For classic car owners, it is always disappointing when they have to sell a project vehicle due to circumstances beyond their control. That is the case with this 1966 Chevrolet Corvette. The owner has placed the car on the market because the owner of the workshop space where the car is located recently passed away. He can find no viable alternatives, so the Corvette has to go to a new home. Its drivetrain combination makes it a potent classic, and it should command respect once complete. Located in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, you will find the Corvette listed for sale here on eBay.
It appears that this Corvette suffered accident damage while in the care of a previous owner. The seller has been working through restoring the car to its former glory, and part of that included replacing the frame. Judging by the standard of finish that we see here, he aimed for a high-end result once he downed the tools for the final time. The frame appears to need nothing, and he has sourced another body to bolt on top.
The new body is missing its front clip, but sourcing a replacement should not be an issue with these readily available. One of the things that makes this car desirable is its original paint color. For some reason, Tuxedo Black was the least popular shade to grace the panels of a 1966 Corvette. Only 1,190 buyers (or 4.3%) selected that shade, and this was one of those cars. There’s no doubt that with the original color reinstated, the ‘Vette would make a bold statement. It appears that the exterior chrome is all present, as is the soft-top. The aluminum knock-off wheels and a side exhaust add a menacing finishing touch to the exterior.
I wish I could tell you that this Corvette is a numbers-matching classic, but unfortunately, it isn’t. That’s a shame because its original drivetrain combination included the potent L72 version of the 427ci big-block V8. This monster churned out 425hp, which got to the rear wheels via a four-speed M21 manual transmission. When it came to the performance potential, this was as good as it got in 1966. If the owner pointed it at a ¼ mile, it would storm through in 13.5 seconds. The owner indicates that the code on the engine block shows that it is a 427 of 1968 vintage. The cylinder heads decode as from an L71 motor of the same year. If the builder has produced an engine to factory specifications, this beast could produce 435hp.
However, the owner doesn’t provide any information on that front. It presents nicely, but we don’t know whether it runs. We also don’t get much information about the interior trim for this classic. The photos indicate that many components like the gauge cluster, dash, and radio are present. The seller states that the vehicle was complete before the accident, so hopefully, the upholstery and other trim items remain intact.
Even though it’s not original and numbers-matching, I’m not surprised that this Corvette has generated some interest since it hit the market. It offers the potential for a rewarding driving experience, and even non-original C2 Corvette Convertibles will still command impressive prices.
