The first generation (C1) of the Chevy Corvette was winding down in 1962. Chevrolet would build nearly 15,000 of them, of which as many as 2,000 may have been fuel injected. This ’62 Corvette is said to be a barn find that was originally equipped with FI, but that motor and FI hardware is long gone, having been replaced by a later V8, perhaps a 350. While this Corvette has the requisite layers of dust indicating it was sitting for a long time, it’s much nicer than most vintage cars you might discover in a barn. The limited story of this Chevy is here on Corvette Forum from a Gray Court, South Carolina dealer listing on eBay. It has since been sold, but who knows if the seller got his/her asking price of $50,000. Our thanks to Larry D for the “mysterious” tip!
Many of the true “barn finds” we see are often a mess and can be an uphill climb should they make it to the restoration stage. Beyond a lot of dust, this car doesn’t possess many negative qualities and is not as rough looking as whatever your “average” barn find may be. As the story goes, the last time the Corvette changed hands was in the 1970s and it has spent an undetermined period in storage since.
But it’s not a stock Corvette. The original 327 cubic inch V8 with fuel injection (as signified by the emblem on the fenders) has taken flight and a similar engine from a few years later has taken its place. The seller says it runs well and the 4-speed manual transmission has also survived the passage of time. Perhaps due to an accident, the front clip was replaced yesteryear so at least part of the burgundy paint job is no longer original.
Once cleaned up, the interior should present quite well with no obvious problems due to being 60 years old. That’s often hard to believe, especially with convertibles, and the top on this one looks to be in good shape. The addition of 8-inch Corvette Rally wheels is a nice touch and the Chevy is wearing a new set of tires. The seller had the brakes redone, as well. For more about the car that led to it being featured in Corvette Forum, check out the original listing here on eBay.
If I had to guess, judging from the front clip being replaced, I would believe that car was in a pretty bad accident and the original motor was probably no good from the accident! That is my belief but who knows? Decent car but even for it to be non numbers matching, it would be nice to spend the bucks to find and put an old fuelie in the car. But it runs the way it is so each is own I guess!!
62 and 67 are my favorite years for a Corvette. Now for my 62 Corvette story;
My best friend growing up lived across the street. His older sister married a guy who had a triple black 62 Corvette. Said to be a 327/300hp, 4 speed car with both tops.
I immediately fell in love with it. One day when the happy couple were visiting I asked the husband if he was ever going to sell the car and if he was, I’d like right of first refusal.
She got pregnant, as women often do, and they showed up with a Caprice Station Wagon!!
Fearing the worst, I asked if he traded his 62 in for the wagon.
WHEW! No he didn’t.
He said it was safely parked in the barn out on their small farm.
My friend and I went to visit his nephew one Saturday and I asked to see the Vette.
Yes, he still had it.
Yes, it was still in the barn.
He had taken the windshield off the bolted and 4×8 piece of 1” plywood down on it he was using it for a work bench.
It was then that I lost most of the respect I had for humans.
Pretty sure this same car was posted here a few weeks back.
My Corvette (63′ Split window coupe) story… I used to buy & sell cars and one day at a Dealership (Dunne Ford in RI), I saw a car under a paint cover behind their Body shop. I lifted the front of the cover and saw it was a 63′- 67′ Vette.
I asked the wholesale manager if it was for sale, he said no. The car belonged to a guy working in their Body shop and that he planned to restore it someday. Three years later the wholesale manager (Skip) called me and asked if I was still interested in the car, I replied YES! Long story short, the Corvette owner (About 50) left his wife and ran-off with a 30 year old gal to California, I bought the car for $750.00! I rebuilt the engine and lived happily ever after! :-}
Your friend got the better end of that deal. I’ll bet that guy flipped when his wife told him what she got for his vette.
Interesting engine. It has a period correct intake. The oil fill tube (in the intake) was gone by 63 I believe on all small block Chevys. Cali. required PCV valves I believe by 61. Federal regs. weren’t until 67 but about all American made engines had them before them. Either way, the valve cover (PCV) and intake do not belong together.
My best friend back in1980 had a neibor with a 67 rs camaro got it for $500 she also had a 62 corvette in her carport could of had it for $500 also. Mom said one car only. crap! Stuff like that was all around then..could of had a 69 hemi gtx,$1000 justed missed a 66 hemi charger needed some ft. End work-$350. But i had 100s later of stuff like that. Cheap then
In the mid 90’s I had just watched Barrett Jackson and kinda had the bug to get a 69 Z/28. I located one in a newspaper advertisement that wasn’t too far from my house.
It was REALLY rough.
The 302 was gone, the 4speed had been replaced with a th350, the interior was thrashed, bald tires, and the paint had been fried in some places down to the bare metal.
Rather than run as fast as I could, I asked him how much he thought his car was worth.
“One just like this just sold on Barrett Jackson for $69K!”
I told him to “trust me, the one on Barrett Jackson wasn’t ‘Just like this.’”
Then I asked where the 302, the 4sp and the factory wheels were?
He tried to tell me that all Z/28’s came with a small block 400, and the automatic transmission was a “rare option on a Z.”
I told him to never try to 🐂💩 a 🐂💩er.
I offered him $1500 for the car figuring that it had good bones, but he was kinda stuck on getting $10K for it.
Maybe today, some 30 years later he could maybe get 3/4 of the $10K, but $10 large back then?
Even now, no way on God’s green earth.
Hard to find a 61 or 62 vette in original equipment..many were wrecked or motors blown…it’s prob a 70s 350 motor from a 74.version 350..if I gave 50k..I’d have professional body man check that frontend work..I’m sure they did it half ass….for 50k..I want it worth 50..not 20k…as for the fuelie.badge..forget it..they never worked anyway..quadrajet.carb.it..injection long gonner…I like the Marron color..it looks like a nice car.but too much.of replaced with non vette equipment for 50.
I can’t stop laughing at the bolt someone put in the oil fill tube for a spring to the throttle.
What ever works. Ìt has headers so it has been modified to some degree.
I still love that car and wish I was the one that got it, because I have a 68 454 4 bolt mains, that came out of a big motor home.