UPDATE – The auction for this wild Vette is ending soon! No reserve and a $3k starting bid. Any takers?
FROM 5/8/19 – Clearly, someone had a little too much time on their hands! This 1969 Corvette is a fairly desirable year, was optioned with the 350 horsepower L46, a 4-speed and AC, but unfortunately, the original owner decided to make it a one-off custom with some wild bodywork. Thankfully, the numbers matching drivetrain is present and it looks like the modifications were limited to the body. Mike T just wants it gone, so he’s auctioning it here on Barn Finds, so take a closer look and leave any questions in the comments below!
Mike found this Corvette in the original owner’s garage, where it had been for the past few years. Prior to that, it was actually parked in their house and to get it out, they had to tear down a wall. I sure would have loved to see some photos of it parked in their living room!
After extracting it from their home, it spent a little time out in the elements and it shows. The body is showing some cracks and delamination. It’s hard to know for sure if it’s all due to the elements or the result of poor customization work, but either way, it’s going to be a serious project to undertake. As Mike puts it, “the body condition is best described as a nightmare. The original owner had too much time on his hands and this one-off custom is the result. This is a job for an experienced Corvette builder or simply get it running and take it to shows as it is. I’m confident it will win SOMETHING!”
I’m not sure what exactly it will win, but I’m sure it will get plenty of attention. That is if you can get it running and safe to drive. The engine hasn’t been started in the past 6 years, but Mike checked the oil and said it looks clean and was to the correct level. Hopefully, it will only take a little work to get it running. I’ve not seen too many of these that were optioned with the L46, a 4-speed, AC, power steering but no power brakes. It had to be a bit of a thrill driving this when new!
Mike has gone over the car closely and was surprised by how nice the interior is. The dash is in good shape with all of its original gauges. The seats look to be in very nice shape and are free of rips, split seams and burn holes. He couldn’t find any signs of rodent damage and there aren’t any odd smells. There’s obviously work to be done to it, but considering how the outside look, it is in surprising. The frame is said to be straight and solid. The car rolls and all the running gear components are present.
Describing this one as being a bit different is probably an understatement! Whoever did the custom bodywork went a little wild trying to make it their own. One thing is for sure, it’s unique! From an originality and value standpoint, it should be returned back to original, but I’d be tempted to leave it as is simply for the shock and awe. Can you imagine all the conversations and comments this thing will generate? I’d fix any damaged fiberglass, change a few of the styling elements (see taillights below), and proudly drive it to car shows! How about you?
While the body could get expensive to return back to original, the mechanicals and chassis are where the value is at here. You can buy new front clips and rear clips even come up once in a while for not a lot of money. If the frame is solid and there aren’t any serious mechanical issues, replacement body panels would be your best bet of returning this one back to original. Of course, that’s if you decide to go that route. Be sure to check this wild custom out and don’t forget to bid!
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
- Title Status: Clean
Bid On This Auction
List your car here on Barn Finds for only $50!
Good heavens, you know, I try and give the benefit of the doubt to these creations, but even I have to say, this is too much. The mag wheel/’61 Ford tail lights are the worst I’ve seen. Here come the “smokin” comments,,,
There are some beautiful customs out there but if there is another end to the spectrum this is it.
I think it should be left as is with the name BAD CUSTOM put on the side. Put some crazy wide wheels on it, something chrome and shine. Paint it mat black then pinstripe the $h!t out of it, and I’d fill that grill space up front with some chrome shark teeth. It would be the hit of any show just because it’s so dam ugly.
It would be perfect as a donk
Now I took some pretty good stuff back in the gay 90s, but none that would foster this…
OMG…The Excorist meets Christine!…”Honey, tell the priest he’ll need the tow truck and lots of holy water!!!” Talk about Pandoras box….. Ok, enough about Frankenvette….lets talk about the 59 (or 60?) Brockwood(?) in the background! Please tell me that one was spared from the Texas Chainsaw Masacre!
Can you imagine the house it was in?
For a split second the photo of the shifter made me think it was hanging from the roof – – and in the context of the rest of the build my brain accepted that.
That poor Vette, how could they do that to it? Keep the drivetrain and trash the rest IMO.
YUP!! This is just plain uuuugaly!!
This Vette is making the Plymouth look good and I thought that was an impossibility.
it’s a flood car, well someone always says that!
maybe it should be put into a flood?
Save it amd repaint it like the builder intended. How many other restored vettes do we need? Seriously ruining history by making it stock
It would look appropriate slathered in metalflake candy orange
Or slather it in tar and feathers.
