This 1965 Chevrolet Corvette “Fuelie”, one of the very few examples fitted with factory fuel injection, was discovered in an Ohio garage where it lived for five decades beneath a mountain of trash. Though factory fuel injection didn’t enjoy a particularly high take rate when first offered, these Corvettes are incredibly rare and sought after today. The towing company who picked the car up claims the Corvette rolled right out of the garage without any drama and that the mileage on the numbers matching drivetrain is believed to be around 40k. The body looks good in pictures, and the Corvette has already made its way to a dealer specializing in classic cars. It’s now listed here on eBay for $50k or best offer.
Here’s the mountain of trash the towing company has to comb through. No details are offered on the background of the property or whether they knew what they would find underneath. The story does indicate at least one person knew the Corvette went into the garage in the ’60s, but no other details are provided. Despite being in Ohio and no evidence of a garage door, the Corvette appears to be in largely sound condition and the overall appearance supports the low mileage claims. Pictures of the garage post-cleanout appear to show a concrete floor so there’s a chance the Corvette’s floors are solid.
The interior appears to contain the original hubcaps and factory seats in tired but restorable condition. Whenever I see details like the hubcaps being stored inside a car, I always wonder if the owner had plans to return to that brake job he started or to swap the snow tires on before the first snowfall. It may have nothing to do with any of that but finds like these always send my imagination into overdrive. While the one interior photo doesn’t really provide us with enough information to make an informed opinion about condition, the overall lack of any alterations from stock offers some encouragement that this example was never hot-rodded or left to rot before going into the garage.
The old-school Ohio plates almost certainly have some significance given the minimal digits, but I’ll leave that to our Ohio residents to assess. Overall, this Corvette is the kind of barn find we all dream of finding, and it’s great to see such a special vehicle emerge without major panel damage. Prices for factory fuel injection models are eye-watering in some cases, so we suspect this one to fetch something near the asking price. Thanks go to Barn Finds reader Ven K. for tipping us off to the story on The Drive.
Wow! Living here in Ohio I can tell you that the plates on the car are from 1980. What a find. Will be interesting to hear more of the background as the story unfolds. Get it to where it is road worthy and drive it!
So much for the 50 years in storage story ! LOL
Five decades, not 50 years, 1980’s-1, 1990’s-2, 2000’s-3, 2010’s-4, 2020’s-5. It’s a bit of a cheat, but not untrue.
Steve R
Plates are the 1976 series, first of the multi-year (intended) Ohio plates. The year-stamped 1974 plates were validated with stickers for 1975, an Ohio first; and then the multiyear red/cream plates were issued.
1980 was the first year for the blue/white AAA-111 sequential plates. Prior to that, Ohio did AA 111 or AA 1111, with odd combinations after they ran out of five-digit possibles.
So, odds are it went into that trash pile in the mid-1970s. Probably intended to be hidden, as another poster suggested.
The Ohio plates I bought for a 63 Cutlass in the spring of 1974 was A35653. Location was Reynoldsburg.
They had “Seat Belt Fastened?” on the bottom row.
My grandfather in Dayton, Ohio put new tags on his Buick before passing in 1974. We brought the car home to Virginia and I still have the tag from that car. “Seat Belt Fastened” embossed below the tag #, colors were green characters over a creamy off-white if I’m not mistaken.
Yeah it has a title- “Meth Head Corvette Found In Ohia, Needs Restored”
This Vette;’s storage time since the 60s alone pre-dates this before the meth craze.
The garage (from what I can see) looks very weathered, and I wonder if the house & property are technically abandoned? Can’t see the house or structure, but the accumulated garbage in the garage has the appearance of having been long-since forgotten. Maybe a prev. owner died along the way? In prison? etc. Just my two cents.
The former owner was well employed at one time. In retirement he lived alone and was estranged from his only daughter for many years. When he passed away the house looked very much like the detached garage. In fact, after pulling out many firearms and some other items he had amassed, the plan is to burn the house down as it is too far gone. What causes people to become hoarders is a complicated issue. It actually is a sad story. He bought this Vette new and had a damn good eye for a keeper, somewhere his life went south. At least he “saved” this car for the next generation.
Sad, but not atypical story of many hoarders-in this case brought to light only because he kept something of worth, again an illustration of the need to address mental health care.. Thank you, DJ, for answering this question.
IMO there are times that “knowing the back story” takes away the enjoyment of discovery in a car like this, which is why I appreciate DJ’s courtesy in his initial restraint of posting the tragedy of this car coming to light. I’m sorry you had to go through that, DJ.
Wow, that is sad. Also amazing how good of shape the car was under all that garbage. Scary how many people are in this state and know one knows. I see a lot of houses left like this with a map of their lives laying outside in piles.
Owner’s home full of firearms? And living alone and hoarding? Funny how the phrase “stockpile of weapons” has come into common parlance these days in the United States.
The car has now been listed here on eBay!
