For those not privileged enough to host one in your city, the World of Wheels is a long-standing car show, vendor showcase, and traveling road show that comes through our town every January.  While there are more than a few “halo” cars displayed from magazines and movies, most of the vehicles displayed are local talent.  There are even celebrities there to sign autographs.  These events get everyone out of the house on cold winter months and the open format allows folks to display everything from restorations to radical customs.  If you are looking for the perfect candidate to refresh and perhaps display at the World of Wheels, then take a look at this 1974 Chevrolet Corvette for sale on eBay in Knoxville, Tennessee.  With just the right number of modifications to make it stand out from the crowd, will this distinctive Corvette reach the Buy It Now price of $13,700?

I vaguely remember the World of Wheels show in my hometown when I was a kid.  It seems to have been quite a spectacle, and I can remember seeing plenty of cars jacked up with mirrors underneath to show off the large amount of chrome plating underneath them.  With Corvettes being a big part of my life then and now, I also remember a Corvette with a radical Ecklers body kit on it.  The General Lee from the new show “The Dukes of Hazzard” was almost impossible for a kid to see due to the crowd around it.  I don’t know why that was the only time one was in my area, as I remember it being well attended.  It wasn’t until a move later in life to a different part of the country that these shows came back into my consciousness.  I honestly thought they had faded away.

The World of Wheels in my area now is a big deal for local car clubs.  The weather basically stops car shows from happening from late November through early March, so any event is a big event.  Clubs around here go all out building displays and selecting the best cars for those displays.  Of course, everyone in these clubs is in attendance for all three days, sitting in a sea of folding chairs and talking cars.  The event is held in the local Civic Center, so the snow and (this year) rain are not an issue.   The show tends to be one of those count the days until it comes around kind of things.

The 1974 Corvette you see here would have been quite at home at either a World of Wheels in my childhood or today.  The seller sadly states that this car was purchased to surprise his mother with, but she unfortunately passed away from Covid before she ever got to lay eyes on the car.  Before the seller purchased the car, the previous owners rebuilt the engine, converted the headlights from vacuum assist to electric, and gave the car new tires and a brake job.  Steering assist was also added, but it is unclear as to what the seller is talking about.  Perhaps this was a manual steering car that was updated, or it could refer to one of the modern power steering systems being sold by Borgeson.

There are a few issues.  The starter will soon need to be replaced, as it “drags” according to the seller.  The heater blower motor does not work, and the windshield wiper motor has given up recently.  Other than that, the car is described as in good condition for a fifty-year-old ride.  By 1974, there were few exciting options left on the Corvette, save for the 454 option that ended that year.  We can see that the car has an automatic transmission, power brakes, power steering, and electric windows.  There is no mention of any other options.

The engine is the usual 350 cubic inch V-8, which by then was being choked down with emissions regulations.   Under the hood we see that a new intake manifold, carburetor, and genuine Sig Erson valve covers have been added.  There is no mention of any other powerplant enhancements.  Outside, the exhaust is routed outside through a chromed set of aftermarket side pipes and various aftermarket fiberglass enhancements have been added to the body and painted to match.

It is sad to see that the seller is offering this car because of his mother’s death.  This looks to be a fun car that would stand out at any car show, World of Wheels or otherwise.  The roads used to be full of Corvettes that were mildly customized like this one.  Now they are a rarity.  Hopefully, this glimpse into the past will find a new home soon.

Did you ever own a Corvette with custom touches?  Please tell us about it in the comments.