Anyone who knows me well or who has been listening to the Driven Radio Show podcast for any length of time knows I have long dreamt of owning a Nassau Blue 1965 or 1966 Chevy Corvette convertible. Some weeks back, I found a Corvette that checked all the boxes: Nassau Blue over bright blue leather, 327/350 horsepower, four-speed, factory side pipes, and knock-off wheels. I bought it over the phone, contingent upon inspection. The problem was the car was located in northern California, and I’m not.
Shipping the Chevy Corvette to Kansas was going to be fairly expensive, and I would have to wait several weeks for it to arrive. I have no patience and didn’t see the benefit of shelling out thousands of dollars transporting the car when I could drive it home. Sometimes I don’t fully think things through, and I can be difficult to dissuade from my poor decisions. Besides, I had a Southwest Airlines gift card, and I told myself this would make great content, so I flew from Kansas City to Sacramento. After an all-too-hasty inspection, I pulled the trigger, threw my bags in the Corvette, and headed to Monterey.
A couple of first impressions: 1.) The Corvette was GORGEOUS! All the cosmetics appeared to be fairly new, and the mechanicals looked to be recently restored or replaced. The car’s needs seemed mostly small and easily addressed. 2.) I’ve had a number of Corvettes over the years, C1s, C3s, and C4s. I am six feet tall. I fit in the 1965 Corvette better than the others I have owned, and much better than I fit in my 1960 Corvette. I can see traffic lights through the windshield, not over it. 3.) I LOVE the interior. Big glovebox, decent luggage space, excellent gauge layout and visibility. The seats are infinitely more comfortable than the seats in my 1960. I never knew how good vintage Corvette seats could be. It has interior lights and sun visors, both things my older Corvette lacks. It has wing windows that direct air inside. There is a power antenna and AM/FM radio. Very cool, if you could hear it over those side pipes.
When buying a vintage, or any other car for that matter, NEVER EVER take the seller’s word for it, no matter who it is. A quickie once-over is not sufficient, and I knew better. Take your time, no matter how much you know or think you know. Get a second opinion, or better yet, get a knowledgeable garage/mechanic to do a pre-buy inspection. It will be worth its weight in gold and headache prevention.
When I picked up the Corvette, it had a few small items that would need to be addressed, but I was buying the car far below market, so I was willing to eat the shortcomings. The drive home wasn’t going to improve the condition of those concerns. The turn signal had a mushy switch. This had been an issue in my 1960 Corvette, and was remedied by a new switch, so I didn’t see this as a deal-killer. The heater controls were difficult to operate, but I had had this problem in my ’60 Corvette, and knew how to fix it. The soft top didn’t like to stay latched in the rear. It was far too tight. I have experienced this with other convertibles, and figured keeping it up would help stretch it into shape. I eventually figured out you had to latch the top in the back first, then do the front latches. The passenger side rear latch would stay put for about 30 miles, then let go one notch, then another. This happened less as the trip went on. However, the top wasn’t sealing as tightly at the windshield header as I thought. This would come into play later in the trip.
The seller gave me a couple gallons of pre-mixed anti-freeze and two quarts of Mobil 1 motor oil, a funnel and some rags. I never needed the anti-freeze, but used up some of the oil driving home.
The idea was to drive the Pacific Coast Highway from Monterey, California, south to San Diego, see my family for a day or two, drive home across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
The Corvette had been restored in 2017, and only driven 1,600 miles since. Not too many miles to sort a freshly restored car. I was going to drive it over 2,400 miles in five days. What could possibly go wrong?
TO BE CONTINUED…
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And? What is the end of the story? I remember having these same problems when these cars were new. I remember my right corner being tight on my top. These are Corvette quirks. If you are going to drive a lot of miles. You should have bought one with a LS engine. I can still remember on the many 427's that I owned (yea, wish I never sold any of them) that 240 Sunoco just wasn't enough for a smooth idle. She needed 260. Ahhh, the pretty blue color of 260. lol..Then, these high humidity days, screw'n with the Holley. That sure is a pretty car. That one is more of a Sunday driver. Seeing that car reminds me of the show "Route 66."
Slasher- This is just the first of a series. There are a few more coming about the whole trip home. Keep watching for the rest of the story!
The advice of thorough inspections and second opinions when purchasing used Corvettes is good advice but often not practical especially for desirable cars priced under market.
I have been looking for a C6 Grand Sport recently and have found that anything priced reasonably is sold within hours.
A few years ago my wife and I drove our 93 vette on a road trip. Drove as much as possible Route 66 from Chicago to LA. Spent a few days driving and sightseeing. Stayed with family for a couple days in San Diego and drove back home the fastest way. 33 hrs coast to coast. Had a blast
Sorry, but you need to complete an article like this. You had me till the last word, but not sure I will even see the end.
There are several more pieces to come.
I really enjoyed part 1 Brett and can't wait for the others to appear.
I loved my 1966 ragtop with a 427 but it rode like a coal truck. Loved straight line acceleration but pushed in the corners. My 1970 small block was better balanced but also rode like a coal truck. I drive my 2016 Z51 3LT ragtop everywhere and love it also. It lacks for nothing and is the perfect car for me.