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The Real Hot Hatch? 1975 Chevrolet Corvette

I’m sure your about to say, “The Corvette didn’t have opening hatches until 1982!” Well, yes, that’s correct – unless you had yours converted with the Eckler’s kit as this car does. This car clearly has other performance upgrades as well, making it, well one of the hottest ’70s hatchbacks around. It is for sale here on eBay in Pittsfield, Illinois with a starting bid of $3,900.

When someone says “customized 197os Corvette”, many people immediately think of the 1978 movie Corvette Summer (with Mark Hamill and Annie Potts) or, the even-more-dedicated Fiberglass Fans think of the Greenwood wide-body kits. Much more common, although not commonplace, were customizations like this one. It’s an Ecker’s hatch-and-bumper kit that was designed by John Greenwood himself, as is the turbo-hood on this car.

The seller doesn’t give us much in the way of details, so we have to use our eyes and basis of knowledge to answer some of our many questions. We’re told that it doesn’t run, but the drivetrain components are present. From the pictures, we see that there is indeed a V8 engine present, a Hurst shifter which suggests automatic transmission, aftermarket sidepipes with some heat-wrap on them, a modern stereo sans faceplate, and a car that generally looks like it’s going to need more than just a tune-up.

Nowadays, customized classics can sometimes be a tough sell. Mid-1970s Corvettes, in general, can be equally so, due to their lack of engine power or initial build quality. All in all, though, a Corvette with Ecker’s conversion like this might not be too terrible, if you can pick it up for a decent dollar and it’s not too far-gone. You’d probably be the only one at the show with a hatchback like this, and isn’t that part of the fun of having a more unique ride?

Comments

  1. Avatar leiniedude Member

    The hatch looks better than I thought it would. I am sure we all would like to see the hatch open, but no luck. Slot head screwdriver or inside remote latch to open? Kind of cool rig needing a lot of work. All the money in my opinion at the starting bid.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar PaulG

    I’d love to roll up to an NCRS show in this!
    As is!

    Like 6
  3. Avatar TimM

    Ugly!!!!!

    Like 4
  4. Avatar Ted

    This era of Corvette is so beige/drab and with the aura of lingering malaise attached to them they should all be sent to New England.

    2 tons of ugly jammed into this and with an automatic to boot, gack……..even the crisis line would hang up on this car.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Al

      LOL crisis line hang up.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar ReTired

    I don’t understand why anyone would modify a Corvette body. They were all decent looking from the factory, and every body modification just uglies it up a bit.
    Except the lake pipes. I’m kind of digg’in these.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Ron Bajorek

    lose that chester cheeseball hood, put FIA fixed headlights on it, tremac 5 speed, a/c and you have a great car

    Like 0
  7. Avatar OIL SLICK

    Love the hood on this Vette, The hatch looks factory and opens the car up, wonder if its functional?

    Like 0
  8. Avatar JoeNYWF64

    No HVAC controls?
    Is there room in the dash for a proper glove box on ’68 thru mid ’70s vettes? If so, what was Chevy thinking!
    Compare the rear “overhang” on the current vette with this one – from 1 extreme to the other.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Tom Segerson

    I built one of these for a buddy’s girlfriend back in 1982. She had been rear-ended on the interstate,kept the car and wanted it customized with a hatch.
    The hatch works and is a fiberglass copy of the Monza/Starfire of the mid-70s.
    It got a lot of attention, added much needed trunk space, and improved the balance (front/rear weight ratio) of the Corvette.
    Bought by an Arab sheik and exported to the Middle East.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Al

      Arab sheik? Would have got more cash if she was a blonde thrown in on the sale!

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Al

    Never liked the look of ANY of these glass kit add ons. Like someone mentioned I could see if rear ended, then replace ….maybe… But all factory Vette’s looked nice enough from the factory, just add sidepipes. That hood is hideous. As bad as a ’73 GTO hood.

    Like 0

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