One of the greatest challenges with the classic scene is determining whether a particular car is the real deal. The market is flooded with tributes and clones, and it sometimes takes a keen eye to separate a genuinely desirable vehicle from a well-executed copy. That brings us to this 1962 Chevrolet Corvette. The seller acknowledges that it doesn’t feature its original engine, but believes it started life as a desirable “Fuelie.” They planned a restoration, but failing health has left them with no choice but to send the ‘Vette to a new home. Therefore, they have listed this classic here on eBay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Frantic bidding has pushed the price to $35,700, and with the reserve met, it is destined to head to greener pastures.
Once it was rolled from hiding and treated to a deep clean, the improvement in this Corvette’s presentation is striking. The seller believes that the Honduras Maroon paint is original, although it is hard to make a definite call on that without performing an in-person inspection. They state that the body is in good condition and that the bonding strips are intact. The trim responded extremely well to a polish and should be considered acceptable for a driver or survivor-grade vehicle. The soft-top is free from physical damage, and the factory Hardtop shows no evidence of problems. There is no mention of frame rust and, given the car’s favorable location, it could easily be as solid as the day it left the factory. The first part of this Corvette mystery reveals itself with the fender badges that suggest this could have been a genuine Fuelie.
The seller admits that this Corvette is not numbers-matching. The 327ci V8 occupying the engine bay decodes as a 300hp version of 1965 vintage. It is unclear whether the four-speed transmission or other major mechanical components are original, leading us to a point to ponder. The seller believes that this car may originally have housed the optional fuel-injected 327 that produced 360hp and 352 ft/lbs of torque. This motor added $484.20 to the sticker price, making it easy to understand why it only accounted for around 13% of total sales in 1962. Determining whether this car is a genuine article is challenging, but there are a few clues beyond the fender badges that might help to confirm its authenticity. The gauge cluster includes the correct tachometer, although it is worth noting that this item was also found in cars ordered with the optional 340hp engine. The driver’s side inner fender features the two holes that were used to locate the Fuelie’s air cleaner, but the lack of passenger-side images makes it impossible to determine whether the heat shield for the plastic washer bottle is present. The other item worth checking would be the generator to determine whether it carries the correct “2268” designation on its ID tag. If a spot of detective work confirms that this is a genuine Fuelie, locating the parts required to perform a faithful refurbishment is possible. The process won’t be cheap, but many enthusiasts would consider it worthwhile if the result was another Fuelie roaming the streets.
Apart from the shifter and an aftermarket radio/cassette player, it appears that this Corvette’s interior is original. The condition is surprisingly good under the circumstances, with an apparent split on the driver’s seat the most obvious problem. The remaining upholstered surfaces look quite good, as does the dash. Those wishing to preserve the car with a “survivor” look could leave it untouched, although those focused on perfection may consider a retrim.
It will be fascinating to gauge your opinion about this 1962 Chevrolet Corvette to see how many believe this is a genuine Fuelie. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that it is. The problem is that it is largely circumstantial, and the supplied images don’t help its cause. What this classic appears to lack is documentation that would remove any lingering doubts. However, the listing figures tell the story, with thirty-six bids as the tip of the iceberg. The view and Watch List tallies of 1,650 and 252 are among the highest we have seen at Barn Finds, suggesting there is buyer confidence. Do you think it is well-founded, or do you harbor doubts about this Corvette’s authenticity?
The first pic reminds of those tales we used to hear of a little old lady owned it, husband passed, or son never came back from the war. I was never one of those who found one. This is a very nice find and one would be inclined to repair the seat, do a deep clean under the hood and underneath and just keep rubbing and polishing. This is the same year I was born, looks like one us seniors used to see running around town back in the day. No mirror shine perfection. The perfectly restored vehicles you see at shows these days didn’t look like that when they rolled off the dealership showroom floors.
The mechanical fuel injectors were a pain to tune even back in the day when there were knowledgeable techs to work on them. Many when they got older were replaced with simpler carbs. A carb in my opinion makes more sense for the do it yourself guy who is less concerned with investment and only wants to enjoy the open road. Those are my kind of guys.
Last of the C1 bodies, this was one of my favorites. From the bidding, someone has an original FI set ready for the transplant. Otherwise, it’s just another non-original survivor.
Reminds me immediately of that most iconic of all C1s – John Mazmanian’s drag racer with the butchered rear wheel openings. It would be a tough choice between this car and a 1960. I think $35K is not going to be anywhere near the hammer price on this beauty.
I have probably bored you Barnfinders to death with the story of the “free” fuel injected1957 Bel Air hardtop my father got from a dealer friend in Indiana who gave up on his attempt (and GM’s as it was new) to make the car run properly. I would hope that by 1962 a few refinements had been introduced. When I see these beauties, I picture Martin Milner and George Maharis with that great soundtrack heading down the 1 or PCH. I agree with the sentiment to fix everything needed to daily drive and enjoying it as it sits.This patina can not be artificially done and wears like an old Levi’s jacket. With that great and simple piano riff in the background.
There is a scary amount of rust on the rear end housing, picture 18 of 41, that doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Why is there no mention of the condition of the frame or pictures when it’s sitting if front of a lift, picture 40 of 41. Potential buyers need to pay attention to both what is said/shown in the description as well as what isn’t, that also goes for the way the description is worded, Those fundamentals are overlooked too often.
Steve R
Yep….noticed some of the bumps on that cleaned up pot metal…..
I tend to lean toward believing that is an original fueler mostly because Adam accurately pointed out some not very well known but important signs that it is. (By the way, it is refreshing to find an automotive journalist that has knowledge of what he is writing about) Regarding the old Rochester injection units, they kind of got a bad rap, because unless you lived near a Chevy dealer that had at least one mechanic that could work on them, they could be a pain to deal with. I bought a complete system off of a ’64 Vette for $150 in ’66 because I knew a guy that was a wizard with them. I put it on a pretty nasty 331 inch small block in a ’64 Nova and with his help, if worked every bit as good as the high rise and 750 Holley it replaced. I didn’t do it for better performance, but for the “wow” factor it would get down at Portland’s Yaws drive in on Saturday nights. With the FI insignia on the front fenders and the lope from a big Sig Erson cam that little screamer would attract a lot of attention. Glory days indeed.
A buddy of mine did exactly what Cooter is talking about, 61 black convertible, found it in the old lady’s barn probably 45 years ago, and he still has it, original paint!
Sweet ride.
I asked the seller about the location of the windshield washer reservoir. He said it’s on the driver’s side fenderwell. Unfortunately, that means it’s NOT a factory-injected ’62 Corvette.
I like the image of the NCRS Judge giving the interior the once-over.
I would like to say if it has/had a black Playboy bunny head sticker on the small window on the passenger side on the hardtop it could have been my old 62. Yes the FI was a pain to keep up with. Can’t seem to load a picture
I’m getting smarter by the day with all the detailed information you folks put out every day. Little details like the position of the washer reservoir to identify this car is mind blowing. BTW, this series Vette is one of my favoites.
Sold on 3/05/2025 with a high bid of $43,100.
Steve R