We’ve recently seen a few promising potential project cars emerge from hiding and land on our desks at Barn Finds, and this 1972 Corvette Stingray is one such vehicle. It’s unclear how long it hibernated, but it is a complete car that could offer a passionate buyer a rewarding ownership experience. The previous owner planned a restoration, but three other ‘Vettes in his workshop and advancing years means this one needs a new home. It is listed here on eBay in Miami, Florida. Frantic bidding has pushed the price to $7,500 in a No Reserve auction.
I’ve previously discussed the failure of most modern manufacturers when they choose interior trim options, but I feel the same about model names. There was once a time when companies assigned names that elicited an emotional response from potential buyers. That trend gave us the Mustang, Cougar, and Firebird. There was even a Japanese company that produced the Guppy, although that name probably causes more laughter than genuine passion! While manufacturers continue recycling some of the older names, they spend considerable time researching to ensure new ones will not cause offense in their target markets. I don’t wish to criticize a particular manufacturer, but can you picture many people feeling passion towards a vehicle called the Leaf? When Chevrolet added the Stingray badge to the Corvette mix, it conjured up images of a creature possessing majestic lines, elegance, and power. This 1972 Stingray recently emerged from a small private collection and is a project that stalled before it started. It is 1-of-4,891 to roll out of the factory wearing Ontario Orange, which was the most popular of the ten shades Chevrolet offered in that model year. It looks like it may have received a prior repaint, but its matte appearance suggests it requires a repeat performance. However, the fiberglass seems surprisingly good, and the seller mentions no problems with the frame or birdcage. It retains its driver-quality exterior trim and Rally wheels with their trim rings and center caps. With flawless tinted glass, the new owner won’t be spending much money on exterior hardware.
The original owner ordered this Stingray trimmed in Saddle vinyl, adding the desirable tilt/telescopic wheel to improve driving comfort. It is an aspect of this classic that reveals how opinions and perceptions differ between enthusiasts. The seller describes its condition as nice, but I see enough shortcomings to warrant a total restoration. There is evidence of seams beginning to split on the driver’s seat, and the carpet has faded. With wear on the driver’s door trim and a cracked dash pad, the buyer faces spending some money on the interior to return it to a pristine state. That doesn’t make it a lost cause because many items can be reused. Trim kits to address most shortcomings retail for around $2,000.00, with a reproduction dash pad adding another $450.00 to the tally. The buyer must also decide whether the aftermarket radio/cassette player and shifter stay or go.
The VIN for this Corvette confirms its original owner ordered it with a 350ci V8 under the hood, but it is unclear which version. Of the 27,004 Corvette buyers in 1972, only 1,741 paid the additional $483.45 for the LT-1 version. Therefore, the odds are this is the entry-level ZQ3 that produced 200hp. That power fed to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission, allowing the Stingray to cover the ¼ mile in 15.6 seconds. The mystery of this Corvette deepens as we delve into its drivetrain. It is unclear whether the small-block is original or whether the deal includes missing items like the air cleaner or ignition shielding. The listing suggests it hasn’t run for many years, so we don’t know if the engine turns freely. However, the seller appears approachable, making all these questions worth asking.
Although there are a few unknown factors with this 1972 Corvette Stingray, including the state of the frame, birdcage, and engine, they haven’t dampened the bidding on this classic. There are already twenty-two bids submitted, and with plenty of time remaining on the auction, there’s scope for that figure to climb higher. Chances are it will run out of steam before hitting $10,000, but the popularity of chrome-bumpers Stingrays could see it creep beyond that figure. Are you tempted to join the bidding war, or will you sit out this one?
I wonder what happened to the clutch pedal?
I see it`s got the 4WD option…
I,really like this vette as might sell for a affordable price. As long as the frame and birdcage check good. Last of the chrome bumpers. I had a 68 roadster a few years back and was talked into selling it.So I’ve been looking for another one at a fair price. . The low hp that engine I would pull and do a rebuild that would double the hp including bump the compression up to 10.5 good set of heads and a proper cam just to start. This looks like just what i am looking for. I’m bidding-wish me luck!! under ten and i would be a buyer.
If the carb.shown in the photo is the original carb it’s definitely an Lt-1 as the lower performance engines all had Q-jets on them, I know because I’ve seen a few over the decades.
@Randall Cox
The engine is NOT an LT-1. The Holley carb is just a replacement for the Q-Jet. The LT-1 will not fit under the stock L-48 hood because its intake manifold is too tall. That’s the reason the LT-1s had the 454 big block hood. AND one other thing is that the redline on the tach for the L-48 is 5300 which is what the redline is for this car. The LT-1s had a 6500 RPM redline.
