- Seller: Albin N
- Location: Beaumont, California
- Mileage: 87,423 Shown
- Chassis #: 1Z67J5S412938
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 350 V8
- Transmission: Automatic
Automotive milestones have fascinated me since those grade school years when the local pharmacists would yell at me for reading their car magazines without buying them. I vividly remember the return of the Corvette Convertible in 1986, “just in time” to pace the Indy 500 that year. It had been gone for 11 long years, according to all that surreptitious reading I was doing, and I sure got caught up in the hype. So this 1975 Corvette, now available as a Barn Finds Auction, represents the first bookend of those childhood memories, the last convertible, at least for a while.
The C3 Corvette emulated David Bowie throughout its fifteen-year (!) model run: It underwent some changes. It saw aluminum 427s to Cross-Fire Injection and everything in between. Chrome bumpers, split bumpers, hatchbacks, four presidents…you get the picture. They were so popular that finding nice ones like this convertible is easier on the pocketbook than a ’60s Corvette is. Our featured convertible has a new white paint job (it was originally gray), a new convertible top, new tires, and new brakes. It’s road-ready.
Once you open the period-appropriate Corvette Summer hood, you see the classic Chevy small-block. It’s impossible, however, to ignore the cold hard facts of 1975: the Corvette’s standard 350 had some explaining to do. With 165 horsepower, the ‘Vette was built for looking good rather than storming the drags or giving those Jags a whipping at the 12 Hours of Sebring. The owner has recently given the engine (which is original to the car) a valve job and a new exhaust system, in addition to an aluminum manifold and a Holley-based carburetor in an effort to give the ‘Vette a little more oomph. If you’d prefer it, the original Quadrajet and iron manifold will come with the car.
There’s a new carpet in the Corvette’s racy interior. (Aren’t those round central gauges cool?) I think the white exterior and blue interior is a striking combination; maybe it’s the heritage of the original ’53, but white is always an appropriate color for a Corvette. Kudos to the seller. As you can see, this is an automatic Corvette, which isn’t a shortcoming in an era where one can’t buy a new Corvette with a manual transmission, even if one wants to.
So, if you always pictured yourself behind the wheel of the “last” Corvette convertible, your significant other by your side, with no particular place to go, maybe this one’s for you. It’s located in California, and there are plenty of pictures and a video so you can get a good idea of what you’re looking at. Good luck to bidders!
Bid On This Auction
Shazza bid $5,000.00 2024-11-25 12:01:46
Wink1171 bid $4,000.00 2024-11-22 11:47:38
William Warner bid $3,000.00 2024-11-20 17:58:51
Jack bid $2,000.00 2024-11-20 15:52:24- William Warner bid $1,000.00 2024-11-20 14:02:53
What’s with the ridiculous hood scoop?
The hood appears to be from a Durango 95. The vents are there so you can hear it “purr. away real horror show”.
Its for blocking your view. Makes the truly hard core types feel like they are living closer to the edge.
The goofy hood scoop ruins this car IMO. This gen really looks it’s best in convertible form and with the top down. I had a ‘75 t-top and ‘74 convertible, both white. Nice driver quality examples are still around but getting pricey, and in better color combinations than this one.
Very clean roadster, I would prefer a 4 speed, but this car is still pretty nice. I agree about that hood, but a used stock hood can be bought for around $200 and then painted to match the car. If the car is original to Beaumont, it could be rust free, but I’d inspect the undercarriage anyway.
Nice cruiser!
Thomas your right on the hoods you can get after market pretty cheep. A lot of people upgraded to the custom hoods.
If the bird cage is ok and the frame, maybe 6-7 grand tops
Richard you can have your opinion but obviously you don’t know these cars, look up c 3 convertibles they go for 20 to 30 k in this condition. It amazes me how many people never owed most of the vehicles on these auction sites and trash these sellers vehicles.
Several years ago, I paid about $6K for a nice ’75 convertible….. It only needed paint and reassembly (and some parts).
