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427 Barn Find: 1968 Corvette Convertible

In my neck of the woods in New England, barn finds are often quite rusty. When you envision the typical storage arrangement of a neglected car, it’s usually wet with little ventilation. Factor in the liberal use of road salt and older vehicles’ propensity to rot and most barn finds aren’t worth the costs of extraction. This 1968 Corvette convertible here on craigslist in Framingham, Massachusetts, however, looks quite solid and desirable given its options. If the above link stops working, go here if the ad disappears.

The interior looks worse than the outside, surprisingly, as the dash appears to be covered in mildew. So while the body is not rotten, this 427-equipped Corvette may have still resided in damp conditions. The manual transmission and 427 combination is a desirable one, and among Corvette fanatics, the soft top tends to add even more value (but a hard top is included). The seller says this is a matching numbers example that has been in storage for 30 years.

The engine bay looks reasonably tidy, and what looks like a later Gates water hose may indicate some attempts at addressing deferred maintenance have been made. The seller says nothing of the Corvette’s mechanical health, so whether the engine spins freely remains a mystery. However, the matching numbers and 390 horse / 4-speed combo may be all an enthusiast needs to take a chance on this long-slumbering ‘Vette.

The seller is asking $25,000, and the current storage arrangements indicate this is not his first rodeo as it relates to classic ‘Vette ownership. My spider sense always tingles a bit when I see an enthusiast unloading a car that would otherwise make a worthwhile addition to the collection – why are you selling it? What do you see that makes this one worth kicking out of the stable? Of course, money in the bank may put another project back on the road – whatever the motivation, this 1968 appears save-worthy.

Comments

  1. Avatar Mike Kieffer

    Man!!!!! would love to be able to afford this one. always loved the 68 427 and its the right color.

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  2. Avatar Dean

    If the building it’s in is also the storage building, it looks to be high humidity. I see another under the vizqueen. Perhaps the sale money is earmarked for it.

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  3. Avatar 86 Vette Convertible

    Yes it’s desirable, yes it’s collectable. Yes it’s going to take a lot of work to get it back on the road if all is good regarding all the normal.
    Not so sure on the $$ without a good examination. The birdcage and frame are very susceptible to rust on these so that needs to be gone over thoroughly. Additionally need to check numbers and what’s seized and what isn’t.
    That C2 in the background looks interesting. Side pipes, not sure if it has the stinger hood or not, beyond that can’t tell.

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  4. Avatar Tom Justice

    As the ad says, must be seen. If the metal is not rotted as 86 says it would seem as if you could put the sale price into it and still not be upside down. NOT for the faint of heart for sure but could be sweet?

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  5. Avatar Duffy

    With the asking price and then the restoration price, kind of hard to get out of this one.

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  6. Avatar MH

    That’s an amazing car. The last 2 pictures in the Craigslist ad were taken at different times. In one photo there is something on the left side front and a pallet on the drivers side. Also the drivers side mirror is angled up. Very strange.

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    • Avatar Pa Tina

      The amazing thing to me is that somebody parks a Corvette and then forgets they own it while it rots.I have owned Corvettes for over 35 years and I have never forgotten where I left them. I also was able to remember to clean them, cover them and not stack a bunch of junk on top of them. I have earned a cookie and some egg nog! Happy Holidays!

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  7. Avatar Pa Tina

    At least the headline didn’t say it was “Stored”

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  8. Avatar grant

    The body may not be rotten but that’s to be expected, being how it’s made of plastic. The amount of moisture that apparently got inside doesn’t bode well for the structural parts of the car.

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  9. Avatar Craig

    If it was that damp and nasty where it was kept I’d think that engine bay would have a lot more rust and crud, as would the chrome.

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  10. Avatar Steve

    Who would put white wall tires on a Corvette?

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    • Avatar Pa Tina

      PT7 White Line Tires F70 x 15 $31.30 9,692

      Looks like about 9,692 Corvette buyers would.

      Amazing what one can find on “The Google”

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      • Avatar Pa Tina

        Even better in 1972 with the hallowed and much-sought after “Rack”

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      • Avatar Steve

        Because you could, doesn’t mean you should.

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    • Avatar Alan (Michigan)

      The same type of guy who would run them ragged, and use different ones front and rear. Just like seen here…..

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  11. Avatar Dean

    General Motors

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  12. Avatar Robert White

    From my experience with chronically wet car interiors I would pass on any restoration that was covered in mold spores as this one obviously is. Further,
    this is likely why the car is being passed on by the current owner. Moldy cars
    are a hazard to health. 25k for a moldy 68 vette is rich given that all these 68s
    have rotted out frames that _always_ need rebuilding if the car comes from northern US states that cover the roads in salt. Only the drivetrain is a score for the right price. The Vette is likely in need of major body & frame work that is not inexpensive these days.

    I rate this Vette a 1 out of 10.

    Bob

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  13. Avatar Todd F

    Pass, I can imagine what it looks like underneath with the moisture in that vault. Engine is probably seized, because as a seller if engine was free or running that would be a selling point.
    Add a bunch for money to unknown mechanical needs.

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  14. Avatar JBD

    A Real 427 complete with white walls.
    Probably needs much mech attention.

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  15. Avatar Bill

    I had a ’68 coupe. Electronics were a nightmare. By ’69 all the bugs were worked out. I’d pass.

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    • Avatar Tom Member

      1968 had, not sure of the number, but probably in excess of 100 changes due to all of the bugs in it. 68 has been noted at a terrible car in general. I think with a total restoration you could improve upon all the problems like GM did for 1969. 1969 is BY FAR the preferred year. Actually 1970 was the best HP year. 69-71 are the best 3 corvette.

      Looking at these photos the word MOLD keeps popping into my head. If correct, mold into fiberglass is probably not a very good problem. Just a though.

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      • Avatar Pa Tina

        One of the major car magazines refused to test the 1968 GM had supplied due to the number of problems with it. That was a car GM (i assume) had prepped for the test. Imagine what was delivered to the general public.

        Like 0
  16. Avatar Dick Callan

    The 68 Corvette 427 never had an expansion tank connected to the radiator. The 427 radiator was able to handle the cooling.

    Like 0

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