Stolen ’65 Corvette Found After 36 Years

Years later, the Stingray turned up as a 500-horsepower, race-inspired hot rod, much to the surprise of the original owner.

It’s hard to imagine that anything good could come out of a Corvette getting stolen and missing for 36 years. But when it comes to Tony Peldunas’ 1965 Corvette Stingray, that might very well be the case.

Then again, that might all depend on whether or not you mind your classic Corvette being converted into a 500-horsepower, race-inspired hot rod on someone else’s dime. Of course, there’s that other little factor to consider, too – the fact that it took more than three decades

Sure, it’s not the perspective one might initially have. However, it certainly is one way of looking at it when trying to make the best of an unexpected situation like this one.

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According to the New Jersey Herald, the odd story of Peldunas’ Corvette began when the car was stolen in front of his house back in 1981. The Hampton, New Jersey native said it was one of the only times he’d every parked the ‘Vette outside, after buying the car in the ‘70s.

Peldunas said that after a week passed with no word from police about his Corvette’s whereabouts, he pretty much gave up any hope of ever seeing it again. That’s until recently, when someone was trying to sell a Corvette with a double-stamped VIN number, with the original number matching that of his stolen car.

Still, Peldunas didn’t actually think the Corvette was his. After all, it doesn’t look anything like it did when he owned it. In fact, it wasn’t until a mechanic lifted the hood of the car and spotted a chip from the vehicle’s original burgundy paint color, that Peldunas was convinced it was indeed his Corvette.

We joked earlier about looking at this situation’s upside. But in all sincerity, it really does make us wonder how many here would handle it. Would you start racing?