- Seller: Steven S (Contact)
- Location: Greentown, Indiana
- Mileage: 90,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 194671S105316
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 350 cui V8 270hp
- Transmission: TH400 Automatic
Body-off projects can be intimidating, especially when they arrive as a collection of loose parts. However, this 1971 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible has several factors working in its favor. It retains its numbers-matching drivetrain, most of the expensive chassis work is complete, and the seller states that all removed components have been stored indoors. Located in Greentown, Indiana, this Corvette is offered exclusively with us as a Barn Finds Auction with a reserve.
The car was originally finished in War Bonnet Yellow with a black convertible top and a black Deluxe leather interior. Its factory equipment includes power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, an AM/FM radio, and a TH400 automatic transmission. The odometer shows 90,000 miles, although the actual total is unconfirmed. The Corvette comes with a clean title.
According to the seller, the Corvette was running and in good condition when they purchased it. A leaking fuel line between the body and frame prompted its disassembly and the beginning of a frame-off restoration. The frame, springs, sway bar, brackets, and related components were sandblasted and powder-coated. The control arms and trailing arms were stripped and rebuilt with new bushings and bearings, while the strut rods received new bushings. The seller states that 80-90 percent of the bolts, clips, and other hardware are with the car in labeled bags.
The seller collected all new brake and fuel system components. The project includes four new drilled-and-slotted rotors, stainless-steel brake calipers, new pads, hoses, clips, hard brake and fuel lines, a master cylinder, shocks, and a new fuel tank. The original front spindles are present and ready for the included new bearings and seals.
The numbers-matching 350-cubic-inch V8 was rated at 270 horsepower when new. It includes the original intake, carburetor, exhaust manifolds, tach-drive distributor, fuel pump, ignition coil, air cleaner, shielding, brackets, fan, and clutch. The original radiator, transmission cooler, and radiator support also accompany the car. The seller doesn’t indicate whether the engine or transmission has been rebuilt, so their present condition will require verification.
Most of the fiberglass is reportedly in good condition, including the hood, doors, rear deck, and valance. The front fenders are buckled and cracked above the wheels, although the upper surrounding panel is said to remain intact. The front and side grilles are included, and the front bumper, bumperettes, and rear bumpers have been rechromed and wrapped for protection.
The black convertible top remains on its frame, with its deck panel and hardware included. The original Deluxe interior is also present. The seller describes the seats, door panels, and uncracked dashboard pad as suitable for reuse. The seller has kept the wheels, tires, interior pieces, and other removed components indoors.
This Corvette will require body repairs, refinishing, and reassembly before it returns to the road. However, it appears to offer more than the typical abandoned frame-off project, particularly with its original drivetrain, desirable factory options, and many completed chassis upgrades. So, would you put this Corvette back together and hit the road? If so, cast your bids below!
Bid On This Auction
Paul C bid $2,750.00 2026-09-22 10:50:41
James Walsh bid $2,500.00 2026-09-20 02:01:52
Denny bid $1,000.00 2026-09-19 14:57:22
FredMN bid $500.00 2026-09-16 10:36:58
Thall bid $100.00 2026-09-16 10:09:03
“most” of the bolts, clips…
You can bet, when you purchase a car in parts and pieces, things will be missing. So, you buy, grin and bear it. It’s part of the project.
Woof… Alotta work needed… But, you’ll have a nice car when finished…
Please stop this frame off nonsense, you remove the body not the frame
Off frame!
You could do a lot worse as a “project”. We’ll see how realistic the seller is.
Restoring the frame is the easy part not the hard part!
Seems like a great deal for $1000.
Not,a project for the faint of heart. This requires extensive knowledge of body and chassis assembly. Or as they say u-tube is your friend…..it a project car but if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to reassemble it does offer a numbers matching benifit in the end. Some assembly required would be a fitting title for sure….
How long has this been apart? Firestone 500 tires? REALLY? RECALLED BACK IN THE LATE 70s early 80s. It could be a fun project. But I’m not impressed with the original drive train to be enticed. GLWTA!
there’s a box labelled “68 Corvette parts”…so we probably have a mish-mash of various pieces.
Great project at the right price I would installs some petals and make a 5 speed manual
this won’t go cheap. good luck transporting this mess. you got to hope it’s all there.
Its a put it together yourself Corvette here
If you take this on you better get it cheap ‘cuz you’ll soon be underwater. I’ll bet there are a lot of surprises waiting.
I dunno but you can get a c5 for $10 k and enjoy immediately , all the performance or more than this one , without the work or hassle and the convenience of a trunk !
But with a bit more coin , you can step into c6 territory and that changes the game , this is for a true lover and a sucker for pain , as for myself, been there , done that !
The labor force is now too infused with drug and alcohol issues to make it viable
1973 was the first year for radial tires fir the Corvette. The Firestone tires were recalled due to failures. Original tires had “Firestone” in small letters on the back side. Replacement tires had “Firestone” in large letters on the back side. The tire in question is a replacement spare from the 70’s and has the large letters. The tires/wheels that were on the car are in the stack. They are Remington tires, also old. The spare was shown to show I have the spare tire, wheel, tub, and hardware. The date code on one of the other wheels is shown in another picture.
I took the car apart before I was assigned a position in China just before the 2008 Olympics.
