Sometimes a classic car will appear on the desks here at Barn Finds, and it is really hard to know where to start when discussing it. That is the case with this 1967 Corvette Convertible, because not only is it a multiple prize-winning vehicle, but it also has a fire-breathing 427ci V8 under the hood. Add in the fact that it has only accumulated 70 miles since it underwent a full, frame-off restoration, and you should be getting the idea that this is a pretty special car. I have to take the opportunity to say thank you to Barn Finder Pat L for referring this amazing classic to us. The Corvette is located in Orange, California, and is listed for sale here on Craigslist. The owner doesn’t specify a price for the Corvette, so if you are seriously interested, then you will need to contact him directly.
Before the current owner so much as laid a spanner on this Silver Pearl Corvette, it was already a very special car. Its Resumé included four NCRS Top Flight Awards, four Bloomington Gold Awards, and a Platinum Award into the bargain. That made it essentially one of the best examples in existence today, but that simply wasn’t good enough for the owner. Why have great when you can strive for perfection? The owner had the Corvette dismantled down to the last nut and bolt, and a full and meticulous restoration was undertaken. The result is simply jaw-dropping. It doesn’t matter where you look on the vehicle, the presentation is nothing short of flawless. The fit of the panels is tight and consistent, while the Silver Pearl paint has a beautiful depth and shine to it. The Black top fits as tight as a drum, with the chrome and trim appearing to be absolutely perfect. The Corvette is also fitted with the optional tinted glass, and the condition of this is just as impressive as the rest of the exterior. There is little doubt that this is a car that will attract crowds of admirers wherever it goes.
The owner doesn’t specifically indicate that the Corvette is a numbers-matching car, but with its heritage, it is probably fair to believe that it is. The Window Sticker indicates that the Corvette was delivered with the L71 version of the 427ci V8 under the hood, and that is certainly what we find there today. This brute pumps out 435hp, which finds its way to the 4.11 Posi rear end via a 4-speed close-ratio manual transmission. In 1967, this was about as tough and brutal as a Corvette could get in a relatively practical road car. Of course, a buyer could still choose the L89 aluminum cylinder heads, but only around 16 owners chose to follow that path. There was the L88 engine, but this wasn’t a particularly user-friendly engine for road use, and Chevrolet only managed to shift 20 examples fitted with that engine in 1967. The drivetrain combination in this classic allowed the Corvette to accelerate from 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds, while the ¼ mile could be absolutely blitzed in 13.8 seconds. The L71-equipped Corvette wasn’t merely about brute acceleration, because it could then wind out to a top speed of 142mph. That’s some seriously fast wind in your hair! As you would expect after such a thorough and detailed restoration, the presentation within the engine bay is pretty incredible. As to the matter of extracting maximum performance from the Corvette, that is something that will have to come with time. That is because the car has only managed to accumulate 70 miles on its odometer since the restoration was completed.
It would seem that the owner of this Corvette has managed to do his homework pretty thoroughly. His investigation has revealed that the combination of Silver Pearl paint, a Black top, and a Dark Blue interior only featured on five Corvettes in 1967. As with the rest of the car, the interior has come in for some serious attention during the restoration process, and if the interior isn’t perfect, then it is so close that it really doesn’t matter. When you look at the state of the whole interior, it’s pretty easy to see that the car has only covered those 70 miles since the rebuild was completed. As well as having tinted glass to cut down the glare, the original owner chose to equip the Corvette with an AM/FM radio for some in-car entertainment should he get sick of the tune being sung by the 427. Me? I would probably never switch the radio on because that tune is something that I would never tire of.
I’m not sure if there really is any such thing as perfection when it comes to vehicle restoration, but there are cars that will come close to achieving that sort of status. If this Corvette is, in fact, a numbers-matching car, then that makes it something pretty special. Of course, that sort of cachet is always going to come at a price. The owner doesn’t reveal a price in his listing, so we can only guess just what he has in mind with this car. My personal opinion is that with the car’s history, coupled with the standard of the restoration, I would suspect that a price somewhere in the vicinity of $165,000 would probably be a starting figure, although it could conceivably be quite a bit higher than that with some justification. Whatever the eventual price might be, you have to feel that someone is going to become the proud owner of a true classic that should provide them with an unmatched combination of carefree cruising and brute performance.
I’ve never quite understood the logic behind putting a car that’s Mecum or B-J worthy on Craigslist. Beautiful car… I’ll never afford it…
Our world is in a bad place right now and many people and businesses are in damage mode. Collector and hobby cars are going to be the first thing to go. If you happen to be one of the few people who are not affected financially by this, I am guessing that there will be some very good deals out there in the coming weeks.
Probably because it is super cheap and you don’t have to pay a commission to anyone.
Why not give it a try? Then EBay, then an auction.
Please, everybody, don’t take this the wrong way, this car looks absolutely perfect. Hose clamps, hoses themselves, plug wires are just plain incredible but what about the radiator cap? It seems to be maybe just a little out of place?
Kick ass vette!
It’s absolutely perfect which none were ever built that well. As an example,I know the pinstripe around the stinger was really poor from the factory and I’ve only ever seen one that replicated that correctly. I can see a restorer not being able to help themselves.
