Ah, decisions, decisions. The 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible is a desirable classic, and unmolested examples typically command respectable prices. Our featured ‘Vette retains its original engine, but can be best described as an unfinished custom build. That raises the question of whether the new owner would complete the build, or take the time and effort to return this Convertible to its factory form. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Corvette listed here on eBay in Gibsonville, North Carolina. The seller set their auction to open at $35,000, but has received no bids.
If you ignore the listing images and focus on the text, there is a lot to like about this Corvette. The seller states that the car has never suffered accident damage and the frame is rust-free. That ticks two very significant boxes, while recent mechanical work suggests the new owner’s focus will be on the car’s cosmetic needs. The fiberglass appears to be in good condition, with no evidence of stress cracks or other problems. The images suggest the first owner may have ordered the Corvette in Tuxedo Black, though a definitive call is impossible. The existing Matte Black paint may be only a guide coat, but it is equally possible that the builder chose the “stealth” look. What can’t be ignored are the enormous fender flares that cover wide aftermarket wheels. It would require an in-person inspection to determine the work quality, but the photos look promising. Combined with the side exhaust, they give the car a purposeful stance. Reversing the changes should be possible, but I suspect that the person who submits the winning bid will leave those modifications untouched. It is possible that with surface preparation and a fresh coat of paint, the Convertible could look quite striking.
Delving below the Corvette’s surface reveals a 327ci V8, a four-speed manual transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The seller confirms that the V8 is numbers-matching. However, it is unclear which of the four non-fuelie variants it is. It is a safe bet that it will deliver at least 250hp and 350 ft/lbs of torque, although higher figures are possible. The seller indicates that they recently replaced the spark plugs, distributor, and the upper and lower control arms. The master cylinder and booster look relatively new, as does the power steering pump. The Corvette runs and drives, although it is unclear whether it is roadworthy. If not, reaching that point should be a realistic short-term goal.
The seller hasn’t restricted their custom touches to the Corvette’s exterior. The interior features upgraded bucket seats and what I believe could be a Hurst shifter. Trimmed in Black leather, the seats look wonderfully supportive and should effectively hold the occupants in place during hard cornering. The interior appears to be missing the radio, a few switches, and the clock. Whether the seller removed these and will include them in the sale is unclear, but budgeting to source replacements might be wise.
This 1965 Corvette Convertible leaves me torn. I typically prefer my classics unmolested, but I can picture this car if the buyer takes the build to what seems like its logical conclusion. It would undoubtedly look purposeful, courtesy of the larger wheels and fender flares. However, there will undoubtedly be Barn Finds readers who will strongly advocate returning the car to its factory form. The healthy Watch List tally suggests that people are intrigued by this Corvette, but do you believe that will translate into sales success? We may need to monitor the listing to see how things unfold.
That’s the way I’d drive it. Love the vibe.
20-25K tops. I’d drive the crap out of it
Looks like a blast if it were at the right price.
The seller is trying to put this into “collector car” money for a car that never will be that. It’s a well-done but cut-up Corvette hot rod from here on out.
I like this. I’d leave the fat fenders alone too. I wonder if the car originally was silver like the top? The top does set off the matte black, but what to do about the hood? It definitely looks out of place, painted or not. I think the best thing would be to repaint the whole car silver. Otherwise, it’s a nice example of my favorite Corvette, the C2.
Love the bundle of snakes coming out from behind the front wheels.
I’d sort it out mechanically, paint it in my garage and drive it. Restoring it to stock would put you upside down financially in no time. When I was autocrossing in the 70’s there were lots of C2’s like this that were getting thrashed every weekend. I love the look of this car.
I agree! It looks perfect the way it is. If you wanna stock Corvette, go buy a stock Corvette and leave this one alone. So I modified this to make it eye candy for someone else and it’s super cool.
Based on the 6000 rpm tach redline this was originally an L79 327/350
Seller probably tried of burning his legs,on the fry pipes, wile trying to get out of it with those hump in the way, sport seats .
“This listing was ended by the seller on Mon, Jul 20 at 11:23 AM because the item is no longer available.”