Chevrolet never manufactured a station wagon or “shooting brake” version of its popular Corvette sports car. But Corvette enthusiast John Greenwood did, mostly as kits to be installed by others. They were based on the popular C3 Corvettes of 1974 to 1982 (after plastic bumper covers came along). The seller has a 1974 Greenwood Sportwagon that is said to be one of 40. It was a father-and-son restoration that stalled some years ago with about 20% of the work remaining.
Chevrolet built more than 37,500 Corvettes in 1974, its second-best year since its inception. Buyers were not scared away by rising gas prices and would consume even more Corvettes the following year. Most of the slippery cars were powered by a 350 cubic inch V8 engine like the seller’s example, which also has a TH-400 automatic transmission. This Corvette is numbers matching and both items have been rebuilt.
As the story goes, this Corvette Sportwagon needed restoration and the father/son team acquired it in 2007 and went to work. It was a frame-off project, and the fiberglass was taken down to bare and repainted black (original color?). The frame was powder-coated in the process and all the key parts in the chassis were replaced. For whatever reason, the project came to a halt at about 80% complete and the vehicle has been sitting for the past eight years.
The rare Corvette runs and drives, but venturing far without more work is not a good idea. The headlight doors don’t open, the wipers don’t function, there is some questionable wiring, and the air conditioning needs attention. But the list of work needed is a bit longer than that. The paint has picked up some imperfections and the carpet in the back needs replacing. We’re told at least $30,000 has been invested, forgetting the hours of labor. The Corvette is in Front Royal, Virginia, and is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $15,000 OBO. The listing is a month old, and no buyers appear to have come forward. Thanks for the cool tip, Rocco B.!
Russ, these kits were also available for the 1968-1973 Corvettes. Eckler’s Corvette used to carry them.
Almost bet that there exists a corner of a warehouse somewhere that has a truck load, or two, of these conversions.
Wow, this is what I want all my Vettes’ to look like.
Holy Moly!
Nice car here. Always thought the Sport Wagons were good looking if done right and this one fills the bill. I’m not showing this one to the grocery getter in the family.
I absolutely love it, and I’m a Ford lover. I want, I want.
As a kid many decades ago, I had a hotwheels version of this in a Mustang.
To me the vette version looks so much better, (possiblely because it’s black). And it’s real.
I’d make it 100 per cent legal, and drive the wheels off it.
Jeebus, that’s right in my backyard!
The seller’s claiming it’s a real Greenwood Sportwagon, but it’s a 74 and the first Greenwood built Sportwagon was a 75 that wasn’t completed until early 76. Greenwood debuted the car at the 1976 SEMA show. Greenwood didn’t make any street cars before 1975. Greenwood factory built street cars usually had a round “Greenwood” emblem on the “B” pillar and I’m pretty sure also had a Greenwood serial number plate on them. I suspect this may be a conversion done using a kit Sportwagon kit, and not one of the factory built Sportwagons. Both Eckler’s and ACI made the Greenwood Sportwagon kits.
This car’s had a lot of other modifications too, including a 78-82 dash, console, steering column and doors, 79-82 seats and 80-82 rear bumper, making it more likely it’s a conversion. The price seems pretty low for a real Greenwood too. There’s nothing wrong with this, I think the Sportwagon’s are nicely designed and attractive, but serious collectors prefer Greenwood built cars and not conversions.
A real Greenwood, the last of the nine John Greenwood Corvette race cars built for customers is about an hour from this Sportwagon, sitting disassembled in a trailer in Hagerstown MD.
The ad says “Greenwood Sportwagon conversion”. Greenwood partnered with Ecklers to sell the conversion kits. ACI also sold the kits.
Yes, the car itself is kind of a mis-mash of years. Hence the ‘low’ price.
I have seen several of these in person and, while utilitarian, they are butt-ugly in my opinion.
The ad says it’s a “conversion”, but it sure makes it sound like a real Greenwood conversion. Calling it “rare” and saying it’s “one of less than 40 built”, indicates to me they either think it’s a real Greenwood, or they want buyers to think it.
The 40 built is off too. Greenwood only built 43 of all of his Corvette street conversions combined, the Sportwagon, Sebring GT, the Turbo, the GTO and Daytona. ACI also built Sportwagon and wide body Turbo conversions from Greenwood parts, but they weren’t Greenwoods. Eckler’s and ACI have made far more than 40 Sportwagon kits over the years.
As Corvette wagon conversions go, I thought the Sportwagon design blended nicely with the lines of the Corvette. It sure was a lot better looking than the wagon kit Eckler’s created, that had a roof ending in a “ducktail” spoiler shape.
In black it vaguely reminds me of the XKE hearse from Harold & Maude.
Well, now that’s interesting. Probably right up there with some of the oddest Corvette modifications I have seen. Wouldn’t really call my name, but I have to admit that it’s kind of pretty. It wouldn’t surprise me if it finds a new home fairly quickly.
Repulsive!
This conversion is an improvement to the looks of the 1974-1977 Corvettes IMO. And to add insult to injury some circa Corvettes had an anemic 305 ci that wouldn’t spin the tires on mud.
Aztec! You now have competition.
Truly grotesque..
I wouldn’t be caught riding or driving in an Aztec with a bag on my head. Only thing uglier is that Tesla truck. Makes me wonder where he got the idea from.
Hummmm…..nope…Why? The work looks like it was carefully done as far as it went, but Nope. I’ve owned 3 C3’s and have left them stock. Now I drive a black C5 Corvette, not a station wagon!
I don’t know, maybe it’s the color. While I would certainly never have use for it, I’ll bet someone will take a likin’ to it. (By the way, I also have a black C5 FRC.)
You have redeemed yourself Charles. All of my vehicles are black. However I do have a 911 that would like to meet you on the street and let you smell my exhaust.
For all the work put into it, especially the body off frame/chassis renovation, it really isn’t a bad price.
However, it isn’t everyone’s cup of Corvette tea, me included.
I’m a real U.S. Navy UDT FRO fo 43 years. and I love this wagon . but now I have too many toys.
If cars could talk I’m sure this one would say, “does my bum look big in this?”