It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That means we will have readers who look at this 1969 Corvette and wish to preserve its current appearance and custom touches. Others would be horrified by what they see and would strive to return it to its factory appearance if it were parked in their workshop. You could act on your beliefs because the ‘Vette is listed here on eBay in Highland, Michigan. It has attracted a single bid of $14,000 in what appears to be a No Reserve auction.
The original owner ordered this Corvette in Can-Am White, but it underwent a color change as part of the custom build. The paint looks surprisingly good, with a respectable shine and no evidence of patchiness. The same is true of the graphics, which are free from lifting and checking. However, those changes are minor compared to those performed on the panels. The fenders sport enormous flares to cover the Center Line wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson tires. There is also a custom hood with a non-functional cowl induction and slots in the rear buttresses between the roof and rear deck. Although the hood doesn’t thrill me, the remaining updates are well-integrated and add a touch of menace to this classic. There are cracks and imperfections requiring attention, but there are no severe issues. The updates will undoubtedly divide opinions, and reversing them should be possible due to the ready availability of parts. The glass and chrome look good, but this Corvette may require an in-person inspection. Crawling under the car reveals some significant surface corrosion on the frame but no apparent penetrating rust. Some of the more prone areas aren’t visible in the comprehensive set of supplied photos, which is why I am making my suggestion. They provide this YouTube video featuring a walkaround. It may answer some of the questions the photos can’t.
The interior shots don’t make a positive first impression, but the news gets better the longer you look. Admittedly, it needs a new carpet set and some control knobs for the factory AM/FM radio, while the wheel shows deterioration and is missing its center cap. However, looking beyond those faults reveals many positive attributes. The Black vinyl seatcovers look virtually new, while the door trims are spotless. The dash and pad are excellent, and the console is free from major dramas. If the buyer spent $320 on a carpet set, $270 on a reproduction wheel and cap, and $45 on replacement radio controls, this interior would present well for a driver-quality vehicle.
When this Corvette was shiny and new, its engine bay housed the L36 version of the company’s 427ci V8. This big-block sent 390hp to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission, endowing the car with the ability to cover the ¼ mile in 13.9 seconds before hitting a top speed of 137mph. The listing reveals that it isn’t just this Corvette’s panels and paint that is no longer original, with the 427 making way for a 454. Its specifications are unclear, but the seller reveals it doesn’t run. It looks like the fuel tank is missing, but we can only speculate on what it might take to revive that V8. However, the performance gains would be largely incremental unless the new motor received significant internal upgrades.
This 1969 Corvette leaves me torn. Although I generally favor original classics, I always respect custom builds if they are well-executed. The photos suggest somebody put considerable time and effort into this car’s body modification, and the accumulated flaws and defects should be easily addressed. Returning the body to its factory appearance is possible, but it would take dedication and dollars. If you found it in your garage, what would be your approach? More importantly, with only a solitary bid submitted, are you tempted to make a play for this classic? If you succeed, we’d love to know your plans.
If you want an original Corvette go buy an original Corvette. I can live with the body modifications but that raised suspension just for the big wheels and tires must make it handle like a wheelbarrow full of rocks. Solve that situation, finish out the interior and take care of the spaghetti wiring in the engine compartment (assuming the engine is OK) and you’ve got a distinctive car you can drive and have some fun with.
Wow I remember that look, the stance, wheel flairs and staggered wheel tire combo. Clean it up and get it running and park it with the other Corvettes at the local show. Walk away and watch the purist types look at your car and just enjoy the moment. This was nothing but another car and yep this was done many times.
I have to agree with Bob and Cadmanls. Interesting work on the slots in the rear buttresses, I like it. Not big on the graphics though.
Agreed. these “graphics” look more like graffiti. Wash it off.
I like it . As far as customizations go , this isn’t completely tasteless .
It’s cool.
Lose the flame graphics – those aren’t “period correct”. But I love everything else. The interior is a mess.. and the rust isn’t telling good things about the birdcage. Tread carefully…
Remove the graphics and you have a period custom. Period customs are way underrated in my eyes. I find more interest in this than a cookie cutter not rare original.
Beauty is in the eyes of the ‘beer holder’
The car looks sound body work is ok clean it up and drive it
I’m just sitting here wondering how many hours went into the openings on the side of the roof panels & they serve absolutely no purpose, not even aesthetically.
It will reduce the blind spot that the sail panel causes.
I have to agree, if you want a stocker, buy a stocker. All this one is missing is the chrome side pipes and bubble tail lights.
I’m always surprised when I see a car that had a lot of money spent on the exterior and zero effort put into the interior. When you are driving, it is the interior that you as the owner see the most.
I like like Corvettes stock or tastefully modified they look great either way. The flares on this car look cool but the door gaps look wonky, that indicates to me that the body work may be shoddy. Keep it modified or return to stock, either way it appears to be a money pit. Because it is a non-number-matching car, if you spend money on this you had better keep it and enjoy it.
Navin Johnson’s vette….
Why not? Mullets are also making a come back.
I would drive the heck out of this car, after I rebuilt the engine, dropped the suspension back to where it should be, removed those hi-dious graphics and installed new brakes, brake lines and carpet. I’d even keep the Center Line wheels, probably polish them up and put new tires on them. It would be sweet if the big block could be made to run without a rebuild, but if I’m buying it, it’s getting a complete, high compression, high performance rebuild. Maybe get the 454 running and drive it until a crate engine gets delivered? It’s already customized, might as well keep the theme and make it run as good as it looks.
I like it, but I’d ditch the side graphics, lower it and install a different set of wheels/tires. Convo Pro wheels are drag racing oriented, and the flares are more road racing in my opinion. American Torque Thrust D’s or 200S would work well. I’d even add a set of black side mount headers to complete the look. Putting the carpet back in will change the interior completely with little work. Add the horn button and drive the heck out of it… that is, after addressing the engine issues.
Get the motor running clean up engine compartment and interior. Then drive the Hell out of it! I had a 69 and they all drove like a wheel barrel. So what!!
Not stock and not a custom, not to my taste. What was done looks like it was handled well but sometimes it needs to go further one way or the other.
Wish the seller the best of luck.
If it were mine fix interior loose the graphics add some black side pipes and aluminum slots with white letter tires and fix the old 454 and go see how hard i could bang on that 4speed.sounds like fun all day long to me.
Ended:
Dec 18, 2022 11:00:00 PST
Winning bid:
US $17,600.00
[ 7 bids ]
For the right price I would buy it. A big block 4 speed Corvette would be so much fun.