M A Fry

FOUND AGAIN: The stolen 1968 Chevrolet Corvette V8 convertible.



Wharf inspectors in Brisbane have uncovered a stolen 1968 Chevrolet Corvette V8 convertible after prying open the doors of a shipping container which had been sitting on the docks for a decade.

The car was reported stolen 10 years ago, and the 44-year-old, 5.4-litre V8 four-speed manual rag-top has just 77,000 kilometres on the odometer.

The vehicle was built on Boxing Day in 1967, which gives the C3 Corvette a 1968 model year designation.

According to Manheim Auctions spokesman Mathew McAuley, the original owner of the car is believed to have received a payout after the vehicle was stolen and not recovered.

The auction house says the car appears to have sat in the container without interruption for the whole period "without any care or maintenance during the time". As a result, the car does need some TLC, and is expected to be sold to an enthusiast.

The car will be auctioned at Manheim auctions in Brisbane on behalf of Suncorp Insurance on September 25 at 9 am. According the auction house, it is expected to fetch somewhere in the region of A$14,000-A$17,000 (NZ$17,000-NZ$21,000).

HamadUP

Interesting story, thanks for sharing it!
but whats a Boxing Day?

Aussie79

This is just down the road from me, I wouldnt mind having a look, something doesnt gell though, it is right hand drive? If it was found on the wharfs then it was dumped at import, we dont convert them to RHD until after they arrive??? So it must have been readied for export? But that doesnt make sense. I dont think I believe the story, I smell a rat. For more info and pics go here http://www.manheim.com.au/damaged-ve...=SearchResults


BTW, boxing day is the day after Christmas, it is a pubic holiday for all British nations. 26th December.

Cheers, Dennis.

riverracer au

the day after xmas day, when you put all your unwanted presents back in their boxes and return them for cash.....

Easy Mike

FYI: In 1967, Boxing Day was a Tuesday. The car would have sat on the line all day Sunday (12/24) and Monday (12/25) before the plant reopened after the holidays.

My guess is that it spent most of Saturday (12/23) in the paint shop.

CQRT

nice security and inventory control at the port if a container can sit there for ten years without tracking or inspection . .

Snoopysvet

327?

Easy Mike

5.4L equals about 329CID; close enough.

Vette5.5

Similar thing actually happened to friend of mine, with a 65' 396/425 hp C2. Car was stolen when nearly new, but insurance offered him nearly nothing, so put it off. Couple years later, got it back with an aluminum 427 ZL1 race engine in it. Wasn't streetable though, so had insurance put a 454 crate motor in it, like he already had. Still has the car today, well as the factory 396.

HamadUP

The rusted out speedo gives you a good indicator that this car is pretty much gone, I think it would cost the buyer as much as what he pays for it just to un-rust it!

champs65

I imagine the plugs on the RH bank would be a **** to change!

Aussie79

Partly why I dont believe this story, I have a friend who is a stevedore in Sydney and it is highly unlikely a container can sit at the docks for 10 years without somone checking on it. And exactly where was it stolen from? It's right hand drive so it must have been stolen from Australia....... So why was it on the docks??? Why is the insurance company not claiming it? No title? That's odd, to import a car in to Australia Canberra must have records of each vehicle by VIN, so maybe they mean no US title? In which case who cares it's in Australia. Too many weird questions.

L71Ragtop

.
Why?
Because the motor is offset to the RH for weight distribution
on C3

Stingray-Jer

I'm not sure I buy this story either.

champs65

Take a look at the pic with the brake booster and what looks like a slave cylinder above what looks like 4, 6 and 8....not to mention the steering column in there.

That booster almost looks like something you'd find on a diesel truck....doesn't look very roomy in the pic!

AdamMeh

Odd story in regards to it sitting unchecked. Maybe a dock worker or inspector was in on it

Something like this should be offered to the original owner first - if that is possible of course. Betting it was a beautiful car "back in the day".

Adam

L71Ragtop

no wiper door.?
were's the fun in that.?

Every 68-69 vette owner know you not live'n less you've cursed
the design crew who invented the wonderful mystery
that is the early C-3 Wiper door
"***** wont wiily will ..wipers come out today" ....
that door usually only works when it's not raining never when it rains.....s