This 1966 Corvette Coupe has led a life of adventure. In 1971 it was stolen, and while it was later recovered, it did require some repairs to that beautiful fiberglass body. These repairs were duly completed, but the car was then parked in a garage in the 1990s, and there it has remained until now. It has been dragged out of hiding and is set to go to a new home. The Corvette is located in Blairsville, Georgia, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $25,100, but the reserve hasn’t been met. The car has caused a bit of a stir since being listed for sale because there are currently 176 people who are watching the listing.
The Corvette is finished in Silver Pearl, but the entire car has suffered from quite noticeable deterioration over the years. When it was stolen back in 1971, the thief removed the front bodywork. When the car was recovered this needed to be replaced, and this was done using genuine Chevrolet parts. Now the car is in need of some restoration work, and if I am to be blunt, this applies to every aspect of the car. The best way to do this, and to do the car justice, would be to tackle it as a full, frame-off, project. The owner provides a number of photos of the Corvette’s underside, and the frame has a heavy coating of surface corrosion on it. This will need to be addressed, and to my way of thinking, that would be the best approach to take. The fiberglass also has a few issues, including some damage around the rear bumper, and near the right-front bonding strip. The external trim and chrome all appears to be present, but once again, items such as the bumpers will definitely require restoration.
The Corvette is a numbers-matching car and is fitted with the L79 327ci V8 engine. This produced 350hp, which was sent to the rear via a 4-speed manual transmission. The 327 hasn’t fired a shot in anger since the car was placed into storage. However, the owner did take some sensible precautions before parking the Corvette, removing the plugs and squirting oil into the cylinders. As a result, the engine turns freely, but he has made no attempt to start it. Sensible man. As well as needing a pretty thorough inspection before anything else is attempted with the engine itself, the owner indicates that the Corvette will require new brake lines, while the brake calipers will also require a rebuild. If I was restoring a car like this, especially since it has been sitting for so long, I would be inclined to replace all of the brake and fuel lines as a matter of course. It might not seem to be necessary to some people, but to me, it would be far easier to do it voluntarily while the car is dismantled, rather than be forced to do it when the restoration has been completed.
The Black interior of the Corvette could best be described as something of a mixed bag. There is nothing horrendously bad inside the car, and if the next owner chose, the interior could well and truly be used as it is. The seats don’t look bad, with no signs of any rips or seam separations. However, they have what looks like signs of mildew around the edges, which is a little bit strange. The door trims are beginning to show some early signs of deterioration, while the dash pad will definitely need to be replaced. There are surfaces such as the console that are showing general levels of wear, while many of the plated components will require restoration and re-plating at some point.
There is no doubt that the best approach with this Corvette would be to tackle it as a full nut-and-bolt restoration. Equally, there is no doubt that if this was done, and done properly, the result would be a stunning and very desirable car. Would you tackle this as a full restoration project, or would you concentrate on returning the car to a roadworthy state, and then just drive it as it stands?
Hey, cool aftermarket steering wheel with plastic horn button!
The steering wheel is a deterrent to avoid future theft of vehicle by old folks through laughter 😛
The four speed is the anti theft device for millennials..😂
I guess all areas are covered here.
In all seriousness this car can quickly put someone under water on restoration if frame and birdcage is toast …
I question all original parts with front end pieces at dealer and steering wheel etc.
I like it but price is high and need to run the numbers from block, heads, carb, master cylinder to trans and rear etc.
has all the looks of a flood car, you are going to have more money in this than if you bought a vett on the road and they are bad for rusting in the kickup behind the doors
Re:steering wheel….YUK!!!!! Sticks out like a sore thumb.
$25K to buy plus $25K to restore = $50K. Pass.
only assuming it “sells” for $25k, methinks north of that IF it indeed “sells”
this is a mess, even mold on the spark plug wires … I’m certain the frame is rotted out and the birdcage as well
cost more than 25K to restore! big block maybe.
Guys, it’s a L79, 350hp 327. If the numbers match this is a $75k car easily. Much more fun than a big block to drive, less heat, better handling and stopping. And quicker than all but the top of the line big block.
