Update 4/17/20 – The seller ended the auction early when we last featured this Corvette so we figured it sold offline. Well, it has been relisted here on eBay so here’s your chance at an unrestored ’65 coupe!
From 3/18/20 – Wow! Can you imagine throwing open the doors to a storage unit and finding a car like this inside? No word on whether this 1964 Chevrolet Corvette has been parked here all along or simply staged to look like, but those details don’t matter when you consider the high levels of originality on display. The Corvette still wears its California black plates and vintage dealer plate frames, but the big score is the original, numbers-matching engine and transmission. The Corvette currently runs and drives and the seller claims it has been maintained to a high level since new. Find it here on eBay with bidding over $35,000 and the reserve unmet.
Mileage is indicated as being a very low 52,000, and the seller says it has been a California car since new with zero evidence of rust. The body does look quite sound, with no obvious bodywork and all glass intact. The Corvette sports knock-off wheels and the tires still appear to hold air. Overall, it sports the vibe of a car that was simply parked one day but never necessarily abandoned. Of course, no details are offered as to exactly why the Corvette was parked in 1991, but one can speculate an owner simply got too old or them manual transmission became too difficult to operate. The “Ermine White” paint is said to be original to the car.
The interior looks similarly used but not abused, with the side bolsters starting to deteriorate. While it needs work, you could still absolutely use this car as-is and simply tape up the seats so the foam doesn’t spill out until you get a chance to properly restore them. The black carpets and dashboard look to be in respectable shape and possibly needing nothing more than a good cleaning. The original radio has gone missing, but perhaps it represents an opportunity to rebuild an original unit with some discreet modern upgrades like an AUX jack or Bluetooth capabilities. The rear bulkhead carpets are present but dingy; the console is in good shape.
The seller notes that the 327ci / 365HP engine runs “excellent” and that the original title and purchase agreement are in hand. The engine bay certainly looks quite orderly and thankfully retains its stock components; how many cars that are otherwise survivors always have a replacement air cleaner installed?
This Corvette is a dream find for anyone seeking out a basic Stingray with a manual transmission and numbers-matching drivetrain, and is the sort of car I doubt you’ll ever lose money on provided it remains in this survivor-grade condition. I wouldn’t touch the paint, and if it’s running as well as the seller claims, I wouldn’t touch anything.
Jeff, the photos aren’t that clear, but I think the ‘Vette is wearing wheel covers and not real knock-off wheels. Aide from that, the seller’s statement that the car “runs and drives excellent” without mentioning what work was done to awaken it from its 29-year slumber bothers me just a wee bit.
Bidding seems fairly strong so far, and I can understand that. I’d think anyone who digs Corvettes would like to have this. I know I would. It’d make a great driver, at least after one does some mechanical refurbishment, cleaning and an upholstery kit.
The guy did himself no favors not washing it, I don’t get it. Take a pic of it with the dirt then wash it. That said Looks sweet, but do look at the underbelly and be sure the frame is good. 36 large and hasn’t hit reserve. Good luck to the new well heeled owner!!!
Cheers
GPC
It’s quite obvious the finder wanted 2 show how they found it, Duh
Runs excellent, but I hope they put the hose back on the vacuum advance…
No vacuum to the distributor advance. No upside to this – it only helps fuel mileage and idle quality. I suspect there are other “modifications” to discover in this “excellent” running engine…
With that statement you have never owned or worked on a car with a points distributor. Disconnected vacuum hose = giant vacuum leak, extremely high idle, no ignition advance = run like crap etc etc etc.
No offense to the author, but a car with torn up seats, dingy carpet and covered in dirt, that’s been parked for 30 years has absolutely not been “maintained to a high level since new.”
In the case of a car this old, I tend to go into the deal expecting I’m going to have to check everything out and, at a minimum, rebuild certain crucial systems (e.g. brakes), as well as attend to past-their-prime tires, shocks and the like. It’s a given, based on my experience with old(er) cars.
First stop always involves a bucket, hose and rags. Also a vacuum cleaner.
Agreed. Definitely not “well maintained” since 1991 and judging by the interior, not too well maintained before that. In the long run, it doesn’t matter. It’s a very desirable Corvette that will be probably be purchased by someone with deep pockets who will attend to all it’s mechanical needs and re-fresh the interior along with whatever else it needs.
I could not have said it better myself.
