Harry Bradley Design: 1973 Chevrolet Corvette Wagon

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One trend we definitely don’t see much of anymore is to take a muscle car and convert it into a wagon. As a self-proclaimed wagon lover, I am disappointed to see this trend disappear from car culture, but fortunately for me, it’s still possible to find a C3 Corvette that has undergone such a transformation. While we often cite the Greenwood kit in this regard, this 1973 Chevrolet Corvette here on craigslist was designed by one Harry Bradley, a former GM engineer who was apparently hired by Mattel to design some of the old-school Hot Wheels designs, a connection you can clearly see in this oddball conversion that’s listed for $20,000.

The seller provides a link to an overview of how a Harry Bradley-designed Corvette hatchback is not a kit car but an actual one-off creation. It isn’t clear to me how these were sold or marketed, as Greenwood just seemed to build kits for anyone who wanted one. This design appears to be more involved, with a custom rear hatch and taillight panel, and large windows that start in the roof line and drop down to the rear fenders. The Corvette was in an accident years ago as you can see from the picture of the front of the car, and has been off the road ever since. It’s a shame the impact wiped out the front, as that’s seemingly one of the key areas that Harry Bradley breathed on.

The listing includes a photo of what it looked like new, which features a headlight design that was indicative of the era, giving it an almost Cyclops-like appearance. The seller further claims Harry Bradley cars often win awards at your local hot rod show, and given Bradley’s extensive credentials as a designer, it’s not hard to believe. The details are quite extensive in terms of converting this car to shooting brake configuration, including a taillamp panel from a 1971 Ford Thunderbird and a custom floor for the rear cargo area. Mechanically, it retains a stock 350 under the hood which is believed to be numbers-matching, paired to a 4-speed manual that’s also believed to be a matching unit. For $20,000, would you attempt to return this custom Corvette hatchback to its former glory?

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Comments

  1. Ralph

    These always seemed weird, but like the wagon idea overall. Just would not have screwed with the factory appearance on the front end. The rear end lights and design look weird to me though. Now I am stuck thinking about tail lights that would have looked better than an upside down T bird light. YMMV.
    Any other thoughts on the tail lights?

    Like 3
    • ga4e

      Those are customized parts you will neve find

      Like 1
  2. Ralph

    Vega wagon tail lights? Better?

    Like 0
    • Ike Onick

      Crusher? Better!

      Like 10
      • Gerard Frederick

        Ike, stop it already, be nice!

        Like 2
  3. Mike Roberts

    “If you customize a car this much, you shouldn’t get in a wreck. Replacement parts for this are likely to become extinct.” Someone should have warned the owners. The rear end looks like a custom version of a late 70’s malibu wagon. Talk about fat and ugly! Sometimes extinction is an act of mercy to the rest of us.

    Like 6
    • Steveo

      ….it was a dark and stormy night and he couldn’t see the moose standing in the roadway…

      Like 2
  4. Steve R

    It’s been featured on this site before, originally 4/22/2019 for $18,000 on eBay, then an update on 7/23/2019 announcing a new eBay listing with a $5,000 price reduction. Now, after two years has passed it shows up again, this time with a $20,000 asking price. That’s a great strategy and should sell at any moment.

    Steve R

    Like 38
    • Jay R

      Lol. That comment made my day.

      Like 6
    • CraigR

      For sure the seller is underwater on this roach.

      Like 1
    • PRA4SNW

      Yep, I remember seeing it here as well.
      Who is going to forget this crazy thing?

      Like 0
  5. Pat

    I would revert it to a standard front clip…

    Like 16
  6. Robbie

    Rear of car looks like a Gremlin rear clip grafted to what was a beauty of a car.
    Don’t even want to talk about the front of car.

    Like 0
  7. Ike Onick

    This 350 Ci V8 car is numbers matching, however, an accident in 1997 has left the Corvette off the road ever since. It has been in storage for the past 20 years and isn’t drivable in its current state. However, this custom classic is well worth saving. The advert states: ‘Harry Bradley cars have won many awards and are displayed in museums and at car shows throughout the country.’

    The asking price is $18,999 with the car’s owner being open to offers. It’s going to need some restoration work, but this one of a kind Corvette will be a showstopper once again when finished. Get a closer look here.

    From a 2019 article on the “Motorious” website

    Like 0
  8. Danger Dan

    Been for sale since MASH was on TV

    Like 10
  9. SirRaoulDuke

    I’d return the front to stock appearance, and proudly cruise around town in it. But the price is whack.

