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Vietnam Story: 1960 Chevrolet Corvette

We have all heard a variation of the Vietnam story.  The basics are that a soldier died in battle and left a valuable car behind.  Porsche even did a wonderful ad featuring a dusty Speedster with a flat tire that a Porsche lover stumbled upon in a dilapidated barn.  The Porsche lover woke from the dream when the farmer asked him if $500 was too much for the car.  The 1960 Corvette you see here also has a Vietnam story.  Currently for sale on eBay out of Miami, Florida, this former California car is quite restorable no matter the history.  However, with 92 bids already made, this solid axle Corvette won’t be selling for $500.  The bidding for this Roman Red beauty is sitting at $36,600 with a lot of room left to climb.

The story on this Corvette is fairly familiar.  It was 1969, and the car’s then owner shipped off to Vietnam.  His wife was given instructions that if he were to die in combat, she was to give the car to their young son when he graduated college.  Sadly, like so many others, this soldier never made it home.  The promised Corvette sat patiently in storage until the son graduated college.  Realizing that he was not going to be able to afford the restoration of this Corvette, he sold it in 2014.  The current owner is now interested in selling the car after it has sat in a shop for a few years.

No matter what the story is, the car has received no favors from its loving caretakers.  A glance at the pictures reveals some problems.  First of which, many parts of the car have been disassembled for what seems to be no rhyme or reason.  In addition to the removal of the door and trunk locks, some trim has been removed as well.  We have been told in the ad that these missing items are in the trunk, and a blurry picture of the open trunk kind of confirms this.  Furthermore, the two front wheels have been replaced with two custom wheels that might have been ripped off from the A-Team van.  I wouldn’t want to be around when Mr. T comes looking for the wheels off his beloved van.

From the rear we can see that the body is pretty good on this car.  It may even qualify as a car to reassemble and get back on the road mechanically if it were cleaned up properly.  Other than the possible crack in the back glass of the hardtop and some trim damage to it over the passenger window, even the hard top looks good.  The Roman Red paint with Ermine White coves is, of course,  the textbook early Corvette look.  The fact that this car originally came from California will have that crowd going crazy as well.  Other than a lack of exposure to salt, someone needs to explain to me why California cars are so desirable.

A frontal view with the top off shows just how pleasing to the eye these cars still are.  Sitting in a normal repair shop, even in run down condition, it is obvious that this car is special.  I just can’t help wonder what the bidding would be up to now if the car had been reassembled, cleaned up, and photographed with a better backdrop.  Given the fact that the car appears to be in an normal shop, we can at least see why there is pressure on the seller to get it out of there.  Beautiful or not, the shop owner need the space.

At any rate, the interior is complete, but kind of a mess.  The carpet has been torn out, and the door panels are a bit run down.  The seats appear to be salvageable.  We can see that the car has a four speed transmission, and the seller tells us  that the Wonderbar radio is still intact.  The instrumentation and steering wheel look to be in excellent shape.  The dash, however, will need to be re-skinned.  Having the rest of the rear view mirror would be nice as well.

Under the hood rests a 283 cubic inch small block V-8 that is, according to the seller, original to the car.  While we do not know the rated horsepower of this engine, the options that year ranged from 230 horsepower all the way to 290 if you ordered fuel injection.  Cast aluminum valve covers usually signal that the engine has one of the higher horsepower options.  However, the 245 and 270 horsepower engines were each equipped with a pair of four barrel carburetors.  Could the lack of screws in the valve cover pictured above be a clue that these were added later?  If not, where is the manifold and its two carburetors?  Is this really a base engine car?  If the numbers match, then why doesn’t the ad tell us what those numbers are?  Are the other engine parts not present in the picture still around?  Lots of questions here.

Wise collectors will always tell you to buy the car not the story.  The story that goes along with this car is neat, but it adds nothing to the price without documentation.  Even then, a neat story will not trump condition and authenticity.  This could be a great car that is very original.  However, as with all Corvettes of this era, it would pay to hire a Corvette expert to go over the car carefully and document every major part.  Only then should an offer be made.  Stories alone just don’t get the job done.

Comments

  1. Avatar JammerX19

    Buy this and you may be riding with Private Malone.

    Like 30
  2. Avatar Uncle Bob

    Something fishy with the engine, not just the overall story. Those staggered valve cover bolts ended in ’58 which should bring into question the “original engine”. Oh wait……he said “original to the car”……….maybe he slyly means since he got it. Oy,…………..

