Eclectic. That is a great word to describe some of the vehicles that appear on our desks here at Barn Finds. This 1960 Chevrolet Corvette is a perfect example because while it looks like a project car that needs plenty of TLC, it also hides one very unusual secret. The owner has decided to part with a classic that has been parked since the 1980s. The Corvette is located in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The reserve hasn’t been met with the current bid of $15,700, although there is a BIN optional at $24,000 for those who want to avoid the auction process.
At first glance, this Corvette shows a fair amount of promise. The panels look good, with no significant issues or problems with the fiberglass. It isn’t hard to tell that it has received at least one repaint during its life, and the last one isn’t a high-quality job. My most significant concern is the amount of corrosion visible on various metal and plated components around the car. This tends to suggest that wherever this car has been parked might have been pretty damp. That is rarely a source of good news with a classic ‘Vette. My concerns only deepen when the owner admits that the frame will need repairs. He doesn’t elaborate on this, so it is an unknown quantity. The repairs might be minor, or we could be talking about some major structural work. I would want to get a look under the vehicle to determine this for myself. The hardtop looks to be in good condition, although the same can’t be said for most of the glass. Some pieces are missing, and some have become quite cloudy, so I think that the buyer will need to budget to replace the lot.
Now, I bet you weren’t expecting that when we opened the hood! I said that the engine of the Corvette had been updated, not upgraded. This spot would originally have housed a 283ci V8, which would have been pumping out at least 230hp. What we find in its place is a Toyota 4-cylinder engine, which I believe might be the 2,190cc 20R unit. This version of the Toyota four saw service in the HiLux and Celica, and even in its most potent state of tune, its power figures would have fallen well short of that produced by the original 283. A 4-speed manual transmission backs that Toyota powerplant, but it isn’t clear whether it is a Corvette or a Toyota unit. The owner says that the engine ran when the Corvette was parked back in the 1980s, but that’s pretty irrelevant to me. This car will only receive proper justice if that existing engine gets used as a boat anchor and a V8 is slotted back under the hood. Since there is no chance that this will ultimately be a numbers-matching classic, maybe that opens the option of pursuing this as a restomod build.
The owner describes the Corvette as having good upholstery, and it seems that he and I might interpret that word slightly differently. The leather on the seats is very respectable and would respond positively to applying a cleaner and a conditioner. The rest of the upholstered surfaces and trim look shabby and tired and will need nothing less than a full restoration. This will entail dismantling it down to the last nut and bolt, and there will be plenty of items that will need to be refurbished or replaced if it is to be returned to its former glory.
If this 1960 Corvette was a numbers-matching classic in immaculate condition, there is every chance that it could be a vehicle with a six-figure value. It doesn’t meet either of these criteria, and the best-case scenario is that it could be restored to a pristine state with a period-correct drivetrain. It will take some work, but the 26 bids that have been submitted so far suggest that there are people who can see potential in this car. Which path would you follow? Would you treat the Corvette to a faithful restoration, would you tackle it as a restomod, or doesn’t it tick the right boxes for you?
22R, pretty much the same as the 20R. That doesn’t matter as much as the story behind this thing. What in the world ? Heck of a durable engine in it, but any ‘conventional’ logic puts a Chevy small block in place. I would think it would fit much easier. The folks that know these cars well may explain better (?)
I can NOT believe Anyone would have the gull to put a Rice Rocket engine in such a Great American Classic!!!! That would be worse than me putting a Ford engine in my ’56 Chevy B.A. 2 Dr. Hdtp!!!!!!!
That engine is no rocket.
Yea Man! & all those stupid Hot Rodders that put junk chevy motors in old classic Fords, like a sweet 34 ford with a chevy! What’s with that!
I once put a 22R engine in a Vega but that was good, this was not. It will be restored with a Chevy engine, even if it’s an LS it will be good.
Living in NWPA you knew what was going on in Lordstown in the ’70s. Smart call on the 22R for the Vega !
Many ways to go here, but it has to be SB Chevy,,, Original intent
Given this car’s extensive needs and (ahem) incorrect powertrain, there’s no reason NOT to go the modified/restomod route…
…and install a Supra’s 2JZ turbo six.
(Just kidding, this car deserves a Chevy heart. It’s what I would do if I owned it. But it would be kind of hilarious to see the next owner truly lean into the Toyota swap.)
Shifter is a Toyota shifter. Also, notice the rear leaf springs, and how the wheels are positioned deeper in the wheel wells. It is sitting on a Toyota chassis!! That is awesome! HAHA I would drive it as is. I mean really…. the WTFudge factor is strong with this one.
