Special Order Paint: No Reserve 1972 Chevrolet Corvette

Once, customers could walk into a showroom and order a car in a paint shade that wasn’t on that year’s color palette. That experience is now largely confined to prestige brands, but the first owner did just that with this 1972 Chevrolet Corvette. They didn’t limit their cash splash to the paint; they equipped the car with desirable factory options. It recently emerged from a private collection and is ready for a new home. The seller has listed the Corvette here on eBay in Hialeah, Florida. The high bid is just $5,300 in a No Reserve auction.

Chevrolet prepared for some major changes to the C3 Corvette for the 1973 model year. As such, 1972 was the final year for the chrome front bumper, the removable window on the Coupe variant, and the vacuum-operated wiper door. As standard practice, buyers could choose from ten paint shades when ordering their new purchase. However, Black disappeared at the end of 1969 and didn’t reappear until 1977. Chevrolet was flexible and would fulfill Special Orders for a price. The first owner followed that path, as this car’s Trim Tag confirms. It is unknown how many ’72 Corvettes rolled off the line in Black, but this one might be unique. It presents acceptably for a survivor, with no major cosmetic shortcomings. The paint shines nicely, and there are no significant fiberglass issues. The seller says the frame is rust-free, admitting to minor repairs on a couple of corners. The trim is in good condition, and the glass is clear.

Decoding the VIN shows the first owner didn’t limit their spend to special paint, ordering this Corvette with the 454ci LS5 V8. The big-block delivered 270hp and 390 ft/lbs of torque, fed to the road via a four-speed manual transmission. The C3 may not have been as potent in 1972 as it was a few years earlier, but it was still pretty impressive. Unfortunately, this classic is no longer numbers-matching, and the big-block has been replaced with a 350ci small-block. It is unclear when or why the change happened, but the seller says the car is mechanically strong, with no identified issues or shortcomings. Leaving the ‘Vette as-is would be viable, although some readers will assess its relative rarity and decide that sourcing a correct big-block to bolt under the hood would be their preferred course of action.

Trimmed in Saddle, the Corvette’s interior is tidy and serviceable, but not outstanding. The carpet is slightly faded, the wheel shows wear, and some plastic pieces are scratched. However, the big-ticket items, like the seatcovers, door trims, and dash, look pretty good. So, improving its appearance may mean replacing a few small parts rather than doing a full retrim. The first owner kept spending money inside this classic, selecting power windows, a tilt/telescopic wheel, and an AM/FM radio. The seller says that the wipers are inoperative and the radio produces static. However, the power windows and most of the gauges work as they should.

Finding C3 Corvettes finished in Black isn’t unusual, but this 1972 example left the line in that color in a year it wasn’t available, making this beauty both rare and distinctive. The listing statistics confirm that it has struck a chord, because the 14 submitted bids are the tip of the iceberg. The Listing View and Watch List tallies of 551 and 130, respectively, confirm that people like what they see, and I won’t be surprised if the action intensifies in the final hours. Are you tempted to join the bidding war, or will you join me as an interested spectator?