Overall, most of us can say the thought of a car buyer who regularly “monitors” his target vehicles and then promptly throws it up on eBay to sell leaves a bad taste in our mouths. But, money talks, and these longtime owners have the right to sell to whomever they want, as is the case of this 1964 Corvette Stingray here on eBay that just recently left its longtime Southern California owner.
The owner, a retired Marine Corps veteran, bought the Corvette when it was practically new, off of a friend who couldn’t afford the payments. Soon after, his military career and marriage to a CIA agent took him around the country, with the Corvette serving as the ultimate road trip vehicle. As such, the body wears the scars of daily use, and despite being from Southern California, the car is not rust free.
The red vinyl interior is one of my favorite color combos with white cars, and this one is painfully original. What do you do with it? Live with the torn vinyl to preserve originality, or see if another set of never-done seats exists without the seam separation? More importantly, however, is dealing with the rust in the passenger floor, which is not shown but said to exist due to failed weather-stripping. Another good combo? The L76 motor with a factory 4-speed manual.
Speaking of the engine, the L76 provided a nice power boost over the standard powerplant, and got within striking distance of the legendary high-horsepower mills that command serious money today. Some editorial pundits have written that the L76 is an ideal combination of added performance without sacrificing comfort or daily driver livability. However, they’re a rare find today as not many were sold new. The bidding is off and running on this well-loved ‘Vette – what do you think it will sell for?
Beautiful car. I’d buy it and drive it just how it is. – If there was ever hope of affording it!
I just hope the original owner got a fair price for the car….I would hate to think the flipper paid 5K for it and will realize a 50K profit…..nice car, though…
With tv & the internet – everyone knows what’s the cars are worth today. Trust me, he didn’t give it away & we both agreed to be happy on both sides before letting it go. Apart of the agreement was for him to come & drive it again. I think that was worth more to him then the money, shifting the gears one last time.
Why buy it to begin with?
Why buy it ?
Why buy it, make a promise and then resell it ?
That is the real question
Why buy it ?
Make a promise and then resell it ?
That is the real question.
Waiting 18 years to buy it ?
Bought in September and reselling after 4 ! months ?
I am sure the previous owner would be selling it to somebody who really WANTED it, for himself.
What a crock, really ?
Definitely worth saving, a split window would be better but if I could afford it I wouldn’t mind this one instead.
Hard to believe that back in the day, some split window owners installed ’64 rear glass.
As it says in the Bible, “Forgive them for they know not what they do”.
Rust in the floor? Weren’ t the floors fiberglass in 64?
That was my question!
Hoping to get some learning done here about Vettes through some thoughtful replies to this.
Were the body tubs steel with fiberglass fenders and doors? Or maybe just steel reinforcements? Or maybe just the pans?
Pretty sure the floors were not metal, but considering the rust showing on the metal trim on the drivers door opening , I’d be concerned with birdcage rust. From the appearance of the paint I’d say someone got screwed on a re-spray.
Not sure on the 64 floors, some early years were metal iirc. As far as the car itself, if money was no object I’d go for a full restoration on it. If not then first the drivetrain, then the interior then the body. I like the C2’s so I’d do what I could to not modify it any more than necessary but one thing I’d do is get a good set of disc brakes on it vs the current drum brakes.
And now it’s had 2 owners. Who knows how many more hands it will go through before it’s flipped, er, restored completely?
Asking for a lot of money considering how much resto is required.
Or were you to distracted by the swashbuckling tall tale to notice?
When the story is more important than the car it’s time to run away, fast.
Actually a 3 owner car. The first who couldn’t afford the payments. The last guy to sell it and the current flipper owner. That is a 3 owner car in my world. :-)
Would like to see original owner driving it if that happened
Nice, honest Corvette. Probably the majority of the fasteners have been on it since 1964. Is the L76 a hydraulic or solid lifter engine?
Solid Lifter
Solid lifter 365 horse.
This looks like an honest car and an honest ad. I’m glad, and impressed, that Chris used a no-reserve auction.
Most cars we see on BF don’t have a fraction of the documentation and long-term owner information that this car has. I’m guessing that you could probably arrange to call or visit the former owner, J.W. if you needed to talk to him before placing a winning bid.
I am wondering why the paint came off in blotches and streaks, and whether that’s the original dull red undercoat that’s showing in places. Maybe stored under a waterproof cover for too many years, which stuck to the paint in places?
For me it wouldn’t matter much because I would want it painted if I were the owner, and the interior redone too. There comes a point when damaged paint and interior aren’t too much fun to look at and aren’t worth preserving. For me the paint and interior are past that point.
Repaint/new interior or not, I’m sure the car will be put back on the road.