A very complete “UNMOESTED” rust free black plate CA Vette. AT least 50k sale price.
I agree with everything said. There is light rust on the bottom side of the bumpers and evidence can be seen of rust in the door jamb near the wing window. Definitely check the under belly. The thread bare carpet in the hatch area makes me wonder what went on there. The clutch pedal looks well worn so IF it’s only 52k miles it must have been a lot of stop and go.
It is a solid lifter car that will require maintenance. Manual drum brakes means it’s not a track car but will be be fine for everyday driving.
Having said that, an original 365hp/4spd coupe is desirable.
It’s a Calif. car! Not a rust bucket from the North midwest or East coast so it’s safe 2 assume no rust issues with floor pan/frame [yes still had frames then], faded carpet under big glass rear window in the sunshine state normal, & a $5 clutch pedal pad, WTF? We like 2 drive our cars out here in calif., not all r Trailer Queens. Only issue I c is 2 wash it, water out here is like GOLD
Couple things, Walt…the carpet is not sun faded it’s threadbare. Heavily worn. My comment on the clutch pedal was not that it was expensive to replace but that it was heavily worn for the (reported) miles. Last, the floor pans on ’64 vettes were fiberglass.
Safe to assume no rust issues in the frame? Better be sure and look ‘er over. Rust never sleeps no matter where!
Cheers
GPC
Hope it is not restored but brought back to driver condition. Surprised there are no current picks with it cleaned up and running
Carpets and dash would be dark blue, matching the seats.
I can’t figure how anyone would bid $38k for this car when you can buy a fully restored frame off for $50k. Paint alone on this car is over $15k. Add an interior refresh and you’re half way…. then go on to the suspension and drive train. Makes no sense whatsoever. Even if you want an ugly driver the interior and suspension will need complete overhaul.
If it does have the original pink slip you will be able to keep the black plates giving it some added value. Like most of the comments have said, at $38K and climbing this nice old survivor is under water already…
Agree with a number of commentators – why can’t the seller hose off the car before taking pictures? Hiding something?!!
52,000 miles!! Used and abused! That wear & tear seems a little abnormal for an indicated mileage car like this one. Carpet completely unbleached out. Methinks, 152K might be more accurate on the miles.
This is a no thank you helping
If someone is looking to buy a classic car and is worried about the money you might find a different hobby, they will cost you money to buy and money to keep running, and you never get your back when you sale sorry.
I’ve been collecting and driving classic cars for most of my life. I enjoy maintaining them so not much expense there. Never have I lost money on any of my cars when I’m ready to sell. They appreciate in value and not depreciate like the newer cars.
Yea I basically agree with u, but most of folks on this site I believe r computer couch critics that have nothing cool [maybe in high school] & never will again. Only thing they an rebuild is that couch cushion their sitting on because their fat old lady told the 2 do it. lol. I’m a ford man but this Vette is a excellent find, will take a min amount of clean up. I bet this Vette is in the L.A. area
The car is in Sacramento and the listing on Ebay has ended.
Apparently, someone went to see it and bought on sight.
“It Is Currently Running And Driving Excellent” – just not well enough to DRIVE IT OUT OF THE GARAGE.
How did the interior get so trashed with only 50K miles on it? If the interior was abused, so was the rest of the car. Buyer beware.
Back in the late 60s, dad and brother, dirt track raced those 327s, in 55s to a 59.
Never saw 365HP from those thou.
But there was always the 350 coming later, to haul that still racing 55.
Bet the 350 got close.
The first guy commenting is correct. Those are the one year only “frosted” wheel covers. I had a mint set and sold them in 1978 for $100. The other comment about the sale price is a good one. I recently bought a C3 that sat 15 years. It needed a ton of mechanical work, but I bought it based on the fact it sat off the garage floor in a dry place. Perfect frame and birdcage. Yes a decent paint job on a Corvette today is $15,000. Has anyone priced paint lately? I work in a body shop and paint for a new POS Jeep we just fixed was $500 a quart. Don’t believe me? Call the paint jobber. Interior parts cost plenty. To do both seats with foam and covers cost me $900. Still a nice car and yes it pays to go to a dry climate to buy a 56 year old.