While the aftermarket hood may have limited appeal, this is still a very nice C3 convertible, and good ones do bring $20K++ all day.
Most of the cheap ones with needs easily cost over $20K to bring them into nice driver condition. Making them NCRS show quality may be double.
Lose the hood, the luggage rack & the black rag top , replace it with a white one & I’d call it perfect .
These last topless corvettes have grown on me but the lack of trunk makes them pretty useless…
I don’t do c&c anymore , so what use is there for a car that cannot go to the grocery store or the hardware store , whenever the gf hops in for a drive , she always finds stuff to buy !
I have a c4 and its the same , our little z3 is more practical
YOLO
Get rid of that ridiculous hood scoop and restore the original. You’ll have a better chance of selling it. Nobody wants your personal taste. They prefer just a clean original.
If needed I can deliver car after auction for winning bid, for a small fee.
It’s a personal choice on hood. Not horrible. Always liked white letter tires. Everyone has their own taste. I’d be in at the 10-12k range on this one.
I just noticed in the picture that shows the top down on the lid for the top there is a ferrule in the center for an anchor point for a removable hardtop, also it shows the vent for the rear window defogger . Nice car, I like it a lot. Health issues stop me from owning it unfortunately
It’s unfortunate how many people hate on these cars. There weren’t many of them built when compared to all the cars with backseats that most men who could afford them had to SETTLE for when the wifey saw the pricetag and lack of room. But GUARANTEED the first one the man looked at when he entered the showroom! The reason it seems there are so many still left is you didn’t see many of these sitting in driveways, they were mostly kept inside.
This is a very nice one, I agree purchase a nice STOCK hood, not a reproduction, trust me you will regret it! Paint the 8″ rally rims back to silver, dress them with a nice set of BF Goodrich white letter tires and you have a damn nice cruiser here! Pictured is the 79 C3 I restored, ZZ4 crate engine with 420Ft # of torque! Comes outta the hole like a bullet and pulls like a freight train. Has a built 350 turbo with .373 gears.
I love the car, love the engine but don’t understand using a 3 speed auto with a 3,73 gear , unless you never hit a highway !
I love the hood. I would drive it to shows and meets and make the purists flip out! Of course I’d keep a stock hood for resale time.
This is a beautiful car!!! Not my choice of hoods, but that’s an easy swap. I have owned a 75, but not a convertible. The style with the top down is so classy. I am sure this will sell well, as these are getting harder to find… Best Wishes!
Just me…replace the hood, black rattle can the wheel wells, and while the wheels/tires are off flip the tires around (blackwalls) and silver rattle can the wheels.
I’m thinking $17-19k for the car plus another $2k if the original hardtop goes with.
The 74-75 Corvette roadster are two of the few malaise era vettes that offer a decent money potential. They look really good but originally makes the difference. Returning the original hood would help the value of this immensely. I like this car.
And, the value is helped because they certainly didn’t make many. Convertibles were a dying breed.
In fact, in 68 and 69, they made more Vette convertibles than T-Tops. That figure flipped substantially starting in 70.
well, yes and no. About 65% of all 68’s were verts and about 40% of 69’s. Less than 40% of 70’s were verts. The ratio went downhill from there.
In 1975 it was about 12%, or about 4600 cars…making them unattractive, underpowered, rare, and about $10k more valuable than the coupe.
ruxvette you are right just 4629 convertibles; closest I have found is estimated about 15 to 20 percent might still be road worthy. It was the last yr for the C-3s corvette convertibles, didn’t have convertibles again till 1986. I do disagree with the underpowered aspect these 350s do get up and go since the car is so light, but isnt the reason we buy these cars to look good not street race them like we do in the 70’s The best thing is having a convertible.
To add to my last message this car also has a tilt telescopic steering wheel makes the driving more comfortable for us bigger guys.
I had a guy 6’5″ try to get behind the wheel of my ’70 and he could not do it. If it had tilt, he said he would have been able to do it.
But, he could get behind the wheel of my ’09 Mini Cooper and had room to spare.