Parked in ’76: 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

One of the most satisfying tasks an owner can face when dealing with a genuine barn find is washing away decades of accumulated dust to reveal what hides beneath. The seller purchased this 1965 Corvette Convertible about fourteen months ago but has resisted the urge to perform that task. He decided to leave that joy to the next owner. If you feel tempted, you will find the Corvette located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and listed for sale here on Barn Finds Classifieds. The seller has set a price of $65,000 for this classic.

The seller purchased the Corvette fourteen months ago, and it was one of several cars that were part of a hidden collection. The previous owner told him they parked the ‘Vette in 1976, and he believes that story to be accurate. He has not attempted to commence any restoration, leaving the buyer with the joy of washing away more than four decades of accumulated dust. Hiding below the dust is Rally Red paint, and while it is impossible to be sure, I feel that a wash and polish could provide positive results. There are no glaring faults in the panels or paint, leaving it possible for the buyer to retain the Corvette as an original survivor. The soft-top looks tired, and there is a factory hardtop whose condition is consistent with the rest of the car. Probably the best slice of news is this Chevy’s lack of rust. The seller says that the frame is solid, with no rust visible in the usually prone locations. If a wash reveals that the panels and paint are acceptable, it leaves the tantalizing thought that returning the Corvette to our roads in time to make the most of the coming warmer weather could be a reality.

Turning our attention to the interior, the news remains positive. The original owner ordered the ‘Vette trimmed in Black vinyl, which remains intact. It is serviceable as it stands, but a clean may, once again, reveal that it needs little to present at its best. Both seatcovers are split, and the carpet has seen better days. However, before I replaced anything beyond those items, I would treat everything to a deep clean. The door trims and dash look promising, as does the console. The gauge fascia is slightly worn, but the buyer may be able to restore this without sourcing a replacement. With a carpet set costing $300 and a set of vinyl seatcovers adding a further $500 to the tally, this could be an affordable interior restoration if the only other tasks involve cleaning.

The original owner equipped this Corvette with the L75 version of the venerable 327ci V8. With 300hp finding its way to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission, this classic would have stormed the ¼ mile in 14.6 seconds in its glory days. When the seller located the car, it had been hibernating for more than four decades. After confirming that it is numbers-matching, he replaced the water pump and a few hoses (all original parts included). That sweet 327 roared back into life, although there will be more for the buyer to do to return the car to a roadworthy state. The transmission shifts through all gears, so with a bit of suspension and brake work and a thorough inspection, there’s a chance that this classic could be returned to its rightful place on our roads reasonably quickly.

The longer I stare at the photos of this 1965 Corvette, the more I find myself itching to break out the hose and sponge. It is a rock-solid survivor, and returning it to its rightful place on our roads would seem a relatively straightforward process. It has been sitting idle for forty-six years, which I believe to be forty-six years too long. Its creators designed this car to be driven and enjoyed, and after decades of inactivity, it deserves nothing less. Could you be the right person to liberate this classic?