Long-term ownership is never a bad thing with a classic car, and this 1972 Corvette stands as a testament to that. It was purchased by its original owner back in 1972, and he has only recently relinquished ownership by passing it to a dealer. That dealer has performed some maintenance tasks to ensure that the vehicle is mechanically perfect, and now it is ready to head to a new permanent home. If you think that the new home could be yours, you will find the Corvette located in Boulder City, Nevada, and listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has worked its way to $12,400, but it is no surprise that the reserve is yet to be met.
Sometimes you will look at a classic car like this Corvette and wish that you could meet its original owner. He sounds like he is quite a character, and not only has he only just handed the keys to someone else at the grand old age of 80, but he also managed to retain the car through three divorces. Apparently, one of his wives issued the “it’s me or the car” ultimatum, and she found out that the Corvette really was the love of his life! He has lavished plenty of TLC on the car throughout the decades, including having it repainted in its original shade of Ontario Orange. The seller says that if buyers are searching for a perfect trailer queen, this won’t be the classic for them. The paint has a few minor chips, but there’s nothing significant visible in the enormous selection of photos that he supplies. It still shines beautifully, and the next owner will be able to drive the Corvette with their head held high. The images of the underside reveal a frame that is rust-free and perfectly detailed. The chrome is in excellent condition for a survivor, while the glass is equally as impressive. The wheels aren’t original, but I don’t mind them because they are in good condition, and they suit the car’s character. There have been other original components that the owner has removed over the decades, and most of these are included in the sale. I couldn’t spot the wheels in the supplied photos, so that is one thing that remains a great unknown.
Shifting our attention to the interior, and the news remains very positive. A couple of trim pieces have marks on them, but if we consider the Corvette as a survivor, it needs nothing. The original owner treated the seats to new foam and a fresh set of leather covers, and these remain in as-new condition. The carpet has some slight fading in a couple of spots, but there’s nothing that would justify spending money on a replacement set. The dash, pad, and console are in excellent condition, and there have been no aftermarket additions. The original owner liked his splashes of comfort, which helps to explain why he ordered this Corvette with air conditioning, power windows, a tilt/telescoping wheel, and an AM/FM radio. The seller indicates that the A/C system has been removed, but the remaining items are intact and operate as they should.
Lifting the Corvette’s hood reveals an engine bay with plenty of aftermarket additions, and these are the tip of the iceberg. It’s worth noting that the Corvette was originally equipped with the LT1 version of the mighty 350ci V8 that would have produced 255hp. A 4-speed manual transmission backed this, and this combination would have had the ability to launch the Corvette through the ¼ mile in a respectable 14.8 seconds. The vehicle is no longer numbers-matching, and this is due to the life that it has led. It seems that our legendary gentleman didn’t confine his time behind the wheel to cruising the streets and highways. He also spent some time on the track, and he asked a bit too much of the LT1 one day. I reportedly made a loud noise which signaled that it had waved the white flag, so a replacement motor needed to be sourced. The replacement is a 350 with a “CNR” engine block code. That is a 300hp motor of 1970 vintage, which should add a bit of spice to this car’s performance. While he was at it, the original owner bolted a 5-speed Tremec transmission to the back of the small-block, which should improve performance and open road cruising abilities. If the buyer is seeking some originality, the correct 4-speed and any other factory ancillaries that have been removed are included in the sale. The seller says that the vehicle runs and drives well and that it is ready to hit the road immediately.
Owning a beautifully preserved and original classic car could seldom be considered to be a bad thing. Their single weakness can be the fear that owners feel whenever they take their shiny pride and joy out on the road. There will always be that fear of chips or other damage that could negatively impact their car’s value, and that is why some become trailer queens while others get hidden away for years. This 1972 Corvette is a stunning car, but it isn’t a trailer queen. The buyer could drive this car anywhere with their head held high, but a paint chip or mark is unlikely to cause sleepless nights. This is a car that is designed to be driven and enjoyed. The original owner did that for 49-years, and I’m sure he would like to see that tradition continued. That seems fair to me.
Great car, but the a/c removed is a big deal for me. The original owner lived in Nevada, it’s pretty hot there most of the year. Why?
That color alone is enough to sell the car! And though the wheels and exhaust tips aren’t stock, they still look like they could have belonged.
Very pretty, well kept car. Love the color. I would think replacing the air components wouldn’t be too difficult. Plus that it comes from Nevada.
