Parked Since ’76: 1966 Chevrolet Corvette

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This Corvette has been listed by the late owner’s son-in-law. The car has supposedly been parked since 1976 and is claimed to be all original with the exception of a respray. The family believes that the mileage (38k) is correct too. There are a few unknowns here, but it might just be worth the gamble if everything checks outs. It’s located in Freeport, Pennsylvania and is listed here on eBay where the no reserve auction ends in a few short hours!

There were four engine options available in the ’66 Corvette. You could get a 427 in either potent (390hp) or fire-breathing (425hp) form! The big-block was obviously the exciting choice, but there was also a 327 for the more sensible consumers. The small-block was also available in two states of tune (300hp or 350hp) too and the seller of this one thinks it may be the more powerful version. It would be worth figuring that one out because it greatly affects value.

The seller also doesn’t mention if that’s a 3 or 4 speed transmission in there. The number of gears may not seem like a big deal, but the M20 is a very desirable option. Details like this are very important when you are dealing with a Corvette. It might have been a good idea to reinstall the door sill plates and tunnel trim too. It does make you wonder why they were removed in the first place though.

We are hopeful that the claims are all true and that the next owner will be able to just freshen things up and have a nice driver. It would have been nice if the seller would have provided more details, but they are busy liquidating the estate so you can’t really blame them. They also have a tractor and Mercedes listed that may be worth a look. This cool convertible includes a soft top and the removable hardtop seen here. Just imagine how the rumble from those side pipes will sound with the top down!

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. Erwin Evans

    Can’t log in, want to bid.

    Like 0
    • Jesse Mortensen JesseAuthor

      Just click the eBay link in the first paragraph. Good luck!

      Like 0
  2. TomMember

    Wow, I can’t understand why the family would not be freshening up this one for themselves unless they need the dough. I know I know, I am told there are people out there that old cars mean nothing to them… again no comprende.

    It cost them nothing to move the tarps and find it!! Move a tarp find a pile of cash. Move a tarp find an old Corvette. Kind of one in the same I guess.

    Makes me want to go visit every elderly person I know and look in their garage!

    Like 0
    • Jerry HW Brentnell

      you would think if your going to sell it , blow up the tires, piece back the insides, and at least get it presentable! but no lets sell dads car for stupid money and go buy a ugly new car with it! with vets have a close look at the frame rails behind the doors as water lays there and rusts the frame out

      Like 0
  3. Jesse Mortensen JesseAuthor

    Someone on our facebook just expressed their doubts about the mileage and ’76 park date. They suggested that the tire date code be checked. That’s a good idea, but a little research does reveal that Goodyear Rallys were out in the seventies. Anyone remember these? There are a lot of unknowns here, but obviously a few people feel confident enough to bid.

    Like 0
    • Adam T45Staff

      I’m pretty sure that the Goodyear Rally was eventually superseded by the Grand Rally. If I’m right then I had a set of Grand Rallies on a car that I bought in 1979, so the tyres seem to be from the correct era. P.S. “Tyres” is our Australian spelling before anyone says anything about my spelling!

      Like 0
  4. doug

    Has ’65 hubcaps.

    Like 0
    • doug

      And it’s a 300 hp, not 350. 350 has an aluminum intake and valve covers.

      Like 0
      • Dan

        Chrome 327 valve covers, different thermostat housing, etc. on a 350 horse, this is .not that.

        Like 0
  5. jps311

    Jesse, i hear ya on tires and date codes. Take it from a guys whos got projects sitting for years when tires went flat i put other tires on to roll them around. Just a thought

    Like 0
  6. Mel H

    You mean sill plates. Not seal plates. My first job at Fisher Body was installing them. Summer 1976.

    Like 0
    • Jesse Mortensen JesseAuthor

      Thanks for catching the typo. All fixed!

      Like 0
  7. Racingpro56

    35k with an hour left…im thinking someone may be getting a great deal here!

    Like 0
  8. Leon

    Before the 80s. I’m not sure tires had much of a date coding or serial # system. Seems like that developed in later years. So from one perspective if tires have date codes then likely were installed much later ?

    Like 0
    • Drew V

      Actually,in 1971 the U.S.Gov’t created a mandated universal tire date coding system controlled by the DOT (Department of Transportation)
      that had to be followed by all manufacturers and is still being used today. Tires that donot follow this system are not allowed to be sold in the United States…

      Like 0
      • Ross W. Lovell

        Greetings All,

        Drew V., last I knew the date code was introduced the year that recycled rubber was allowed to be used in passenger car tires.