Steve, I would be happy to negotiate with you to purchase the car.
To the comments on bolts: I gathered the bagged and tagged bolts, clips, hardware, etc that are bagged and labeled and submitted a picture. I would like to amend my comment to “almost all” as I may have missed a couple. These are extremely helpful for reassembling the frame. With a small sandblasted you can clean these up and have the correct bolts.
Corvette assembly manuals are readily available for all model years and very detailed. YouTube videos are good for tips, hacks, and great to review before each step.
You clearly put thought and effort into this. Somebody is going to get a challenging but ultimately rewarding project.
Over the years I have taken on about a dozen abandoned Corvette projects: one C1, and the rest were C2s and C3s. I completed each one. Most of mine needed more (sometimes a lot more) work than this one. As Corvette projects go, I think this one is an excellent prospect for the right person.
Cars like this, with much of the dirty work done can be quite satisfying to complete. Although I really don’t need any more Corvettes at the moment, if this car were local, I might make an offer.
On a side-note, many of the project cars I have bought had a string of “dreamer” previous owners that could not finish. Some only got the cars apart, and others were further along with varying degrees of quality. Some came with, or were reassembled with wrong or bad parts. Some “rebuilt” components needed to be rebuilt again due to age or poor work. Most had parts missing. It is important to carefully inspect and inventory parts before making an offer. Most Corvette parts are available with many being reproduced. Some can be expensive and some that are not reproduced can be rare and Very expensive.
While some projects were halted by unforeseen health , family, or financial circumstances others were way beyond the means of the owner. To effectively tackle this type of project you need: time, skills/experience, a properly equipped shop, money , good health, and an understanding spouse/partner. If you are missing any of the above, I expect to see your unfinished ride for sale (again) here on Barn Finds. Probably at a further loss.
Excellent post, Cam. This should ground a few shade tree mechanics.
NOT OFF THE FRAME, even Mecum and Barrett Jackson says that. It is body off. Whatever. Yeah, most of the fasteners are here. To me, this sounds like he dug deeper than his mechanical skills allowed and now you have to Humpty Dumpty back together again. I have done two C3s. Fortunately, never had to replace a fuel line. They are a ton of work and parts are expensive. It’s a TH400, means it’s the base 270 hp engine. BORING.
This will have to be purchased by a local. Not one shipper will deal with that disaster.
I only buy disassembled projects in person. I have been doing it since the 70s, and virtually every time there are important (often valuable) parts, boxes, and extras that the owner “forgot”. This is especially important in estate situations where family usually does not know alot about which parts belong with the car.
More than a few times when I have gone to buy or view a parts-car or project, I have stumbled onto great deals on highly collectible cars & parts. many times I have heard “While you’re here, maybe you’d like some of the other cars & stuff in the other garage”. My favourite is “We’re just glad that it’s going to someone that would appreciate it”, vs “Too bad you weren’t here last week, we scrapped bunch of old cars & trucks”.
i have a rare 1974 GMC short bed loaded with a 454 engine also four wheel drive. great truck to restore.
i wanted to do it myself but 80 years old is too late to restore.
i know that the short bed GMC will bring a lot of money, so it needs to go to a good home.
Send it in so we can feature it on the site!
When my younger brother died another brother got his race car running (’68 Camaro) He sold the car for the widow and threw in an L88 block. I told him he sold the car too cheap and not to give away the engine but he owns a business and the car and the engine along with parts were were there eating up space in his shop.
And he just gave the stuff away after he made the deal. I now live out of state and had nothing to do with the sale.
$2500 would be about right to piece it out since the work removing most parts has been done but no way is it worth much if it is going to be rebuilt.
Just my opinion.
Chasing the missing bolts and nuts would be a nasty piece of work no matter if everything else is actually there and usable.
Trailing arms, a-arms, and strut rods rebuilt by Vtech in Illinois. I have 2 new rotor sets to choose from. One is Wilwood slotted and drilled, all new.
Doesn’t the “S” in the 7th digit of the vin mean Coupe?
“S” signifies St. Louis plant. “67” signifies convertible. “37” is coupe.
“No warranty. Sold As-Is. Some assembly required and batteries not included.”
Seriously, whoever bids and buys it should know the perils of buying a disassembled car, be it a Corvette or VW Bug. May the buyer get a good deal and finish the project!
No wonder our “hobby” is dying and younger people are not joining! When I was young (I’m 68 now) we would take on almost any project. A complete frame/suspension/drive train (and numbers-matching?!?) With mostly new parts?!? Sounds like a good start to me. We didn’t worry if a bolt or two was missing. Cash talks and price is negotiable. Will be a a great chrome bumper Corvette convertible with quite a bit of work and knowledge gained.
Agreed. The younger folks just don’t, do what we did back in the day. They just what to get in and drive. I would be happy to negotiate with you.
Paul C, how can we contact to negotiate? Steve
I am not sure as to how. I could send you my business email
At the top.of the listing there is a “contact seller” button. I believe you can send me an email from there. Steve
so ,driving back home tonight on a small road ,4 ways in front of me and i stop to ask what is wrong ,flat tire and the young healthy strong build kid politely tells me ,that the tire is flat and he has no idea how to change it !I practically burst out laughing but didnt ,he had already called his road protection service ,so i left ,no wonder its hard to sell a project car now …