This 1968 Corvette is a real-deal show car built specifically for the 1980 AutoRama show circuit. It can be found here on eBay with a current bid of just over $7,000 the reserve has not been met. At first glance, this car reminded me of the car from the movie Corvette Summer. That car was a 1973, but the the vibe is the same with the accentuated body lines and outrageous paint. Check out the details below!
The interior is pure 70’s vibe with the monochromatic plush interior featuring diamond stitching! The door panels also got the full matching treatment. They say every trend comes back around someday…In my opinion, I hope this one doesn’t. Am I wrong?
Under the hood, you can see typical show goodies. Lots of chrome and shiny bits. The engine is a matching-numbers 327 cubic inch V8 with a Turbo 400 transmission. You can tell that the body work and paint were more of a focus than under the hood where it looks like more of a driver.
The body mods include the following: “Le Mans Nose, Cadillac headlights, handmade air inlets and hood scoop, b-pillar pockets with Toronado turn signals, extended rear roof, Pontiac Phoenix tail lights, laquer paint w/ Imron Clear.” I don’t know what the reserve on this car is, but based on original cars with show history, it is probably pretty high…Guess we’ll find out. What do you think it will take to own this car? Would you want a throw-back ride like this one?
This thing is starting to grow on me. Clear headlight covers for sure. And a new stock interior ASAP.
Ya same.. it’s so bad it’s good.
Plus the thought of cringes from the purists with their Corvette embroidered hats/jackets/jeans/socks/underwear makes me laugh
You forgot black leather driving gloves!
Yeah, this is an original all right. They should have cut it up for scrap afer the show.
Lived through the era, saw it first hand. Didn’t like it then, don’t like it now. Could be a decent parts car if the mods both you too much.
Absolutely hideous & gaudy!
Keith, maybe, but if you lived through that era and were a 7 year old back in the 50’s you probably wouldn’t wear the maroon velvet pants with the shoulder straps and the yellow shirt with the lace collar your mother made you wear when she took you out on a Sunday either!
It’s called ‘fashion down through the ages’ and what we drive today will be the laughing stock of tomorrow and beyond. A model T was cool in 1925 but we laugh at them today and ask how you could live with them back then.
I hear Corvette Summer wants their car back.
This one is worse.
How to ruin a perfectly good Corvette…gaaaah
Contracting any number of diseases from the interior materials is a distinct possibility …
I like it ese!! Véndeme un poco de hierba y dejemos boogie por el camino!
Comments from some that were still in diapers – so just be happy you weren’t from that era – it would have blown your mind !
Proof that the 1970s really was an era when good taste was completely forgotten! ;-)
Thankfully, I survived…
That will look nice in my garage next to my Lagonda….
^
lol
I see what you’ve done there
Well, it might make the Lagonda look nice, anyway.
“Emotional Rescue”? Wow, that must have been serious trauma!
I often wondered where GM got the idea for the Pontiac Aztec…………………..
internets award of the day for mark
Remember tuxedo t-shirts?
Totally kool.
Someone added cheap Chinese air cleaner and breathers. Who knows if they cut corners elsewhere.
It’s gaudy, but represents a point in time and does so quite well. It will turn more heads than most any other Corvette at a typical show. It’s definitely more interesting than the typical C3 vette.
Steve, that is true, but why did they have to do it with a 1968?
Coundn’t they have waited for a 1973 or 1974 model? Nobody would miss one of those.
Who hit that poor thing with the ugly stick? Hideous doesn’t begin to describe it, but if your neighborhood pimp drove a ‘Vette, this would be it.
The seller is asking $35,000 on Craigslist for it!
https://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/d/tucson-fantastic-1968-corvette-custom/6799530818.html
Am I a terrible person for absolutely loving this car!? I was about 10 when this car was on the Autorama circuit, and we went to the show every year. I bet if I looked back through my old photo albums, I could find pics of this car!
I’ve seen many cars with this treatment. There was at least three or four at every Carl Casper shows through out the mid-west in the seventies and early eighties. They were popular with the spectator crowd back then because they were so different. I’m not sure real car people thought much of them though.
Nice Car but The Value in Vettes is not there any more, young folks don’t want them, unless you have a 66 or older or a 427 car they are just no longer desireable like they used to be, then there were those garbage 80’s cars with the crossfire that looked more like a flattened camaro (I see them as low as $2000 people just trying to unload them), The new designs coming out now look sharp and they will one day be the collectible
You sure about that Matt? We’ve been watching values on C3s slowly creeping up.
