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It's rare because no one wanted them then, nor now.
I had heard that the Dodge Charger & Plymouth Road Runner with those huge wings were sitting on lots for a long time because no one wanted them. Now look at them.
But, this one, not so sure about that.
The 4 door Corvette America was built by California Custom Coach in Pasadena CA .
Supposedly between 4 and 6 built, all of them either 79’s or 80’s
According to Super Chevy (March ‘01),-
"After five personalized production vehicles were built, however, the project was scrapped due to the exorbitant cost: While a standard, new 1979 Corvette cost roughly $13,000, these four-doors stickered at about $35,000."
The last one I saw that SOLD-
I looked that one over and it was in WAY worse condition than the red one. They are clearly not the same car, nor in the same league. Just look at the pictures and you can see cracked fiberglass all over and torn up/worn-out interior. The red on red one is in museum condition compared to beater/driver condition copper/tan above. I don't know if it is worth the difference b/c I have never restored a 'vette before (much less a four-door custom one!) I've half-restored a different car before (vintage BMW) and it got expensive FAST. Not to mention the time involved.
One thing I'd like to find out is why the one on the Road and Track cover has door handles and the other two have the electronic entry system.
Also someone mentioned the rear seat legroom... on second look it doesn't seem that bad. I mean, there is actual room for someone's legs. I am 6'4" so probably not for me but what sports car has decent leg room in the back? Anyway, there's more rear seat legroom than a 2-door 'vette! lol!!
I figured this car would have its share of haters, and it surely does. I am mostly interested in it because a) it was a factory effort (meaning Chevy commissioned it if not built it), b) how rare it is, and c) the technical details involved (like that door handles thing).
VIN describes it as a two door coupe, but it is clearly not. Something tells me this is not factory.
Yeah they took two normal cars to make one of these. Explains why they were so expensive compared to a normal one.
Originally Posted by derekderek
Insanely rare. Cuz anybody who thought there would be a market for these is insane.
Maybe if they mass produced them and got the costs down. But obviously few people wanted a $35k vette of any description in the early 80s. A brand-new Ferrari 308 was $40k after all. After inflation the $35k comes out to about $150k today. Would there be a market for a $150k C7 today? Actually the four-door C7 would probably be 3x a 2-door one, so more like $165k (3x $55k)... Any takers?
Based in the previous sale of a similar car, it looks like the upper bound for a fair price would be three times the price of a comparable 1980 Corvette. So, $45K, max, probably closer to $36K for an automatic. That would cover the two cars that got wrecked to make this abomination, plus another car worth of labor and custom door panels.
The seller has been trying to get rid of that car for quite a long time. It's been listed three or four times. It's not worth the asking price. These were aftermarket conversions and never sold well.
One of the 5 made was on display at an all Corvette show in Los Altos, CA back in 2011. The asking price at the time was 250K. It's probably the same car as Milpitas is just across the bay from Los Altos.
The owner said he has taken it to car shows almost exclusively and he's selling it because he's tired of doing just that. I don't remember what internet article I saw that in, but yeah. The condition the red one is in I wonder if the museum in Bowling Green might want to pick it up just as a matter of a historical piece? I think of Harrison Ford: "That belongs in a museum!" Based on the condition alone, I'd say that's exactly where it belongs!
02-11-2019, 09:05 AM
and for a good reason.
