There are very few sights sadder than a desirable classic that has suffered significant accident damage. Seeing someone’s pride and joy bent and broken is heartbreaking, but that has been the fate suffered by this 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible. I believe it is a tribute to an iconic former racer, and the big-block hiding in the engine bay confirms it was a beast in its prime. The big question is whether someone can, or will, bring it back from the brink. The seller has listed the Corvette here on eBay in Granite City, Illinois. They set their BIN at $34,900 with the option to make an offer.
The history of this Corvette is unclear, but it appears to be a replica of the original Ko-Motion Corvette that wrote its own page in history by setting a new world record at the 1969 AHRA Summer Nationals at New York National Speedway. It blitzed the ¼-mile in 11.04 seconds at 129mph. The car retired soon after, only resurfacing thirty-one years later. Several replicas have emerged, such is the legendary status of the original car. I suspect that this is one of those, and it is unclear whether it has seen any racing action. What is abundantly clear is that its last journey came to a grinding halt when the irresistible force met the immovable object. The forces involved are clearly illustrated in this classic, courtesy of the severely bent steering wheel. The panel damage isn’t a major concern because replacement fiberglass is readily available. However, given how far back items like the radiator support have been pushed, the frame could be severely damaged. Whether that is the case would require an in-person inspection. Whatever the fate of this Corvette proves to be, the buyer will probably dismantle the car. From there, it could be a project or possibly a donor for other builds.
The Ko-Motion Corvette was powered by a 427ci V8 that, in race trim, produced an incredible 560hp. This Convertible is faithful to that philosophy, although the specifications of the 427 Crate Motor in this car are unclear. The builder hooked the big-block to a four-speed manual transmission, and although it wouldn’t have been as fast as the original Ko-Motion, it would have commanded respect. Unsurprisingly, this car doesn’t run or drive. The aluminum radiator is pushed back almost to the water pump, but the seller states that the motor turns. The radiator should have absorbed some of the impact force, meaning that the big-block might be undamaged.
Trimmed in Black, this Corvette’s interior is pretty tidy. The carpet is worn and faded, but the trim and upholstered surfaces are in good condition. Apart from the wheel, the fact that the accident cracked the dashpad in several places reveals how hard the hit was. There are plenty of salvageable parts if the new owner treats it as a donor. Otherwise, new carpet, a new wheel, and a replacement pad are all this interior really needs.
It is rare for a classic to cross our desks at Barn Finds, and I don’t enjoy surveying the seller’s photos. However, this 1967 Corvette Convertible is an exception to that rule, because the damage is deeply painful. The biggest question isn’t whether it can be revived, but whether the process is financially viable. The C2 Corvette remains a strong performer in the classic market, but since this one isn’t original, placing a firm value on it if it were returned to its former glory is almost impossible. The cosmetic issues aren’t a huge concern, but the apparent severity of the impact may have bent the frame beyond repair. Do you believe someone will restore this Corvette, or will it become a parts car for other projects?
You know, it is heartbreaking,,,to us, but somehow, the people that do this kind of thing, seems to roll right off them. I watch drag racing and am always amazed at how these contraptions of wizardry and money, are seemingly destroyed in a hiccup. Not so happy now, eh? For big teams that rely heavily on sponsor support, no big deal, but this is a shame and shows it can happen in an instant. You know what I think? This car wasn’t damaged on a race track, the damage is inconsistent with a drag racing crash, looks more like “oak tree you’re in my way”, and the fun stopped there. That steering wheel says, should have had the seat belt on. Nice going, Chas,,,
Ooh, ooh that smell!
Looks like it only has lap belts – a paramedic friend of mine says about the only thing lap belts are good for is it makes the bodies easier to find after a crash………….
This isn’t a race car, it’s a street car with a big engine painted to look like one. It’s being sold by a wrecking yard/salvage company with nearly 9,000 current listings on eBay. They’ve been featured on this site several times before, they tend to fish when they list exotics and special interest cars like this.
This Corvette has a lot of damage, it’s hard to see the value in it anywhere close to the asking price.
Steve R
They definitely want to much for them. The Imperial, Tbird and Talladega might be worthwhile if the prices can be negotiated but those are about it for me
The Talladega they have listed was featured on this site in November of 2025. They seem to use the same playbook as the dealer in Celeste Texas, buy really low, ask the moon and wait for a buyer.
Steve R
That was my first thought – no roll bar/cage, stock seats, no safety equipment of any kind that would allow it any race track.. Definitely all hat and no cattle.
Name changed to “No-Motion”…
But very sad, was a beautiful car before the crash.
for that kind of money i would want to hear it run ….no thanks LOL
When I first this car, I almost threw up. Thank God it isn’t the REAL KO MOTION, bought new by Charlie Snyder of Astoria, Queens, NY, with an L71. Joel Rosen put an over the counter L88 in this car and it was nearly unbeatable on Long Island. Charlie, sadly, was sent to Vietnam in 1969, and was killed in action. The car was put in storage in his sister’s garage until a body shop owner named Glenn bought the car and I believe still has it today. I wrote an article about this famous race car for Hemmings Muscle Machines, when I was the editor there 20 years ago.
I remember that article, I’d never heard of the car prior. That was a great magazine, I bought their second issue on a newsstand and subscribed, it was the last one I subscribed to, until it, like all the others ceased publication in physical format.
Steve R
This seller seems to specialize in wrecked and rebuilt cars….. most of them priced as if they weren’t.
looks like a nice $7500.00 project for a body man that has the ability to repair this himself at a fair or wholesale price to have something worth its value when complete. It is not worth it pay for a repair and restoreation at a body shop..
