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So I was out on a job today and the customer shows me this C3
according to the story I was told it was a 1-of 500 run , customized by GM , I was told the car was one of 4 left , 1 GM had in the vette museum that went down the sink hole , 1 was found dismantled in a bone yard , 1 is in another GM museum somewhere, and according to this story this is the only “ Driveable “ car of those known to exist.
I was told they were built solely for display and none were originally sold to the public , GM apparently bought them back after the campaign and destroyed them ?
at any rate , this gentleman got it on a trade, he’s not a vette guy and it’s for sale .
here are a few photos , I be interested in how legitimate this story is . According to the owner all original minus the wheels 1980 Made into a convertible by GM ? Lovered fenders and hood , factory reassessed headlights ? Completely molded lower body flares ?
Pretty much what I was thinking , it does have some crazy vin I guess , again no idea , just asking because it seemed real odd to me .
Figured the C3 experts would know !
of the cars who went in the hole one of those was not. that story is a nice fairy tale that's totally BS. how ever there was a coach work place that did do convertible conversions in the early 80's to some C3 and Monte Carlos. this could be it or just a backyard hack job.
I agree... with pretty much all of the above. As my father used to say while singing...........
"And the Farmer Hauled Another Load Away"
It was common in 1980-1984 or so for people to purchase the rear clips from a 1974-1975 convertible that may have been crashed and then use the rear clip to convert a 74 (coupe)-82 car into a convertible... I remember I drove one back for a friend of mine from the old Knoxville show around 1981 or so... Back then finding a wrecked (in the front) 74-75 convertible wasn't hard to find... so all the parts to convert would be there and the job was not that hard.
GM did not make any convertible from 1976 to 1986.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; 03-21-2018 at 09:06 PM.
There are no astrology vent grilles on back deck. Makes me think it may have been a-more or less-real conversion by a legit shop. Doesn't look like a backyard @$$hole job.
Yeah I’m thinking your all correct , This customer wasn’t trying to sell me the car , just started off as a casual conversation, we see a lot of very nice rides doing what we do .
I’m pretty certain this guy was sold a line when he took it on trade .
The car itself is clean enough , but there were obvious signs of heavy glass work in a couple spots mainly on the front fenders where the lovers were cut into the fenders , you could see the seams ringing out . The ground effects were done extremely well , if it was a conversion some real time was put into those areas .
As for the hood , it looked aftermarket to me , but the top storage lid on the rear deck was very well done and fit great .
I appreciate all the input , very interesting conversion either way
Tales like this are super sad to me, ( but btw lowbucks convertible conversion isnt crap and he did it himself, )
It takes talent not a shop to make s nice car, a nice shop helps but isnt necessary,
The story the owner of this car told is such a hodge podge of bs that it doesnt take much to see right through it,
The twin turbo hood and recessed lights couldn't be less gm yet very well known by vette fans, the daytona vents and ground effects are slightly less seen but still, known,
Its not the first, second or...last time i have heard a made up story about an 80 look convertible, i guess if an owner has to say "its a custom" they feel its not as "cool" as spewing its some chevy one of 5 built.
Even the guy selling an actual 75 convertible i almost bought with 80 nose and tail had to suggest it was a gm prototype, i guess the 502 and 6 speed were also 1975 prototypes
I think it is pretty neat, looks done fairly well from a novice's perspective.
I would buy one, although I would certainly not pay much of a premium for one.
Convertibles were making a comeback around 1980, and there were a number of companies doing convertible conversions on just about everything imaginable. There were 2 or 3 companies converting Corvettes. Perfect Auto(?) was one company, I think Greenwood did some, too, and ACI Fiberglass were doing the Duntov conversions.
Coupe rear clips are everywhere, but try to find a convertible clip, especially a 74-75. As Wilcox said, a lot of people and shops have built their own conversions, using the rear clips from convertible rear clips.
I suspect somewhere along the line, the owner of this car, or person who traded it to him, heard the story of the 1980 Duntov Turbo Corvette, and assumed, adapted it, or co opted the story to explain their 80 convertible. For those not familiar with the Duntov Turbo, it was a modified 80 Corvette convertible conversion built by ACI, with input from Duntov, and wearing his name. The plan was to build 200, but they only found buyers for either 27, 32, 35, 89 or ????, depending on who you listen too.
...a 1-of 500 run...customized by GM...one of 4 left...1...went down the sink hole...1 was found dismantled in a bone yard...1 is in another GM museum somewhere...the only “ Driveable “ car of those known to exist...all original minus the wheels...Made into a convertible by GM...
At the least, who ever created this tall tale was creative.
The center windshield latching point for the top does not look like something GM would install for a custom car. Looks more like angle iron from Home Depot.
Once past the BS, it's not a bad looking car. There are uglier POS that have been posted in the past weeks.
I hope the guy did not buy the car based on the BS story. But I know there are people out there that make up cars and pass them off as rare examples to the uninformed to get a big buck.
03-21-2018, 08:35 PM
1980 Corvette Special edition Convertible?