    Like 13
    • Avatar Andre

      Questioned that as well — interestingly enough on both sides of the motor the valve covers are only held in by the top screws, but not the bottoms. As you probably well know they’re the ones that were spaced inward in ‘59 therefore top bolts would line up if —say — someone put earlier covers on the correct motor, whereas the bottoms would not.

      I agree it begs questions …but looks like it got hacked at during its life so wouldn’t rule out original motor based on that alone.. someone not knowing maybe tried to stick covers on it simply because they said “Corvette”

      Like 9
      • Avatar Uncle Bob

        good observation. In addition to the carb/intake comments below the distributor also looks suspect. Probably, to a Corvette expert who knows far more than me about these, there are many more things to be wary of.

        Like 4
    • Avatar Donald McCall

      Give me some casting numbers and I’ll tell you the whole story. Vin would be good but I don’t really need it to list the drivetrain parts!

      Like 2
    • Avatar Bob S

      I had a 64, and I went down to the local GM dealer and ordered a set of the cast valve covers. They weren’t expensive, and I would be willing to bet that a lot of Chevy owners bought them over the counter.
      Bob

      Like 8
    • Avatar Richard Ochoa

      At least there won’t be a Rust problem!!! -:)

      Like 1
      • Avatar ruxvette

        Believe it, or not, the frame is not fiberglass… :-0

        Like 2
      • Avatar bruce baker

        Fiberglass coated steel frame would of made more sense to me, or at least Galvanized or Zinc coated steel frames. After all G. M. ( = Great Minds> not, ha, ha, ) is in Detroit Michigan where salt is used on their icy roads, right? Aluminum diamond plated coated roads might be better than plain asphalt, but then again airplanes do ice up. I wonder if only painted or non polished bare aluminum aircraft ice up? I thaw my frozen steaks out on a aluminum tray, but it’s true i didn’t leave the tray out side in icy conditions all night. Maybe Global Warming will eventually solve the ice= salt= rust problem, ha, ha,.

        Like 0
    • Avatar Doug

      quadrajet carb too…. no go for ’58

      Like 2
  3. Avatar Oingo

    One day I hope to understand how cars that supposedly were not driven or much get so mangled

    Like 27
    • Avatar rodent

      I agree, but it was a nine year old Corvette when it was put away. Could have been on its third owner by then. It wasn’t necessarily in concours condition. That is, if we believe the story.

      My cousin had a 60 Impala convertible 348 when he went to Vietnam. He was killed in September 1965. Car was already rusty because the previous owner had used it to pull/launch a small fishing boat in salt water. My aunt kept it as her daily driver until 69, and it was traded in at the Dodge dealership for a 68 Monaco wagon.

      Like 7
  4. Avatar Dave Klees

    Looks like a Quadrajet carb don’t it? I think Chevy started running those in 1965?

    Like 6
    • Avatar bruce baker

      Those carbs won me many races because i had friends that knew how to set up those metering rods correctly. Brian Grey or Jerry Dickerson Chuck Beckett, i still live at the same house in Glendora with the same old Phone # 626 335-8562, i screen my calls so leave message or better yet E-mail me at bruyoutwo88@gmail.com. Barn fines are like finding a gold nugget to me, done both once.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Dolphin Member

    It’s helpful to look at a seller’s feedback on ebay. This seller has 97.2% positive FB, which sounds terrific, but most good sellers have 100%, so it’s worth looking into.

    There seems to have been a few problems that some recent buyers had, but what’s more important is that this seller specializes only in older Corvettes. Maybe the Vietnam story is true, maybe not, but I do know that the Vietnam story plus 5 bucks will get me a fancy latte at a mid-level coffee shop….should I actually ever want a latte.

    The seller seeks out only older Corvettes for resale, and based on this current auction and past auction sales, seems to sell them as-is, maybe with true or not so true stories.

    Just remember “the Vietnam story plus 5 bucks will get you a fancy latte” thing.

    I would not buy this Corvette unless I had inspected the car myself, or preferably had a NCRS expert inspect it for me.

    Like 13
  6. Avatar rodent

    Photo is kind of fuzzy, but isn’t that a Quadrajet?

    Like 6
    • Avatar Wickedblackvette

      I was wondering when someone would bring up the Quadrajet and the fact that it won’t bolt to the original manifold and didn’t even appear on a car until 1967… The engine install must have been done by the cheating wife after her boyfriend blew up the original during her husband’s deployment.

      Like 13
      • Avatar ACZ

        Q-jet carbs started being used on Chevrolets in 1965 but never made it to Corvettes until 1968.

