Chevrolet’s Corvette holds a special place in the American automotive landscape, and if everything checks out, this 1962 Corvette has seen few changes in its 62 years. The East Aurora, New York classic spent most of its life in Texas, according to the seller, and the undercarriage looks solid and painted or undercoated some time ago. It comes to market after a once-over by the Texas Corvette shop that sold it to the current owner, according to the listing. The odometer shows 39,624 miles, which the seller believes is original. Check out more pictures and details here on Craigslist, and thanks to reader T.J. for spotting this fiberglass beauty.
Once you’ve decided to use fiberglass, it’s time to get creative with deep contours and features that exceed the limitations of stamped steel. The ’62’s quad headlight buckets and snout combine sporty space-age styling with more typical ’50s elements in this final-year of the first-generation Corvette.
This is about the best shot of the interior, depicting its originality, though I’m not sure a coat of wax would reduce its authenticity. The cue ball shift knob and gathered boot simulate a manual shifter, and the two-speed Powerglide automatic should do fine for mellow cruising. My Dad’s 1953 Roadmaster Riviera was much better than I anticipated with its two-speed auto. I recently enjoyed a ride in a never-restored two-owner first-generation Corvette that would chirp the bias ply whitewalls at all three upshifts. I didn’t ask who was President when the tires were mounted. Some questions are better left unanswered.
Like the stern of a power boat, the fiberglass Corvette’s understated design keeps things clean and elegant. Molded fiberglass eliminates weld lines and other superfluous visual interruptions.
Cast valve covers with Corvette script add show-car class from a time when most engines cheap stamped steel. Cast valve covers suppress engine noise as well, adding to the sense of luxury in America’s Sports Car. I’d probably write a small novel as a description instead of four lines before asking $65,000 for a car, but to each their own. What’s your opinion of this highly original Corvette?
Some don’t like my “personalizations” of these posts. We seem to have lost the “human” connection, but not me. I look at the 1st pic, and try to imagine what this dude is thinking. The year was that all too famous, 1962 ( where were you in ’62?), and this guy fresh out of college, or peace time military( got out just in time) and landed a good job, the ’62 Vette was his baby. He met Peggy Sue( mom) with it, you know. Even though mom wouldn’t admit it, but the car was the cheese.
(cue violins) And now today, relegated to the back yard, perhaps listening to the ball game, driving days ka-put, medical bills for ol’ Peg a mounting, the Vette has got to go. He’s so bummed, he’s not even going to clean it. Far as Vettes go, it’s not some F.I. monster, or big block 4 speed, just a regular Vette, and should sell easily, provided pops drops the price a bit. It’s obvious for that price, he doesn’t really want it to go.
I think this guy always wanted a Corvette (maybe from watching episodes of the TV show “Route 66” as a kid) and he made a late-in-life purchase. He says in the post that he bought it from Corvette Warehouse in Dallas. Maybe owning it didn’t achieve what he had hoped (reliving his youth, making him more virile, etc.). He obviously does not expect to come down on the price because he says he “will entertain offers in person accompanied by substantial non-refundable cash deposit.” What buyer says nonsense like that?
Rather, what kind of “seller” would say that.
Nice car. Not sure I’d use Craigslist to try to get 65 grand for a car