Finding a classic car for sale with the potential to post a sub-14-second ¼-mile ET is always going to get people’s pulses racing. That is what is on offer here because this healthy 1966 Corvette Coupe could produce those numbers off the showroom floor. It has recently received an engine rebuild, but the owner has chosen to part with it. Located in Ogden, Utah, you will find the ‘Vette listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding currently sits at $50,100 off the back of some good bidding. However, the reserve hasn’t been met.
If you are the sort of person who seeks spotless originality, this Corvette is likely to leave you slightly let down. The color that it currently wears looks a lot like Laguna Blue, but it isn’t what the car wore when it rolled off the production line. The owner supplies a photo of the Tag, and it indicates color code 988. That equates to Milano Maroon, meaning that the Corvette has undergone a change at some point. The seller is the Corvette’s third owner, and he purchased it around a decade ago. He says that the paint looks good and that he believes that it is lacquer. That would tend to indicate that the color change pre-dates his ownership. The paint shines impressively, and it has no significant issues or problems. The Corvette appears to have been garage-kept for most of its life, which means that it is no great surprise to learn that the frame and birdcage are rust-free. The chrome is in good order, while the same is true of the tinted glass. The wheels and trim rings show no evidence of damage, so if someone is looking for a tidy C2 Corvette, this has to be a prime candidate.
The Corvette’s interior is trimmed in Black vinyl, and it looks pretty tidy. Call me a traditionalist, but I find the Hurst shifter to look out of place inside this classic. I would probably spend the $280 on a reproduction original shifter because they look tough and purposeful. Beyond that, the interior looks to be original and unmolested. The dash and pad are in excellent order, with the gauges looking impressively crisp and clear. The driver’s seat appears to have a mark on it, but it isn’t clear whether this indicates the beginnings of a split. The carpet is slightly faded, but it isn’t bad enough to warrant replacement. The original AM/FM radio is said to work correctly, with the only non-functioning item being the clock. No surprises there!
I can never understand why someone would list a car like this Corvette without supplying a photo of one of its key selling points. This one is fitted with a 427ci V8 under the hood, but we get no shots of it. This monster would have produced 390hp when new, which was fed to the 3.31 rear end by an M21 4-speed manual transmission. The owner doesn’t go so far as to claim that the Corvette is numbers-matching, but he does indicate that the transmission and rear-end are original. The engine wears the correct date-code, so that is an unknown. However, it has recently been treated to a rebuild. The block was decked, and it was bored 0.030″ over. The compression has been set at 10.25:1, hardened valve seats were installed, and the engine was balanced. There is a real possibility that there is now more than 390hp on tap, which raises the possibility that it could better its original 13.7-second ¼-mile ET. However, I wouldn’t be making that record attempt any time soon because that glorious 427 has only clocked 100 miles since the rebuild was completed. The vehicle has also received a new fuel tank and exhaust, and when you combine these factors with the suspension and brake work that the previous owner performed, the ‘Vette should run and drive nicely. Mind you, this is another area where the seller leaves us hanging because he doesn’t say a word on the subject!
This 1966 Corvette is not a 100% original survivor, but the person who finds themselves behind the wheel will be in control of a car that they could rightfully be proud of. It isn’t perfect, but it is the sort of classic that could be driven and enjoyed in a relaxed fashion. If it copped the occasional stone-chip, it wouldn’t be the end of the world because we’re not talking about a pristine vehicle. It would command attention, and with that fresh big-block under the hood, it would command respect. That should make it an enjoyable vehicle to own, and that is what the classic car ownership experience is supposed to be all about.
If one rsised the hood then one would see the comment.
A decked block means an idiot plained the block matching numbers off.
“The engine is casting and date code correct the block is decked. Correct Holley carburetor. I had the engine rebuilt and it was bored 030 over 10.25 to 1 compression heads have hardened seats and has been balanced. The engine has less than 100 miles since ”
A likely story but affects resale value.
When my 63 SW was done i stopped by over and over while it was worked on reminding to not deck block. The shop was an experienced performance shop and understood but i dodnt want a rookie mistake. My 340 hp still has Matching numbers.
I like the color but it affects purist but since block is decked why not.
Hood luck on sale..
Nice car.
It won’t be cheap, nor should it be.
Steve R
Does decking the block remove the stamp used to determine the “numbers matching” engine?
Yes! Once the block’s been decked, you can claim anything you want, but without documentation it’s just another old Corvette with a non matching engine.
I can’t believe the seller posted 30 pictures, and not one of the engine. The seller says it’s all original, but with 67 rally wheels, and a Hurst shifter, I wonder just how original it is under the hood.
Laguna Blue was a one year only color, that tends to be one of those love it or hate it colors. Overall it looks like a decent car. As a wrong motor coupe, I’d probably think the mid $60’s would be a fair price.
I don’t think the owner was passing the engine off as numbers matching, but stating that the block was decked with a stock compression ratio raised some red flags. I love the color combo, and this would be a fantastic car to cruise and burn down the 1/4 mile. Not sure, I’d drop $60k for a car with a non-matching engine though…not when you can buy a used C7 for a bit over half that price.
No it doesn’t. The casting number is located on the rear of the block on the bell housing flange.
Decking the block, unless you take special care not to deck the stamp pad at the front of the block, removes the engine suffix code, plant code, assembly date & VIN derivative. Once that information is gone, it is no longer a matching numbers engine. The casting number has very little bearing on a matching numbers engine, since very few block castings were unique to the Corvette. It’s the VIN derivative that matches an engine to a car, and the suffix code that identifies the displacement and horse power of the engine.
I’m redundant. I like old cars but not enough to work on them anymore at 56. I have a preproduction Iroc ragtop. It’s a 1986. Special edition # 15. Bone stock except for the y pipe. I have a 10 000 mile orange Viper ARY ragtop. A Corvette is the only car I would want but not a trade for what the Viper is and how it performs.
There are three sets of numbers that determine matching numbers for the engine. (1) the engine pad stamp which gives the engine build and suffix information (stamped at the engine assy plant) and the VIN which was stamped at the St. Lewis plant. (2) the casting/part number which most likely is 3869942 but may be 3855961for early engines.(3) the casting date which must be before the engine assy date. Do not ever deck a Corvette engine block. The loss of the number destroys it’s value. Also be ware. People have been known to re-stamp blocks and commit fraud for resale. For example a 67 which was built a a 300 hp can be restored and become a matching number tri power 435 worth double the amount.
So the rarest of rare needs a rebuild. Photo and legal documentation?
Looks good for a driver quality car but too much $$ for a car with a color change, a rebuilt nom engine and the reserve not met. Lacking crucial picures leave holes to be guessed at and that causes people to lose interest.
With C2 prices what they are, I would not buy any Corvette without bullet proof documentation, such as a Corvette Order Copy, what everyone calls a tank sticker, window sticker, original invoice and mileage records. I know of a Bloomington Gold judge who faked a 396 coupe into a fuel injection car many years ago. You could not tell, because then GM did not denote engines in the VIN. That began in 1972. Laguna Blue is one year only color and beautiful. There are far too many cars out there for this price with no surprises. Pass/
The block can be decked while saving the original numbers, you just gotta find the right machinist. Its a bit of extra work , I do it at my shop. Daves Hot Rod Garage
Take stickers started in 1967.