Restomod Ready: 1962 Chevrolet Corvette
One can only wonder how many brand new C8 Corvettes will end up like this 1962 Chevrolet Corvette that has been sitting since 1979. The current bid is $23,100 with 58 bids to get it there and the reserve not yet met. It is located in Bridgeton, Missouri. No mileage is listed, but there is a VIN and the car has a title in the seller’s name. You can view more information and bid on it here on eBay.
While the engine isn’t going to be moving the car under its own power, the car has no brakes and so it easily rolls. If you decide to tackle this project, the 350 cubic inch V8 is seized. The Muncie 4-speed manual transmission would get the car moving and it has a Positraction rear end. As you can see in the photos, the engine looks incredibly worn out compared to the body of the car.
While the inside is not quite as bad as the body or frame, it’s still pretty rough. According to the listing, the floors in both the footwells and trunk are still good. The seats are able to move and be adjusted, but they are really just shells waiting to be either replaced or reupholstered. The car has all the original gauges and tachometer but is missing the radio. Both of the tops come with the car, but the listing says they will require some repair.
While fiberglass doesn’t rust, it still suffers from chips and cracks. That is evident all over the car. More concerning is the cars frame. The listing notes that there are holes and critical rust, all of which is evident in the photos. The seller suggests that the car be a restomod because it will need to be a frame-off restoration. Considering all the other bodywork and interior work that would have to go into this car, I tend to agree.
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Comments
Brentton, don’t give these resto-mod freaks any ideas. It should, nay, must be restored to like new. My favorite Vettes,,Tod and Buz wouldn’t want it any other way,,,
With a rusted frame, a seized, non-original engine, a tach that indicates it was originally a 250 hp model, a rough body, and a trashed interior; this seems like a really expensive hardtop and set of wheel covers. Bringing this up to number 2 condition couldn’t be accomplished for the cost of a condition 1 1962 250 hp Corvette, and that’s if you could do most of the work yourself.
Being the owner of one that started out worse than this one, restomod is the right thing to do. Better than parting it out over several years and finally throwing away what you cannot sell. At least we will get some enjoyment from it before passing it on to somebody else that would not be afraid to use it as a near daily driver, as opposed to only taking it as a trophy to a show in hopes of getting another trophy.
I would love to see it taken back to original condition but it’s not so likely to happen. What I see is more likely to happen, get something like a roadster shop frame, upgrade the drivetrain and fix the body issues and interior. If handled right, there wouldn’t be any changes to the body and the others would be bolt-on so little to no changes would be made to the car. If done this way, you wouldn’t do any permanent changes so if you want to take it back, it could be done.
Add that frame, update the drivetrain to C4 components and it would handle and drive like a dream IMO.
I’d love to have it though it will take some work to get it done.
23 large, hasn’t hit reserve , the frame is shot and it has a wore out 350? Geez. Too much $$ out there. An upgraded frame with modern suspension and brakes, leave the body as is or restore while its off the frame, you would have a nice little project, think it would put you under water if you are concerned about that. These ‘vettes are so beautiful in their stock form I’d hate to see the outside visibly modified. But its your $$$! Good luck to the new owner!!
Cheers
GPC
With all of the resto-mods being built, there are plenty of frames floating around, if someone wanted to restore this car, but turning this into a resto-mod makes way more sense. The market for resto-mods continues to grow, while demand for restored cars declines.
I restored my 62 years ago, and it now needs to be restored again. Because it’s a wrong motor, wrong trans car, I’ve been looking at the Chassis Concepts frame, and seriously considering going the resto-mod route with it.
This looks like a good basis for a resto-mod project to me.
Fill coca cola into the carb till it over flows. Let sit in shade for a week, drop oil, pull plugs and gently move crank back an fourth till rings are loose. Set the compressor to 160psi and plow out the cylinders, carb and intake. Clean with brake clean. New oil and frantz filter and oil filter. Put in new autolite AR3933X non-resitor plug, solid copper core spark wires, pionts, capacitor and distributor. Open carb check float and neadle, clean it goes without saying. Check lift pump and fuel-filter. Disconnect fuel lines from pump, suck and return fuel from a bottle. FIRE UP!
And NO, resistance in the spark-system does nothing for your radio, it keeps fuel efficiency at rock bottom. Ever thought of why a lycoming in a helicopter use TWO spark disrebution systems without resitors anywhere? And is there any vehicle that is more dependent on a radio?
Fill coca cola into the carb till the over flows. Let sit in shade for a week, drop oil, pull plugs and gently move crank back an fourth till rings are loose. Set the compressor to 160psi and plow out the cylinders, carb and intake. Clean with brake clean. Put in new autolite AR393X non resitor plug, solid copper core spark wires, pionts, capacitor and distributor. Open carb check float and neadle, clean it goes without saying. Check lift pump and fuel-filter. Disconnect fuel lines from pump, suck and return fuel from a bottle. FIRE UP! Idel till hot, if smoking, idel till rings are loose and hopfylly smoke stopps.
And NO, resistance in the spark-system does nothing for your radio, it keeps fuel efficiency at rock bottom. Ever thought of why a lycoming in a helicopter use TWO spark disrebution systems without resitors anywhere? And is there any vehicle that is more dependent on a radio?
Eigil Id have some concern for the sugar in the Coke carbonizing when it hits hot engine parts. Can one use Diet Coke? I’m serious, this sounds like it might work on a seized engine. I use Diet Coke to take rust off of old headers before I paint and wrap em.
Back in the early seventies when was going to school and studying auto mechnics the lead instructor had a half decent 62 Vette. It was turned into a piece only capable of doing a 1/4 of a mile in a straight line. I don’t whatever happened to it since I have been into drag racng. It was a student project?
This owner should get no money for this car. It should be removed from his property by the DCYF (Dilapidated Corvette – You Forfeited)
86_Vette… You got it right even if the price goes over the top.
I’m sure the price will be huge before someone finishes with this one. It all depends on what they want and are willing to spend on it.
Wonder how much the seller paid for it…..
Another high priced shell of a car!! I guess the over 20 large is the repairable body!! I really can’t see paying that kind of money for a car that needs total restoration!! I would resto-mod it myself with a newer LS motor and bigger brakes to make it a daily driver!! However the exterior would remain the same!! After all you can’t really improve a classic body style like this!!!