        Not sure if before this, the tires had a number that was traceable back to a date code.

        I believe the above only occurred on tractor trailer and commercial tires, not automotive, but I could be wrong.

        Like 0
  9. Kincer Dave

    Licence plate is right for 76, they went to yellow after that and then back to blue for a while.

    Like 0
    • Jesse Mortensen JesseAuthor

      Good catch Dave! I’d be more concerned about the respray and loose panels inside then I would be about the park date though.

      Like 0
  10. mark

    To some people this is a classic automobile. To others it is an old chevy. Apparently the late owner of this vehicle was the only car type person in the family.

    Like 0
  11. Gunner

    Hammer down at 37,020. Good buy!

    Like 0
    • mark

      Just think, if they had taken a day to air the tires up, wash the car, do some more research and take better pics I would say the the car would have sold for another 3 or 4 thousand dollars.

      Like 0
  12. sparkster

    Mark , Lazy people don’t do those kind of things. Smart folks understand how hard work is what gets you further in life. Someone please explain that to my teenage son

    Like 0
    • Danger Dan

      great comment!

      Like 0
  13. DolphinMember

    Median recent auction price paid for these has been $61,100 according to the SCM Guide. That would be for a car in very good to excellent driver condition—definitely better than this car.

    Looks like this car was a good buy at $37K, especially if the mileage is accurate….altho the ODO numbers don’t line up exactly.

    Like 0
  14. George

    E bay shows this as sold today for $37,020.00

    Like 0
  15. George

    eBay shows this as sold today for $37,020.00

    Like 0
  16. Pfk1106

    4 speed based on one of the additional pics, console trim plate showed the pattern. Someone might know better than me, but didn’t the 4 speeds have the reverse lockout “t”, and the 3 speeds didn’t?

    Like 0
  17. Pookie Jamie P

    If you look close enough you can see the “t” And the M20 was a 4 speed. Was it not? And is that a 67 steering wheel?

    Like 0
    • GaryC Gary c.

      Our ’66 I recently sold had the same steering wheel. Isn’t that the teak steering wheel option? Adds $2500.00 to the value.

      Like 0
  18. Ron

    In addition to ’65 wheel covers it also has has a single master cylinder. ’66 came with dual master cylinder. Could have been a very, very early ’65 I guess and they were using up parts.😊

    Like 0
    • Big Drag

      I own a numbers matching 66 and it has a single master cylinder.

      Like 0
    • Rocco in Florida

      ’67 was first year for dual master cyl. on all US made auto’s.

      Like 0
  19. 68custom

    Sixty seven was first year for dual circuit master cylinder. That a 300/327 under the hood!

    Like 0
  20. Maltese Falcon

    ’65-’66 manual brake cars had a single-reservoir master cylinder and one outlet that served the entire brake system.
    ’65-’66 power brake cars had a dual-reservoir/dual-circuit master cylinder with two separate outlets – one fed the front system, one fed the rear system.
    Starting in ’67, all Corvettes (manual or power) had dual-reservoir/dual-circuit master cylinders with dual outlets and two separate hydraulic systems.
    http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corvette-brake-master-cylinder-with-power-brake-1965late-1966.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=paid_search_google_pla&scid=scplp25-248933-1&sc_intid=25-248933-1&gclid=Cj0KEQjwwoLHBRDD0beVheu3lt0BEiQAvU4CKoLsNeAorWOEXbE31tAYQLptmH4A3V8ElFHeaZxJQQQaAh3t8P8HAQ

    Like 0
  21. GaryC Gary c.

    I just sold the 66 vetted in our collection 2 months ago. It had 100,000.0 miles on it and was in about the same shape as this one. It too was a 300 h.p. 327 4 speed.
    The biggest difference that I noticed that leads me to believe that the story on the mileage and the date it was parked is true is the condition of the instruments. Our 66 showed a lot of fading on the needles and instrument faces. This cars instrumentation looks to be in very good condition.
    I sold ours for $39,000.00 which is a little below the value of a 3 or 4 car according to the valuation tool I use. This ’66 in this condition is in the low $40 thousand range. The cars bringing more are usually a little nicer, that and better factory options and run the value up quickly. An original set of Kelsey Hayes knock off wheels add $10g to the value.

    Like 1
    • GaryC Gary c.

      Sorry about the vetted typo.
      Dang spell correct.

      Like 0
  22. Rolf Poncho 455

    Sure likes klock’s too

    Like 0
  23. D.Bates

    Not original side pipes.

    Like 0

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