This 1974 Corvette Has A VW TDI Diesel Engine, A Toyota Transmission, Gets 44 MPG, And Is Slightly Lacking In The Fit And Finish Dept


This 1974 Corvette Has A VW TDI Diesel Engine, A Toyota Transmission, Gets 44 MPG, And Is Slightly Lacking In The Fit And Finish Dept

I was seconds away from shutting my computer when ace BangShift tipster Mike Kenworthy sent in an email gently urging that we take a peek at a Craigslist ad that he sent. We opened the link and were greeted by the scene you will see below. The short story is that this is a 1974 Corvette that has been repowered with a VW TDI four banger diesel engine like what would have been found in a diesel Jetta, Golf, etc. That engine is backed by a five speed manual transmission out of a Toyota truck. The seller claims that the diesel Vette knocks down an eye-popping 44mpg on the highway. Yes, it looks hammered and the interior does have the appearance of a crime scene but the seller readily admits that the car needs finish work to make it nice. The massive hole in the hood to get the little diesel to fit in there is kind of awesome in our opinion. Look, it is a 1974 Corvette and we know that there are people who are in love with 1974 Corvettes out there but at least this was a 1967 Tri-Power big block car or something, right?

What would you do with this car if you bought it? Hopefully drive the hell out of it to start with. Roll into your local cruise night with the little engine popping away and every spectator in the place looking at you like your spacecraft just crashed in front of them. You could take it out to that Bloomington Corvette show and try to qualify it for a gold award. That’s the thing we actually recommend the most because that crowd really values thinking outside the box, cutting cars up, and doing “this” to them.

Hey, this thing needs work to be nice but the seller has been zipping around in it for a few years now so the whole thing is at least proven efficient and reliable. It is the weirdest mashup of parts in a Corvette that we have ever seen, so there’s that. Keep reading for details and specs. Amazing.

I had to include the text from the CL ad because this thing is sure to be a quick sell….right?

This is a one of a kind project car. It has been my daily driver for the past 3 years and has treated me well but its time to move on.
It runs and drives well but needs someone with more patience than me to finish the cosmetic work.
The inside is rough and needs the attention to detail and wiring prowess that is beyond my level of patience.
One update on the car. I took it for a spin the other day and the driver side wheel bearing went out. Its about $50 and an hour of labor. I am planning on doing it however unless someone is interested I am in no rush tear it apart in the driveway.

1974 Stingray Corvette with T-tops
2002 VW Diesel Engine
Toyota truck 5 spd transmission
Acme Adapters adapter plate to put them together
New tires last fall

This car gets 55+ mpg and is a blast to drive!
I am looking for $4,000 obo. It cost me about $12,000 to put it all together.
I can do partial cash and trade but there are not a ton of things I am looking for. A few of those include 7×12 (ish) enclosed trailer and guns. Unless you have an old Triumph car or a Jeep wrangler I don’t need any more vehicles.

If you are in the market for a TDI motor than you will know that they don’t come cheap. Get this one that runs and drives and in a project car you can make all your own!

Any questions or to take a look email me and I will get right back to you.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THESE PHOTOS AND THEN HIT THE CRAIGSLIST LINK FOR THE FULL STORY ON THIS FREAKSHOW –

Vette1 vette2 vette3

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CL AD FOR A TDI DIESEL POWERED 1974 CORVETTE


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12 thoughts on “This 1974 Corvette Has A VW TDI Diesel Engine, A Toyota Transmission, Gets 44 MPG, And Is Slightly Lacking In The Fit And Finish Dept

  1. Whelk

    It looks like he had a beat roller vette in the back yard, a rusted out VW and got to thinking. A 44 mpg commuter wouldn’t completely suck

  2. Stewzer55

    Base L48 in 1974 was rated at 190HP.

    Supposedly the old 6.2/6.5 diesels fit in the chassis and don’t require an extra hole in the hood and bolt right up to GM transmissions but have the weight of a big block.

    The interior needs a lot of parts too, really its just a rolling shell, hopefully the birdcage is good.

  3. BeaverMartin

    You could sell the TDI and Toyota trans to a Jeep or Samurai guy and have enough to buy a LT1 or LS_ and a T56 out of the junk yard. Or to keep it smokey/VW I’d drop in a VW 5.0 V10 Diesel. Those engines are sick, but I’ve never seen one for sale.

  4. Tom Slater

    I’ve killed and eaten many a sacred cow but Christ on a Pogo Stick that is a terrible, wrong and revolting swap.

  5. Matt Cramer

    C3s have had worse indignities forced upon them. This is so wrong it’s amusing, at the very least.

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