"The car was never mistreated."

[Guest]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-Chevrolet-Corvette-convertible-/192318643130?hash=item2cc7159bba:g:AS8AAOSw0w5ZzE8L&vxp=mtr

[Joe Cocuzza]

Never mistreated but instead it was "abused, neglected, ignored, mishandled, etc"....It's all the same in the end

[Brass is Best]

Might as well add adult owned and never been in snow to that.

[Bloo]

18 minutes ago, Brass is Best said:

Might as well add adult owned and never been in snow to that.

 

And "Rust Free"  (Rust is included at no extra charge)

[cahartley]

Well........the body IS fiberglass....... 

[Xander Wildeisen]

one owner, non smoker. You have to wonder what the owner might have bought in 1980 to push that old vette outside. Chevrolet Luv maybe?

[auburnseeker]

Running when PArked but has been parked so long that the oil pan rusted out.  Motor is probably in real good shape if that's the case. 

[nick8086]

It is a POS..

 

Maybe some one may have parts and make it a running car some day..

Edited September 28, 2017 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[Mike36]

For parts only......and not many of them.

[8E45E]

The crumpled/broken LF fender and rear panel tell me otherwise.  Fiberglass does NOT break like that on without impact, especially in locations where its unstressed.

 

Craig

[CarlLaFong]

2 hours ago, 8E45E said:

The crumpled/broken LF fender and rear panel tell me otherwise.  Fiberglass does NOT break like that on without impact, especially in locations where its unstressed.

 

Craig

If you read the ad, it says a tree fell on the car

[1912Staver]

I would think that despite the obvious problems this Vette is definitely a good candidate for restoration. It's one of those cars where a person can spend a very substantial amount of $ and still not be underwater. { or at least not that much } They are reasonably simple cars with amazing parts back up. And have enduring demand  down the road for strong resale prices. 

  If a person wants a clean , one owner, low miles, " survivor " then obviously this one will not fit the bill. But the price tag of those survivors is these days hefty indeed.

 This car looks like a decent starting point for capable owner -restorer, other than paint and chrome there is nothing here that would require a "pro" restoration shop. 

Money maker ? Probably not but definitely a viable starting point. Ever wonder how many of the shiny ones at the shows were at one time worse than this one.

 

Greg in Canada

Edited September 28, 2017 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

Cool stash of cars nick8086, Are those your projects. Or is that a before picture of a finished car?

[SC38dls]

Could the story be a little wrong and the car was sitting in a few feet of water for a while?  I've never owned a flood damaged car but this looks awful bad for just storage  outside damage. Unless it had the tree laying on it for a long time. 

[keiser31]

Maybe it should read, "never missed by a tree" instead of "never mistreated".

[capngrog]

To quote the ad:  "same mature owner since august 1966. car never mistreated. but was not stored properly. all original. numbers matching. HH engine code (365 hp). 4 speed transmission. never was wrecked. running when parked. 63643 actual miles."

 

Personally, I would consider severe neglect to be mistreatment, and as far as "never was wrecked." is concerned, it certainly is wrecked now.  I guess that the seller was only thinking about vehicular "wrecks" and not falling tree "wrecks".  With that said, I agree with 1912 Staver that it might be a good project if it can be bought for under $10K.  A number of Corvette enthusiasts are modifying their C2 'vettes (1963 - 1967) by installing custom frames/suspension to improve handling.  This means that there should be some used C2 Corvette frames/suspensions out there somewhere.  A direct upgrade to a new custom C-4 chassis is available from this source:  https://www.streetshopinc.com/frontpagefeatured/1963-1967-c2-replacement-chassis.html

 

It could be a fun project, but with a frame replacement, body and engine repairs, I think that you'd have a ratty-looking Corvette worth somewhere around $20-$25K.  But then, I don't think that most of us are into this hobby to make money.

 

It might be fun if someone from the Walkerton, Indiana area looked at the car and let us know what it's really like.

 

Cheers,

Grog

[capngrog]

Here's a 1963 C2 Corvette frame and suspension for sale on Ebay:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/1963-C2-CORVETTE-ROLLING-SOLID-FRAME-CHASSIS-1964-1965-1966-1967-split-window-63-/132293538186

 

The frame is in St. Louis, Mo, approximately 330 road miles from Walkerton, Ind.

 

Cheers,

Grog

[smithbrother]

Another reason NEVER NEVER store under a tarp.

 

Dale in Indy

[8E45E]

3 hours ago, CarlLaFong said:

If you read the ad, it says a tree fell on the car

Then it MUST have been a rubber tree!

 

No other species of tree would fall on the LH front fender, bounce right over the windshield and the roof, completely leaving it unscathed, and then striking the right side of the rear panel a second time!

