After sitting in a carport for the past 39 years, it’s amazing this Corvette isn’t in worse condition. It’s clearly been modified by a previous owner, it features custom ’70s style paint and rims, but the current seller states that the frame is solid and in good shape. Given that it’s been parked out in the open in Seattle, Washington that’s quite surprising, but it does look good in their photos. The engine sadly isn’t correct and doesn’t run, but the seller believes the top end of the engine is original to the car. If that’s the case, this is a desirable dual quad 4-speed equipped car! Take a closer look at it here on eBay where it’s being offered in Boring, Oregon with a BIN of $32,000.
In ’61, the Corvette was offered with several versions of the 283 V8, ranging from a base single 4 barrel carb with 230 horsepower up to a 270 horsepower dual quad setup and even a 315 horsepower fuel injected option. The engine that is currently sitting in this engine bay is a 327, so clearly it isn’t the original. The seller hasn’t checked the number on the top end, but states that it has double hump heads and dual quads mounted up. The heads are a bit of a conundrum, as these were only strapped to fuelies. While it’s possible that this originally was a fuel injected car, many were swapped to carbs, but chances are they were installed when the engine was swapped out. A closer look at the numbers on the heads are definitely in order and might give a better idea of this car’s story.
For having been parked in a carport with the top down, the interior is surprisingly intact. Obviously, it’s going to need a full restoration, but it’s complete so at least you know where things go. The more I look at this car, the more I want to know the story behind it. Someone put a lot of work into this car at one point and clearly liked to go fast in it.
Whether it was originally a base model or a dual quad car, this Corvette deserves to be saved. Given how much has already been changed, I think this would be the perfect for a custom route. The 327 doesn’t turn over, so why not pull it out and rebuild it with high performance internals? With the dual quads and double hump heads, it wouldn’t be hard to make this one fast Vette! While I know what things I would want to do with it, I’d love to hear what you would do with it.
I thought the camel backs were offered on several models, not just fuelies. Maybe I’m wrong. 🍳
Found in a carport, then taken to a field full of tall weeds? Hard to parse that story.
Staging!
… or the car port is over grown and in dire need of rebuilding….. much like the Vette. Still….. it’s a ’61.
Yep someone bought from a owners carport then trailered it to his place and dumped it off into a field for the field find effect, makes it worth more money I guess.
me id drop in a blown572 and have a blast with it and id call it dead mans curve a tribute to jan and dean
Jan and Dean: “I was cruzin in my Stingray late one night……”. Not my 61.
Not a bad deal for $3,200……..Oh !!!! ……. $32,000!!!! WWHHHHAAATTTT!
Put the crack pipe down. Let’s run some provable numbers to show it is one of like less than 10 made and then talk money.
Just shaking my head, who leaves a corvette or any decent car in a field to rot? Either someone who has no brains or who has too much money ….or both.
wow someone sure is getting their money’s worth but it’s not the buyer of that hulk
At the end of the day its worth only what somebody will give and you’ll take. Even if its been staged to have been parked away.
Not sure why anyone would buy this. The cost to restore, even to nice driver standard, would be more than what it would cost to go out and buy a nice driver. You might even find a bargain on a restored car. IMHO the 61 is among the least desirable of the C2’s. Unless, for some reason 61’s are special to you I would keep looking.
The value for a perfect condition 1961 Vette averages at 72k…. That’s Flawless, Show Condition, not driven, kept in controlled temperature and humidity storage facilities. Considering the cost to bring this to that level…. and make a Little Profit…. I couldn’t offer more than 20k pending inspection. If it raised my eyebrows after a serious look-see, my offer could increase. My offer could also drop if things look worse than presented. A 32K price tag doesn’t leave any meat on the bones after restoration if you cut corners.
This is an expensive investment.
Here is how the current market values this vehicle…. #5 Poor …. 10K
1961 Chevrolet Corvette
CURRENT & HISTORICAL VALUES
Current Values
$110,000 – #1 Concourse
Condition #1 vehicles are the best in the world. The visual image is of the best vehicle, in the right colors, driving onto the lawn at the finest concourse. Perfectly clean, the vehicle has been groomed down to the tire treads. Painted and chromed surfaces are mirror-like. Dust and dirt are banned, and materials used are correct and superbly fitted. The one word description for #1 vehicles is “concourse.”
$82,900 – #2 Excellent
#2 vehicles could win a local or regional show. They can be former #1 vehicles that have been driven or have aged. Seasoned observers will have to look closely for flaws, but will be able to find some not seen by the general public. The paint, chrome, glass and finishes will all appear as excellent. No excessive smoke will be seen on startup, no unusual noises will emanate from the engine. The vehicle will drive as a new vehicle of its era would. The one word description for #2 vehicles is “excellent.”
$49,300 – #3 Good
#3 vehicles could possess some, but not all of the issues of a #4 vehicle, but they will be balanced by other factors such as a fresh paint job or a new, correct interior where applicable. #3 vehicles drive and run well, but might have some incorrect parts. These vehicles are not used for daily transportation but are ready for a long tour without excuses, and the casual passerby will not find any visual flaws. “Good” is the one word description of a #3 vehicle.
$31,700 – #4 Fair
#4 vehicles are daily drivers, with flaws visible to the naked eye. The chrome might have pitting or scratches, the windshield might be chipped. Paintwork is imperfect, and perhaps the body has a minor dent. Split seams or a cracked dash, where applicable, might be present. No major parts are missing, but the wheels could differ from the originals, or other non- stock additions might be present. A #4 vehicle can also be a deteriorated restoration. “Fair” is the one word that describes a #4 vehicle.
