Chevrolet produced close to 38,500 Corvettes for the model year 1975, and the coupe accounted for nearly 88 percent of the entire production with over 33,800 units. The convertible represented just 12 percent of the 1975 output with 4,629 units.
The first-ever 1975 Corvette convertible is looking for a new home with incredible mileage and in a condition that makes it suitable for a museum or a wealthy collector’s garage. Let me start with a handful of historical details to explain why this Corvette is a real gem.
The first three Corvettes produced for the model year 1975 rolled off the assembly lines with a coupe body style. The fourth used a convertible design, though Chevrolet planned to use it as a prototype before mass production of the removable top version.
The GM brand is believed to have started the work on the prototype at some point in September 1973, with the convertible fully assembled in May 1974.
These dates can be found on the 1975 Corvette convertible listed on eBay by the current owner. The car is the first convertible produced in 1975 and fourth overall. It was ordered by Chevrolet Engineering and comes with a “1975 PILOT” tag on the frame, confirming the GM brand used this model for testing purposes.
The air cleaner case also comes with an “engineering sample” tag from AC Delco, while the taillights sport lamps with stickers reading “replace lamp, do not use on production car.”
The Corvette is literally a museum piece, flexing many original parts and a mileage that’ll make every collector drool over it. The odometer indicates 9,800 miles (15,700 km), coming alongside a pilot speedometer with a blue design (whereas the production model changed the coloring to white).
The paint is still the original one that came on the car when it rolled off the assembly lines, but the bumpers have most likely been resprayed (no specifics are available in this regard, but the work seems professional, at least in the provided photos). The interior is original.
The 350 (5.7-liter) engine under the hood starts, runs, and drives like new, which isn’t surprising considering the mileage. The original engine features two factory catalytic convertors for emission testing and dual exhaust – the owner says it’s the only C3 with this configuration, given Chevrolet produced it for additional testing.
The car still wears the original radial tires and sports the original exhaust system. Everything else is unmolested and unrestored. You can imagine that a rare Corvette can’t sell cheaply, and this 1975 prototype is no exception.