I was going to bid 20 bucks but then I got to thinking…..
yeah, what if you won? Then what would you do? eeek!
It’s not the winning. It’s the explaining it to the wife part. Dear lord, what a kerfuffle!
you people have no VISION.
If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. I see that my touch is needed here.
Set it up for propane flames to come out the mag slots in the back, paint the thing, and then cruise the local high school parking lot like the boss that I am, that’s how this will get done.
Best approach is a splice at the base of the cowl back to preserve the origional vin and a new nose. Lots easier than trying to undo that damage piecemeal.
The other option is a complete body swap off of one we ith a rusty frame to make a great driver. A few weekends and its going again
It looks like a turkey that is sad and also dead.
Pretty dreadful.
Wish I hadn’t been eating when I saw that shot of the rear
Okay. I see value lurking under the rough exterior. If the frame and engine are intact, strip off the artwork modifications and replace with a Eckert body panel kit for $2,900.99
https://www.corvettemods.com/C3-Corvette-1968-1982-Complete-CR-II-Body-Kit_p_15262.html
Thought maybe we travelled back to April 1st!
Got to be worth finishing and entering it in the crazy car shows where you see whack jobs like this…
There’s absolutely NOTHING ‘wild’ about this turd-it’s just plain butt ugly! With sideburns! And the original owner-or whoever made this monstrosity-should be taken out and shot for doing this to a once beautiful car! The prettiest model year Corvette that Chevy ever made, IMHO! I’ll shut up now before I’m permanently banned
The person who did this work needs a family intervention and a seriously long rehab.
Pretty strong there….
It was his car. His choice. Not your or my choice,
but ease up on him.
The front looks like a porpoise with it’s mouth open, waiting for someone to toss it a fish. What’s up with the spare rims mounted on the back? Are they supposed to simulate rockets or….
Buddy thought that rear end was an improvement on this?
There are no words…
Love it!
Was this thing designed by a committee?
Ground control to Major Tom did the doors lift up or do they just come off
That poor, defenseless car…
you guys are missing the vision here.
Tsk Tsk. NO: not for everyone.
BUT: there is an ass for every seat, and while I’m not a prospect on this, here’s what I’d do: I’d recess the wheels after polishing them, and I’d get them vertical so that they can actually direct their fake jet thrust straight back.
Put some red or blue LED’s in the mag holes so that they look like Imperial Star Destroyer engines, and smooth out the body elsewhere, finish the front with some sort of an chromed expanded metal mesh grille that has faux plumbing pipe laser cannons that have LED’s in them, too.
Find someone that does low-rider style paint and do some sort of Darth Vader carrying an Aztec Princess Leia out of the Pit of Saarlac or something campy that’s space opera related, and then take it out on the town and OWN YOUR ZIP CODE like the baller that you are.
Triple bonus points if you wear a Darth Vader upper tunic and helmet while sporting khaki shorts and Doc Martin boots when driving.
One does not buy this car to restore it. There are a million other boring old Corvettes around if that’s your intent. This one is the only one on the planet! Cherish it.
Are you a man or a mouse?
jump.
Jump.
JUUUMP!
I see potential it’s worth saving it may not be a ed Roth car but has it good points
When you think you have seen the worst
“customized” Corvette ever ruined another one pops up!
That thing looks like a cross between the Batmobile and something from a Mad Max movie.
I have read all of the responses and can’t think of anything to add. I think this is one of the reason’s DRUGS are against the law! This guy was just way out there on another planet. Of all the Corvette’s I have had, only 1 had any Custom work done to it. It was a 1969 Convertible. The custom work was merely a replacement 454 with chrome Doug Show headers and side pipes. all of the other 5 that I have had were completely stock including the one I’m driving now!
Another case of just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
insurance….. fire.
Then argue with insurance company for compensatory value. lol.
May be worth couple hundred grand. lol
Ahhhh, Ummmm. words escape me…no, wait… my eyes, my eyes,, arrrgh, my brain….after working in a corvette rebuild shop I thought I had seen everything..
Well, all was already said about this monster but I may be able to see what the “artist” was trying achieve here.
At first glance I thought it looked like the front of the SPEED RACER car.
If you finished it as intended, with wide wheels to fill out those flared fenders it could be cool I guess.
The rear rocket exhaust vents could be cool.
The hood scoop looks cool, but I envision a large big block blower and scoop sticking out of the hood instead.
Then a wild metal flake type paint job to finish it off. (orange or purple maybe)
Then it should be introduced to Mattel toys so they can make a HOT WHEEL car out of it !!