Jesse, got to know as the C3s values go up so do us baby bloomers get older. Love the Vettes, all years. Owned several over the years. Too tough to get out of anymore.
Not quite as radical, but back when this was built it was probably consider, state of the art’, or at least what passed for art it the day. Seems to have found its was onto some tuner pubs. Right price? What can say for art. (:-)
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/d/los-alamitos-1994-honda-accord-tuner/6762854286.html
In the front, looks like it mated with the original Batmobile long time ago.
Too understated. I like a bit more pizzazz. I’m out.
I had to go sit in a dark room after looking at that interior …….
This is the automotive equivalent of an apricot colored, polyester leisure suit!
If I could get this car I would have to change the nose back to stock and get rid of the wheel flares and redo the interior back to stock and maybe the rear of the car also since we can’t see it and also get rid of them scoops since they are probably fake and repaint it back to the stock paint color
Steve S , something tells me this just ain’t the car for you !
This’d be a great Corvette with a new body and a new interior.
Tammy Fay Baker, your car is ready.
Chevette Summer…….
This is a abomination! WTH were they thinking? I really don’t like any vette made after the 60s, but why do a hideous conversion on any car? Sorry, but not my cup of tea.
I think if you look at this as a kit car instead of a corvette, it would be easier to digest. As orange as the interior is, I bet it’s a great sound insulator – something the old vettes were in dire need of. I would repaint it a nice pearl white, replace the front lenses with clear or dark, and replace the tail lights (are those camaro tail lights?). I would have the interior dyed a dark color. Maybe ditch the side pipes to thin out the profile.
Jerry, I believe those tail lights were for a ’70s Pontiac Ventura.
The ad says the car was built in 1979, which means they could have used a less desirable model for this, uh, job.
Remembering these cars when they were new makes me wonder, why? Being a Corvette guy, this is a sin.
Scoops notwithstanding, the profile created by the extended B pillars looks pretty sharp. Not suggesting that what they’ve done to the car is right, but lose the apparent effort to maximize shock value, and this wouldn’t be too bad looking.
“Would you want a throw-back ride like this one?”
No. I would want to throw-up.
Pity you can’t please all of the people all of the time, it’d be a boring world if you could!
This car should be saved for historic purposes only. Then we can hope and pray it’s the last one out there.
All this fuss over old general motors junk. Its just a ugly car to begin with. I am just amazed that someone made it look worse than it did when it was new….
Goofy last bid. From $12,500 to $28,000. Ended: Jan 26, 2019 , 7:12PM
Winning bid:US $28,000.00
[ 39 bids ]
It took 5 years to build this car from a total it won numerous first place trophies in won first place in a road obstacle course race and yes every thing on the car is functional I know I built in back 40 years ago something you beer drinking fatbelly couch potatoes with your negative comments couldn’t do
Thoroughly agree with the comment Norm, my thoughts exactly!! I’ve recently stopped visiting the site on a regular basis, sick and tired of the negativity from a bunch of broke wannabees who, one of these days are gonna, gonna, gonna but never could or ever bloody will !!
Norm, reading some of the negative comments on this car had me questioning my sanity for falling in love with it. I just wanted to let you know I flew down to Tucson this week, purchased this car, and hauled it home to Michigan on an open trailer. I’m telling you this because everywhere I stopped to fuel up it drew a crowd. I felt like a rockstar! This car attracted more smiles, thumbs ups, and conversations with strangers than any vehicle I’ve ever owned, and I’ve owned some good ones over the years. When my wife and I would go in to restaurants to eat, we would watch out the window as the car would attract the people like moths to a flame. This must have been a hard car for you to let go of, but I just wanted you to know it’s still wowing them after 40+ years.
Good for you David, all these wannabees will be kicking themselves when these types of cars from a younger era are in huge demand in later years and they’ll all be saying “I should have but was too stupid not to when I had the chance, and now I regret it and I’ve got nothing” !
David Steinkopf. I bought that car from the guy that Norm sold it to after 20+ years of sitting. I’d love to talk to you in order to keep track of the car.
Oh my, someone is off his meds!
No AGS he’s pissed off at all of the negative crap being posted by the ‘know-it-alls’ who know ‘bugger all about everything’ but like to think they do !
Look at all the comments this 1968, good or bad as the car & comments are, at least we are talking about & remembering these types of cars, I don’t think much will be remembered or talked about for most cars on the road today. Oh wow remember that custom 2019 Prius in the hot rod mag, I don’t either LOL.
I said it reminded me of a leisure suit. I didn’t say I didn’t like it. I wouldn’t want to drive it, but it does bring a smile to my face!