Dirt Detective

Looks like a fun project

ToplessVetteAt42

I'm going to try to get it, and if I do but decide not to proceed with it, I'll try to let you know. thanks.

ToplessVetteAt42

this is what I am hoping to be able to do; well, maybe don't daily driver, but frequent driver!

hummiscorvettetaken

Yep, that's so true - the rattiest looking C1 can garner just as much attention (if not more) than one with a six figure restoration!

ToplessVetteAt42

Thanks for this encouragement! Would be awesome if its clean enough I can do moderate work on it and make it reliable and drive it. Definitely don't have the means to do any sort of full on/off restoration. If I can't keep it, will definitely look to pass along to someone who can!

JoeyWhite

Paul Borowski

...I'm less than 2 miles from it, how about that. Not sure if I'll go the auction or not. Might be entertaining though.

Randy G.

I found a 1958 in Riverside 3 or so years ago on Craigslist that looked very similar to that one. The price started at $25,000 and I believe it got as low as $11,000 at the Pomona Swap Meet. It had a one piece front end, severely bent frame from an apparent front end impact, was missing all the 1958 specific expensive pieces including the 1958 only dot gauge faces. Someone finally bought it but I don't know what they paid for it.

ToplessVetteAt42

Very interesting, thanks for posting.

Its going to be fascinating to see how many people show up for this car, what its true condition is, and what it ultimately sells for.

I'm pretty determined to get it, and money isn't really that big an issue, so I guess we'll see!

Paul Borowski

...saw this car this evening about 12hrs before the auction. Car's sitting outside, looks like a solid, complete car. Extra engine on a pallet comes with car, plus various, carbs, tranny case, taillights, etc. Engine on pallet appears to have broach marks, but seems otherwise blank pad. Motor in car had small Holley, small circular Cal Custom type air cleaner, I think alum intake & headers, Moroso style valve covers. Has '63/'64 Ford style drag racing scoop, extra '59/'60 hood. Had '58 VIN #, somewhere around "4478" maybe? Mid production car? I think it'd be cool just to clean it up, paint wasn't real bad-I've seen much worse on these type cars. Might have been Charcol black or black primer, had some deeper scratches rr quarter. Trunk lid was '58 with irons removed & holes filled. Interior didn't seem bad at all, seats were somekind of brown "tuck & roll" I guess, but were in decent shape. Flex fan, stock brake m/c and radiator. Hardtop & glass(or plexiglass?)was in decent shape. Four guys there looking at it when I was. Guy on the ground said frame & underneath was pretty solid for a '58 last driven in '71. Bumpers heavily pitted & chrome coming off here & there. Stock wheel covers plus a couple small big brake type dogdish covers there too.

If I got it, I'd do as others suggested, make it very roadable, new wheel cylinders, new brake shoes, master cylinder, brake lines & hoses, new gas tank & redo radiator & wheel bearings(or clean & regrease). I think maybe it's a cool cruiser!!!

ToplessVetteAt42

Thanks Paul. I went by earlier in the day and nothing was out yet; house was all closed up. Look forward to seeing it in the morning. By the sounds of it, I better bring my checkbook!

Paul Borowski

Looks like great weather for this in a couple of hours. If the motor in the car isn't locked-up and can get running by a fuel tank clean out and/or new fuel line, or flush, might be able to get the car on the road for $500-$1000 or so. I think it would clean up and really wouldn't be that "ratty"-yeah, heavily worn but no that bad. I'd love to get her back on the road.

ToplessVetteAt42

Was very interesting to be there and look at the car closely. In my view, this was a pretty good resto-mod foundation car; for those who favor original parts, this was not the car for you. Pretty much everything was NOS. Neither motor was correct; neither hood was correct; transmission was not correct; grill was not correct; trunk was not correct; color was not correct; interior was not correct. On the plus side, frame appeared to be in decent condition. It looked to me like the owner raced this car in the 1970s.

And now for what everyone wants to know....what did it sell for? Well, most folks I talked to there felt the "right" number was $15-$20k, and from my research, that seems correct to me.

It sold for $26,750. My search continues...

GTOguy

While I too feel the 'right' money was 15-20k, I have not seen a fairly complete, even if all wrong roller early 'vette sell for that kind of price. I think the 26,750 was a bit much for this car, but, obviously, somebody paid the price willingly. What I have seen for <20k have been piles of parts....not rollers that were more or less all there. 3 years ago, I paid slightly more for my wrong numbers '61, in much better shape, not needing chrome or interior work, just engine and brake work. You would be much better off to pay slightly more and get twice the car, IMO! Good luck....and searching is fun, as we all know.

Paul Borowski

I guessed $27K the night before when I looked at it, so I was close. Actually, I think the trunk lid might have been correct-it had the holes filled in for the trunk spear studs. I also think the guy that bought it was there Fri evening when I was there looking at it. Kinda neat on the passenger seat had a receipt from "Carrol Shelby Motors, Dallas TX", dated 3/62. Looked like it said it was for an engine for $1190. Also said engine for "Jim Hall"???