Corvette sales went through the roof when the GM brand unveiled the 1966 model, with 27,720 units rolling off the assembly lines.
Customers who walked into a Chevrolet dealership to order the Corvette were offered new engines, as the company now officially offered a 427ci engine. Most customers – 17,762 – ordered the convertible, and only 9,958 people ended up getting a coupe.
The Corvette in these photos is just a memory of what was once a beautiful convertible.
The car was trapped in a burning build, so its top now exhibits heat damage. The damage can be easily observed in the photos shared by eBay seller bb67, so it’s up to the buyer to examine the car and decide what can still be saved. The owner says the convertible top frame is still around but needs major work, while the windshield trim is intact.
As if the fire damage wasn’t enough, this Corvette also comes with a rotted-out frame in the rear section. The birdcage also exhibits similar rot and requires urgent repairs. The owner claims the VIN tag is still there and intact, serving as a good starting point for a restoration. You also get a pair of doors and a deck lid to jump-start the restoration project.
It’s a shame this Corvette has been damaged so severely, especially when looking at its original specs. The car left the factory with a 427 big-block engine under the hood. The V8 was rated at 490 horsepower and was paired with a four-speed transmission. This Vette was painted in silver and sported a black interior.
All of these are only specifics that you can see in its documents, as everything is gone. The remaining parts come in very challenging shape, so bringing this Corvette back to the road is going to be a major project even for professional restorers.
And yet, the battle for this 1966 Corvette is already fierce. The car has received 14 bids in a few days online, proving that a Corvette is a head-turning machine even in horrible shape. However, I believe most people fighting to save this convertible already have a restoration project in mind and want to use it as a starting point to bring a 1966 Vette back to the road.
The top bid is $8,100, and considering the owner did not enable a reserve, the Corvette will certainly have a new home in three days when the digital battle ends. The price will likely go higher (albeit not much higher), especially because restoring the car is a real challenge and involves other major costs.
Meanwhile, what’s left of this once gorgeous Corvette is currently in Columbia Station, Ohio, waiting for the auction’s end. The winning bidder will need a trailer to take it home.