I used 2 paint cars @ body shops in my 20’s-30’s & I the cost of paint & regulations/how 2/with what, is crazy. Wash it, buff it, wax it, drive it
All of this is very, very true. A good paint job these days will set you back $10k+, and thats not including any heavy body work. Then people go around scratching their heads at the rat rod look. Very easy to yell “go paint it!” when it’s not your money being spent on the job.
I still paint my rods my self, do all the body work, sanding, prep work in solid colors, sand & buff. I get off my stupid couch & computer & get the job done!
I hear ya Walt! I do as much as I can myself as well: Strip the car or truck down, dechrome, do the light body work, and put it in primer and block sand it. That cuts a good chunk of a paint job cost out. I’m still paying $5k for a decent paint job at that point though. Now for guys who don’t have the skills or time to take a project to that point, they are looking at a hefty paint job bill. With the (what I consider to be) insane prices of most “old cars” lately (I’m talking about the car you buy to restore, not the finished product), the paint job seems to be getting deferred until the very last thing on the “to do” list. Problem is, by that point, most guys have run out of money doing mechanicals and interior.
& the time & effort 2 chase down those lil parts, sometimes takes years 2 find or u try 2 make them your self
Running and driving excellent? How far did he drive it with that windshield like that? As mentioned interior looks pretty rough for the mileage but the underhood looks low miles. That’s a little odd but who knows.
I actually drove 5 1/2 hours to see this car last weekend with the prospect of buying it. Upon inspecting the car, there were a few things terribly wrong with it. To start, the eBay listing states that the car has “updates to the interior”. The carpet was ratty and the back rests of both seats were torn. Also, the ad states that the car has “52K Original Miles” when the car really had 54,000 miles. I’m not going to make a big deal over another 2,000 miles, but how can you make that mistake?Also, the ad states that the car “runs great and is not regularly driven”, “Always Maintained Well”, and “It Is Currently Running And Driving Excellent”. When I arrived, the seller had a mechanic under the hood. I figured they were just making some last minute adjustments or buttoning things up. Nothing to be too alarmed about, right? But wait for it. . . Never have I ever, in all my years of wrenching on my cars, seen someone trying to prime a carburetor with a Hudson sprayer. The car did not run! When I asked the seller, I was told that it actually hadn’t ran in two years! Turns out, the car currently did not even have a gas tank in it. The seller told me that they had sent it out to get it cleaned for me. Because they did not get it back in time, they bought a new tank that was sitting in the back of their pickup. Anyways, there was gas dripping on the fender well, exhaust, and intake. Fumes were starting to fill the storage unit, so I asked if we could push the car outside. The seller agreed. As we were slowly pushing it out of the unit, they said, “careful, there’s no brakes.” Well isn’t that great? Lastly, the ad states that the car “Is 100% Original Untouched”. Upon laying underneath the car to check out the frame and body, I noticed that the oil pan and trans were extremely clean. When I asked why they were so clean and if the motor had ever been out of the car, the seller told me that the motor had been rebuilt. To what specs, they didn’t know. They showed me a few printed out receipts. One was for a cam and the other was for a carb. I didn’t bother looking at the details as I was disappointed and ready to leave. Aside from that, I will admit that the frame was exceptionally solid and the floors were in decent shape, with the exception of some poorly done fiberglass work on the front of the passenger side floorpan.
All in all, I drove 5 1/2 hours there and back to see a car that was grossly misrepresented in its eBay listing. You know what they say, buyer beware. I’m just glad I didn’t place a bid on it or drag the trailer behind me to go see it.
Dang Time-Wasters!
I understand wanting to portray a car in the best light, but I’d guess that you’re thinking that this seller fell FAR short of meeting your expectations, based on information in the listing.
Agreed!
I was very disappointed. Based on how the car was described in the listing, I was expecting a little more.
game… set… match
Keywords: 365 h.p.
Im with W, that 365 hp 327 is fast! It sings. Who cares about the money, just go make more
How much did it cost to have this car in a storage unit this long?? Nice looking car but not all California cars are rust free!! Cars that spend lots of time on the coast or in foggy areas of California rust!! It’s obviously not like driving them on salt filled roads but it is rust nevertheless!! Still a great find and a car I would not mind owning!!!
Basically, I drool over these things…1st gen sting rays. Bidding is north of $28K. I don’t get it, not for this one. If it had been as well taken care of as stated, then, I would be attracted. But, nah.
E bay listing removed.
Just looked at it still up with 19 hours to go. Which link did you click on?