427/4-Speed Car: 1969 Chevrolet Corvette

This 1969 Chevrolet Corvette has definitely seen better days, but even so, it checks a lot of boxes in terms of being a desirable muscle car build. It has the right equipment from the factory, most notably with its numbers-matching 427 engine and four-speed manual gearbox. It has plenty of flaws and some critical parts are missing, but it still looks worthy of rescue if you’re up for a project. The Corvette is listed here on eBay with bids to just over $9,000 and no reserve, and given the auction ends Saturday afternoon, it seems to be going cheap enough to justify the expense of restoration.

Sadly, one of the areas where parts have gone missing is all of the original Tri-Power equipment. While tracking those items down and procuring them will take time and money, if the Corvette is solid underneath, it’s clearly worth bringing this one back to original form. More bad news? The engine is stuck, not surprisingly, after sitting for many, many years. The seller reports that it was running when parked, but if you’re like me, you know that claim doesn’t guarantee anything in terms of trying to get this Corvette to fire up once again. Despite the missing components and the years of inactivity, the engine bay looks reasonably intact, even accounting for what’s been lost.

The interior is missing some components as well, with the door panels having been pillaged at some point. This isn’t the end of the world and there are plenty of Corvette enthusiast groups that will be able to help you find those missing parts. The manual gearbox really is a bonus as we don’t see too many Corvette from this era with three pedals and the 427, at least not in reasonably intact condition and as numbers-matching cars. I’d love to know the history here as the Corvette clearly has a period body kit that’s been molded into the exterior, along with side pipes and aftermarket wheels.

I love these old-school license plate frames, which likely offer a glimpse into the previous owner’s antics on the street and elsewhere. The Corvette has lots of period cool just oozing off of it, and considering the options list also includes air conditioning, tilt wheel, and power features, this was one loaded-up example when it was new. It will take a fair amount of work to bring this ’69 model back to OEM condition, but if it there’s no rust underneath and the numbers-matching engine can be made to live again, it seems like there’s all kinds of potential to own a very desirable muscle car when it’s done.