Otherwise, I see it as a new BATMOBILE !
That’s actually what the Artist was maybe going for…
But, Like “chevychase”, personally I want to know more about the 59 Chevy Wagon next to this “creation” !
I’m going to have to sleep with the lights on tonight after seeing this..
Note to self: Check out BF before dinner. I just threw up in my mouth.
No offence to the builder/owner but WHY? I think you should have had your Prozac adjusted before the build, not during and after.
I think I would cut off that porkypine nose,and reshape it like a Enduro style,simaliar,to a 68-69 Lemans, GTO,and or just cut off even ,and fill in the front area with some cool looking headlights, and or matching grill.Also update the rear taillights to 74-76 factory corvette style, some of style taillights l mentioned, kinda, look custom to me.And last but not least put on custom raised cowl hood scoop,supercharge it,and paint it a candy red color, similar to the Corvette Summer movie car.
Wife to husband……”I take a vacation to go see my mom and what do you do? Take it back down the street for another 10 years and leave the keys in it!!”
Do car shows elsewhere have an award for biggest piece of crap? I’ve never seen an award like that around here, but this monstrosity is certainly a strong contender! Such a waste of a classic C3 Vette…
Every body was so off target on this car. It was created for a murder mystery where the owner brought it in to a back street “custom” shop and told the shop owner he had an extra 10k to spend on his car and he’d be back in a month to check on the progress. Came back, shop owner had disappeared and when the cops came, couldn’t find the shop owner. Tow truck came to impound the Corvette for evidence and as he was towing the car back to the yard, the body fell out on the street. It was treated as a hit and run.(Wait until the end of the movie and watch what the car owner does on his grave) Rivetiing clear to the end……………………Show your approval by voting for best screenplay at the Academy Awards this next year.
Fuuuuugly!
Quoting Jed Clampett. WHAT IN TARNATION!!
mako shark front end, well the beginning of one, don’t know wTF the cut the rim in half and make it a brake light like a rocket thing is
I made a suggestion on where to buy replacement body parts for the Corvette. With no bids, I would suggest a followup article on how difficult it would be to undertake this option . If not, you might want to add a “Make Offer” button
Ya look at any STOCK Vette from any generation ya seen em all.I like different.
N o
C orvette
R emains
S tock
Well remove the body..or cut it up …worth bout a grand..be nice to return it to something normal..they r worth $25000+ once done
C2 and c3 are both 98″ wheel base can a talented person rebody it and make a better custom than this..c2 was beautiful is it feasible
How about a set of wide fenders to go with the wheels, simple to use what you have, and be only slightly different. Definitely would look less offensive than it does now!!
Back up car for Joe Viterbo in Death Race 2000.
As the longtime owner of a ’69 L46, M21 equipped convertible, I now have a new appreciation for what I thought were ‘imperfections’ in my ride.
Simply hideous.
Good luck selling this POS. If i get another notification for this garbage , I will unfollow your page
Be sure to check the birdcage for hidden rust.
(Well, somebody had to say it).
I, am left speechless. A vision brought on perhaps by an exhaust leak on his daily driver.
A clear case of lack of synthetic medication.
Perhaps a Jack Nicholson rehab creation..
Perfect Start to a Maco Shark
Theres a guy in NJ that repros the Mako Front & rear clips,Hes usually on Crags list listen em.
Only one word to describe this “creation” ….Criminal
My old 68,taken 40 years back. 427/435/ l71/4Spd . Was org when I bought it from org owner,but not for long.The tarantula manifold needed some x tra hood clearance since the trips manifold was sunken into the block.
I wasn’t going to write anything because I knew in my mind it was going to all be negative!! The truth is this is something that just seems unbelievable to me!! I’ve said this before on this site and I’m sure I’ll say it again!!! It blows my mind of what some people think “cool” is!!!!
Not very swift to behold..
The author of this car, must be the best, at convincing his wife…. It was in the living room? LOL
My dad who was the original owner and builder traded it to a guy who I believe built it into his new house as a kind of art exhibit I think. I remember him telling me about it as a kid.
Oh wow I’m pretty sure this was my dad’s car. Cut mag tail lights and gull wing doors. I think he had a different front end on it tho. For all the posters’ information, he told me later deeply regretted having done this. He actually became a Vette purist to attempt to make amends. Regularly followed NCRS.
WOAH, thats cool. Do you happen to have any pictures of it?
My mom is looking for them. I’ll post if she comes up with any.
Hope you have been doing well. Any progress on finding the pictures?