Good catch! I was looking at this thing on eBay yesterday, and trying to figure out why the rear spring shackles were so easily seen, and why the rear springs are so much closer together than they should be. A chassis swap would explain it!
I love the seller’s comments, such as “interior upholstery is in good condition just needs a good cleaning”, and “All original besides……”. The interior’s a mess. It’s not original, they’re not the original seat covers, carpet or door panels. The dash is cracked and has a strange speaker grill, it’s been cut up for a radio, the door panels are just pealing vinyl on cardboard, the carpet’s frayed and faded, and what was a red interior, now has pealing black dye covering it.
From the looks of the bumpers, chrome trim, glass etc, I’d say this thing’s been sitting unprotected out in the weather, for quite a long while. In the picture of the trunk emblem, you can see glass fibers in and under the paint. The fiberglass top coat has been damaged due to exposure, and is now covered by house paint applied with a roller! This is one sad Corvette!
My first thought was that this was a kit car, with a replica body.
Enough said.
Ian C, thanks! That also explains why we don’t get any under the car shots.
This is too funny. The builder is my kind of guy. Oh my how the world is ending. To do such a thing to a Corvette and remove the American Holy Grail small block and install a Japanese Toyota under the sacred hood. Just because it is a Corvette? So what? 100’s of them turn up at Copart every year. Who is crying?
Just goes to show. Not everyone gives a crap about everything needing a small block even a first gen Vette that came with one.
I get it. The builder wanted reliability and economy. I guess few would be quaking at the many cars being converted to electric power now. But put the wrong powertrain in. Idiots do it all the time to AMC’s. Can’t do it to a Chevy? Double standard?
This has to be the greatest find. I would leave as is as a testament to the man who truly thought outside the box. Thank you BF!
I am with you… I think? lol Had I won the mega-millions last week, this could have been an interesting project. Replace the Yota 2wd frame with a solid one. Air ride and 4 link kits are plentiful, and maybe switch the drivetrain again. 2.0L Ford Ecoboost and a 6spd to wake it up. Redo the interior and daily drive the snot out of it.
I mean, while it would be cool in its stock form, it isn’t exactly “rare”. There were over 10,000 built. 1 more molested isn’t going to make any difference in values of the others.
(Side note; My 73 Javelin had a 68 290 AMX engine upgrade from the stock 6, but I have had chevy v8’s in other toys. My 88 Mazda b2200 with a 350 5spd was my favorite.)
You should buy it, it sounds like the perfect car for you!
thats an abomanation.
I should not have said anything. but I have a visceral hatred for Toyota. and a great love for old corvettes. I also love old fords.
When I wrench on something, it’s my Vette. When I need to get someplace I take one of my Toyotas.
“a visceral hatred for Toyota”, there must be a good story behind that.
Amen brother.
Well MK, let’s just say that I hold some disdain for the builder’s choice of powerplant. I had a HiLux pickup which to this day is the absolute WORST POS I ever had. My mother had a ’72 Corona that didn’t earn any points in our family either. Lesson learned; we stuck with American-Made after that…
Sounds like a UAW problem to me. No other reason to like a GM anything over a Toyota.
This will upset all the Chevy lovers…revenge for all those who put Chevy mtrs.in Ford’s..payback time
This was my first thought.
It could be worse. It coulda been a Powerstroke. But I have to agree with you, Mike. Keep the Chevy engines in the Chevies, and keep the Fords in the junkyards.
I think you meant…or should have…Ford mtrs.in Fords
Couldn’t he find a Saab 850cc two stroke engine and front wheel drive???
Tooooo Funnyyyyy!!!!
Not to mention a likely flood car . . . RUSTEE . .. .
Quirky, but cool. OG rodders built cars, they didn’t buy them. Having said that, there’s no accounting for taste. My guess is that this guy wanted to drive something that looked like an early Vette and he didn’t want to spend a metric crap-ton of money. Hillbilly logic dictates that the best option was to marry the Corvette body to a Celica frame, because he , wait for it, HAD a Celica frame. Voila! Pure magic.
Pretty sure the Celica was a unibody car. Probably a Toyota pickup truck chassis.
You’re probably right, although, I wouldn’t put it past this guy to cut and paste a unibody for this contraption. Obviously a demented genius. haha
……just j-u-n-k…..nothing else needed to say
I need a 22R for my 82 Toyota boom truck. On the other hand who in their right mind would do this to a Vette? Did they find it behind an asylum some where? I’m putting my ‘built to the hilt’ 327 back in my 62 Vette this week. Balanced, ‘printed, new .040 over forged pistons, solid roller, billet flywheel, Centerforce clutch stuff, stainless valves, scatter shield. Added cubic bucks to an already serious engine. Adjusting the wheely bars, new Hoosier slicks.
