The longtime owner of this 1968 Corvette is literally speaking from the grave about the prized Stingray convertible that remained in his family for nearly five decades.
Now being offered at no reserve on Bring a Trailer on behalf of his estate, the Silverstone Silver C3 has attracted a high bid of $17,750 with three days remaining in the auction.
But the most interesting part of the listing may be a note the late owner left behind for his family describing the Corvette and the extensive restoration it received during his ownership.
According to the listing, the Corvette was acquired by its late owner in the late 1970s and was treated to a frame-off restoration years later. The owner wrote that the work included a replacement frame and trailing arms, stainless-steel brake and fuel lines, stainless-steel brake calipers, new tires and a new convertible top.
The car was also stripped and refinished with modern base coat/clear coat paint.
“Essentially it’s a new 1968 Corvette with mostly all original parts,” the owner wrote. “It’s running properly.”
He went even further in describing the finished product.
“It’s a great car in many ways, far better than it was when it was made in 1968,” he wrote. “It’s in pristine condition.”
Under the hood is a 327 V8 equipped with a four-barrel carburetor and factory rated at 350 horsepower. An engine stamping with an HT suffix corresponds to the 350-horsepower 327 for use with a manual transmission. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual.
The Corvette also features a black convertible top, a matching Silverstone Silver hardtop, retractable headlights, chrome bumpers and side-pipe exhaust. It rides on 15-inch steel wheels with turbine-style covers and has four-wheel power disc brakes.
Inside are black vinyl bucket seats, replacement black carpeting and the familiar Corvette gauge arrangement. The odometer shows approximately 14,000 miles, although the seller says the car’s actual mileage cannot be positively confirmed. He believes it was reset to 0 when the restoration was completed in the 1980s or early 1990s.
The Corvette apparently spent much of the past decade sitting because of its owner’s health problems. His daughter recalled trips to the ice cream parlor as the only time she remembers her father driving it. According to the seller, it hadn’t been driven in at least 10 years when he and the owner’s son-in-law recently brought it back to life.
There are still some imperfections. The radio and clock don’t work, the interior has a repaired upholstery tear, and the whitewalls have yellowed with age and will obviously need to be replaced. The auction’s comment section has also produced questions about the replacement frame, mileage and modifications made through the years.
Still, there’s something special about buying a classic Corvette with this kind of family history.
Its longtime owner may no longer be here to tell prospective buyers about his beloved Stingray in person.
Fortunately, he left them a note.
Source:
Bring a Trailer
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