C4 Corvettes are a dime a dozen, but how many are offered with a custom chopped top? OK, this is about as far away from custom as you can get, as it’s merely the case of a bored previous owner cutting off the coupe roof in an effort to create their own convertible. This is an odd choice, considering it’s not particularly hard to find a factory-build Corvette convertible from this generation, but it’s too late to go back now – and it has the additional insult of having been rolled at one point in time. Now, it’s likely just a good parts car, as evidenced by the one bid to $200 here on eBay. There is a reserve price, and it remains unmet.
It’s a strange car to put a reserve price on, as the value is limited to the engine and transmission, and the interior is likely trashed as it’s been left outside with no roof. The shame of it is that the red interior is a nice look for this era of Corvette, and not seen as often as the other interior schemes. Regardless, this angle shows us that chopping off the roof wasn’t perhaps done to a high level, as the remaining stub of the B-pillar isn’t exactly flush with the body. What else do you get? Four factory wheels, bumpers, hood, lenses, and deck lid, all of which look re-usable. However, the condition of those panels is questionable given the roll-over.
The smashed windshield frame tells you the roll-over wasn’t kind, and I hope the owner that performed the conversion incorporated some means of protection in the event the car was inverted. The missing passenger seat is a concern as if it was removed due to being damaged in the accident. Maybe the Corvette was nearing parts car status when the roof was removed, perhaps due to another accident where the hardtop or glass panel roof was damaged, and removing it was the only way to keep its ongoing use viable. Regardless, it’s been parked for ages, based on the scale of dead leaves found inside.
Now, the seller does point out that the C4 suspension is desirable for resto-mods and other projects, and certainly the engine – while not particularly exotic – can be used for other projects. The listing states that the frame was not believed to be tweaked in the accident and that the Corvette was rolled and parked in 1994. The Buy-It-Now price is $2,000, with the reserve number presumably (hopefully) below that by a fair amount. There’s loads of C4s sitting in junkyards in better shape than this, and they rarely seem picked over when I spot them. What do you think the best use of this chopped and rolled Corvette would be?
24 Hours of Lemons comes to mind.
By the time one got this thing street-legal and past a tech inspector, one would be several laps behind…if allowed to race at all. I see nothing more than an engine and suspensions bolted to a bunch of junk.
Some of the post’s make me laugh , some are cool or interesting cars and some make me ask,
” Do you have no shame”? lol
Corvettes in the classic car market are a tough sell. They are the most expensive cars when new, but unless something special like a 427/425, they just don’t bring the money of conventional muscle cars. C4’s unfortunately are the worst ones. I’ve seen running driving examples struggle to sell for $1500-2000. People just don’t want them at any price. If someone wants this for $200, the seller should take the money and run. It will save him the trip to the scrap yard.
C4 owners could care less about what you think of them. You can get a nice coupe that drives like a Phantom jet for 8K.
I don’t even like Corvettes, any Corvette, as they just aren’t my style, however, this one is just SO sad! Time to bury it I think.
I think they cut the top off to get the driver out after it was rolled. Thats why it wasn’t done with much care.
MH,
I think you’ve figured out why the car is in this condition!
Looks like someone wanted to do a Calloway conversion.. lol. Good luck to the new owners…
This should bring in some money
Yep its officially throw out your dead Corvettes to the curb day 😆🥺
Might i suggest one of following….
Push it off a cliff …
Drive it in a lake …
Give it to an X girlfriend through abandonment on her lawn….
Give it to fireman 🚒 to practice putting out fires…
Put it on your old 4×4 rusted crusted for off roading ….
Possibly one big 4th of July roman candle 🧨
Happy 4th of July everyone and thanks for the laughs this morning 👍🎉🧨
You know this generation Corvette is collectible when the Mythbusters acquire one like this complete with roof. Shows purchasing from the previous owner going so far as telling him of their plans. He doesn’t wince and takes the money……and seems to run.
They then proceed to put in a large dead pig inside with the windows up for 30 days in the California heat simulating a human body. The myth was the smell couldn’t be removed. Good watch.
Did not read other comments because when I saw it the fact that there is a kit conversion for a 365 Ferrari Daytona roadster body out there somewhere.
It looks like they tried to do the convertible conversion using 1986 factory convertible parts as evidenced by the cut out for the hard boot (tonneau) cover. The 1984’s are not desirable with their cross (back)fire injection with only 205 HP. Good parts car or turn it into a dune buggy like on the Road Kill TV show. Sorry Corvette enthusiasts but I have owned 3. A 1980 (great) a 1985 (ordered new, good) and a slightly used 1986 (better) so it does pain me to see “America’s Sports Car” in such a sad state…
Toss the body keep the drivetrain. That leaves you with options: 1. Get another body and assemble. 2. Sell all useable parts. 3. Build a swamp buggy.
Probably a lot more options but that’s what comes to my demented mind.
God bless America
The division between a barn find and trash can be very nuanced.
Not in this case however.
I’d try to get it running and then strip it off the frame, using the suspension, rear and drivetrain for a 55-57 3100 .
Roadkill it!
Roadkill called, said free they would take it
So I have this ’50 5 window Chevy 3100 and …
If the chassis could be salvaged and strengthened, I could see the LS9 from the C6 Corvette ZR1 being installed in it. Afterwards, it could be sent to an Italian coachbuilder like Zagato for a custom body, like the Bertone Mantide concept car of 2009.