$10,000 +/- – #5 Poor
Major restoration of every kind is needed, from paint to mechanical. Engine overhaul, or replacement to original equipment is probably needed, as well as replacement of other parts that have been added that are not original. Not running.
Poor describes a #5 vehicle.
(asking $32,000 for the vehicle above is absurd)
Asking anything over $15K is absurd – nuf said.
The correct word is “Concours” used either as “Concours de eTat” or “Concours de Elegance”.
In point of fact it would be, “concours d’elegance”. The French drop the ‘e’ in ‘de’ when the object begins with a vowel.
And I would take any year C1, even a ’61, which of course (concourse?) was the last year for the contrasting color coves.
But not at this price for this car…
Who would let this happen to that car? It’s sad.
This car has a high redline tachometer; that means it was either a high horse (270 hp) 2×4 car or a high horse (315 hp) fuel injection car. The factory made a base motor 230 horse car with one four barrel carburetor and orange valve covers that say “CHEVROLET”. All optional motors were either 2×4 carbs or fuel injection, and have 7 finned aluminum valve covers that say “CORVETTE”. The factory made two versions of the 2×4 motor; low horse (245 hp) and high horse (270 hp). The high horse has the high red line tach, the low horse tach redlines at 5,500 revs. The fuel injection motors were also offered in two versions; low horse and high horse. The low horse has the low redline tach and has 250 horses; the high horse has 315 horses with the high redline tach as mentioned. The high horse motors (270 with 2×4 carbs and 315 with fuel injection) USED THE CAMEL HUMP HEADS!! The valve covers look correct, and so do the carburetors!! Although it is unfortunate that the 283 ci motor has been changed, THIS CAR LOOKS LIKE A REAL 270 HIGH HORSE 2×4 CAR!!! Really, it looks like all they changed was the wheels and the original 283. THIS CAR SHOULD DEFINITELY BE PUT BACK TO ORIGINAL WITH A 283! I know it is weathered and lost the 283, but there are a lot of high horse original parts on this car!!! I hope this information will be helpful to someone who wants to buy the car. I have been restoring solid axle Corvettes in my shop for 42 years; I have been an NCRS judge since 1981(National meet at St. Louis, MO.)
Right about the power pack heads….how do we know it’s a 327 and not a 283 from the pictures?
Not worth much lnterior if any of it is usable l’d be amazed Seat frames are probably rusty & crusty & that red steering wheel is NOT from that car so why did that get changed? Did the car hit sumthing & bend the original one? Lots & lots of questions for me these two are only the tip of the iceberg for me!
The seller said it originally had red interior. Wouldn’t that explain the red steering wheel?
I am not a Corvette guy bu any means, but, even I know not to leave a car like this outside. What, how, and why would someone do that? That being said, I don’t know much about pricing, but I do know of someone who paid over 50 grand for a Z28 that was nothing but a rusty shell and pretty much nothing but a firewall because of the build codes of the car and the paint code. Too rich for my blood
I am 15 minutes from there, (Boring Oregon, & no joke but they have a sister city program w/ Dull Scotland)
But sure its over priced but its cool, But seller has over 100 listings right now for mostly vette stuff so prolly no harm no foul throwing it out there and seeing if there is a bite.
If it IS a 283 Powerpak heads are the way to go, I have a set of 1.94 camel humps I ran on a 327 vette motor and the powerpaks are the way to go on a 283. Had one of those too and it was a sweet motor and very fun in a light car.
Dual 4s wont make it fast, slower in fact. A dual plane intake with a 600 holley with vac secondarys would run circles around it. But a 283 with small dia headers, optimized ignition PP heads and a stock rochester 2 barrell will run circles around all of them from 0-90 mph. Throw in a Muncie 4sp and its a recipe for fun.
I would give you $3,200 no problem
“The heads are a bit of a conundrum, as these were only strapped to fuelies. ” I have owned a few SBC 327’s and they all had the fuelie heads. Did you mean the early powerpack heads? I have seen those on regualr stock 283’s also. Forty years I tried a couple of times to use those twin four set ups and yes you lose HP .If edelbrock carbs were availble back then it could have sorted them out I think. .283’s and 327’s are fun engines ,more so than the LS series so popular today .
All strong points, here. I’d lean more towards unrestored.
Find a donor interior or just seats and a dash pad, freshen up the engine and give it a bolt on EFI. Freshen the trans and maybe some modern brakes and modern suspension.
Make the car run better in a straight line and corner better than stock and blow the doors off of new Mustangs all day! Leave the ugly paint in tact and leave the wheels unfinished, just clean it up. Love the Torque Thrust wheels, too!
I agree, except for the EFI. Keep it period correct for performance. You could add disc brakes. You might surprise a newer Mustang once, but not all day.
BTW. Very cool car. I can’t figure a powerglide trans behind a 2X4’s (270hp?) from the factory like the seller mentions, even though it has a 4-speed now.
In 1969, one year out of high school, married and first child on the way, I worked at a large production machine shop in Nashville. A fellow came to work at the same shop, fresh out of the Navy, driving one like this, all blue, 283, dual quads and a 4-speed. Offered to sell it to me for $800, I couldn’t come up with the cash at that point in my life. Should, coulda, woulda…
What a shame this car is.
If it were a gift I would graciously decline to accept.
See the analysis and explanations restated by Jim ( above) explaining the classifications of car condition. That says it all.
This Vette is junk.
That’s hard for some folks to admit.
The highest and best use for this car in its present condition is …first and foremost take lots of photos and then feature it as a calendar photo car showing rusted and decayed relics. Then part it out.
Trying to restore this lump of fiberglass and metal scrap is a fool’s project.
What a shame.
Now I know who stole the red gate from my pasture. Bends and all. Give me the vette and I won’t call the cops.