        Like 2
    • Avatar John Garrett

      Looks like a Carter carburetor to me and standard points ignition as well

      Like 2
      • Avatar ACZ

        May have been. Some Q-jets were made by Carter under contract from Rochester.

        Like 4
      • Avatar bruce baker

        It don’t look nothing like the raw aluminum, wide, not square Carter on my workshop shelf. Q-jet is my vote. This looks like my old 327 with the same old blow bye tube, an the threaded plug on top of the water pump. Can’t see the tale, tale, small threaded plug in the front of the block on top of the timing cover near the water pump. Someone hot wired it with that red wire maybe?

        Like 0
  7. Avatar Steverino

    I’ve had southern California cars and they are wonderful to work on. The last one was a 40 year old Chrysler with 30,000 miles on it. Zero Rust and corrosion. That’s what’s so special. They are like working on a new car.
    I’m always curious how much the flipper paid for the car. Is he going to double or triple his money? Just doesn’t seem right. I would love to spend some time on the paint just to see if it can be brought back. Good eyes on the staggered heads. And, after a run of auto trans Vettes on Barnfinds lately it sure is nice to see one with a stick the way God intended.

    Like 16
  8. Avatar JimmyJ

    He graduated from college and can’t afford to repair his fathers beloved corvette?
    What did he major in? Maybe “underwater basket weaving?”

    Like 27
    • Avatar grant

      Well, if he’s 100k+ in debt with student loans, he could be a lawyer or a Dr. and not be able to afford it.

      Like 13
    • Avatar Dick Johnson

      Life happens. It’s hard to understand until you’ve been (or still are) there. Think ”vette’s” are expensive? Try medical expenses vying for your restoration dollar. Or college loans, or …

      Like 10
    • Avatar George

      Keep in mind that the son, who sold it in 2014 to this guy, would be at least 40 today. Probably if his father said to give it to him when he graduated college, he’s probably older.

      Like 3
  9. Avatar Dave Patterson

    Some of these people should fiction writers verses car salesmen.

    Like 9
  10. Avatar doug

    The intake appears to be about a ’67, Q-jet barb, and oil fill. Someone painted the whole underneath of the car at some point.

    Like 5
  11. Avatar Dave Member

    I Pity The Fool who buys this one without having it professionally checked. (can’t believe anyone hasn’t said IPTF yet).

    Like 13
  12. Avatar robert j

    seems to be a corvette dealer as he has other vettes for sale. for that $$ and being a shop id expect it to run at least. And being a dealer and seller of vettes and parts add alot more to the description. were not talking about a $3000 parts car here.

    Like 4
  13. Avatar Ken Nelson Member

    Uncle Bob, i think you’re right about the dizzy – isn’t that an HEI system before GM/Delco introduced the HEI? I thought that 40KV system didn’t come into use until later – certainly not on a ’60 car – am I wrong?

    Like 2
    • Avatar Uncle Bob

      Pretty sure you’re correct HEI is later than ’60. As for this one, it could be a side window which would be correct for a non-dual point distributor, but without a p/n or better view it’s tough to tell.

      Like 2
  14. Avatar fairlane289

    People are making a lot of assumptions on this car. Lets start with some basic math. If his son were already born or about to be born in 1969 (if he was just a thought in the future, then he would not be “his” son), then that son would be about 50 today. Most college grads are significantly younger than around 50. So maybe the son graduated college 25 years ago and enjoyed his dad’s unrestored, put away as a 9 year old used car, for several years. This would add to the wear etc. But generally, the story makes little sense….

    Like 10
  15. Avatar Tyrone

    1963 my father and I purchase a 1959 Chevrolet Impala with a 283 engine dual exhaust 4-barrel carburetor horsepower rated at 230 horsepower 3 speed on the column I think the car had hydraulic lifters in it they were not solid I drove the car for about 3-4 years racing at Island drag strip the 59 came through with plain valve covers color coded in red no Chrome valve covers I think the sixties we’re the same not sure. The car was purchased and Passaic New Jersey Hoffman Chevrolet one owner automobile before I purchase it.

    Like 1
    • Avatar ruxvette

      What?

      Like 10
  16. Avatar doug

    That is NOT an HEI distributor, has points and condenser.

    Like 2
  17. Avatar Gordon

    Not an HEI.

    It also has later heads. I suspect it is a later engine.

