This 1966 Chevrolet Corvette is some rough stuff. Having been hit in the front, it has seen better days. With a starting bid price of $23,000 and located in Torrance, California, this Nassau blue blunder is a blinking beacon for help. The current owner has had it in their possession for the last nine years. They state that even with the hit, that the body is straight. The VIN and more information is on eBay.
In the engine compartment sits a non-running 427 cubic in V8, not original to the car. That engine is actually from a 1969 Impala SS. Connected to the engine is a Muncie M21 four speed manual transmission. While the original engine is not there, there is one motor that fails to even be included. That is the headlight motor. The car is said to be complete other than that. Don’t drive at night I guess?
That is if you can get it running and drive it at all. And, oddly enough, the car has power windows. Thank goodness that motor is not missing so you can at least roll down the windows, when you get the car rolling, in case it smells or gets too hot. The interior looks to be in rough shape as is, so even if you do sort all the other stuff out, you won’t be going anywhere, comfortably, fast. This is a hefty project.
Corvettes do rust, as all cars do, in all the places that aren’t fiberglass. However, this car being hit, any bodywork that is cracked might be a lost cause. To make matters even more interesting, the current owner cut up the fender wells. The dollar signs just keep going up. Putting the car back to original is probably not the best idea. A wide body resto mod to do autocross would probably be a better route.
A wise man once told me that you can never go wrong by buying a corvette but you can do allot of wrong in one :)
Some people shouldn’t own saws of any kind,
because they are dangerous..,especially to wheel
arches on 66 Vettes! Why would anyone cut
the rear wheel arches on this poor car ?,unless he
was going for the gasser look?This could be a lot of work,
therefor I would probably go all out on it,gasser style or
just street freak style.Probably Not worth a total resto,but certainly
would be a fun driver with the 427,and some FAT tires out back…
to make use of someones poor choice for a sawsall.
Keep in mind, there was a time when this was “just a car”, albeit a testosterone pump type. In ’73 a co-worker offered me his ’63 split, factory fuel injection for $1500. Tell that story in current times and people are in disbelief, but at the time that was market value for a 10 year old used car.
The arched rear wheel openings is a variation on that. Again, with the sanctity of NCRS standards it’s hard to imagine……today, but if you could transport yourself back in time you’d see that the trends of the day were for the largest, widest tire you could get. So called “wide oval” tires were relatively new on the market. They were part of the macho bling thing………..sorta like outrageous rear wings and fart cans on Hondas was a few years back. More Vettes than many can imagine had flared rear wheel arches, some done tastefully with molded features, and some quickie hacked like this one. In the ’80s/’90s many were massaged back to original.
I too had a chance to buy a ’63 split window for $1500. back in ’70. That $1500 today would be $10k. Not as cheap as it sounds and like stated, back then it was just a cool car.
Hit in the front , non-original (non-running) engine, $23,000 = No
Based on the tachometer and center dash controls (presuming they are original) this car would have been the lower horsepowered 390HP/ 427 engine with factory air conditioning. The car should be restored in my most humble opinion.
The only quality workmanship on this car seems to be the smooth rear wheel arch cut outs; isn’t that ironic?
Put in a lumpy cam, install some vintage speed equipment, go over the mechanicals, then drive it. Enjoy it until someone offers enough money to make it go away or you find the next project.
Steve R
Get it. .fix it..drive it…enjoy it..
I agree Derek Nathan Daniel. Not sure what the phenolic plate does on the carb? Anyway, a super car. I am looking for a rig. This will not be it. Unfortunatley. She will be a knockout.
Phenolic plate is intended to reduce heat transfer to the carb.
It’s the main body of the carb.
Steve R
nothing but fun driving this wreck…
Great rig Rusty! Thats kind of how I like them. Love the wheels! Enjoy! If you are ever in Wisconsin with that rig, Please take me for a ride. You de man! Take care, Mike.
Rusty, nice car. Would have done the same thing. Fix and drive.
Move the decimal one place to the left, kids. $2,300 seems about right…
Well it sold for $23k. Someone must’ve thought it was worth it. SMH
Our ’66. 427 4-spd. Resto mod.
American History 101, taught by Professor Uncle Bob, is correct as always!
Sale has ended. This one will be a labor of love, not profit. It’s got some good points but more negative points IMO.
Just wonder….they did A/C big blocks – right ?
Here we go again another $80,000 project Corvette