 

Craig

[keiser31]

5 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

Then it MUST have been a rubber tree!

 

No other species of tree would fall on the LH front fender, bounce right over the windshield and the roof, completely leaving it unscathed, and then striking the right side of the rear panel a second time!

 

Craig

A tree with all of these kind of branches could do that sort of damage while missing other areas of the car....

[CarlLaFong]

2 hours ago, 8E45E said:

Then it MUST have been a rubber tree!

 

No other species of tree would fall on the LH front fender, bounce right over the windshield and the roof, completely leaving it unscathed, and then striking the right side of the rear panel a second time!

 

Craig

Ahhhh, a CSI investigator and a arborist.

[plymouthcranbrook]

"never mistreated" or treated well.

[trimacar]

Someone will restore it I'm sure.  A tree fell on it, that's sad.  I cedar damage, and would have to ash a lot of questions before buying, as it maple a lot of money out of my checking account.  I'm sure a lot of people are aspen the same questions, these days everybody is educated and no one's a sap.....

[60FlatTop]

It's a Chevy. It's not as hard to find parts for as those fern cars.

[Paul Dobbin]

Today i photgraphed this other  long term ownership Corvette.  Nobody in town remembers when it as not sitting there waiting for a Barrett-Jackson

one week restoration and sale.  Notice it's the rare trunk model Corvette 1961 or 1962?  I doubt the bed liner is part of the Corvette.  Maybe it;s a retirement project?

[Guest]

I'd be interested in owning the bed liner.

[Xander Wildeisen]

That is a fastback prototype  removable hardtop option. It never made it into production. (got stalled out in the design phase)

[auburnseeker]

Surprisingly you will probably see that Vette hit the 20 G mark atleast and that may well be the reserve.  30 is not even out of the questions.    The bottom end on Corvettes of the C1 C2 era is incredibly high for what you can buy a turn key car for.  Any that run and drive and are at all presentable start at 35G  and rarely do you see them any cheaper,  yet for 10-15 G more you can buy some pretty nice mostly restored cars.  There is no way you could buy the Vette in Question for 20-30 and not put another 20 thousand in it before it would see the road again and to really restore it,  you would probably well be into the 60-70 mark and that's a very low estimate.  With Vettes,  everything needs to be just right or the "NCRS"  crowd will tear it apart.  You may be able to restore one cheaply to a driver status with used parts but if this really is a High Horse car and you do it right,  it won't be cheap. 

[60FlatTop]

That was a common accessory on the early '60's sporty types. I bought this one a couple years ago.

 

Yep,a fern Jacwire.

[CarlLaFong]

Actually, that was the test mule for the Harold and Maude car

[zipdang]

3 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

That was a common accessory on the early '60's sporty types. I bought this one a couple years ago.

 

Yep,a fern Jacwire.

My Citroen 2cv has a similar ripple bonnet.

 

[nickelroadster]

I am sure the hood scoop raised the horsepower quite a bit but I think it needs a few more bricks to hold it down on the hood.

[capngrog]

The trashed 'Vette ebay auction is now at $10,400, with 32 bidders.  I wonder what the reserve is?  Oh well, I guess we'll know more when the auction ends 4 days from now.

 

Cheers,

Grog

[intimeold]

Being a Corvette guy, I've watched this thread.

 

Yes it looks awful, needs at least a frame; and a whole lot more.

 

But if it has all the documentation of a true 365 HP car; the non Corvette people on this forum, may get a huge surprise, at the end of the auction.  The bids are for the documentation, but sitting here, I am not sure what really exists.  If the serial number tag, build sheet, and any documentation are there; this is quite a find.  Notice I did not mention title, that is very helpful; but not as much as the car identification.  

 

Frames are available, and almost, or maybe all, the parts can be obtained to put this car back in pristine condition. 

 

I am anxiously  waiting for the end of the  auction, to see how many people have seen this car for sale.

 

intimeold 

Edited September 30, 2017 by intimeold (see edit history)

[Guest MitchellWells]

That is creative marketing! It looks like there are quite a few bids on it so I'm sure it will sell.  As much as I love restorations, starting from scratch is more than I can take on at this point in my life--even with a step by step manual to get it done.

[Xander Wildeisen]

I have worked on two 56 Vettes. The black one with red interior was bought in the condition you see, very nice real deal car. The other black one I restored/built for inlaws. While it was restored for the most part. It was no where near a correct car. That is why the choice to put the tan/beige interior in it was made. The beige interior was not correct for a black car, but it did look good. Having restored/built an early vette, hearing people say "at least it is a fiberglass body" makes me smile and laugh. The fit was not good on them. Fiberglass quality 50-60 years later is really bad. In many ways I would rather deal with a steel body. A lot of work in the vette for sale. But they are Americas sports car. Fun to own and drive, not a project for a beginner. That one would get stalled out in the garage when someone realizes what they signed up for. Cool car, it will find a home.    