    Like 5
  10. Bruce71Camino

    buttocks ugly

    Like 3
  11. JoeNYWF64

    Could that many headlites be an issue with the police?
    The yellow & red sketched Vettes below look lot better than the current new one – did Chevy at least ever look at these?! …
    http://images.craigslist.org/00q0q_esnY7uki0Gsz_0CI0p3_1200x900.jpg
    http://images.craigslist.org/00d0d_jYYCXbOqPgYz_0CI0p3_1200x900.jpg

    Like 1
  12. Erik

    Customizations like this back in the day are proof that Vettes like Mustangs, Camaros, Firebird, etc are were and still are a dime a dozen and yet are all over priced today as if they were rare limited production cars.

    Like 1
  13. Erik

    Customizations like this back in the day are proof that Vettes like Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelles, Firebirds, trucks, etc are were and still are a dime a dozen and yet are all over priced today as if they were rare limited production cars.

    Like 0
  14. R Soul

    The front end damage was the best thing that happened to this car.

    Like 5
  15. Mike Hartman

    Cars really do imitate Humans. But Vette wagons are nuttin’ new as seen here other years prior. Callaway did their own version of the C7 Aero Wagon a few years and it looked pretty good. As always we gon do odd things to our rides no matter what is going on in the universe. That’s the way it has been since that 3rd vehicle rolled onto the dirt roads of America over a 120 years ago.

    Like 1
  16. Emmet

    Kill it, kill it with fire now!

    Like 0
  17. Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac DivaMember

    Ralph, the T-Bird taillights are not upside down.

    And Steveo, how could he not miss the moose with SIX headlights???

    Like 8
  18. RicharsinMaine

    That front end treatment looks like a 70’s sci-fi film. Think Logan’s Run, Clockwork Orange,

    Like 2
  19. RichardinMaine

    That front end treatment looks like a 70’s sci-fi film. Think Logan’s Run, Clockwork Orange,

    Like 0
    • stevialx

      corvette summer

      Like 0
  20. Karl

    I know different strokes for different folks but OMG what an abomination!

    Like 1
  21. Steve Clinton

    Evidently, Harry Bradley used a sledgehammer to customize this Corvette.

    Like 0
  22. bull

    The almost $20K asking price is laughable!

    If the car was stock and wrecked like it is it would only bring $3K-$5K and would be more desirable to more buyers.

    Anything over $5K paid for this car and you better Love It cause when you finish it and List It for sale it’s going to be tough sell to anywhere near git all the money SPENT fixing this car back!

    Like 2
  23. Michael

    In what universe are those headlights cool???

    Like 1
  24. moosie moosie

    I like Custom Cars & I love Corvettes. The front end on this one pre-wreck is an abomination. I’ve seen way nicer custom front ends on C3 Corvettes. If I were in the market for something to occupy my time I would buy this one if it could be gotten for a way more reasonable price , hang a one piece nose on and drive it.

    Like 2
  25. t-bone BOB

    Located in Hayward, CA

    Like 1
  26. chrlsful

    never liked the ‘mako shark’ or whatever the 3rd gen should B called, may B cuz I liked the C-1 ’56/60 (B4 the ‘duck tail’ the 2nd gen kept) only. This I could live with – easily – if having a nose I liked (XJ style?, something to match the ‘feminine/womanly’ rear wheel ‘humps’). Can’t conger a line for it at the moment but worth thinkin thru…

    Like 0
  27. Melton Mooney

    Took a semi-interesting car, and made it full on malaise.

    Like 0
    • 370zpp 370zpp

      malaise or mayonnaise?

      Like 0
  28. erik j

    I truly believe i have a good feel for style,Thats just me, but when they came up with the custom wagon vette I felt sick. Take a nice styled vette and do that to it-ICH!!!!!!!>I wonder if you could have used the back like a wagon and load the kids go shopping ect. Very ugly. If i had the intrest i,d love to put it back to original. Love to know who buys it and ask there real feelings of it.

    Like 0
  29. Peter Thelin Peter a ThelinMember

    Hi everyone. Just wanted to let you know I bought thie Harry Bradley Corvette Wagon a couple months back.

    After sitting for almost thirty years I had to go through the car but now it’s mechanically done. Even upgraded to DUI distributer and Bilstein shocks.

    The interior was almost perfect.
    Repaired the rear, now comes the front end.

    Luckily, the headlight assembly wasn’t as damaged as it looked in the photos.
    It also looks much better in real life.

    Hope to finish better the end of the year

    Like 0

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