This car is a plain Jane, every day, run of the mill ’72 Corvette which began life as an L-48. Ho hum.
@Adam Clarke
The VIN for this car is 1Z37K2S512627. I don’t understand your confusion over the engine it originally had. The 5th character, ‘K’ indicates it came with the standard-equipment L-48 350ci small block.
If it had been an LT-1 originally, it would have an ‘L’ in the 5th position.
Furthermore, we know it couldn’t be an LT-1 anyway because all of them had the humped hood like the 454 had. That wasn’t done just for looks. It was a necessity because the LT-1 wouldn’t fit under the standard hood since the LT-1 had a high-rise intake which required the clearance of the 454 hood.
Another day, another mediocre Miami Corvette.
B.F., time to beef up your EBay search engine.
@PRA4SNW
You are so right! I would be ware of all the cars he has for sale.
Larry D: Someone here has mentioned that the seller has a very bad rep on the Corvette Forum.
That orig.motor is long gone..that’s why the corvette is on this site..to recover.his loses..replacemnt.motor vettes lose values.like a dead horses..just not the same car and a huge money pit here$$$
The seller is a flipper. Probably bought it less than a week ago.
Someone was trying to get it started. New plug wires, new water pump. Has a small brake pedal, so it had a clutch at some point, or the clutch pedal is stuck to the floor. Might have been a flood car, awful rusty under the hood. Has a Holley carb on it. Who knows wheat that was installed. I think at $7500 might be about as high as it should go with all the unknowns.
@PRA4SNW
You wrote: “Someone here has mentioned that the seller has a very bad rep on the Corvette Forum.”
Well, that’s entirely possible. I’m a member of CF but I never go to the section for the genre of cars he sells so I couldn’t say for sure.
Anytime I see cars for sale at a body shop, I become very concerned.
I had a friend who owned a body shop years ago. He would buy total wrecks and repair them to look new and then set them out in front of his shop for sale. He told me one time he was amazed at the number of people who would stop and look at a vehicle he had for sale and never asked if it had been wrecked.
Larry D:
We have a ton of Used Car Lots in my town and a couple of them are body shops and a couple more are actually wrecking yards.
I myself would be very wary of anything sitting in front of one of these places. A report from a couple of the vehicle history companies would be a requirement.
@PRA4SNW
I agree except that there are no auto history reports before 1981 which is when all of the manufacturers became uniform in their adoption of a 17-character VIN.
Larry D:
I know about the 1981 date for vehicle reports. I was referring to the number of late model fix-ups that I see in front of the body shops and wrecking yards.
PRA4SNW
Oh yeah I see exactly what you mean.
I hope you won erik johnston. Ended:
Nov 27, 2022 18:31:29 PST
Winning bid:
US $8,200.00
[ 27 bids ]
A friend of mine had a 72 like this one. Only it had the half black vinlyn roof–t-top,luggage rach. auto with a 454. No air. Plus NO FLOOR VENTS. In the summer time it would burn your feet up.
@erik johnston
Did you buy the 1972 Corvette?
No Lt.1 motor in a 1972 Lt1 car with a 600 holley carb on it..this was a base car vette.and the seller is just seeing what the ad will produce in comments.and thought response. Base vette cars are for sell on every site..it’s a buyer market but plenty of areas to get burned.by a car not really worth 12k..
This is erikj;I talked to the seller yesterday and came to a agreement of $7400. I,m supposed to send $500 today! You can be sure I will be making a call about the selling price someone mentioned a sale price of $8200.I hope that was the first ad.(This was the second time for sale-first buyer baled out!)For sure to confirm our price Of $7400
erikj: Congrats on the purchase! Please keep us posted on the project. And also how you make out with this seller, since we see a lot of his Vettes posted here on Barn Finds.
Also, you may want to tell him to take the ad done – it still is posted as being available. https://www.ebay.com/itm/175509777532
12/26 $7400 is the sale price and the car left 12/24.I will see it in a week or so. The seller seems to be easy to work with. Got some frame shots and the best he could -bird cage appears ok and motor does turn over. I will try to start it, but that engine is still coming out and i have others to work with. I will post Pics asap as i think its fun to share. I just never did that, I just comment, with bad spelling- but just trying to share. I also have a 71 fc7 purple duster that’s coming along nice that i would like to share since i bring it up a lot-i,am babbling so better stop!
I,m very excited to get a c3 vette again!!!