When one of our readers sent us a story on this eBay find 1965 Corvette Gasser style street machine, where the author bashed this bitchin ride because of it’s gasser vibe and killer paint, we were blown away by the fact that said author claimed this Corvette wasn’t worth anything in it’s current state and would need to be restored to factory condition in order to be worth owning. What? Really? Who is this jerk? Based on the bidding going on for this car I would say the public doesn’t agree. In fact he actually referred to it as “molested”. Wow.
He tries to cover himself by saying that if it was painted, and signed, by Von Dutch then it might be worth something. Again, WTF? Has this car seen better days? Sure. But is’ awesome! And apparently Traditional Rod and Kulture Magazine agrees since they just put it on their cover. They clearly have some taste.
The car is a real deal 1965 Corvette with the numbers matching 365 horsepower 327. The intake and carbs have been changed, but otherwise the drivetrain is as delivered. If we bought this thing we would pull the original engine and stick it on a shelf. Then we’d throw a period correct high winding 396 in it with a tunnel ram and dual Holleys, a Lakewood scattershield, McLeod clutch, and a Vertigate shifter, with a ton of rear gear in it. When the thing was running bitchin we would take it over to our buddy Brad King or Mike Dusold and have the paint touched up just enough to make it cool and then drive the ever loving snot out of it.
What would you do with it?
(Photos by Owner and Traditional Rod and Kulture Magazine)
Here is all the info from the seller. CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ORIGINAL AD AND BID
Up for sale is this 1965 corvette true survivor! Early 70’s street racer. It was one of the first handful of corvettes sold by T.Michaelis Motor Sales in Napoleon Ohio before they became ProTeamCorvette. It still has the original dealer sticker on the tail light panel. Parked since 1981. Same owner from 1974 to 2013. Always garaged. 82k original miles. Numbers matching 327 365hp 4speed. Original intake and carb was replaced with a 1955 or 56 corvette dual quad setup. Currently not running but engine turns over. Headlights were molded in sometime in the early 70’s. Interior is in good shape. Factory power windows and telescoping steering column. Great car with lots of character! Was recently photographed for a feature and the cover of Traditional Rod and Kulture magazine. Car is for sale locally and reserve the right to end auction early if needed. Clear CA title. Will help with shipping if needed. Please call or email for more information and pictures. (805)757-1765. Good Luck!!!
YES-WANT
All that is missing is some neat graphics saying “Please kill me!”
I have never seen a more unsuitable “gasser” – converting this Vette back to stock and selling all those unwanted parts would be the only humane alternative.
Not that I give a damn..
And if it was a Ford or Mopar you’d be all over it. I get that you’re trying to live up to your name by automatically hating on anything Chev but mate its such a narrowminded attitude. I honestly thought this Ford Vs GM bullshit died in the 70’s ( and I’m in Australia where we have some of the most rabid one eyed supporters on the planet). I love that when I take my Falcon coupe to a show GM guys give it a thumbs up, and conversely I’ll do the same for a well done GM car. Get over the hate, mate. Theres room for more than one brand…and I mean seriously, you’re in England aren’t you? Please don’t tell me that in a sea of 4 cyl cars you’d hate on a nice Corvette or Camaro driving past – honestly, in my book you’re not a car guy if you can’t look past a badge on the damn thing.
Restore? Yeah, ‘cuz what the world really needs is another paint dab and crayon mark perfect factory ‘vette parked in a rich guy’s air conditioned garage rotting away for his heirs to sell.
This thing is flat assed cool. Paint might be a little subdued…
I second the vote for a big block & tunnel ram – a pair of 660s and velocity stacks would complete the vibe!
And could we throw in a 5″ Stahl cable drive tach on a Moroso bracket..mounted way up top of the dash.
Currently E Bay has 1404 corvettes listed,
17 are 1965’s like this one @ $28,500 (reserve not met)
why do vette owners hate their cars?
