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Fire Damage Discount: 1969 Corvette Roadster

This 1969 Corvette Convertible has been sitting in a warehouse for around 15 years. Unfortunately, it was put there because of an engine fire. We would normally run away from any car with fire damage, but this one looks so original that it is tempting. The orange paint, long list of options, and convertible top also make it hard to pass up. Find it here on eBay with bidding at $4,950 no reserve.

Look what happens when you heat up fiberglass. It turns to hair… The fender will need replaced, but hopefully the firewall can just be patched up. The source of this mess is that 350 V8. It is attached to an automatic transmission, which is no surprise in these old Corvettes. We would probably source a big block and a manual transmission to go in their place. We wouldn’t feel bad about it either because the car already has a salvage title and it would be better than letting it sit or parting it out. What combination would you cram in there?

Put a new top and windshield on your list of parts to order. Things look pretty good inside though. There are a few things to sort out and clean, but no major issues that we can see here.

This Stingray looks so good! It would be such a shame to not save it. It was originally a California car, so there is no major corrosion underneath. Loads of option boxes were checked when it was ordered, including power steering, power brakes, power windows, and air conditioning. This project could be a big gamble, but it might just be worth the effort.

Comments

  1. Avatar Jeffrey

    Really sad, but worthy of a project.

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  2. Avatar Rancho Bella

    I owned a number of these (4) I kept thinking they would be better than the last one, now I don’t own any………..there is a reason. And this……..oh’ my. Not worth the powder.
    Don’t hate me Jeffrey…….

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  3. Avatar Dolphin Member

    There are those who like these C3s, but this is the bottom-of-the-line 350/300, and it’s likely to appeal to someone who always wanted one but never had the chance, and just wants to get into one for not much $$. With the auto transmission it will probably appeal only to someone who may not be able to, or may not want to, handle a clutch, making the market even smaller for the car.

    It’s too good to part out, but there is a lot of work in this car to fix the damage done by the flames and heat. The engine/transmission and all the engine accessories and hang-ons, plus the cooling and A/C system will all have to come out and be R&R’ed, plus the engine bay and under-dash wiring (note the melted plastic in the dash area inside the car) will need to be removed to allow access to fix the fiberglass, and then the wiring will need to be R&R’ed to allow all the electricals to work properly. And that doesn’t even address the needs of the interior and elsewhere on the car, like the transmission, which might have been damaged by the heat and long storage, the brakes and brake lines, steering system, etc, etc.

    This car will probably sell only to someone who loves C3s and craves the challenge of bringing this one back to life. The car sat in a warehouse for the last 15 years because no one was up for that challenge, and because the cost of buying and fixing it properly exceeded the end value by a factor of probably 5 to 10X. Sad to say, but someone who wants a good 350/300 C3 driver would be better off passing on this and buying a good driver for $12 to $15K, or a #2 condition car for $22K-up. Plus he would be driving it a lot sooner.

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    • Avatar paul

      What he said!

      Like 0
  4. Avatar twwokc1

    If you can buy it right I think it would be worth a shot. With a salvage title and what needs to be done, no point taking back to original. Let your imagination and pocket book be your guide.

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  5. Avatar FRED

    THE GUY I SEND ALL MY VETTES TO(MY SHOP DOES EL-CAMINOS AND RANCHEROS) WOULD HAVE A BLAST WITH THIS.I HAVE HAD TWO STROKES AND SHIFTING GEARS IS A THING OF THE PAST FOR ME,BUT BIG BLOCK ANND SIX SPEED AUTO AND LIKE EVERYTHING I OWN A BLACK PAINT JOB AND I CAN SEE ME AND MY GIRL CRUISING BROADWAY WITH IT.

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    • Avatar scot c

      ~ agreed, big block and a manual transmission.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Menmojo

    too far gone………
    They should have let this one burn..

    Like 0

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