I wish more sellers would include pictures of the day they found the car they’re selling – it just adds to the intrigue and allure of owning a barn find. This 1961 Chevy Corvette is more of a lean-to find, as it clearly languished in deterioriating conditions for some time. The Corvette is freed from this grim existence, and is located somewhere near Haines City, Florida. The asking price is $17,500 and you can find the car here on Hemmings. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Brent for the find.
The seller describes the Corvette as a project he’s selling instead of a recent discovery poised for a quick flip. Regardless of intent, the disclosure that the frame is rusty changes the scope of this project into one that will require a good deal of time and cash. Color would suggest this is a “Fawn Beige” example, with a non-matching hardtop. It’s hard to tell with the many layers of paint, but if it is indeed factory beige, that’s one of the rarer colors offered in ’61.
Not that that’s reason enough to buy this Corvette. There’s no engine and the front clip is heavily damaged. There’s the aforementioned rusty frame and the hardtop is the incorrect color. Combined with the seller’s lack of clarity about what parts are included (though there are two photos of various parts piles with no explanation as to what they contain), this Corvette definitely needs a few questions answered before someone bites off a $17.5K project.
Now, as we all know, the VIN breakdown on a car like this tells the story about how you should proceed. Positraction? Heavy duty brakes and suspension? 245 b.h.p. or 270 b.h.p.? Given the cars in the background, the seller likely has some idea as to what this Corvette’s value is as a finished product, but is its value as a project $17,500? When you can buy a more complete example like this one for $14,600, it does beg the question.
Geez that poor vette realy got blasted. You would need mucho motivation and coin to take it on. Wonder what it looked like when parked?
What do you think is a reasonable price for this orphan??
$700
At least 2 too many zeros there. For the condition, not even sure if it has a valid vin and title, does not even qualify as a parts car IMO. The top is worth more than the rest of it.
The top is worth more than the rest, and the rest is, ” Worthless “
I like to see other models of the same vehicle I am considering buying in the background pics. Makes me think the seller is keeping (or switching) the better parts for his other cars or for future sales.
Regardless I believe one would have more favorable odds taking their money to Vegas and coming out further ahead. I must admit I would be pretty embarrassed asking that much.
Hopefully the title and vin may help clean the history on a sister car caught in hurricane Andrew or worse. Hey there is always a positive! Count me out
Better get a parts list together if you want it for the weekend.
Nope. I think you guys posted a blue one he was selling. I seem to remember the door hinge bolts were so corroded and it was about this price and condition. This guy has some titianium testis
“Now, as we all know, the VIN breakdown on a car like this tells the story about how you should proceed.”
A 61 Corvette VIN will tell you nothing about the car, except that it is a 61 Corvette, built in St. Louis MO, and which of the 10,900+ 61’s built it is. There is no other info to be found in a 61 Corvette’s VIN number. There was no trim tags on 61’s either, so there is nothing on the car to identify it’s original engine, options, or interior or exterior colors.
Looking at the pile of parts, some things there don’t belong to this car, in particular the 62 Corvette nose emblem, and the 56-60 trunk spare tire insert. The casting marks on the front of the heads shown, identify them as 69-79 heads, so they’re hardly original to the car either. I’m guessing that the rest of the engine is out of a different car too.
My guess is that none of this will matter to the next owner. I’m sure that this car will return as a beautiful, $100,000 plus resto-mod, in a year or two.
If a person has a great vision and little common sense, IMO this could be a parts car if you weren’t looking for anything particular but were simply hoping for the best. Wow, this is just sad.
Let the bidding begin at 2000. and be done.
Rotted frame , sans drive train engine and gutted interior as well as sitting on the ground means buy a running one and walk away very fast!
I am happy for the finder hoping to score copious amounts of cash in the free world but evidently pot sales are not in all states to deter judgement and mental stability 😂
A project car and not a flipper? I seem to recall a picture that looked just like the first photo being posted for sale within the last 6 months.
Me too
Maybe with out the massive front end damage,
it wouldn’t be so crazily over priced.?…wow,
that will take some serious skills with the
“resin”/glass to make nice again.Why wasn’t
this car bought and fixed years ago?…probably
wasn’t worth it back then,and doesn’t seem likely now either.
There is nothing wrong with making a profit on something….
BUT..-There is something wrong with taking advantage
of a mentally handicapped buyer who has lotsa moolah…maybe?..LOL
I could not justify that price on this vehicle,maybe some “Vette ”
people will tell us what it is really worth…?
You asked the thousand dollar question. Why wasn’t it fixed years ago? Have worked in law enforcement, I will ask the same question. I will guess that many of these finds are veh’s that were/are lost in action. I personally years ago ended up with a 1926 T- Bucket Roadster that was stolen 12 years prior to
my purchase. It came out of a real barn and while I was building a hot rod, the real owner drove buy and then went to the police.( He was a water meter reader).
Yes, it was his stolen from his school parking yard 12 years prior. I had put lots of work into it and the police ruled it was mine now, to many years had passed by and there were some changes. Barn, woods,shacks, I wonder. What Vette was never worth it? My last comment on any found. I will just enjoy what I see and remember in my youth.I just purchased another car that was from another state into mine, yup you guessed it)! Life’s got you never ends.
Lots of clueless people making comments about corvettes they no nothing about.
Then add some value. Tell us all about this car please.
I am going to sell my Corvette ASAP. Apparently coming in to contact with fiberglass makes people really stupid and I am dumb enough already.
Wow That poor car how can anybody do that to a Corvette some believable
Yes Justin.
Let’s hear a good feature about this POS.
That’s the best laugh I have had all day!
the added expense is the patina, of course..
Rusty frame, wrecked front clip, no engine or trans. Pretty pricey for a top, a couple of doors and a trunk lid!
It will be intriguing to see if it sells ?
Shame the f/b is damaged to that extent.
The truly disturbing thing to me is that a Corvette seller has degenerated into a vintage Porsche vendor.
If it was free by the time you restored it you probably would be under water.