I don’t know these cars that well from the pictures it looks like the frame is bent, and impact might have damaged the crank shaft. I hope whoever was in it at time of impact is healing up. To expensive of project for me to tackle best of luck to the seller
Easy fix. Frames are easy to straighten for a frame shop. If it was a coupe I would be interested.
driver to his right seat buddy–“man this thing really moves!”, he forgot it can stop quicker than it goes, happens, sad.
I completely agree. I bet that that this thing is broken in places you didn’t even know that it had places.
I’m a Corvette owner that has a huge soft spot for ’67 big blocks and I wouldn’t even consider this thing as a viable project.
Drop the price 20K and it might be worth buying
Looks like a fairytale, I’m pretty sure AHRA required rollcages and 5 point belts.
needs a frame for sure. lot of money all things considered, and you have to spend even more to make it right.
I have been a ‘car fanatic’ as long as I can remember. I started in the model car hobby way back in 1961 at age 12 and had two earlier model car collections. Collection number three was started in 1975 and currently numbers about 9000 model cars. I’ve also owned two different 1969 AMC Hurst SC/Ramblers since 1970, (one that I still own even though it doesn’t run at the moment). My first one was my daily driver and part time, weekend drag car (best pass was a 12:97 @ 104 MPH in G/Stock on a cool morning in the fall of 1971 at Raceway Park In Englishtown, New Jersey. I also raced a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere hardtop that I had installed a 413 Chrysler B-Block that came out of wrecked, 1962 Chrysler New Jersey State Police car, that ran in B/MP, a 1958 Chevy Impala convertible that was equipped with a 348 and a 4 speed that ran in D/MP and a 1957 Chevy Bel AIr hardtop that I bought while stationed in Texas in the Air Force in the late 60’s that was more of a daily driver and part time ‘Bracket Car’. I installed a set of dual quads from a 57 Corvette on that car, as well as the 4 speed that at one time had been in my 58 Impala convertible. And in later years I helped my friend Walter Kriel (who sadly passed away a few years ago) when he ran his big money (at least to me they were big money) drag cars, including a chrome moly tubing chassis, ‘LEGAL’ 1932 Ford C/SR that ran in Comp Eliminator, his 1968 Corvette coupe that ran in Super Gas or Super Comp and finally Walter’s 1984 Camaro that he ran GT/DA as part of Super Stock Eliminator. That 1984 Camaro was a multi N.H.R.A. National Event winner in Super Stock when it’s original owner, Canadian Wally Clark raced the car, including the Gator Nationals and U.S. Nationals one year. I said ‘Big Money’ above, because when I accompanied Walter up to Niagara Fall, Canada in 1991 when he purchased that Camaro from Wally Clark, he paid him $75,000.00 in cash, which to this day is still the largest amount of money I’ve ever seen in one place, at one time. Oh Yea, that Camaro was also a ‘roller’ at the time meaning it had no drivetrain. But regarding this ‘Motion Performance’ 1967 Corvette. I’ve always wanted to build a 1/25th scale model of that car (even though someone ‘did make’ a 1/16th scale die-cast model. I’ve always wanted to build a model of that Corvette because A: I’ve seen a couple of really nicely built replicas at various model car shows, B: because someone made a decal sheet to replicate the real car and C: because I did see the original car run once. But the ‘real reason’ I would have like to have built or have a model of the real car, was because the driver of that car, Charlie “Astoria Chas” Snyder was around my age and he sadly was drafted and then lost his life in Vietnam in1967.,
That’s a lot of money for a busted car with a salvage title.
Why a Salvage title the fix can’t be half the value?
I am a current Corvette owner, and because I once owned a ’67 L-71 roadster, I have a huge soft spot for one, but I wouldn’t touch this thing, even if it was with someone elses money.
This little beauty had a HARD hit and I would bet that it has things bent and broken in places you didn’t even know existed. Even if there weren’t serious questions about the state of the motor, there are not enough parts to even make it a viable parts car.
It’s a crying shame to see a car that was once really cool end up like this, but the sad truth is that it did, and it is now just another junk yars dog.
This car reminds of a lot of a 69 Corvette a customer called me about buying years ago. This was an NCRS Top Flight restored 69 427/435 automatic coupe he’d only had a few months. Pulling away from a light in the rain he’d got on it a little too hard and between the wet road, skinny repro bias ply tires, automatic and big block horsepower, the car got away from him and he hit an oncoming car head on. There was some issue between him and his insurance company about his supposedly not applying for collision coverage, so he was trying to recover some of what he’d paid for the car.
I first asked was the radiator hit (it was). I then asked about the frame to which he replied he didn’t know, but the left wheel was bent, and the suspension (A-Arm etc) was pushed up into the engine cracking the left exhaust manifold (yeah, the frame was bent). “Oh and the water pump was cracked and the distributor’s broken from hitting the firewall” he said (the engine was pushed back that far). Since the engine was in the firewall I asked if the firewall was damaged and how was the windshield. He didn’t know about the firewall but the windshield was cracked, and so was the top of the dash(!). I asked if it had a tilt/tele column to which he responded “Did you know 69’s had collapsing columns?” (yes I did, and so did the 67 here). He also mentioned there was a transmission leak, which from his description of the engine being pushed back I assumed meant the transmission’s aluminum case was cracked too. I did some quick calculations of what might be left that I could recover and sell (seats, rear bumpers, 3 wheels, brake caliper cores, rear diff, one manifold, intake and carbs, etc, etc) and made him a fair offer. We were about $25,000 apart, so I never even went to look at it.