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Same Owner 50 years: 1958 Chevrolet Corvette

After spending the last 50 years with the same owner, this Barn Find Corvette project is in need of restoration. With a solid body and 327 4-speed, this could make for a great project. With a nice starting platform, this C1 project is offered for $20,000. Take a look at it here on craigslist out of Hartford, Connecticut. Thanks to Peter for sharing this solid start to a great American classic!

Looking over the photos you will notice that the body has been sanded to remove any remnants of paint. Well I am fine with doing that for the sake of body work, but I am not real crazy about leaving the engine compartment exposed to the sanded paint, much less the open carb. A careful removal of the carb, and a shop vacuum will hopefully resolve this issue. No specific details are giving on the condition of the drivetrain, but this ‘Vette is currently sporting a 327 V8 4-speed combo.

Striped to just about bare bones, the interior still houses the seats and gauges. The seller openly admits that parts are missing, but it is not clear as to what may have disappeared. The interior flooring and inner sections of the doors appear solid, which is a good start.

The majority of the paint has been removed, and there does appear to be some evidence of body repair. All in all not a bad thing assuming that the fiberglass was applied correctly and not applied to dried out glass. As a whole the body and its panels seem in fine shape, but the trim may or may not be missing. One suggestion the seller mentions is that this Corvette would make a great pro touring car, which I totally agree with. Some of the folks building pro touring machines are artists in my opinion, often maintaining a mild yet updated stock looking machine. Who is to say that this also wouldn’t be a great restoration effort as well? Although some parts may be missing, there could be more present than we think. What would you do with this Corvette project?

Comments

  1. bobhess bobhess Member

    More destruction than fixing going on here.

    Like 3
  2. Avatar Steve

    Seller probably had a “Vision” of building a pro touring and quickly tore it apart with parts flying in every direction. Then, he realized it looks a lot easier on TV than it is in real life.

    Like 18
  3. Avatar TimM

    I can’t see paying high dollars for a car that needs over 1000 hours of labor!! This car may have been owed by the same guy for 50 years but he neglected it for 50 years as well!! Driven hard and put away wet!!!

    Like 7
  4. Avatar Phil

    Ive restored a 59 and a 58 from the frame up for 20 000 this looks doable
    Youll need to learn a lot about fiberglass repair and youd have to do it your self
    It wont work at 85 bucks an hour
    I know first hand
    Theres an engine there but i expect thats going to be a complete re do
    if you want 327 thats nice their nice motors its got a 2 barrel on so this might be 185 horse no sweat if its tear down 250 horse is a nice idling motor flat top pistons and elgin makes a duntov cam an exact 1 their nice with the solid lifters theres about 10 000 in interior work here
    Check the frame especially where the shackles attach
    be bloody careful about the frame theres the nightmare waiting to wipe you out

    Like 1
    • Avatar moosie

      It looks like it has a Carter A F B on it to me. The shame of the entire thing is that I had 2 1959 Corvettes exactly in this same condition except mine had hardtops + the soft tops & no drivetrain at all, I sold them both for a coupla hundred bucks each to focus on my new ’71 LT-1 Roadster, how times have changed, huh.

      Like 3
  5. Avatar Bing

    Never ceases to amaze me that people own cars like this, let them go, sometime exposed to the elements, throw pieces and parts everywhere, then stick an unrealistic price on it. These are also the folks that get insulted when they receive a realistic cash offer.

    One could (should) never buy a vette like this without a through look at the undercarriage. It is the difference between buying a resto project or a parts car.

    Just saying…

    Like 4
  6. Avatar Mr. Norm

    The 327 may be the best engine GM ever produced, but that first showed up in 1962. If you’re gonna dump serious cash into a rebuild like this, at least let it be with a 283 as was originally manufactured. otherwise, good luck!

    Like 0
  7. Avatar 38ChevyCoupeGuy

    But honey….. Three episodes later and those guys were hauling ass down the highway and doing doughnuts in a parking lot. Besides, we can start saving for little Billy’s college fund again. 😂

    Like 5
  8. Avatar gbvette62

    $20K is probably about right for this car, but even at that, it’s not worth buying with the intention of restoring it. Nice, done, running and driving cars are out there for $60K. By the time you get done buying parts for this car, you’ll have over $40K in it, that’s assuming the only parts that come with it, are the few odds and ends in the trunk.

    58 trunk irons are $2500, rear bumpers $1500 (if you can find them), rear bumperettes $600, front bumpers $1200, front bumperette assembly $350, grill $450, grill molding set $1500, side molding set $500, side spear set $250, top fender moldings $250, wheel covers $750, nose and trunk emblems $250. That’s over $10K without any weatherstrip, interior, mechanical work, tires, soft top, and so on.

    Put $80K into restoring it, and you might get $70K back. Put $100K+ into building a resto-mod, and you might make some money.

    Like 5
  9. Avatar Bing

    I have a 60 vette, owned it for 20 years. Exterior and interior have been redone to factory specs… under the hood was a mid seventies 350 with a four barrel.
    I found a 62 327 block, had it rebuilt, put on fueli heads, found a two four 60 vintage intake, put a set of restored carbs on it along with period valve covers. To the unschooled eye, you cannot tell the difference between a 283 or the 327. Car runs out nice, and for me, I just love driving it.

    Like 2
  10. Avatar chrlsful

    these R the yrs for the C1. Got the nice rear end (eye-talian like) still, pretty dash, & more performance motor…
    Wish he said “Ten K $.” instead, ‘s practically my neighbor…

    Like 1

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