Why is documentation on a junk car worthwhile?
are you serious ? Not junk.
paint came off because of the poor quality of the “repaint”. Original paint fades, cracks/checks etc. but doesn’t flake off (if my ’64 is any example). I love original/unrestored cars and this one is no exception (paint work excluded)
I always wonder how a car’s interior gets this way? A Corvette has never really been a poor mans car, so why would somebody drive around with trashed seats this? I’d drive it as is, for maybe a couple of weekends, but after that it would have to be fixed, the seats at least. I’d feel like I was driving a Junker if I kept it that way, hen again I like to drive with a pretty girl next to me and these seats won’t attract the ladies…Just MHO…..Sure would be a nice car to have when fixed up
That “small rust spot” in the door jamb is a big deal. There is a steel frame under the body panels called the “birdcage” that comprises the door openings, sills, and windshield. It is a structural element that supports the body and is the Achilles heel for these cars, very difficult and very expensive to repair.
Don’t think it was a poor man’s car but in the early 70s you didn’t have to pay much to buy a used Corvette. We had a customer in the early ’80s with a ’67 427coupe, factory air, 4 speed, alloys, side pipes etc. that we worked on at least twice a year. Early ’87 he offered it to me for $13K, which when going to the books was average retail. Earlier than that when I was in the Air Force, lots of junior officers were driving Corvettes and I can guarantee you none of us were getting paid huge amounts of money. The cars were there for money we could afford. This car I’d buy if I wasn’t over run with cars. The ’67 I should have bought….
The floors are fiberglass I have fixed them a time or two, do to the brake fluid
leaking from the master cylinder
So this is actually a three owner car? Why lie about it?
think the first picture he is saying kiss————-
I wish barn finds would be a little more careful with choosing the cars/sales ads that they feature.
More often I find these listings of people misusing the term barn find, which it no longer is after they buy it and re-offer it…..
OR just simply create a flipper finds subcategory.
I do not mind a car sold by the person holding onto it for decades and finally letting it go.
The sky should be the limit as far as the price is concerned.
But to give advertising to flippers ?, who often misrepresent ownership and history, just to deceive potential buyers, as is the case here ?.
Wow the flipper-hate is palatable on this one… Sad – pull up your panties this is how the world works!
This is how the world does work, sometimes. Flippers do provide a typically overpriced service of finding the vehicle. I avoid them because the customer is too often far underwater before the project even begins.
thank you
@ Tony S
What a sad comment.
Because somebody says something about this moral less act of gypping the owner out of money and does not yet stoop so low as to do the same is considered a cry baby or whatever.
I guess your morals are just as sad
We visit this site for the cars we love. Opportunistic flippers visit because they love money.
They add an unnecessary expense to an already expensive hobby. And what service do they provide in return? Do they clean up, restore, get it running, sort out the paper work?
You can tell by their cut and paste stories, and lack of interest in fixing up the vehicle who they are.
No matter, it’s your choice who you buy from.
I agree, another car sold quickly without lifting a finger. I enjoy buying and selling cars but I always do as much as I can to improve them though I am no expert in any area. But I’m not afraid to tackle interiors, engine compartments, paint, etc whatever I can do. If you don’t enjoy doing those kind of things you really need a new hobby.
thank you, Jay M and J P
I work for a large auto dealer. At least 50 units will head out the door this week and that means 50 trades that will be “flipped” in about two weeks time. I don’t really see the difference. This seller has many haters already for flipping his one or two cars but if Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon showed up we’d all be kissing their respective rings. This is business. Get over it. Use that energy to find your own barn find.
I love the car but I love the story more. I’m a sucker for this stuff but wow…if I had the jing I’d buy it, restore it and let the original owner drive me around telling me stories of his life. Probably end up at a dive bar doing shots…
Do you think I could scrunch up in the back and ride along?
How do you get rust in a fiberglass body? This has to be a world’s first. My ’64 sat out in Michigan winter for 15 years and never rusted even though it had numerous weatherstrip fails and soaked carpets.
The Marine Capt. that owned the car was my neighbor in the early 70’s. I remember him and the car well. First class guy!
For the comments about how the car could get in such rough shape, It’s 52 years old and was driven and well used for years. I doubt the owner ever considered what it could potentially be worth today and probably didn’t care.
.
I have owned my share of C3 and C4 corvettes over the years and drove the crap out of them. Never worried about rain or parking lot dings.They were my daily transportation and I never lost money when I sold them for another one. Good investment in my book.
I’d be checking the birdcage as it appears to be the most likely area for the rust to appear. The floors are fiberglass however the frame is also an area of concern, especially behind the doors at the bend.
The birdcage…the main body support… is likely rusted and will be noticeable through body flexing on washboard roads.
Nice car, but the car needs it all!
Nice story, but adds nothing to value of the car.
Just sayin…
Boy…. I’m sure glad I don’t have a Corvette for sale!
Sold! $37,200