This one is a beautiful combo of options and colors.
Craigslist? Beautiful car and I don’t doubt that it exists but I question the marketing venue. The buying audience for this class of car is limited ($165,000 sounds reasonable). It wouldn’t take much effort to find out who those people are, or at the very least someone who would be able to get the word out for the seller. Maybe the seller is averse to paying a commission or “doesn’t need any help with the sale”, but it’s better to deal with a professional intermediary when you’re looking to get that much money.
I was once asked to help with the estate sale of a very nice 911. While I very much wanted to be part of the deal, I referred the inheritor to a Porsche dealer who got her a fair price and sold the car in a timely manner. High-end dealers are not all crooks and there is little incentive for them to screw you over.
There are several search engines that can do a complete national search on every selling service, including Craig’s List.
If you are in the market for a car like this, you could use a search engine and this would come up.
The seller would be able to sell it to you for a lower price since he/she/they don’t have to worry about paying commissions.
I am with Weasel. Here is one of the REAL 3,754 435 hp cars made for 67 model year. Paper work to back it up. Why on God’s green earth use a cheap KN air filter and Auto Zone radiator cap? Both parts easy to buy anywhere. I checked today. There are five correct NOS AC radiator caps for sale on eBay alone. I know all about Top Flight judging. They will knock you points for stuff like this. Right now this car is worth about $100,000 tops. No more. C2 prices falling. Have been for awhile. I have the money for it, but just got my stock report. Ain’t happening.
I think there is some mistaken interpretation here.
“That made it essentially one of the best examples in existence today, but that simply wasn’t good enough for the owner. Why have great when you can strive for perfection? The owner had the Corvette dismantled down to the last nut and bolt, and a full and meticulous restoration was undertaken.”
Adam, your assumption that the CL poster was is the owner, and that the restoration was commissioned or accomplished recently is a stretch. Based on what I read, I think whoever posted this car on CL is a Broker, not the owner.
And, it is more likely that this beautiful redo was done BEFORE all of the listed awards were received, not after. The 70 miles since restoration is easily consistent with being moved in and out of a trailer, and that could have taken over a decade to accumulate. Not uncommon for top-shelf collectible show cars.
So what we have here is a silent auction.
If I had the ca$h, I still would not participate, not just because that type of thing is an invitation to play “liar’s poker”, but because I’d want to DRIVE the car. 70 miles? Easily doubled the First Day.
OK, I just saw the date on the one award… 1990 was a while ago, but still….
Just when you thought you’d seen the best of the best, this Corvette pops up. Drop dead perfection! I also question why a car of this caliber would be listed on CL. I’m wondering if the collector car market will become flooded with great deals in the near future due to diminishing incomes and heart stopping stock market losses.
Just another over restored 435HP 1967 Corvette.
Lot’s of em out there with more and more for sale as the “Fat,60 and Up Crowd” that covet these cars are downsizing and dying!
As CCRVTT and a lot of you guys have stated- the CL ad. Plus no price?? You might have just as well put an invitation to all tire kickers and know it alls to waste your time. Almost seems like he really doesn’t want to sell. You really need to put an expensive car like this in the right venue and have a pro handle it. having said that, Beautiful ‘vette. would be a shame not to drive it! Good luck.
Cheers
GPC
I was surprised to read Adam’s fine write up and see no price listed. I would never bother to look at or submit an ad to Barn Finds with no price. This ad was posted to CL 4 days ago. It was updated 3 days ago. That must be when the seller removed the price. Sorry but I do not recall what the listed price was.
It is a shame they didn’t put the hood in situ when they painted the car, it is a different shade to the rest of it, the metallic lays differently and therefore give it a different shade.
Ha!!!! Whatever; this VETTE will never be enjoyed to drive the way it was intended.. Why bother???
Truly a beautiful car and restored to perfection. My hat goes off to the person that did the work.
I have one issue. Why does anyone list anything for sale without the price? I can’t tell you how many things I was ready to buy, but passed on because the price was not listed. My perception is that seller wants to check out the buyer and see just how much they can squeeze out of them. I just can’t negotiate with an unknown.
A gorgeous car, but pretty common compared to a 1954 Nash Ambassador Country Club Lemans. The only Nash rarer is a Nash Statesman 2door, only a 150 or so made. Either that or any Statesman with the dual carb flathead. Of course, neither was quite as fast as the vette, but they did have Selecto-lift starting.
No Price Means OVERPRICED!
Don’t waste your time.
I like to sell cars that are “special “. The first venue is not to sell the car, but to get people talking, like here, now. They’re gonna wait about a week or two, and advertise with a price. Anticipation of who’s right on the price is high. High reserve, No sell, Then wait a month. Big market and Take the money. I want it, my bet is $80k+.
What is with the brown cloth on the left side of the top? Why not remove it before you take a picture?
As the saying goes, “They are only original once”. If it was as nice as the ad states before restoration, seems to me it would be worth less now than before. It’s a beauty and I’d love to own it, the enclosed trailer, and the dually truck to tow it around in, as you would never drive it. I would sell all three and buy a very nice driver that I could enjoy, with lots of cash left over..