The ’72 Corvettes were almost unchanged from the ‘71s, yet Chevrolet saw a sales increase of 24%. Perhaps buyers were concerned that future Corvettes would be further detuned given the status of increasing emissions controls. This ’72 ‘Vette has the 454 cubic inch big-block V8 (which was two years away from extinction) but was damaged while in a shipping container. So, the buyer will have to do a fair amount of bodywork to set things straight. Located in Hollywood, Florida, this sports car is available here on eBay where the first bid of $15,000 is elusive.
Chevrolet built 27,000 Corvettes in 1972, with fewer than 4,000 with the 454 engine. Using SAE net measurements then (and lower compression ratios), the rated output was down to 270 hp. The seller’s car is the coupe with the removable top, which comprised more than 75% of Corvette sales in 1972. This unfortunate ‘Vette is said to run well with new brakes and suspension components.
At first glance, it looks as though this Chevy was in an accident, but that was not the case. It must have shifted around inside its shipping container which resulted in much of the front clip fiberglass being damaged and a smaller amount on the flip side. Though the photos show the front end, the seller has since removed the pieces which are said to lead to an otherwise straight automobile. The black interior comes across as clean and not needing anything.
The indicated mileage is 20,000, but no claim is made regarding its accuracy. It could have turned over or be another number altogether. This Corvette came with factory air conditioning, but the compressor is MIA. When you start sourcing parts pieces to right this ship, we’re told all the lights are present and in working order. Is this project a turn-on or a turn-off?
Wow and they still want $15k for it
😂
Amazingly, yes. Probably need to not buy anything anytime soon if this is an accurate barometer of the market.
Was the container on the Titanic?
To seller: “Nice car. Where’s the rest of it? LOL.” GLWS. There isn’t $15k worth of car here.
Not a coupe, convertible with vinyl covered removable hardtop 811 got this option, would be better if 4spd. They need more photos posted, the seller even failed to list it as a convertible. Decent car if you can work with fiberglass.
🍋🍋😝
I see this car as a starting point to a “Corvette summer” clone. Or even a mako shark conversion. Or if someone is into racing they can turn it into a Owens Corning sponsored scca racing clone. Tons of stuff you can do to a damaged C3 Corvette with a big block in it. Even if it IS an automatic.
Really can find one with out the damage lot of work for what it is
Car reminds me of something that a old fiberglass repair friend once told me. Corvettes are plastic. If you have a mishap pick up EVERY piece of the glass. He would say “think of it as a egg shell if you have the majority of the shell I can glue it back together”.
Good glass body people are a dying breed, literally. Hopefully this seller has all the pieces.
It’s a shame that whoever put the car in the container didn’t spend a few bucks for chain and binders. Of course that is if they used the anchor type sea crate.
I don’t know. Could be a really nice ride. My sight unseen bodywork estimate would fall in the $20k number. And heck, who knows what mechanical problems will pop their heads.
Might be a really bad Halloween night! Good luck.
I remember when a drunk turned in front of my ’68 roadster and I t-boned him. Afterwards I started to pick up the pieces until the cops told me to stop.
About 30 years ago I was contacted by an insurance company concerning 3 vintage cars in 2 shipping containers [1 in a 20 ft, the other 2 in a 40 ft container] that had been involved in storm damage while at sea.
In the 20 ft container was a rare Bristol 400 coupe, it’s right side now resting on the floor, and the car’s roof leaning against the container’s side. The entire alloy and wood body was badly damaged.
The 40 ft container had a Jag XK 150 coupe, and a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II saloon. The back end of the Rolls [including the rear axle] was sitting on top of the Jag’s front half, the windshield busted out by the Rolls rear bumper.
I was informed the ship had been thrashed about in a huge north Atlantic storm with 100 foot waves. All 3 cars had been chained down to steel rings attached inside the container shell, the Jag’s chains were still in place, but many of the Rolls-Royce & Bristol chain mounting points had pulled out, allowing the cars to “fly through the air” while inside the containers. I could see paint marks from the Bristol and Rolls on the inner roof panels of the containers! I sent my report to the insurer, and never heard anything more about the cars.
Car reminds me of something that a old fiberglass repair friend once told me. Corvettes are plastic. If you have a mishap pick up EVERY piece of the glass. He would say “think of it as a egg shell if you have the majority of the shell I can glue it back together”.
Good glass body people are a dying breed, literally. Hopefully this seller has all the pieces.
It’s a shame that whoever put the car in the container didn’t spend a few bucks for chain and binders. Of course that is if they used the anchor type sea crate.
I don’t know. Could be a really nice ride. My sight unseen bodywork estimate would fall in the $20k number. And heck, who knows what mechanical problems will pop their heads.
Might be a really bad Halloween night! Good luck.
Looks like the radio got shaken out of the car when the container flipped, too.
Strange to me that they call it a 7.4, as that is not common to refer to it as. Probably not original engine as it is blue. I would wonder if it was stolen and being shipped overseas.