Finally, a seller who went to the trouble of cleaning the car up, returning the wheelcovers, etc etc. My only nit to pick would be the addition of some detail work on the wheels and shampoo the interior, maybe polish the chrome to make this Vette really pop! There is dust already on the car after having just been washed!
Can you say Packrat?
Correct. True on the 80 blue and white plates…..red/white appeared in 76 and ran until expired in 80. I should have said the plates, without the stickers visible, were no later than 80. Thx for clarifying.
Looking close at the pictures of the frame, I see one’s definition of “rust free” and mine are totally different…I think there may be some rot too…and I have said this before…why would you not try to at least see if the engine turns over…if not get it running…if it ran, I could possibly see 50 large…but in it’s present state, no thank you….
Would be nice to know if the motor rotates. My ‘66 had been sitting for 25 yrs but I bought it because I could rotate the motor (and eventually start it and runs fine to this day). I sent the seller a note asking this and if they have title or bill of sale only. IMHO fuel injection doesn’t necessarily make this a $50k car considering everything else it needs.
Looking at the mounds of trash and garbage in the storage, this is where the HazMat training for towing companies might be put to the test!
The eBay photos show it cleaned up nicely though whoever buys it has a LOT of restoration ahead of them if they want to be able to sell it as a driver-& a free included box of those Christmas tree air fresheners for cars might need to be an incentive for the sales..
GLWTA
Gee whiz kiddies, I guess speculation is frowned upon here. Just trying to suggest why an almost new car was put to rest at such a young age. Did it touch a nerve with someone important here? Not like anyone writing here gave us any explanation to the story. Don’t we all want to hear more, as to WHY?
My guess would be that some Unobtainium part in the fuel injection went bye-bye and that was all she wrote!
Nah, 10 or even 20 years later and GM wouldn’t sell them a part? You can still get parts for those things. I speculated (note, that means a guess with no basis in fact) that it was hidden away for nefarious reason, but for some reason, that post was axed. No rhyme or reason to these things.
Another option to consider is that the local Chevrolet dealer lost the ONLY tech guy who would have had the training/knowledge of the Injection system & with it being used for a short period only Chevrolet possibly decided that “throwing a carb on” is a lot cheaper option
When i started work as a mechanic in 75 there was a 54 Packard Clipper jammed between the shop i worked for and the brick 3 flat next store. Seems the wife left? took the title;no big deal? car never moved after that.Rudy wouldn’t sell the building. boss bought all the land up to the corner. Rudy had adog named Lady. blind by the time i went to work. new how to jump the rotted out steps on the back porch. used to brush her.. shaggy dog. Rudy was a loner! guess the wife leaving broke him up? Rudy was OKay to me.just wanted to be left alone. We all have our crosses to bear. Ladies,passed.Rudy too.shop closed in 93.buildings all sold. Sorta veered off the vette story?
Fourteen Corvettes featured here in the last 10 days; 27 in the last 30. You might want to start a separate site called Corvette Finds.
WoW!
There are some really deranged individuals storing cars around America. Just think about how many times you’d have to go into the garage and toss stuff onto the ‘Vette to get that mound! Just unbelievable. lol.
Having now pontificated on the former owners mental state, I have to say that I like the coupe top tho I’m a split window kind of guy. I’m always interested in how these finds seem to surface and magically are sufficiently resurrected to be put on Ebay but not enough to get running! How to make a quick buck!
A lot of buyers/restorers would rather start with the engine as it sat when pulled out. Someone who doesn’t know what he’s doing, who just jumps the dead battery and turns the key on the rescued hulk…can burn wiring, or break the ring gear or starter pinion, or even tear the starter motor off. Or break something internally.
So, if the buyer takes it, knowing it hasn’t been turned, he can attack it systematically, the way he’s comfortable with. Bar the engine over, or put WD40 down the cylinders, or whatever his own level of comfort allows.
…or put a socket on the harmonic balancer to see if the it rotates Or is locked up. That test will determine if a $5k+ rebuild likely needs to be added to the revival costs.
The socket to the balancer also gets-the crank drilled / tapped with a new bolt on rebuild .
My engine was frozen and the prior person used the breaker bar . He didn’t break it but it was stripped.
Just saying proceed with
caution as your strength can damage 💪
(A lil movement is great now soak more as slow and steady wins the race)
Pull the plugs (reduces pressure) and put oil down the cylinders and let it set 2-3 days.
Then set battery in it that you know is good and try to turn over. You’ll know if the battery and starter is binding.
Then set longer with more oil-and get ready to drop six grand in a rebuild and dyno test.
My split is all numbers matching and i stoped by often and took pictures of the block, heads , intake etc. etc. should i ever get tired of it (not likely 😉)
Speedy towing neat Louisville OH by Canton …
Oh well definitely one mans trash another mans treasure or flip …
No way an average gorilla or shadetree mechanic will have enough strength to ruin an engine if they test turn the motor — just as 70SuperSport describes. Been using a breaker bar and socket for years. Helpful hint: if nothing seems to move, STOP, and start the soaking process with ATF, Marvel or WD40 in the cylinders with the spark plugs out. Then, try turning every couple days for a few weeks. If it moves even just a little. STOP! You can now say that the “engine turns” or “engine is free.” Say nothing else, you have confirmed that given the right combination of luck and mechanical aptitude this engine may well be able to run on its own with the application of new parts systematically, using one’s common sense. I would guess the FI is what put this Vette down so early in its life.