My Mom always taught me that if you have nothing nice to say…
The taillights look great.
Also the body seems to be free of rust
Fiberglass doesn’t Rust!!!
Some people should not be allowed to own cars much less work on them. This is a disgrace to the corvette name I am on my third corvette a 2016 and I am waiting for the C8. I find this disturbing.
Mississippi is all I need to know.
“Hey Booger! The bed just fell off my old Toyota pickemup. You still got that old Corvette body out in the woods?”
Wrong in my books put 4cyl in corvette ruins it
I agree that an aluminum Chev V8 with fuel injection needs to go in this car.
Unless it is found to actually have a Toyota truck frame (usually found in kit cars). Then IDK.
Some rich guy should buy it . Dig a big hole and give it a merciful and decent burial. What a shame. Not even a decent parts car unless you are into Toyota’s.
I would have to find another 283 and put it under the hood. Then get a m22 rock crusher 4 speed manual transmission if I can’t find the right 4 speed manual transmission that is supposed to be in the car.
It should be donated to some in Cuba. It is more like the saves they do to keep a car going. So much work and the end product is toast.
Please don’t even post such abominations on this website. At one time Barn Finds was just that. I know that some day a true barn find may become difficult to find & post, but this particular posting is just plain demoralizing, at best. There are dedicated “other” sites, including on social media, that would do it better justice if posted there. Please administrators, think before trashing your own site with this type of nonsense. Thank you.
I dunno man, sometimes it’s deeply gratifying to find a barrel and shoot as many fish as you can.
This is as bad as it gets. I love all the comments.
You can buy a replacement Corvette frame that has all of the improvements of later model Corvettes and that would probably be the best, although maybe not the least expensive, way to go with this car. Then add a GM “plug and play” LS engine and transmission that includes the controller for the engine and transmission. Then move on to paint and re-chrome work, then interior and new glass. Add all new wiring, instruments, sound system, and finally, nice set of wheels and tires, and go cruising.
I agree with your analysis. But what would that total up to? Are there better cars to start with? “The reserve hasn’t been met with the current bid of $16,101, although there is a BIN optional at $24,000”.
Your comment may be the only serious comment regarding this car.
I agree with Russell and JMB.
It was worth reading through all the comments, to finally reach theirs.
NOW WE FINALLY TALKING !
Absolutely disgusting!
‘nuff said.
This just goes to show what people with little money and a lot of free time on their hands will do. To the new buyer, strip it down and build a resto-mod out of it. You can pick the drivetrain,color’s,etc…… Anything should be better than the way it sits right now. Good Lord.
And, it is not anywhere near the right color red, the least of its issues, the Corvette red was to the orange at that time. Just shows what you can do if you have time, junk, imagination and mechanical skills. I usually look at all the day’s offerings and pick what I would want to own to drive as a toy, $ being irrelevant. I would not want this if given to me under any circumstances.
If you look at the door jambs, this was likely originally a white car. The red looks like it was applied later, perhaps with a gym towel.
pos.
I can NOT believe Anyone would shame such a great American Classic by putting a Rice Rocket engine in it! That is worse than if I put a Ford engine in my ’56 Chevy B.A. 2 Dr. Hdtp!!!!!
Hi,
I have been following the interesting comments, with me patiently waiting to mention at least 3 Corvettes which had appeared on Barn Finds, that have had 4×4 chassis (frame) grafted underneath them ?
I do not remember such a strong outcry or objections ?
see for yourself, which is actually worse?
https://barnfinds.com/unfinished-project-1990-chevrolet-corvette/
toyota is worse………………………………………..
Hmmm…
This one 🤮
Get a new frame, put in a 283 with 4spd, paint exterior, redo the interior in leather and enjoy. This is a travesty.
Somewhere out there, there is an old Toyota Truck sitting on a Vette Chassis with the Vette engine. That is the one I want, not this thing.
Here’s a quote from the ad on Ebay:
It’s good for a laugh, including the mileage.
“This is a great piece of American history!! It is a project but has great bones! The interior upholstery is in good condition just needs a good cleaning! Please message us with any questions.”
Also–Year:1960
Mileage: 6500
The VIN number is not a 1960 corvette number.
This is Discusting, the worst thing I ever seen on Barn Finds. Dig a big hole and say good bye.
Correct me if I am wrong but wouldn’t it be far better to find a period correct small block with trans. if needed and remove all of the Toyota crap from this car and put the correct stuff in ?? Wouldn’t it pay off in the long run / asking price ??????? While thinking about it , if the same person that put this crap into the car in the first place still owns it …..never mind, the quicker he gets rid of this poor car the better !!!!!!!!!!!