Sea container, flipped, not properly secured… Red flags to me! What about water damage? Why was this in a sea container? Has is been out of the country? Alarms are going off in lots of areas of my humble head.
I’m not convinced it was a great car before the container issue. I’d want much more info before considering a purchase.
Yes, I thought the same when I saw the pictures of the “Blue” 7.4 liter. I’m thinking transplant from an 80’s truck. Definitely not a numbers matching 454.
Sounds like it was in a Hurricane ? Florida ?
I have a feeling this car was sold to an overseas customer and the container mess up happened either on the way over and it was rejected and sent back or in the freight yard before getting loaded on the ship. There is one picture showing the car in one piece and it’s not bad looking the article has phone numbers. Could be a nice deal for the right person
Seems a little pricey for a car where a front clip is needed and there’s no ( I’m assuming) documentation on its history or mechanics. I’d say 8500 at best, for the cost of making this roadworthy could potentially be significant……
I really doubt that you will find a front clip. This magnifies the importance of picking up all the pieces of glass should you have a mishap. Otherwise you deal with labor intensive molding of raw glass. It’s not fun.
Wow the shipping container even knocked off the trim rings!
I thought we were in a time machine and it was April 1st!!! What a joke and a bunch of B.S.!💩
My late uncle served in the military, and was posted to Germany in the 60s. When he finished his tour, he had his Alfa Romeo Spider shipped home. At the time, shipping containers were not yet in wide use, so cars were driven/loaded onto ships.
When my uncle went to pick up his Alfa, he found that the steering wheel, and a number of valuable other parts had been stolen. When he made an issue of this at the port, he was told that it was common practice. Apparently any steps to curtail theft were met with strong resistance by the crews who apparently felt entitled to steal. My uncle was told by industry insiders that it was considered the same as tipping a waiter…..
Shortly thereafter, partly because of theft, shipping containers became the main method for shipping cars. The jobs related to loading cars were gone, and so were the easy theft opportunities.
My uncle never got the car going, and the car sat in his back yard for years.
He eventually sold it for almost nothing when he moved away.
Has sold for 15 thou.
Decidedly not worth it. Parts of the A/C are missing, the body damage, et al. This is just about a parts car. Any one who buys it with the idea of fixing it needs to think again.
I wonder why the fenders & front top panel on these vettes are all one piece, instead of 3. Must make/have made for a very costly serious accident repair!
I can’t imagine how that assembly was shipped, stored, handled, or installed on the assembly line without damaging it! I bet some were damaged & thrown away.
The whole body is molded in one piece. Then they cut out the doors and the hood with a jigsaw like saw. My very good old (past) friend used to own Mercury Boats in Piru, CA. I got a chance to work with him on designing boats. Prior to that I worked in my uncles Chevrolet Cadillac Buick dealership in the in-house body shop. I learned a great deal about auto design. And the logic behind it. I’ve watched older body men do the lead fill process on older heavy metal cars
Most of them are dead from black lung. Lead fumes.
Billy, I’m not sure where you got that information, but Corvette bodies are not molded in one piece and then cut apart. Each piece is molded separately.
Ummm…. No. Black lung is commonly known to be from miners breathing in coal dust. Not from working with lead. If you lived anywhere near an auto manufacturing plant up until the 80’s hot melted lead was used to fill body seams, like when the panel below the rear window between the quarter panels were all welded together, the little seam you can see, that is liquid lead that was ladled over the seam to fill in and then smoothed out. It was an art form that only a few did each shift on the body line. I grew up near the General Motor Assembly and Fisher Body plant in Janesville and was able to witness this with my Dad who worked there and security let him take me on a tour a couple times. My Dad and one of his business partners also had a body shop in a gas station and they used lead yet in the 60’s. I still have at least 1 of the smoothing spoons. Corvettes are not molded as one piece and then cut up. LOL.
I worked at Rockwell plastics in 1972 my job was to mold the front end of the new 1973 Corvette I promise you these cars were made one piece at a time I made them
I had forgotten how ugly these were. This really brings it home.
I would say the story was embellished and it was more like the driver had been drinking like a sailor and went left of center.
Thanks Rp. I preferred not to get into a nowhere debate with Len.
Hopefully everyone learned from this.
Ya’all have a great summer!
Yes, the entire body was not 1 form with the doors and hood cut out as you would have indicated. The front clip (fenders and header panel) were formed together, the hood separately, as were the doors molded separately, not cut out of a separate mold. New replacement parts can be had with each fender as a separate piece so that only the damaged side can be cutaway and the new panel installed with bonding strips. I think you misinterpreted what RP had assured us all of. As a side note he (RP) mentioned he worked doing this in the fall of 72 making parts for the 73 models. The 73’s had a bit different process of building, (molding) the panels then the 68 to 72’s had been done. No attack on you on my part. Just informing you. This can all be verified by just a little research.
Billy: what are you talking about?
Your comment on the 4th about the vette body construction.
Did you not see Rp’s comment of today?
OK Fine. Period.
Where did the insurance money go after the claim was settled? Unless there is 10k hidden under the seat, why would anyone buy this car? The real damage is from the seller.