I think Adam is absolutely right about the scope of what’s needed here. A shine & drive would provide instant gratification but would do little to avert further deterioration.
We had a customer with a vintage Corvette that he kept pretty much as a garage queen. Every 2-3 years he would gleefully return his “lifetime warranty” brake calipers on the pretense that they were leaking. Well of course they were. The second time he tried to pull this stunt I informed him that the warranty was limited to NORMAL USE. Parking a car for years at a time is not normal use. I cheerfully refunded all his money, including the core charges, and politely asked him to take his business to the competitor he had been threatening to take it to all the while.
The point is not to bemoan the plight of the retail parts stores, but to remind all us car nuts to drive the things and use them. They’re much happier that way and you will be, too.
@ccrvtt: “Ditto” Someone WILL restore this beauty to its former glory!! :-)
the rust underneath is worrisome, but a full inspection by an expert would be mandatory. You may not see the worst of frame damage so I guess expect the worst. Birdcage also. Sure looks good at a glance. And the extensive bodywork having been done is another issue. From what the pics show it looks like scaly surface rust. Not an expert , would love to have everyone check in. Being what seems like a fairly complete car I’m sure it will bring some nice coin. Caveat Emptor. Good luck.
Cheers
GPC
With the rust seen above & birdcage rust on so many ’68-81 vettes, I find it quite surprising that ANY vette was EVER driven in the rain/snow or even left out parked in the rain – never ever seen that in my very crowded neck of the woods – never. (I could see 1st gen camaro, challengers, etc. out in the rain back then, but not a vette).
Would, say, a monthly washing of an old vette with a garden hose cause a birdcage to rust?
Stolen ? And still retains it’s born with components – engine ?
I would freshen it up, fix what’s needed to be reliable, then proceed to drive it angrily, like the guy that stole it in 71
Little rich for a small block w so many issues, look around there’s plenty out there with less questions
For most part prices have been going down for a few years unless ultra rare which this one is not. Buy at your own risk and back up the Brinks truck.
I have a 66 and it going to take more then 25k to restore that. To do a professional job, a paint job on that car to be correct is 20k now go from there. You’ll be into it more then it worth. I see there,a frame off project.
That my point, I know exactly want the cost is . I don’t think you understood what I was saying.
25,000 to RESTORE… SERIOUSLY???? To do a full … body off restoration on this car..and to do it right…… a minimum of 75,000 dollars..up to 125K… I doubt seriously if 25,000 down… would even put it in line for a restoration…. People that bid on this type of car on Ebay… most do not have a clue…. as to what they are getting into… this car… done… may hit 75 to 80K…. it is truly a total loss to rebuild this car… and if you are thinking of getting your money back… THINK AGAIN
Mike nailed it. I am always amazed at some of the low prices people quote for professional level restoration work. You can tell who has actually had a car restored and who has not (or maybe they had the paint done at Maaco).
It may have been Earl Scheib. “I’ll paint any car for $29.95”.
And ya know, it looks like it.You can spot a Scheib paint job a mile away. Ya get what ya pay for…..
Like anyone else, in a restoration or mechanics garage, Caveat emptor.
Not all, but some garages will low ball you, just to get the job.
Home improvement companies are notorious for this.
Always make sure you get it in writing. And NEVER pay anyone up front, before the job is done.
Years ago, after 5 bids for windows & siding on my house, I got a local contractor. He was the most reasonable. He also had an extensive local clientele.I was warned to be careful with this guy. They did excellent work. But sometimes they were accused of low balling their price. Turns out, after the work on the vinyl siding began, they asked if I could give them some up-front $$$. The red flag went up….
My reply was, I pay when the job is done. Nothing more was said & the did a wonderful job, at the price they quoted.
Sorry for getting off topic. It was not longer after that, the owner went out of business & his son took over the company.