Agreed!
It’s more than just the engine and transmission, it also has the wrong frame. Someone pulled a Toyota pickup body off of it’s frame and rolled it under this body.
Probably done many years ago when the Vette body wasn’t worth much, and the boys popped the tops off a few too many beers and the Toyota truck frame in the corner was lookin’ mighty purdy.
Yes, probably done years ago. Had it been done more recently, there would have been better Toyota engines, and frames to pick from. Although in the ’90s Toyota truck frames rusted out quicker that anything. As far as too many beers, I doubt it. This was more likely the product of leaded moonshine. I apologize for weighing in again, because this thing disgraces both Toyota and Chevrolet. Just maybe it was a prototype Vette, you know Chevy did let Toyota make the “Nova”, 1985-88.
Totally Agreed Corky! Hard to comprehend that anyone would do this to a Great American Classic like a Corvette!
Straight outta Havana 😂
Kind of an insult to Havana, don’t you think? :~)
WHAAAAAT? That’s just WRONG!! Nothing more.
kill it with fire
Nope, nope and nope. Yeah it needs frame work alright because its sitting on a Toyota truck frame along with its drivetrain and even maybe its rims. Just horrible! What a bubba booger job!
This thing is a prime example of just because you can,it doesn’t mean you should, unless you just like to piss people off.
Wow I can’t believe what backyard mechanics can do. I’ll bet the chassis rotted beyond saving and this was laying around.
Can you even call this a corvette?? Or is it a Toyota w/ an old Corvette shell fastened top it? False advertising to even try to call it a Corvette!!
I had seen this on Ebay and hoped it was just a bad dream, but the nightmare is back again. First of all, the Buy It Now option of $24,000 is a bad joke. I thought the stink bug stance was odd, but the Toyota frame swap sounds spot on. So you are buying a body shell that’s pretty rough, with all trim corroded and rusted through, and God knows how much it is hacked up underneath to fit what ever chassis it’s on. The Rustoleum Red roller applied paint job is a bonus though, and that must be why the seller thinks its worth $24G’s! Sure, it can be saved with wheel barrows full of money for a new Roadster Shop or Art Morrison chassis, one every part in the Eckler’s Corvette Catalog, and whatever it would take to get a good body shop to touch it. The new owner would be either a saint or a fool for doing it. Your choice. My hope is whoever did this to this poor Corvette will burn in Hell if they aren’t there already!
lasta da goodies here – 2 me. 1956/60 – still had the good ‘rear’ (not the ‘duck tail’ yet, no more freaky fins). Wonderful interior, both sides, the great instrument set and scalped passenger’s dash.
But put it ona Chevy II if ya got no vett. Ahma “oem w/minor mods” kinda guy, this is too much even if ahma ford guy…
Moisture problem? Do the words “Ocean,” “Springs,” and “Mississippi” (like river) suggest anything? I agree with the suspicion that the chassis is Toyota pickup (Celicas didn’t have leaf springs), so fuggettabout restoration, just save the ‘glas and go crazy. “It’s not done until it’s overdone!”
Did anyone else notice the forklift pockets? That’s the one good thing about this car, which, coming from me, says a lot, coz God knows I love me a 1st generation Vette. But this? This needs to be taken to the junkyard, poor thing.
“SACRILEGE” “SACRILEGE” Someone put the poor thing out of it’s misery.And have the owner arrested for Blasphemy and cruel and unusual punishment of an american classic.40 lashes with a wet noodle. $24,000 ? Yes I’m sure.This will cause nightmares for months.A pox on the owner !!.
At least be in the Chevy family and put the Corvette body on a Chevy 11 frame with a SBC. Not a rice burner 22R. Hust sacrilege. Why this has pxxxd so many guys off!
“I dunno man, sometimes it’s deeply gratifying to find a barrel and shoot as many fish as you can.”
Ducks.
Ships…”A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloop-of-war.” This is definitely below a Corvette which might make it a “sloop-of-war” at best.
What were they thinking? I had a 22R in my Toyota Bundera . Gutless , thirsty …. the motor eventually rotted out through previous owners negligence.
The listing says it sold for $24,000??? Did Chevrolet buy it to get it out of circulation???
100% shill bid. The bidder has 0 feedback and had been bidding it up the entire time.
Agreed! No one in their right mind would bid on this Piecer!
Sad
After all is said and done, it is a Corvette bodied Toyota! If you have a rusted out frame/suspension and dead engine/transmission Corvette, but the fiberglass and some of the interior are in decent shape, why not?
No. The question is still “Why?”