The words “no reserve” are always refreshing to see on an auction for a nicely preserved car, specifically a 1972 Chevy Corvette convertible like this one. The seller says everything remains original, including the paint and engine, on this specimen, which is equipped with the 350 and an automatic transmission. It also has one of the best OEM paint color names ever, wearing Warbonnet yellow paint. Find it here on eBay where bidding is over $12K.
These earlier Corvettes with the pretty chrome bumpers are largely preferred by enthusiasts, and it’s easy to understand why. This particular example also shows well with Warbonnet Yellow paint paired with a black soft top, and the seller notes the factory hardtop is included. The frame is said to be rot-free.
The interior isn’t perfect but also quite fair for a driver. As some of you know, I am representing the sale of a 1974 Corvette convertible with the L82 engine and a four-speed, and the restored interior of that car is one of its strongest selling points. This cabin come be used as-is or some back really nicely with a light restore.
While far from the sexiest engine option, at least the 350 is numbers-matching. This information is simple to verify, thanks to the discovery of the original window sticker and Protect-O-Plate. With its earlier model details, great colors, and numbers-matching equipment, I suspect this no-reserve survivor could clear $15K – what do you think?
Warbonnet is pretty good, but my vote for the best color name is BMWs Hellrot for red.
I’m curious as to why you feel having the protect-o-plate and window sticker makes it easier to verify a matching numbers engine…the block should be stamped with the last numbers of the VIN
At $13,600 with a little over 4 hours left in the auction. All this car needs is a $5K paint job, $1,200 in new interior part (look at that console), some attention to the frame rust, tires, fluids, and all of those little “surprises” that inevitably surface adding another couple of grand.
Spend $20K and have a really nice $16,000 car.
I had a Brands Hatch Green , how’s that for a name, 71 454 air coupe 43 years ago. Great car, but my current Corvette, a 73 silver coupe is a far better car. It has rubber body mounts, radial tunes suspension and much better looking side vents than those heavy metal 70 to 72 vents. Also no annoying vaccum wipe door. Where are going to get a $5,000 paint job of any quality? And your interior prices are way off. I bought new covers and foam for mine. When I was done paying the interior shop, who did a beautiful job, I had close to $800 in the seats. Well worth it. More comfortable and no more yellow dust covering my clothes as I sat down in the car. 72s are very good cars, but I prefer the 73. I have only about $16,000 in mine and that includes a complete mechanical rebuild front to back, new TA radians, correct repo exhaust, radiator, all suspension, new swing arms, bearings, etc. Car runs near perfect and one finger steering down the highway. Still a decent deal here as C3 cars are climbing because no hobbyist can afford a C2.
You Have to love radial tuned suspension.
The two over head shots of the interior show’s what appears to be serious rust in both a-pillars. Even though the frame might be solid, as bad as those a-pillars look, I’d be very worried about the windshield header, cowl, sills and the hinge pillars (the picture of the right door open, shows what appears rust in the top of the hinge pillar/cowl). The seller says the left door hinge needs some work, because the door drops half an inch when opened. The heavy doors on these cars often wear out the bronze hinge bushings, but I’d be concerned that the issue is really a rotted left hinge pillar. To properly repair the a-pillars costs about $2000, and that’s only if everything else is solid.
War Bonnet Yellow is a pretty color, so much so that it was the most popular color in 71, with about 3,700 71’s being painted War Bonnet. It wasn’t as popular in 72, with about 2,500 sold, but it was still 5th of the 10 colors available.
Like many of the Corvette colors in the 60’s and 70’s, War Bonnet Yellow was named after a race track, War Bonnet Park Raceway in Oklahoma. Interestingly, War Bonnet closed in 1969, two years before Chevrolet chose to use the name for a Corvette color.
If this car has the rust issues I think it has, then it’s already way over priced at the current bid of $14,100. I think someone could be in for a big surprise!
I second that opinion on the windshield pillars being shot. You can even see the rust on the overhead frame wear the vinyl cover has lifted. And, with all of the water that flowed down that frame. the front of the birdcage will also be shot.
I’ve been there, it isn’t pretty, nor cheap.
Yep. Chicago rust ate my ’71. Cheapest quote I got just for the birdcage was 6 grand!
I was lucky. I found someone who removed about half of the windshield frame and grafted a good one in. It was a perfect job. Never had a problem with the windshield fitting and leaking. I still had some rot to deal with that I discovered when I removed the dash and instruments, but luckily it wasn’t too bad.
My ’71 was Bridgehampton Blue. All the colors back then were named after race tracks.
Except for Nevada Silver, Sunflower Yellow, Classic White, and Steel Cities Gray
Steel Cities is/was also a race track.
In the mid 60’s, the Nelson Ledges Road Course in Ohio was expanded and the name was changed to Steel Cities International Raceway. The track only operated for a few years as Steel Cities, before the name was changed back to Nelson Ledges around 1970.
@gb- Thanks!
My ’70 was Donnybrooke Green. Don’t think it was a track, think it means to get into a fight.
Donnybrooke Racetrack was the precursor to Brainerd Int’l, Brainerd Minnesota. Ya you betcha!
Frank, Thanks for the info!
I actually think the price represents a 350 automatic car!! In my opinion its probably the one car that no one is particularly crazy about having!! I think a 327 with a 4 speed would bring more money just cause the 4 speed gear box over the automatic even with less cubic inches!! The color isn’t the most popular either!! Still all in all a nice driver or a blank palette for someone to work with!!