise

    A very nice car for the young boy whose daddy has no idea what he could do with his millions. Son will end up with a nice convertible worth $60000 while only having spent $80000 to get there! LOL

    Jim

    Like 2
  12. George Mattar

    Despite all the negative comments, this will sell easily. People are C2 crazy and you know I am right. But to replace a frame likely means this car was hit harder than he leads one to believe.

    Like 0
  13. walt

    I never saw anywhere that implied that it had a salvage title! I’ve fixed many of cars that were wreaked that didn’t. That is something 2 inquire about/look @ before buying any vehicle

    Like 0
    • PRA4SNW

      Walt, the Salvage Title is mentioned in the Item Condition column.

      At least the owner says so and isn’t hiding it.

      Like 1
  14. Tony T

    DAMN! Beat me to it! “But it does come with George Washington’s original hatchet!”

    Like 0
  15. John

    Want to get more information on this vehicle and more pictures. Would like to get ahold of who owns this very interested.

    Like 0
    • Howie

      John, you do know this was sold?

      Like 0

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