I had a 73 here in Nevada with air, really did not help a lot and would cause the car to overheat. The heat coming up from the floorboard was incredible. Loved to drive that car though.
Very impressive car, I like it. Check the tranny close as some of the Tremec’s have what IMO is more like a granny. The other thing to check is I read it was either C2’s or C3’s that needed transmission hump modifications to make a Tremec fit. Just comments.
Overall I like it, especially chrome bumper models.
I installed a Tremec in my 71 corvette with know modifications
Also Tremec as built a 5 and 6 speed for the C2s direct fit but they are about 4K for the kit.
Found one of the articles that indicated the trans hump had to be raised to fit the tranny I referenced: http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/transmission/1703-installing-a-six-speed-transmission-in-c2-corvette/
Maybe there’s been changes made since to fit it without tranny hump modifications, but appears at least at one time it was required.
This is a really nice Corvette!
This car hits me in all the right places. I’d be proud to park it in my garage and bring it out so the sun can light up that beautiful paint :).
Nice car. What is missing exactly and needed to be able to get the A/C working Again?
Vette Owner here and I like this car. A couple of things, that exhaust is going to be loud. Like your not sneaking out anywhere with headers and cherry bombs like that. HEI is not stock, the car will run better, but its not stock. He has a composite spring in the back. Meaning he has dropped some cash upgrading his suspension. His underside is very clean, frame off perhaps? This guy has dropped a lot of cash into his car and it really shows to me. Great car, and it should sell quick.
I really love this inside and out. That interior pops. This is the kind of orange I could look at every day. It’s refreshing to see a nice vette like this and done right.
Nice car. Probably not going to get the 30K that a stock ’72 LT-1 in this condition would get nowadays, and what I am sure the seller is looking for.
I think you nailed it Dennis, Ended:Jun 07, 2021 , 8:28PM
Current bid:
US $25,100.00
Reserve not met
[ 41 bids ]
So the two main selling features of this car, LT-1 engine and AC are no longer with it? The engine was blown and the AC is out of the car and not working. These plus all the modifications, non original transmission, etc., to me make the car over priced at the current bid of $18,600. You can find better 1972’s for less. And the comment about the replacement block increasing performance because it has 300 horsepower versus the LT-1 at 255 is false. For 1970 engines were still being rated at gross horsepower. In 1972 they went to net horsepower. If the replacement 350 block was to be rated the same way as the LT-1 was rated it would be closer to 225. horsepower.
You are spot on, bucky66.
Here is what a “CNR” block decodes to:
CNR 1970 350 tur hydro trans – 300 4 Caprice/Bel Air/Kingswd
So, a 1970 automatic 350 sedan engine – hardly a performance build.
An LT-1 engine is built to a completely different performance standard – they are sought after, and so are the cars that they came in.
I owned a ’70 Corvette with a 350/300 manual and had a friend with a ’72 LT-1. Both stock, his car had much more power than mine.
Can anyone identify the wheels for me? I want to say Appliance wire spokes, but not sure that’s correct. Are they still available new?
The story of this car reminded me of myself. I used to own a steel 1932 Ford street rod. Only thru my extreme love for that car was I able to retain it after a divorce.
Later on, I had my car at a car show. A friend of mine came over to me and said a guy there at the show had asked whose car that ’32 Ford was. My friend pointed me out to that guy. The guy asked my friend if he thought I would sell the car. My friend said, “Well, hell no. That car survived a divorce! You know you can’t buy a car like that!”
Larry D. Guess I was lucky too. Ex got the Buick, new wife and I got the Porsche and the Healey 100.
Even though the lack of originality, this is a rare car. There were only 212 72 LT1s with AC. This was the only year Chevrolet put AC on a solid lifter engine. Maybe the horse power numbers were lower because of a different rating system and lower compression than the 1970 but, this one cranked out it’s power on 91 octane unleaded. The original engine had hardened valve seats and rotators on the exhaust valves. Able to run just fine on today’s pump gas.
Also, the number of A/C LT-1 Corvettes is 240. And the horsepower was changed to a net figure which was more realistic. It reflected figures which included HP losses from air cleaners, exhaust systems and accessories.
That’s not right about ’72 being the only year for A/C on a solid lifter engine in a Corvette. It was also available on the 1964 and ’65 327/365 solid lifter engines.