Restore is an overused word. Most folks think restore means repaint, new seat covers and Advance Auto Parts junk. No. It means doing a particular car to OE standards. Thousands of hours of work. And tons of green paper or checkbook. To restore a C2 correctly is $100,000 plus buying the car. An NCRS paint job today is $20,000. A 350 hp 66 is not worth it. If it was a 66 427 425 hp car with orig engine and most components and options such as N14, N03, K66 and others then yes. This car will sell for more than $30,000 and then the real expense begins. Been there, done that with a 67 conv 427 400 with 10 factory options. And yes, prices on old Corvettes have stabilized and softened in some cases. I have bought and sold them since 1976.
I’m sure you meant to say, “Auto Zone junk”…
Can a body shop legally even OBTAIN proper ’66 lacquer or enamel NON clearcoat auto paint today & replicate the careless way the factory painted the car? & unless you can find NOS over the counter parts(which often were NOT necessarily the same or as good as factory installed parts), car parts with Delco name on them TODAY are often overseas crap parts – even some of their oil filters i do not trust – especially the tiny ones with the PLASTIC core for small blocks.
Joe, for several years now, most parts, which were once metal, are plastic.This also goes for other products, like faucets, etc.
Also, what once was American made, is now foreign made.
It’s all about the “Benjamins”.
I think back to the movie,”The Graduate”, when the guy says to Dustin Hoffman’s character, “One word, Plastics”.
Being a stolen car, it’s not worth it.
That would always be in the back of my mind, while driving down the road.
Without paperwork it will never reach big buck status after a total restoration.
The reserve has not been met at 25k.? The guy who stole this car screwed it up and the owner finished it off. Complete resto. 25k plus ? NO…………………….Later……………………………….JIMMY
i was sent this listing by barn finds. i have a similar 1967 corvette coupe l79. i bought it new in 1966.$4300. only car i bought new in my life. have most paperwork including original window sticker bill of sale and original owners manual, etc, etc. it was was hit i in front side over 40 years ago. i repaired it myself using an ecklers one piece nose.
i took it apart over 30 years ago to replace nose with press molded original fiberglass.that i have. body is off frame that i coated with with por 15, no rust. i have everything new to put it together only problem is i “done got old” and have health problems and no shop to work in. a restoration family came over today and inspected everything. they are interested in. it to restore i do not know what would the fair value might be
Eugene, It’s not like you can look at the Blue Book, or what Edmunds says, for answers. Like anythings else, fair value is what the buyer will pay & the seller accepts.
Good luck.
Leading an adventurous life? That’s how I would describe anyone who would bid on this one without a full inspection. Not enough info in the description and photos to make an intelligent bid. Caveat emptor.
How many guys out there are spending many, many more thousands of dollars on cars that will never get the financial return on it that they invested? They do it for the love of cars. Many on here seem to look down on flippers, but then comment on the cars here that ALWAYS need more money put into them, than will ever be recouped. How many have bought a daily driver car over the years and lost money on it? Since I bought my first car when I was 14, and am now almost 70 virtually every car I’ve ever purchased I lost money on. But I had a lot of fun. A friend has a body a paint shop. On occasion he will restore an older classic. You should see the look on peoples faces when they pick up their car. Always a smile, regardless of the cost. I wish I had enough money to lose to restore almost every car on BF. Just for the love of seeing it like new. Sorry for the rant.
Not a rant, Norton. I appreciate your sharing.
With prices down it would be better to buy a already done car rather than a basket case that requires a lot more money to put it even in a driveable condition.
This was ridden hard and put away wet. Someone actually paid over $30K for it. Hopefully they don’t have to pay someone to restore it. They will be upside down very quickly.
FYI, I now own this car and going through it to make a driver. The birdcage is in very good condition. I replaced driver seat bottom foam and cover and carpet. It is a numbers car right down to the alternator. The engine, trans, bellhousing will be set aside replaced with a 355 roller motor, brodix heads and TKX trans. Paint will be last and will go back Silver Pearl. The interior will have vintage air and reproduction blue tooth radio. This is a typical corvette owner story, paid too much, spending too much but having a great time!