This 1975 Chevrolet Corvette was found in a storage facility with a few other cars, and the seller claims it just needed fresh gas and four new tires before being able to be driven any measurable distance. Of course, it will need more than that, but this is at least encouraging about how well the C3 was cared for prior to going into long-term slumber. I know the C3 isn’t exactly loved around these parts, but when you look at it from this angle, it’s hard to deny what a great stance and it had – those proportions are pretty sweet when you catch it both fenders in the sunlight. This Corvette is listed here on eBay with no reserve, and bids to just under $6,000.
The Corvette would be a home run if it had a manual transmission, but this one is equipped like so many others with an automatic. Still, it looks pretty great from this angle, too, which makes me wonder if the rarely seen silver paint is winning me over more than anything else. Say what you want about C3s, but one that has a few options that put it just outside of the fray in terms of how most of these were equipped (red or black paint, automatic, etc.), and it starts to stand out. The seller notes the exterior is in good shape with no obvious stress cracks or other superficial damage; no rust is mentioned, so hopefully the storage conditions were adequate enough to present moisture from becoming a problem.
The interior is a real bonus with that lipstick red leather interior. Silver over red is a great combination, and I suspect that’s a big reason why bidding is active at the moment (along with the fact that it’s a no reserve auction.) The interior presents quite well with no obvious imperfections in the upholstery, but the seller does note some flaws with the dash pad with some cracking evident. He also discloses that the driver’s door panel is loose, so perhaps someone was messing with a wiring issue inside the door before it was parked. The Corvette is equipped with T-tops which can sometimes be problematic if a seal lets go, but the only concern the listing mentions is that the covers for the removable panels don’t fit tightly.
So, we have silver over red; T-tops; 85,000 miles; and a car that wants to run despite years in storage. Yes, this 1975 Corvette has a lot going for it, and as far as C3s go, you could do far worst. The seller’s other listings reflect similar vehicle types, with none of them being overly desirable but all of them making for fine hobby cars (perhaps they all came out of the same storage facility). This Corvette will obviously need further reconditioning to drive it confidently down the road, but at least it appears to be a worthwhile foundation for making that additional investment in. Would you consider throwing a bid at a C3 like this?
This could be a great “starter” Corvette. No worries about the L-48, automatic combo. This is a nice cruiser.
https://www.premierluxurycars.net/details/used-1975-chevrolet-corvette/75564841
Looks like they are asking $17.5K at their dealership in Florida.
Wow. Just read the dealers ad and looked at the pics on eBay. Actually looked at this harder than most. This one looks to have some significant issues. Rust on the dash screws and other interior trim is a big warning.Most screws on the dash/console have excessive rust. The VIN tag located on the dash, (under the windshield) actually seems to have the kind of rust that bubbles, not just surface corrosion. Even with T top leaks, the rust seems excessive.
The odometer does not appear to be honest if you examine the alignment of the digits. I may be wrong.
The bumper cap up front has taken a good hit at some point. The repaint of the car is very poor in several areas which is a shame as I like the color. Looks to have been red paint from the factory.
No engine or underbody shots do not bode well to me.
Wish I could be positive about this one, YMMV.
Bumper caps front and back would always fade faster than the body paint. Even my 82CE had that issue – and it had been repainted! But there are a number of weird issues with the interior on this one, mostly dealing with missing bits on the door and the sunroof panels. I’d certainly want to check the birdcage (easy enough – remove the kick panels on either side of the car where your feet are. There are mounting bolts right there). The VIN rust… not terribly uncommon. Condensation from the windshield would often build at the bottom in moist weather.. being in Florida, I’d imagine that’s an everyday occurrence during the summer. I have to agree with AG though.. current bid is about what this one is worth without further photos underneath, engine, etc…
Silver was the second most popular paint for 1975 Corvettes. White was the most popular paint which is what the car wore when it rolled off the line.
A couple of things beside the color stand out. One is the tachometer reading ~4500 RPM. Another is the lack of engine images. The passenger-side carpet looks pretty nasty.
The current bid of $5,900 seems about what this car is worth. $17.5K must be a joke.
So from what I can tell the paint code “10” means Classic White. But there definitely seems to be evidence of red paint in a few shots. Could this car be the victim of TWO repaints?
This has some strange bits. The front fenders are missing the Stingray badges, the rear bumper is not from a ’75, and there is no emblem in the front. Where are the inner panels from the t-tops? Silver is a difficult color to match but this car seems to have a different silver on any panel. Not quite sure I understand the comment about rust on the screws on the inside. I have a ’75 that has never been exposed to water beyond what might be expected and it has no more or less rust on the interior screws than this one. The screws holding the veneered console plate rust on all of them – they aren’t plated.
Is it too late to retract my comment? Yowza! Lesson learned- Research First, Post Later, If At All. I missed that one by a mile.
The high horsepower days where over by 75. My wife’s sister had a 74 454 Corvette which had over 350 hp not sure of the exact hp.
I learned the hard way when I purchased my 75. I had the gas tank filler punched out for leaded gas removed all the emission equipment and installed the factory corvette side pipes. It ran better but was no means as powerful as my 1969.
@Frank- No concerns about the performance. I was astonished by the asking price! I did not look at the dealer site before posting. They are a little high, in more ways than one.
Respectfully yours-
Frank Sumatra
Look at the Performance Specs.! This was a emission year car, The Feds killed horsepower back then.1974 and below are better. I’m still looking for a 1983 Corvette has anyone seen one?
You couldn’t buy a worse C3, engine-wise. First year for unleaded only meant a detuned mill that year. And this thing has lots of rust in places it shouldn’t have rust. And at 17k plus? No thanks.
The big difference between the ’74 and ’75 small blocks was the catalytic converter/exhaust system. There was no change in the internals or the compression ratio. Replacing the y-pipe – catalytic converter – y-pipe system with a catless dual exhaust will reclaim the lost power. This car, however, is not a $17K car by a long shot.
This one reminds me of the 77 I owned a few years back.
This one also looked pretty nice to me – until the comments started coming in.
Back then, I didn’t have the savvy when I bought mine to check things like the birdcage (nor did I even know what that was) and probably never would have bought it if I had spotted similar discrepancies.
Every ’68-82 Corvette coupe was equipped with T-tops.
Nope, My sisters 68 was a RAG TOP.
He said every coupe had T-Tops, not every Corvette. Big difference.
In addition to all of the issues mentioned above look at the gaps on the hood and the doors. This thing has been hit at least twice or very hard at least once.
Located in:
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Really sloppy job of cranking the odometer back. I would question everything about this offering, including the seller.