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Estate Sale Find: 1972 Chevrolet Corvette Project

This 1972 Chevrolet Corvette is an estate sale find, listed by the company responsible for clearing out the property of an elderly owner. Sadly, the heirs don’t seem to know much about the Corvette, which is a total project but one that the previous owner seemed to have a plan for. Several spares are included, but you’ll have your work cut out for you if restoring this body is in the plans. Find the drop-top Corvette here on eBay with bidding just over $1,500 and no reserve. 

The Corvette shows evidence of heavy body damage, a trashed interior, and the motor has been stripped down to a block with no visible VIN numbers, according to the seller. The upside is it is a 4-speed car and the factory hardtop is included in the sale. If the colors are original, it’s a great look, but with a car as disheveled as this one, it’s hard to believe many of the original features are left.

The good news is the original owner was clearly trying to collect the parts necessary to rebuild his Corvette. A rear clip is included in the sale, along with a spare frame – which may tell you that the one currently under the car is potentially rotten. As the seller seems reluctant to go into much detail about the car, an in-person inspection would make sense. A new convertible top is also included in the sale.

A clean title comes with the car, and if I’m reading this correctly, the elderly owner bought it in 1982. Either it was well-used and loved before an accident sidelined it, or was purchased as a project. Either way, it’s a shame it wasn’t completed before his passing, as I’m not sure how much sense it makes to bring this one back. Will its value ever exceed in the investment necessary to restore it to original form? Who knows, but I’m certainly not one to pass judgement on questionable purchases.

Comments

  1. Avatar John M.

    YIKES!.

    Looks like an overgrown pit bull terrier thought it was a chew toy.

    Like 4
  2. Avatar Michael

    No Thanks!!

    Like 4
  3. Avatar Gaspumpchas

    If you were willing to do the work might be worth looking at if its cheap. set that frame on level ground, do the measurements and have at it. Good luck to the new owner!!

    Cheers
    GPC

    Like 7
  4. Avatar Chris

    Parts is parts.

    Like 2
  5. Avatar Corvettejamie

    Original title?? The issue date was 1982. This car is a 72. Hmmmm

    Like 9
    • Avatar Jonny the Boy

      It says on the title the car was purchased “USED”. Look to the right of the date!

      Like 2
    • Avatar Dave Mazz

      Maybe a dealer, or someone who had access to dealer plates, ran this car for ten years but never registered it. I don’t know how Illinois taxes work, but in my state (Connecticut) each town has an annual auto tax that could be as high as 3-4 percent of assessd value. Maybe the original owner was using some sort of dodge to avoid taxes? (In CT, I know that some folks do this sort of thing to cut down on their collector-car expenses.) In any case, the
      “Hmmmm” is appropriate, *something* looks funny here.

      Like 1
  6. Avatar Rudy C

    Seller also has a ’68 from the same estate. Both cars will be major projects to return to drivable let alone a full restoration. Looks like both cars were bought in early ’80’s, maybe the elderly gentleman bought them cheap? One man’s dream, another man’s junk; I’ll pass on these.

    Like 4
  7. Avatar canadainmarkseh

    Personally I’d pass on this poor beat up Vette mostly because I have no desire to own a corvette.that being said the car would be an interesting challenge. Man o man this car is rough though. Good luck to the buyer.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Jeff

    This Por Vette should be given a decent burial.

    Like 6
  9. Avatar Classic Steel

    The hardtop is worth about 400-550!.

    The rest is 💩.

    Interior and dash is toast ….

    Engine bay toast

    Spare frame … who cares

    Ever priced Corvette parts 😟

    Ever had a paint estimate on fiberglass?

    Paint 10-12 if no work needed …why? because they can 😜

    To new owner .. good luck and be prepared for money 💰 thrown to rebuild one not worth it and 98k hard miles ..

    Like 8
    • Avatar Poppapork

      I own a c3 and confirm – no reputable shop would paint it under 10k….

      There is one big thing you forgot – all the c3 race cars of that era were convertibles with hardtops ( the regular top did not leave enoughroom for a cage) thats the avenue i would go with this one as it hard top, manual, i would put 4 flared fenders on it, race interior (bringing this one back to stock is too pricey)

      Like 8
      • Avatar rallyace

        I, too, thought that the only thing it was worth was that it was a good starting point for building a vintage race car.

        Like 1
      • Avatar TriPowerVette

        @Poppapork – Of all that I know about Corvettes, I never knew the reason why every one of the old roadracers was a left-off hard top. Now I filled in that little gap. Thank you.

        One of those is my thumbs up.

        That picture you included is so beautiful, it takes my breath away. Thank you for that, too.

        I have a question: Why would it have a Ferarri Scuderia Cavallere Rampante on the side?

        Like 0
  10. Avatar AZD

    “Hey, I could build a good Corvette from five wrecked ones for alomost nothing!”

    …30 years later…

    Like 3
  11. Avatar Karl

    I would run from this as fast as I could!

    Like 1
  12. Avatar MFerrell

    As someone who’s torn C3’s down and put them back together more than once, this could be a nice project if the frames are solid. I’d do all the work myself, including body & paint, and end up with a nice driver. I wouldn’t lose money, wouldn’t make money, but would end up with a nice metal bumper C3 and have fun along the way. It’s just like building models as a kid, but in the end, you get to drive them!

    Like 5
    • Avatar Dennis

      I’ve been told I was crazy for restoring my 71 Coupe. Doing all the work myself and I hear, your time is worth money. True, but I’ll trade my time for a number of years to have fun with my 71 and I’ll have a little sweat equity in her. This is a rough one for sure, but if a Vette lover wants a drop top chrome bumper Vette, why not? Some day, mine look this good.

      Like 3
  13. Avatar Derek Nathan Daniel

    The hardtop alone is worth $2,000 great deal .

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Comet

    Note to self: Store all spare parts in the back yard.

    Like 4
  15. Avatar Del

    Honey, I shrunk the Vette

    Like 0

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