RARE 1966 CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE - ORIGINAL HIGH PERFORMANCE ENGINE WITH THE ORIGINAL 4-SPEED MUNCIE ROCK-CRUSHER.
ENGINE IS MODIFIED FOR EVEN MORE HIGH-HORSEPOWER. I'M GUESSING OVER 400 H.P. IT HAS THE CAMEL-BACK HUMP HEADS, THE BLOCK HAS BEEN DECKED, EDELBROCK HI-RISE ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLD, EDELBROCK CARB, MALLORY HI-ENERGY PROMASTER IGNITION SYSTEM WITH MALLORY HEI DISTRIBUTOR. CRANE ALUMINUM ROLLER ROCKERS, ETC., ETC...
INTERESTING STORY BEHIND THIS CAR. BESIDES BUILT, HIGH PERFORMANCE ENGINE, ALL ORIGINAL EXCEPT FOR PAINT COLOR. ORIGINALLY SILVER REARL METALLIC. IT TOOK MY FRIENDS & I NEARLY 8 YEARS TO FINALLY GET THE OWNER TO SELL IT.
AFTER HAVING MOTOR REBUILT, THE CAR WAS A BEAST. IT ONLY TOOK A FEW WEEKS FOR THE PREVIOUS OWNER TO BURN BOTH REAR TIRES OFF IT & LOSE CONTROL AND SMASH IT IN THE NOSE. LUCKILY, IT WAS A VERY HIGH HIT. BASICALLY, ONLY COSMETIC FIBERGLASS DAMAGE. THE FRAME WAS UNTOUCHED. STRAIGHT, SOLID FRAME. I HAVE ALL THE HEADLIGHTS AND BROKEN FIBERGLASS PIECES. I'M PRETTY SURE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES CAN BE RE-USED. I FOUND A CORVETTE SHOP IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FL WHO HAS A NEARLY NEW NOSE ASSEMBLY FOR AROUND $1,200.
IT IS ONE OF THOSE STORIES TURNED SAD, SIMPLY BECAUSE I WATCHED IT DETERIORATE IN FRONT OF MY EYES FOR 8 YEARS BEFORE PREVIOUS OWNER DECIDED TO FINALLY LET IT GO. WHEN FRESHLY HIT, IT WAS STILL AN EXTREMELY NICE CAR. THE OWNER KEPT IT IN THE GARAGE FOR A FEW YEARS, INTENDING TO REPAIR IT TO ITS FORMER GLORY, & EVEN BETTER. I BEGGED TO BUY IT WAY BACK THEN. HE WOULD NOT PART WITH HIS BABY. "NOT FOR SALE" WAS ALWAYS HIS RESPONSE.
MONTH AFTER MONTH, WHICH TURNED INTO YEAR AFTER YEAR, I KEPT STOPPING BY OCCASIONALLY ASKING IF I COULD BUY IT. EACH TIME THE ANSWER WAS "NOT FOR SALE." "I AM GOING TO FIX IT UP ONE DAY." AFTER A FEW YEARS, HE MOVED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE, & MOVED IT OUTSIDE UNDER A CAR COVER NEXT TO THE GARAGE. THERE IT SAT FOR ANOTHER 3 OR 4 YEARS UNDER ROTTING CAR COVERS & TARPS, FINALLY TO BE EXPOSED FOR A TIME TO THE HARSH SUN & TROPICAL CLIMATE THAT WE LOVE HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
I WOULD STOP BY OCCASIONALLY, BASICALLY SUGGESTING IT WAS A SIN TO LET SUCH A FINE, CLASSIC CAR JUST ROT AWAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN HE HAD AN INTERESTED BUYER WHO WOULD HAPPILY RESTORE IT TO ITS FORMER GLORY. AFTER 8 YEARS, THE PHONE CALL FINALLY CAME. "ARE YOU STILL INTERESTED IN MY CORVETTE? WITHIN A SPLIT SECOND, I REPLIED. YES!!
HE WAS NOT STUPID AS TO THE HIGH VALUES THESE CARS BRING WHEN NICE. I REMARKED THAT HE LET IT GO SO FAR, FOR SO LONG, IT WOULD'VE BEEN MUCH MORE VALUABLE IF HE WOULD'VE SOLD IT TO ME YEARS BEFORE. HIS RESPONSE WAS, THAT IT HAD ACTUALLY INCREASED IN VALUE 100 TIMES THE ENTIRE TIME IT SAT THERE. PURE REALITY. I COULD NOT ARGUE. WE FOUGHT OVER THE PRICE, BUT I COULD NOT LET IT GO. I KNEW IF I DID NOT BUY IT, SOMEONE ELSE WOULD IN A HEARTBEAT. I PAID A SMALL FORTUNE. MORE THAN I THOUGHT I COULD AFFORD AT THE TIME. I MADE IT HAPPEN.
BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: MY LIFE HAD ALSO CHANGED IN THE 8 YEARS I WAITED FOR THIS CAR. I HAVE OTHER GRAND DREAM PROJECT CARS IN THE WORKS FOR A FEW YEARS IN FRONT OF THIS ONE. I HAVE HAD TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT I NEED TO SELL A FEW CARS TO FINISH MY HIGHEST PRIORITY CLASSICS NOW. MY HEALTH HAS GOTTEN WORSE AS I AGE, & AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SELL THIS CAR NOW, I MUST. I HAVE A SPECIAL 1957 ROLLS-ROYCE WORTH NEAR A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS FINISHED, THAT REQUIRES ALL MY SPARE TIME & MONEY NOW IF I AM EVER TO SEE IT FINISHED & GET TO ENJOY IT. THEREFORE, THIS CORVETTE WILL HAVE TO REMAIN IN STORAGE FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, BEFORE I COULD POSSIBLY TOUCH IT. I'D RATHER LET IT GO NOW TO SOMEONE WHO WILL GIVE IT THE TENDER LOVING CARE IT NEEDS. I COULD BE THE SAME A-HOLE WHO FIGURES IT MONEY IN THE BANK TO STORE AWAY FOR THE NEXT DECADE, WHEN ITS VALUE WILL PROBABLY INCREASE 400%. I AM NOT THAT GUY. I'M LOOKING TO SELL IT NOW TO HELP FINANCE MY OTHER SHOW CAR PROJECTS.
I HAD A FRIEND RUN THIS CAR A COUPLE MONTHS AGO ON EBAY TO GET IT SOLD. EVEN WITH ONLY ONE REALLY ROTTEN PICTURE, & ASKING $21,000, THE HIGH BID WAS NEAR $17,000. ($16,875.) THERE WERE OVER 100 QUESTIONS ASKED FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD. I DID NOT ANSWER A SINGLE ONE, BECAUSE I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL ENDURING HEART SURGERY PROCEDURES FOR MORE THAN A WEEK AT THE TIME.
I DIDN'T LET IT GO THEN SO CHEAPLY WITH RESERVE UNMET. I BATTLED WITH WHAT MOST US GREAT CAR GUYS DO SOMETIMES. WE FIGURE THAT, RATHER THAN LET IT GO SO CHEAPLY, WE'D RATHER KEEP IT & MAKE IT A SUPERSTAR DREAM CAR. ONE DAY.
AFTER THE HOSPITAL B.S., THIS TIME, I'VE FINALLY MADE THE DECISION TO SELL IT TODAY. I HAVE SET THE RESERVE LOW, YET NOT LOWER THAN THE HIGH BID IT MADE LAST TIME. ASKING PRICE IS STILL $21,000. IT IS FOR SALE LOCALLY AT THAT PRICE. I RESERVE RIGHT TO END THE AUCTION EARLY DUE TO PRIOR SALE. I THINK THE HIGHEST OFFER SO FAR WAS AT $17,000. THE GUY WAS WAITING FOR SOME KIND OF INSURANCE SETTLEMENT. HE WASN'T A CASH TODAY BUYER.
I NEED TO GET THIS CAR OUT OF PERPETUAL STORAGE. I'VE DONE A BIT OF CLEANING UP SINCE I GOT IT, YET OTHERWISE IT STILL REMAINS A PRETTY MUCH TOTAL RESTORATION PROJECT. I TRIED LISTING THE CAR WITH ACTUAL MILEAGE OF AROUND 88K. I EVEN TRIED 999,999 & STILL WAS REJECTED 5 TIMES BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO COMPLETE LISTING.HERE IN FLORIDA, THE ODOMETER READING ON ANY CAR OVER 10 YEARS OLD, IS PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS LISTED AS "EXEMPT" ON THE TITLE, SO NO PROBLEMS AT ALL HERE.
FREE LOCAL PICK-UP. OTHERWISE, I AM HAPPY TO HELP YOU SHIP THIS CAR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AT A FAIR PRICE. CALL FOR SHIPPING INFORMATION AND OTHER RELATED QUESTIONS. 772.634.7248.
THIS IS A TRULY WORTHY RESTORATION PROJECT. LOW RESERVE TO SELL IT IMMEDIATELY. CLEAR TITLE IN HAND. INSPECTIONS WELCOME & ADVISED.