It is important never to judge a book by its cover because it could be the ideal way to miss out on a promising classic project. That might be the case with this 1968 Corvette Convertible. Its tired exterior will lead some to question how extensive its restoration could be and whether it is worth the time and money. However, the tattered appearance disguises a car that is rock-solid and in excellent mechanical health. It is an unmolested vehicle, and its big-block V8 should provide enough power to satisfy most people. The first thing it needs is a new home, with the seller listing it here on eBay in Lincoln, Nebraska. Once people learned what was hiding below the surface, it is unsurprising that bidding has raced to $13,100 off the back of some solid action. However, with that figure below the reserve, there is still time to stake your claim on this promising project.
Although it was essentially unchanged below the surface, the 1968 release brought the world a new Corvette with styling that remains one of the most instantly recognizable globally. If the C2 looked aggressive and purposeful, the C3 Corvette lifted the game significantly. This Convertible carries those traits, and while it looks tired, it is brimming with good news. It appears someone has stripped away its original Code 992 Corvette Bronze paint as part of a restoration, but the fiberglass shows no evidence of major imperfections. The seller describes it as a “no hits” car, with the frame rust-free. It seems that some basic surface preparation is all that is required before the new owner can pick up the spray gun and return this classic to its stunning best. Adding to its appeal, the ‘Vette features a good soft-top and a desirable factory hardtop. The chrome and trim look acceptable for a driver-quality vehicle, and the Rally wheels wear new trim rings and center caps.
The seller only supplies this single shot of the Corvette’s interior, making it hard to assess its shortcomings accurately. However, the cracked dash pad, door trims, and wheel suggest a total retrim is on the cards. This could be the most expensive part of the build, although this car’s potential value, once restored, should justify the expense. I’m unconvinced the interior is original because if the exterior featured Bronze paint, the interior should be trimmed in Black, Dark Orange, or Tobacco. The buyer will need to consult the Trim Tag if they plan a faithful restoration, and considering the lack of aftermarket additions, it deserves to return to its factory appearance. The original owner ordered this classic with power windows, a tilt/telescopic wheel, and an AM/FM radio.
Lifting this Corvette’s hood reveals its numbers-matching 427ci V8. As the L36 version, it sends 390hp to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission. The original owner ordered the car with power brakes, a worthwhile investment that added a mere $42.15 to the sticker price. If they had pointed the Convertible at a ¼-mile, it would have romped through in 13.9 seconds. If they were brave enough to keep the pedal to the metal, the needle would eventually stop at 143mph. For potential buyers, the seller indicates this is a turnkey proposition. It runs and drives well, meaning the buyer can gain some immediate enjoyment behind the wheel. I will sound a note of caution due to something I noticed in the engine bay. The seller describes this car as rust-free, but there is corrosion visible on some underhood components. Therefore, it would be worth enquiring whether an in-person inspection can be negotiated. That may seem overly cautious, but the buyer’s money is at stake, making it worth asking the question.
Although it needs some love, it appears that this 1968 Corvette Convertible’s shortcomings are purely cosmetic. Returned to its former glory, it is a classic guaranteed to attract attention for the right reasons. It would be an ideal candidate for a DIY approach, which helps explain why it has attracted twenty-seven bids. There is plenty of time for that figure to climb because it could be a classic valued at $35,000 once the work ends. Are those thoughts enough to tempt you to pursue this project car further?
This 68 C3 appears nice from the photos in the write up, and I was getting pretty excited, but the EBay listing does not provide that many more photos or detail, which is a must, outside of heading out to Nebraska to stand in front of the car….
That being said, the sellers EBay description throws up some red flags.
Listing statements such as “Never seen….., or Never had….., or “Always was”….are very cavalier statements, unless maybe if the original owner is selling.
Again, no good detail photos. The seller appears to boast of selling many C3’s, and this one is of course “the best one ever……”.
Not being critical, just “let the buyer beware”, and a full vetting (no pun intended) must be performed.
The spirited bidding will probably continue, until it gets to a point where it becomes a prohibitive buy for most.
This will be very interesting to watch on, to see where we end up!
Best to the new owner, hope all works out! 👍🤓
Why would the paint be stripped and primer laid down on a fiberglass body?
Preparation is the key to a good paint project. Even on fiberglass.
Yep, prep is the key.
On my ’70, the body guy used some sort of liquid stripper (called it airplane stripper) to remove all the layers of paint to bring it down to fiberglass, which he then patched and primered before laying down the original Donnybrook Green paint in acrylic enamel. Back then, you could still do lacquer paint, but I choose the enamel because it was more durable and still looked great 20+ years later.
So, painting this car will be an expensive endeavor, and at the 25K currently bid, it is overpriced for what you get and what you will need to do.
’68’s remain undesirable for a reason.
I’d be curious to know why. I had a new ’68 and it suffered from some pretty terrible build quality. Not to mention horrible paint. But nothing that couldn’t be fixed and brought up to the quality of a typical American car of the era. Which is to say, barely passable.
The 68s also had engine head issues. Some Chevrolet covered under warranty, others, not so much.
I own a 68 Vette. There are a lot of “one off” parts on that car. The windshield wiper motor has a weird reverse ground. The door handles are different, The front bumper mounts are different, lots of little annoying things like that make restoration very pricey. 69-72 swap out a lot of parts, but 68 was the experimental year.
My first vette was a 64 conv.next was 68 conv. Never had any problems at all with it except driver side door handle always stuck in an I replaced it.then I owned a 60 conv 75. 98 new an I purchased a new 17 conv that I still own I only have a 1000 miles on it as of today. I also sell corvettes at my car lot during spring an summer months.
What I don’t understand is. If this car was stored in a barn how the he’ll did the pain get so bad
First year of production for the C-3. That is what makes it undesirable to some people.
“68’s had a bad rep right out of the gate and it stuck for a lot of years.
Cracks in body and paint
Even in this condition, I think it is better looking and has more style than any new Vette.
“could be worth $35,000 when the work is done”? A decent paint job today is $12K and a perfect interior restoration is about $8K. So the buyer is already at $20K invested without dealing with any other issues that might pop up. With the bids not meeting reserve and already at $13K that means a buyer might be looking at well over $35K invested. If it’s a car one really wants I suppose that investment is OK. But the new owner could easily be upside down in a hurry
I was drooling right up until I read “automatic” then it instantly became just another used car. I’m old but my knees still work.
Same here but I’m getting to lazy to shift at all the red lights. To much money to restore this one unless you keep it your self to hand down to a grand kid later.
The Corvette is at $22K with the reserve still not met. With a decent paint job ($12K) and new interior ($8K) the new owner is already upside down. You really have to want this car to invest that kind of money.
Looks like they even made a mess of the gel-coat.
Get ready to explain “gel-coat” That may be the first time it has been mentioned.
It can be a time consuming headache.
I can tell you that this is a great car . I owned a few early vettes including a 1969 and a 71 which I owned for 15 years and a 75 . All were automatic and no issues. The secret to owning an early vette is not taking it to a corvette specialist shop. It’s a basic car. Looks cool . It’s not a Ferrari folks .
That car being a big block convertible C3 bumper car will be worth triple what you have speculated when completed. Also the interior will NOT be the the pricey part of the restoration. The paint will be four times as expensive as the interior.
I would have loved to had a shot at buying this car.
There was a strike at GM in 68 many of their lines suffered from poor build quality that year.
If you can handle the build and always wanted a Vette , buy it. You only live once my father would say. Enjoy
SOLD for $25,100.
I hope the buyer has deep pockets and can restore this to it’s former glory.