I’d leave it alone and just enjoy it (OK maybe some radial tires cause bias plys suck)!
Vette’s are a weird car with a weird market, and lots of weird people involved. Don’t ask me how I know. After all my years I only got my first ride in a “mid-year” coupe a couple a week ago…sitting in the pass. side and looking back you fell like you’re in a delivery van. A ’63 split-window, hotrodded back in the day with Torque-Thrusts, fender flares, and a 600hp Rat motor/Muncie and being intentionally preserved forever in that condition. Right-on.
Yeah, deal with ‘Vette owners at my work. A lot of them are strange birds. We had one guy just about cry when we told him the tech was going to have to drive his automatic base C5 into the shop because nobody had ever driven the car but him. Literally almost in tears.
The C4 owners are really screwy. They usually bring in the biggest piles of junk (Paint scratched and faded, weatherstripping falling off, fluids leaking from everywhere but the radio knob) and then proceed to tell us how it is the greatest car ever and we should treat it with respect and awe because we are not worthy to be near such a fine vehicle. Then you tell them it needs $100 worth of work and they refuse to pony up the cash and say they’ll just deal with it. Hey, if it’s sooooo great, it should be worth putting money into
What’s really awesome about the C5 guy is the fact that at least three people drove it before he owned it. At least.
Yeah, exactly. Not to mention it was an automatic, base-model hardtop C5, which isn’t exactly highly valuable. Okay, if it was a ’67 L88 Vette that you bought brand-new, I could understand if you got touchy about other people being behind the wheel.
Funny you should mention knobs on the dash leaking – my wife really had that happen on an Oldsmobile Achieva. IIRC, the C4s didn’t have THAT bit of weirdness; mine just had some of the climate control knobs let the smoke out instead.
It was a fun car, but I had no illusions it was anything but a fast beater.
Lordy, A sky high tunnel ram with 2 big carbs topping it off would be glorious. Stance is perfect, paint is perfect….Dare I say….I want this Vette!
I’d radius the rear wheel wells (They look a little too close to the tires in the 2nd-to-last photo) and throw a blower and Hilborn 4-port injector on it and drive the living hell out of it.
To even think about restoring this car would be the crime. There are already plenty of restored_____________ (fill in the blank) cars out there. The world does not need yet another “restored” Corvette, Camaro, Challenger, Charger, Cuda, Chevelle, Mustang, tri-5 Chevy, this list could go on. What the hot rod automotive world needs is more cars like this Corvette. What an UMOLESTED Beauty! Its welcome in my shop anytime. 🙂
AMEN my brothers!!! You have reinforced my faith in hot rodders!
I’d go with a moon shot RPM small block
Decent paint and proper suspension could make this car appealing. Heck, just repairing the suspension would make the car livable.
I’d remove the 327 drivetrain and put a potent small block in for power.
Can Bangshift get rid of Geordie? Please? Nothing worse than someone who writes just to read themselves.
Need to smoke some doobies and figure out what the paint really means!
I’d drive the hell out of it!!
I am thinking 287 cid small block tunnel ram with w 660’s. and a 5 speed. 10 grand dry hops coming to the line
I’d give you a star if I could Old Dog.
Hillborn injected hemi with a 4 speed. Leave everything else as is.
I need to win the lottery, I need that vette in my collection..lol! Bad Ass Vette!!
There are only three things that need changed on that Vette. 1 New tires. the old ones may be not road worthy. 2 Needs six tail lights. 3 MY NAME ON THE TITLE !!!!! Car is badass the way it is, but I do like the thought of an 871 through the hood.
I agree with everyone that would drive her as is, just yank that engine and toss in a big block 427 equipped with a tunnel ram 2×4 set up.
Love it. Just race it…
Love with this car
re-do everything on the car to period correct gasser (maybe some updated safety shit) for the engine, blower and hillborn injection. paint, same scheme, just use updated paints. give it a name.
race it.