While it can be difficult to gauge the desirability of some classic cars, others leave you in no doubt. Such is the case with this 1968 Chevrolet Corvette. Its engine bay houses a non-original motor, and it needs plenty of work to return to its former glory. However, that hasn’t prevented fourteen people from dropping an impressive sixty-two bids on this classic in less than two days. People like what they see, and if the action continues at the current rate, the ‘Vette could be headed to a new home very soon. Located in West Babylon, New York, the seller has listed the Corvette for sale here on eBay. Bidding has raced to $8,100, although that figure remains short of the reserve.
When you consider the company our feature car keeps, it’s easy to see that the seller has a soft spot for C3 Corvettes. Surveying the supplied photos reveals at least seven others hiding in the background, but this appears to be the only Convertible. It will need some work to return to its former glory, and refreshing the tired International Blue paint will be a start. The photo quality isn’t good, so it is impossible to determine whether there are any significant flaws or issues with the fiberglass that demand attention. Similarly, there are no underside shots, so the structural state of the frame and birdcage remain a mystery. If there are problems, they don’t rate a mention in the listing. I would always advise an in-person inspection (if possible) to ensure that this classic hides no nasty surprises. The frame for the soft-top is okay, but the buyer will be investing in a replacement top as part of the revival process. The Rally wheels and their associated bright pieces look good, and there are no obvious problems with the trim or glass. If the frame and birdcage prove sound, the cosmetic refresh of this Corvette could be relatively straightforward.
Lifting the hood reveals the most significant mystery with this Corvette. The owner indicates that the engine is a non-original big-block but doesn’t elaborate on its capacity or specifications. Chevrolet offered potential buyers five versions of their 427ci big-block V8 in that model year, but it isn’t clear if this is one of those. If so, the driver will have at least 390hp at their disposal. With a three-speed Hydramatic transmission sending the power to the rear wheels, the ‘Vette should be able to blitz the ¼ mile in under 14 seconds. The seller indicates that the motor starts and runs, although it appears the car isn’t roadworthy. It needs a carburetor rebuild as a starting point, while the noisy starter is also a candidate for a refresh. That is the extent of the information the seller supplies. Therefore, a thorough inspection is on the cards to determine any further issues.
One aspect of this Corvette that proves better than I expected is the interior. The original owner ordered the car trimmed in Blue vinyl, and while it isn’t perfect, the overall condition is acceptable for a driver-grade classic. The seats exhibit some wear on the piping, but there are no rips or significant flaws. At least one of the seat-back trims might be missing, although the interior is otherwise complete. The wheel has a couple of fine cracks, but the dash and remaining plastic look pretty good. The factory radio has made way for an aftermarket radio/cassette player, which is the only modification I can spot. Potential buyers seeking luxury extras will find this interior pretty raw and bare-bones. There is no air conditioning, no power windows, and no other creature comforts. However, it does represent high-performance motoring in its purest form.
This 1968 Corvette Convertible has grabbed the imagination of potential buyers, and the bidding history confirms this. If the sale price remains somewhere within the current bidding level, it should represent a restoration project that makes sound financial sense. Restored to a high standard, an ultimate value of $40,000 should be an easy goal. If the next owner achieves perfection, that figure could quickly climb north of $60,000. Even if we ignore potential values, it’s easy to understand why interest has been high. This Corvette is a brutally muscular sports car promising neck-snapping performance. That’s a recipe that many enthusiasts find hard to resist. Will you be able to, or are you tempted to join the bidding war?
Time for a “3 Vettes a day” rule.
Using eBay’s hover to zoom feature reveals numerous fiberglass issues with the nose and left rear quarter. The dimples along the top edge of the driver door, are a sign that the door frame has rust problems, not untypical of 68 doors, and not easy to fix. From what I see this car will need a nose, and a left rear quarter, and possibly door(s), before any thought is given to paint.
While there is a big block under the hood, the hood itself is from a small block car. The 5600 redline is a sign that the car may have started life with either a 390 or 400 horse 427.
This car’s in rough shape, and because it’s a 68, the next owner can also expect to have to deal with many one year only parts, when trying to restore it.
Agree with gbvette62, this is a difficult car to restore. Plenty of one year only parts to source and this car has been hit in the front. Door frame rot hard to repair. Finding a quality shop to do the work if you can’t, well better cash in your Amazon stock. 68s get a bad rap, but were junk the day they replaced the great 67.
Ya that hood is a small block.My old 68 i bought as a 454 and originally a 327both not on car. it sat for 20 years inside thank god. It came with a good job changing to a big block. It came with matching standard hood, and a454 raised hood when the 454 was dropped in a b&m supercharger was on it.No room and at some point some cutting was likely plan. corvettes don’t have a lot of headspace in the engine bay so even the big block hood was still a problem. It a point i pulled the 454(scary fast) and just a350 mild build and still had to use the big block hood. way better to drive after that
Sorry George
These cars are not any harder to restore then other corvettes all the parts are there if you have the money, the draw back is the steering column is to close to the seat harder for a big guy to drive
The ’68 steering wheel is quite dished – i would think a smaller/fatter less dished one from a late ’70s corvette(or even a t/a) would solve the problem – easier than replacing the column or going on a crash diet.
Hmmm, non-original big block. Was it an original big block car?
Along with what everyone said above I would wand to flip this thing on it’s roof (not literally) and check the frame/suspension. It’s from New York.
It looks as if this 68 is sitting a Corvette guy’s dream garage. I would love to poke around and see what else he has in there!