    Like 1
  18. Avatar John

    They didn’t start using the Quadrajet until 1965 so I’m guessing somethings not quite original

    Like 2
  19. Avatar ruxvette

    Let’s start with this assumption:
    Either the car was a piece when put away on 1969, deteriorated in storage, or got mauled after it came out of storage.
    Paint? Not original
    Valve covers? Not original
    Seat upholstery? Not original
    Soft top? it came with one but…
    The haphazard way parts have been pulled (ripped?) off the car is a head scratcher.
    Still, $36k for a solid axle driver? It’s not a bargain, but not upside down…yet.

    Like 4
  20. HoA Howard A Member

    Sadly, this scenario played out all across this land. Could have been any car, but I have a similar story that also happened to be a Corvette. My ex-BIL lives in S. Central Wisconsin, and many years ago, we went to a neighbors house, who was having a rummage sale. In the corner of the garage, was a car partially covered and one could clearly see it was a Corvette like this. Same story, her son parked it in the garage, and never came back, only she refused to sell it.

    Like 2
  21. Avatar Oliver Felix Rojas

    The curves of the trunk accentuated by the rear bumper are stupendous.

    Like 1
    • Avatar chad

      ‘S Y I don’t like em so much over the ’60 yr. (Sorta Italian?)
      In a 3 or 4 yr sweet spot 4 me…

      Like 0
  22. Avatar Ric Parrish

    So many people look at the old Vette interiors and think they look good. My 62 that I have owned since 1973 has good looking seats, but if you push on them you realize the foam rubber has cross linked molecules and has turned to styrofoam, they crumble. I have them out now, need complete rebuild. Of course the Naugahyde may also look good, but be stiff as a board.

    Like 1
  23. Avatar P T Cheshire

    The photo under the car looking from the front is an eye opener. No starter and appears no flywheel / clutch assembly. No drive shaft. but there also is no yoke, pinion bearing or seal in the ham. Front body is interesting too. worn chrome on the bumpers and grill surround but a mint grill. Looks like a collection of parts swapped and this is whats left.

    Like 1
  24. Avatar CKC

    I have a Vietnam story with a better ending, A good friend was a Huey Crewchief/Door Gunner that made it home, but had a falling out with his father over a 68 Dodge Charger that he purchased new and stored in his father garage, when he came home Dad wouldnt give back the Charger so it sat 20 years until the late 80s. When His Father passed away, he got his car back with less than 10K miles.The car was stock, and in exceptional condition, The Owner performed maintenance, change fluids, tires ect. the only thing outside of the norm was one of the valves stuck and bent a push rod so we did a complete valve job with new seals and springs. after showing the car for a few years the owner sold it and moved on.

    Like 1
  25. Avatar Ken S

    Not sure about the story – but would like to have the car.

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Sam Shive

    Being retired military, I’ve heard the Vietnam Story, Way to many times….First time I met The Guy who got the 1972 Harley for $250.00, Second time it was The Guy who got the 1969 Vette with a 427 Tri Power, The Third Time I Met The Guy Who Got The 426 Hemi Superbird with 57 miles on it. The STORY Gets BIGGER AND BETTER Every Time it gets told, I’m going to Toss Out The B-S Flag on this one, But If Anyone Wants To Know Who Got The 63 Split Window Vette with the 427 Tri Power, 4 Speed, With Side Pipes and Real Knock Off Wheels and only 18 miles on it for $19.95 plus T,T,&T…That Would Be Me.

    Like 4
  27. Avatar Sid Member

    Staggered valve cover holes were used until mid-59.
    Hood latches are post 59
    Oil fill tube is much later
    Gen tach drive cable =hyd lifters.
    Probably no numbers match so good candidate for a resto rod.

    Like 0
  28. Avatar Wrench97

    Car was 9 years old when it was parked the original owner who knows if it was in running condition then this is a 60’s car after all…………………

    Like 0
  29. Avatar John

    How does one get the underside of the car all dirty whilst keeping the oil pan clean and shiny? Was the owner in Nam or just Olongapo? “Hey Joe, you got cash? You want 100% clean Corvette car? You want to to meet my sister….?”

    This car is a 1960 model. There were not a lot of Americans there until 1964 after the Gulf of Tonkin thing. Congress approved going to war on August 7, 1964. So this car was four years old when the war started in earnest. The owner must have been either one of JFK’s advisors, or one of Eisenhower’s original expeditionary force. Assuming that the owner knew he had a son, that son would likely be in his late 60s or early 70s now.

    I’m not saying that this is not nice car. I am just suggesting that when one story has holes in it, perhaps others may be suspect, too. Caveat emptor.

    Like 1
  30. Avatar PRA4SNW

    Sold for $36,600 which seems pretty good for a ’60.

    Like 0

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