While not a car for the perfection or concours entrant, this 1958 Chevrolet Corvette appears to be a pretty solid car that might looks nice enough to drive with a buff and polish. It’s listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding is up to $32,000 so far and any reserve has been met. The car is located in Walker, Louisiana.
I’m actually a little surprised that the car is going as high as it is considering the lack of originality. It left the factory in silver blue with a 230 horsepower, 283 cubic inch V-8 and a four-speed transmission but now has some other small-block Chevy V-8 and an automatic. Despite the rust on the rear bumpers, though, it doesn’t look too bad from a distance, although the seller calls the paint out as needing to be redone.
I wonder if this is the driveshaft for the manual transmission? Would you put a manual back in (recognizing that originality is out the window at this point)?
The oxidation and pitting on the dash chrome me wondering if this car has spent a lot of time near a coast. It looks like salt air corrosion. What do you think — 102,497 miles or 202k?
I would prefer something other than black seats in an un-airconditioned convertible — just sayin’. However, they do look to be in nice shape and would probably clean up well. I’ve been trying to figure out the discoloration on the far door and have come up short. Any ideas? I hope it’s not mildew or mold.
Obviously not a stock engine, but again at this point if you are going to drive it regularly rather than show it does it really matter? The seller says it’s not running which surprises me; one of the nice things about early Corvettes is the simple and common mechanical components. Is a solid, non-rusty frame and a straight body worth the auction price even if it’s not original? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Driver quality? It doesn’t even have spark plug wires lol. By judging how crappy everything you can see looks, just imagine the stuff you can’t. Not exactly driver quality as it sits IMO.
The seller says it’s non running and it is a project. Buy it and I will by you some plug wires.
Nice retort, Tort. Read the first two words of the headline again.
So what your’e saying here Jamie, is that someone ripped out the 4-speed and threw in an auto? CRIME.
It’s better quality than the last 58 we saw! The rust and mold along with the electrical parts missing makes me believe this car may have been submerged at some point!!! Maybe Katrina or some other hurricane that frequently visits that part of our country!! It’s still a nice find and worth saving!! Put a different motor in it but return it to the for speed it deserves!! Or maybe a tremec 5 speed!!!
The 58 was my 1st Vette,paid a whopping $500.00 for a brick with 4 wheel’s.& it came with a hard top.I probably should of went the Gasser route with it.
“Driver quality”? Ya, but I would go nuts, broke, and upside down buying all the pieces to make it “acceptable driver quality”.
yea Timm I was wondering if it went for a swim at some point. 32 large- wow-will be interested in seeing what it tops off at. maybe some rich investor is paying these prices. seems solid and fairly complete–needs orig v8 and 4 speed put back. Good luck to the new owner!!
Happy motoring
Cheers
GPC
As one who has gone through enough hurricanes to choke a big Tuna it looks just like my wife’s Mini Cooper after Irene got through with it. Foggy instruments don’t rebuild well and it’s real hard on motor oil.
There’s a lot wrong here but it’s a good restorable base. $25k tops but you know someone will go way over.
My father’s first Corvette was a base engine 58 with a 3 speed. I’d love too find that car.
I wonder if the car flooded in the flood of 2016. Walker, Louisiana was hit hard. It’s going to be a pain to rebuild. Someone must really want a project car to bid this to $32K!
How much time would it have taken the seller to clean some of the dirt and grime off the car before taking pictures? But what am I saying, it’s $32k now with the dirty look, what do I know.
Pretty nice.
But no one here can afford it
I think this is a pile of left over parts (seats not original color, transmission is not original, engine is not original, etc) from a Corvette restorer. I am betting rusted out/twisted frame. Not that I am an ” original kind of guy” (just an old hot rodder) But in this condition (possible flood car) it should be original at this price. I realize that the values on C1s are up in the clouds somewhere ( wish I had Dad’s ’58 or even his ’55) but I would still like to see the condition of the frame before offering anything over about $10k. ( and would not even consider the current price range) And I think that there is some other damage going on here that is not being disclosed.
Like I have said before to many corvetts from walker la ??????
Compared to some of the other “crap” I’ve seen offered lately this one is about what we true car guys can expect. Between Barrett-Jackson, the “flippers”, the drug rich, and the over optimistic green horns with more money than brains, honest to goodness car guys don’t have much of a chance!!