There are few cars on the road that are better looking than a chrome bumper C3 Corvette.  These gorgeous sports cars are also accelerating in value and are one of the hottest segments of the collectible Corvette market.  If you are in the market for a 1969 version with a convertible top, then take a look at this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette convertible for sale on eBay in Groveland, Florida.  While this red on red drop top with Chevy Rallye wheels looks factory fresh in the pictures, is the beauty only skin deep on this one?

There is no more complex market to navigate than the one for vintage Corvettes.  Potential buyers have to deal with the danger of purchasing a previously stolen car, matching numbers for everything from alternators to rear ends, shoddy bodywork covered by bondo, and rust in the frame and birdcage.  It is very easy to make a mistake when purchasing a Corvette.  If you are going to drop some coin on the Corvette of your dreams, you had better either be a highly educated buyer or ready to shell out the money for an expert’s help.

An uninformed buyer can walk up to a beautiful Corvette, fall in love, and make the purchase in complete blissful ignorance.  Take for example this beautiful 1969 Corvette convertible.  At first glance this is a trophy hauler.  The pictures show a car that just looks fantastic in its brilliant Monza Red finish.  The Rallye wheels fill out the bulging fender wells, and the raised white letter tires just scream muscle car.

The ad tells us that this is an original, one owner, red on red car with just 69,000 miles on the odometer.  The insinuation is that the car is completely original, from the paint that took a great shine to the interior.  It is powered by a 350 cubic inch V-8 with 350 horsepower and is backed by a four speed manual transmission.  Another added bonus is seeing that it is a factory air conditioned car.  That is somewhat rare for a convertible.

Here is where we get off into the weeds.  The seller, if they are looking for a serious Corvette buyer, would benefit from putting the engine, transmission, and rear end stamping numbers in the ad.  Corvette affecionados have volumes of books and online resources to fall back on to help determine if a part is correct for the car and if the date code is in the acceptable range for the car’s build date.  Take for example the four speed on this car.  Is it an M20 or an M21?  Is it date correct?  These things matter greatly.

For the Corvette seen here, the ad is a bit light on these specific details.  However, the description is perfectly fine for an average car.  We know that the car is currently being used as a daily driver and both runs and drives well.  There are no leaks and exhaust smoke is not an issue.  The windows roll up and down fine and the interior is free of rips and tears.  The seller does address the usual Corvette concerns with the undercarriage and the birdcage by stating that they are in excellent original condition.  The car will, however, need tires.

The big issue here is that the car presents as a restored car with low mileage on the outside, but the condition under the car and under the hood is less spectacular.  This may be the low mileage, original, one owner car like the ad says.  The issue is the inside doesn’t match the outside.  I don’t think the seller is being deceptive.  In fact, the wording of the ad makes me feel very comfortable that this is not a scam by any means.  It just makes me think that a thorough description of the car’s history should be included in addition to the proper numbers.  The car is likely a good one to invest money in, but details matter in the Corvette world.

Have you ever had any issues purchasing or selling a Corvette?  If so, please share your experience in the comments.