We’ve featured cars in the past here on Barn Finds that have been near the first or last of a run, and it’s always interesting to hear what our readers have to say regarding whether or not merely being an early or late example adds anything in terms of value. But this 1975 Chevrolet Corvette here on Craigslist has a few other nuances aside from being the first convertible off the assembly line for the model year, and I can certainly understand the desirability here based on the combination of its early production features plus the low mileage and overall excellent condition. This one is located near Madison, Wisconsin, if you’d like to go check it out in person, with the asking price set at $55,000. A big thank you goes out to reader Stumpwi for the great tip!
According to the seller, this car is actually Corvette #4 off the assembly line for the ’75 model, but it’s the first convertible as numbers 1, 2, and 3 were all hardtops, or I guess T-Tops would be a more accurate way of stating it. But what makes its owner feel something special here is that this one has a tag attached to the frame reading “1975 PILOT”, with another tag on the air cleaner housing that indicates the car was an engineering sample. A report from the National Corvette Restorers Society is said to show this car went to the GM Photo Studio, being the ‘Vette that was used for print ads and brochures for 1975. Cool as all this is, no photos are provided of these markings, but we do get a shot of the speedometer showing the KPH speeds in blue, which is interesting as the production vehicles came with those numbers in white.
With all this detailed information provided, it’s a bit surprising we don’t get much background regarding the whereabouts of the C3 over the last 48 years, but the seller claims it’s only been driven 9,801 miles in total during all that time. Other than the bumpers, the paint is thought to be original, and for a finish that’s nearly five decades old, it still looks nicely preserved. Those whitewalls are stated to be the original radials from the factory, although the car is wearing white letter tires in the print ad.
Even with the low mileage factor, some bad news is the L48 for ’75 had the lowest horsepower rating for any C3 ever built, churning out only 165 horses through all the smog equipment. But there is a glimmer of hope in the performance department, as this one is a 4-Speed, plus the seller indicates that the motor and transmission are numbers-matching.
Things inside are looking exceptionally good, as one would expect for a car that’s had less than 10k miles of use. I’m getting that this Corvette has some historical value and is pretty high on the cool-factor scale, with the condition and low mileage also being a big plus. But the fact is it’s a 1975 model with an emissions-choked 350 and just not one of the more desirable C3 cars, and I’m really not quite sure it merits the seller’s asking price, or maybe it does. What do you think?
Low milage and a low production number are the only thing this ‘Vette has going for it. It’ll be snatched up quick by a money is no object collector.
Show us the evidence.There had better be a ton and one-half of proof at that price. Every collector car has a story behind it, and some of the stories are true.
The main car in the ad is Dark Red. The featured car in the post is not Dark Red.
The engine compartment looks like the mileage was a bit understated.
At least it has three pedals
In 1975, the Corvette convertible to have would be the last one off the line, not the first.
Great looking car, good paint, nice interior, 4 speed, all good things. I would have expected the engine compartment to look a lot neater, the wiring looks like a mess, and there is a fair amount of surface rust on the engine components. There appears to be paint overspray on the headlight actuators. Was this car repainted with only 10k miles or was it hit? $55K? I would have to pass on this one.
How do I make a offer ???
No title ?
Such a supposed rare car and no photos of what makes it so. I worked at a Chevy Olds dealer in 1975. Never saw two cats on any car or truck. GM is cheap and couldn’t even put dual exhaust on a Corvette. Crappy photos forza,$55,000 car. Huh?
Right, Acton Thomas !
It takes a careful individual to be sure overspray doesn’t leave a history.
To make a respray look really well done, the door, hood, and trunk jambs need to be clean and masked off very well; and a thorough inspection for any missed areas and clean up anything that was missed after completion. You are also correct on the rusty rocker arm covers and other components.
Too bad its not the opt 350 .. 40 more hp. 3.36 gear ⚙️ std. So it’ll move out okay w the 4spd. Engine does look rough for advertised mileage. Nice interior.
The more I look at the photos on Craigslist the less interested I become. What happened to the ignition shielding that belongs over the distributor? Why are the spark plug wires routed so haphazardly? Why is the right side profile photo showing the rocker panel lying in the grass? No weatherstrip seal on the air cleaner where it mates to the cowl induction hood. No undercarriage photos. It seems that too many things were missing or disturbed for a car with only 10K miles. OK, I’ll stop. Nice looking car though.
For that much money you could buy a C2 with a Rat! Heck almost anything but a L-88! For sure pre 1972 & after 1992 ZR-1 would be where I would be with my 55 grand ! That’s my 50 cents adjusted for inflation.