Common sense seems almost inappropriate here.
All good comments here, and as Little cars says, that fuelie setup was very troublesome, and try to find someone these days that can competently fix it. The pics show surface rust on the frame; you would still want a good expert to look at it before you buy. Numbers matching- 4 speed- fuelie- I’d bet someone will snap this up, possibly make a deal with the seller. Good luck to all, caveat emptor.
Cheers
GPC
Interesting scenario, made even more so because it is just 40 miles from my ancestral home. Would LOVE to know the true backstory of why it was parked and how the mound of crap grew over it. If I had too much time on my hands I’d enjoy cleaning out an estate like that. Guessing the ‘Vette is not the only item of interest on the premises…..
Wouldn’t it be great to have a site just like this, BUT, with some of the back stories?
It’s listed on eBay, you could contact the seller yourself and post an update.
Steve R
Steve R, why don’t you? You are the guy with all the time on his hands.
Because I don’t care about the cars backstory, but apparently you do since this is the third time you’ve brought it up in this thread.
I hope you aren’t one of those guys that wants other people to do the work for them, seems like it might be the case.
Steve R
@SMDA – the seller already commented with the backstory. You can read it above…
Jesse, I appreciate your input but all it says is that at least one person said it went into the garage in the 60s. Am I missing more? Is this an estate? If so, is there a relative who could shed more light? Not to be disrespectful, it just seems that most of us would find interest in learning a little more.
Do a VIN check.
Don’t sweat the title as much as the police report.
You don’t want to be restoring a car that belongs to the insurance company…
Patina!
Tiberius1701 there is no such thing as patina rust is rust no matter how you look at it. Even if you smooth the rust down and clear coating it. It is just going to keep eating at the rest of the car with out fixing it right. Then you will have to replace the entire panel or more.
If it was parked no later then 1980, keep in mind that the car was 15 years old at the time and on paper, not that valuable especially if it was in need of repair. How many mid-80s Vettes can be had now for nearly nothing? We’ve all seen or heard of cars more desirable than this which were neglected.
I heard back from the seller on ebay:
“Clear title. Have tried to turn the engine. Just figure it’s stuck from sitting so long.”
I can almost smell the mouse pee from here!
Anyone found the best way get get mouse smell out of carpet and leather?
“Disassembly” is going to be the operative word for the new owner. Generations of mice, and who knows what else vacationing in the chassis, most often in the hard to access dark recesses, it going to be the challenge in the recommission. Put aside the mechanical for now. The cosmetics and hours working with a respirator will be the real challenge.
Back in 1971 I bought a 64 Ford Galaxie 2 drht with frozen engine for cheep. Pulling the spark plugs and inserting penetrating oil in cylinders and left to soak for a day I the turned engine using pry bar and socket. The radiator had no fluid so I was skeptical but there was no water/oil mixture in oil pan. After replacing spark plugs I then cranked the engine with coil wire removed. The engine slowly began to turn over, then got easier. I replaced coil wire and started the engine, it ran quite well, but smoked white smoke out the tail pipe as anti-freeze was being burned. Sadly both heads were cracked. Two junk yard heads were sent to a machine shop and tested good. After replacing the heads the 289 engine ran great. So, just because an engine can be made to turn over doesn’t mean it still doesn’t have internal problems.
God bless America
Exactly! With the application of parts systematically, using one’s common sense, you achieved a properly running motor. Take your bites out of the elephant one piece at a time. You may be surprised how well a motor can run after sitting for decades.
If that car is worth $50,000, then my Toyota Prius C is worth $95,000.
Boy, this is just a little over priced. Current value guide says $19,500 in this condition while this car is priced to just under a number 2 which looks nearly new.
A motor well run will have looser tolerance than fresher one, 20-30 years ive seen them run and run good, that old gas did evaporate leaving nothing behind in cases. Then again you have your moisture sellers or my best car sat in a earth garage and it rotted on the roof ect, not pretty. What about the mice factor with all that trash? Would have been nice if he could have oiled the frame with anything every 5 years
1965 was a sad year at GM when they dropped the 375hp FI SPORTSCAR engine in favor of a big block MUSCLE CAR engine. But hey! it’s already been said here that when the unobtainim in that mysterious box on top of the engine breaks, its the end of the line. And everyone knows, the unobtainim if ever found, someday could never be repaired anyhow. I own 4 F.I. corvettes………………I’m in big trouble. Later……………….JIMMY
According to Hot Rod Magazine there are places that rebuild those FI systems to look and perform better than they ever did when new, so I wouldn’t be afraid to purchase this one at a reasonable price. However, it seems that 63-67 Corvettes are seldom advertised at a reasonable price.