[capngrog]

Those are really nice looking Corvettes that you have, and I agree with you that to bring the subject '65 Vette up to that level will be a major undertaking.  I'm apparently a bit out of touch with C2 Corvette values, but the only real value I see in the subject '65 would be if it is a correct 365 hp car.  If the engine in the car is in really poor shape, the block and heads may not be restorable/salvageable.  If that's the case, I would think that the value of the thing would drop significantly.  I would imagine that the intake manifold and distributor are difficult-to-find items as well.

 

Cheers,

Grog

[intimeold]

1 hour ago, capngrog said:

Those are really nice looking Corvettes that you have, and I agree with you that to bring the subject '65 Vette up to that level will be a major undertaking.  I'm apparently a bit out of touch with C2 Corvette values, but the only real value I see in the subject '65 would be if it is a correct 365 hp car.  If the engine in the car is in really poor shape, the block and heads may not be restorable/salvageable.  If that's the case, I would think that the value of the thing would drop significantly.  I would imagine that the intake manifold and distributor are difficult-to-find items as well.

 

Cheers,

Grog

Yes, capngrog; you are absolutely correct.

 

I posted earlier that the documentation is the $$$$ in this car.  That documentation includes the "correct driveline".  All of it,  with the correct casting numbers.  Corvette people live and die by casting numbers.

 

I'm sure every attempt will be taken to keep the original casing number engine, trans, rear axle,  and intake manifold, exhaust  etc etc etc. 

 

Some years ago, I had an original COPO carburetor off of a 427 Chevy, by the casting numbers; the float bowl, metering blocks and carb body were all correct . That carb went to a car getting a frame up, pro restoration.  Casting numbers on a Corvette, it is hard to describe, the effort made to find the parts they need to build a car back up.

 

The seller does say that oil pan is rusted .  Not a big deal.   Auto restorers, can do wonders with today's tools and welding, machine shop.  As long as the parts retain the original casting or stamping numbers. 

 

This job would be way beyond my skills and $$$ pocket book.  But someone out there is hoping to get a crack at this car.

 

But as we sit here we don't know exactly what is left of the car.  We can only speculate .  Every time I look at a potential Corvette, for myself; it is a long process of verifying numbers, if the price is really up there.  Proper Documentation equals $$$$.  Price is reflective of what the car has left on it.  Of course there are some Corvettes that will never be a high dollar car; the special ones are the cars collectors dream of.  A 365 HP 1965 with the right numbers is a special car, not the highest but special in it's own right.

 

intimeold

[auburnseeker]

Atleast it's not the trap door pan for a 60 Fuelie.  Those run 1500 and up for an NOS one.  Now just amplify that by every part that needs to be correct on a High horse car and you can see where the dollars get sucked up.  They say it's complete but the parts may all need heavy restoration to be usable.  It's already going to need a frame so you will need to cut the section of frame rail out and weld it into the replacement frame.  Really how much is correct then when everything is deteriorated to the point of needing replacement.  Find me a real slightly worn survivor and I'll drive around with smiles on my face all day, 

[Matt Harwood]

I like how they use just about every single sales cliche in the book, all designed to put delicious frosting on a dog turd. "One elderly owner! Ran when parked! Stored since 1980! Never wrecked! Matching numbers!"

 

Spend all you want on the restoration but putting a replacement frame under it will severely cap value when it's done, correctness, matching-numbers engine, rarity all be damned. No serious Corvette collector would touch a car with a replacement frame. A '65 isn't terribly valuable, it's second from the bottom as far as C2s go, so putting it right will be a real gamble.

 

What is smarter and more likely is that it will become a resto-mod with one of those fabricated frames under it, including C4/C5 suspension parts, a 5-speed transmission, and an LS motor. We sold a really nice '63 Corvette convertible that was such an animal and it was pretty much the ideal Corvette as far as I'm concerned. Docile enough for your mom to drive it, bulletproof reliable, easy to service, and extremely fast and competent when you wanted to hustle, all without losing the flavor of an old car. They started with a very rough shell with some goofball aftermarket 1-piece nose, so don't mourn for this car. It was more valuable like this than as a Frankenstein bitsa.

 

  

 

I don't endorse cutting up good cars, but this Corvette is so far gone that a resto-mod would be the best use of the carcass. It's where the Corvette market is heading for all but the best pedigreed cars anyway.