This 1980 Chevrolet Corvette is a looker, wearing what appears to be factory yellow paint over an Oyster interior. The seller reports that his father owned a Corvette restoration business and acquired this car out of Minnesota with plans to refurbish it, but all that happened was the Corvette was parked on concrete as a running vehicle and left to sit since 1991. The storage arrangement hasn’t protected it from dust and dirt, but hopefully, that concrete floor has kept the frame intact. The Corvette is now listed here on craigslist with what is believed to be genuine mileage of just over 47,000 and an asking price of $8,000.
The big question is if this is the factory paint job. Yellow C3 Corvettes are rare, and somewhat coveted by collectors. Given the C3 isn’t the most desirable generation, it’s one of the few ways to add value to a car that isn’t a special edition or a Pace Car tribute. That being said, converting cars from white or brown into a more lively shade was a fairly common practice as well, but the paint does extend into the inner fenders and looks to be fairly consistent from panel to panel. The turbine wheels are not factory but are a typical, period-correct upgrade.
The interior is a treat, quite honestly, and brings back memories of a similar C3 with a rare color we wrote up a few years ago. It, too, had this unusual two-tone Oyster interior, and this one looks to be cloth as well. The cabin does look like that of a car with under 50,000 miles, and it’s shocking how clean it is compared to the exterior. Truth be told, it makes me wonder if this was, in fact, a pretty decent car when the seller’s father picked it up. The father has since passed away, and the seller is responsible for settling the estate, which includes this forgotten Corvette that still looks wholly deserving of restoration.
Now, here’s what’s kind of surprising: the engine bay is wretched. I really wasn’t expecting this, as the rest of the car, though dirty, still looks like it would present pretty well with a quick wash. The engine compartment, on the other hand, will need lots of love. Given the seller’s father bought the car to restore, it seems possible this was a mechanical restoration rather than a cosmetic one. Still, pictures of barn find vehicles always show them at their worst, so maybe this is another area that just needs some time with the pressure washer. Regardless, this forgotten Corvette looks worthy of restoration.
Would be a good rig to build a Batmobile.
This comment made me laugh out loud…
Really? You can’t be bothered to powerwash all the bird crap off before you list it? As long as the bird cage isn’t toast, it would be a buy at $2500..
Unless you are trying to hide serious flaws, posting it as is makes no sense.
I agree, worth saving but these are not worth much restored. 8k is what? 70% of restored value? Interior looks clean but the car came to the seller’s Corvette restoration shop in 1991 so it obviously needed restoring or something fairly major.
Reading the ad, I get a faint whiff of scam. Can’t give location of car except it’s in the Midwest?? The wording in the ad is suspicious too.
Not sure what you mean by saying the location is given only at the Midwest when the ad clearly states Dubuque, Iowa.
Scams rarely include a statement that phone calls are preferred over emails.
Whoever let this ‘vette become like this should be ashamed of themselves.
He’s dead now. Maybe spit roasting over an open fire with all the other people who ruin good cars.
Yellow c3’s are coveted? Says who?
Certainly not by Jessie James……..he hates yellow.
Stored? In a steel mill or a coal mine?
How did the interior stay clean?
Its going to need a new front end wiring harness after the rats ate most of the original one. Good luck with that.
I did an engine harness on my 73, definitely not fun but doable. Hard pass on that car though.
What made it need a restoration after only 11yrs.
Located in Dubuque, IA
Stored in grain elevator or ethanol plant then.
Who wouldn’t have at least an old sheet or drop cloth laying around to cover this car if i was always inside?
Maybe it was stored as you suggested. When owner decided to sell it he sprayed it with a hose and shook out a vacuum cleaner bag all over it to hide flaws, LOL.