SURVIVOR 1971 CORVETTE COUPE MATCHING#LS5,454,4-SPD,LEATHER,Cold A/C,Power-Steer

The Short Corvette Love Story as I was told it: The original owner or parent purchased this car on 03-29-1971 from Cook Chevrolet Inc., Canfield, Ohio as a graduation present. He attended the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana the following fall and his girl friend attended the University of Michigan. They saw each other very often and returned home on many weekends. With in a short period the car had over 50,000 miles and it was then traded in a Gates Chevrolet, South Bend, Indiana towards a new 1972 Corvette Convertible in the early spring of of 1972. The second owner purchased it on 04-02-1972, who loved it, garaged kept it as a second car and kept it for over 25 years putting less than 25,000 miles on it. The third owner purchased it on 08-28-1997 and owned it for 6 1/2 years putting a bit more than 16,000 miles on it. The fourth owner purchased it on 05-04-2004 and owned it for 12 1/4 years putting a bit over 15,000 miles on it while doing over $11,000 (have receipts) in well placed repairs, maintenance and upgrades while keeping it as close to original as possible. I then Purchased it in Spring of 2016 and have put less than 1,000 miles on it and have decided that 10+ classic cars are too much to keep stored, plated, insured, maintained, detailed or even driven for that much. I have all the names and documents (copies of titles except the 1st owner) to support this chain of ownership all residing with-in 40 miles of Notre Dame, Indiana. This is a Turn-Key Drive anywhere car that has been made very safe, reliable and enjoyable. It has a very good never opened original 454 Big-Block Engine that is Tight, Quite (Internally a Bit Noisier Externally) and Very Torquey Coupled to a Good Transmission/Clutch and a Superbly Sorted Drive Train with bearings, joints, bushings all replaced with the best quality available. Valve Guide or seals may be needing replaced as it does puff a bit on start up and downshifts. Many of Brake items and Suspension parts are also new or rebuilt. All electrics works fine (excluding clock) including the slower moving power windows. This Car is Sure To Put and Keep That Big Grin on You Face!

If you missed getting exactly what you wanted for Christmas, then Now Is Your Second Chance Opportunity To Get It Right! How often can you Cover The Investment Need Itch and "Car Guy" Itch so Completely in one nice neat bundle? Tell the Wife that: Yes as Good as The Stock Market Has Been of late (of course your broker will seldom have you in those equities anyway), the Rare Collector Car and Select Sports Car/Muscle Car Market Has Done Even Better than Wall Street in the Past 3-5 Years, and it will retain more of it's gains in the next inevitable coming stack market correction! Plus spinning off some Amazing Visual/Aesthetics and Driving/Performance Dividends to blow away that .25-1.00% Joke Money Market Rate. Oh I forgot interest rates have recently gone negative so the banks are now charging us more fees to keep our money "SAFE" ohh my ?!?

The longer Story with more details...Skip if not seriously interested:

Up for Auction is One Very Original, Turn-Key Un-Messed with Driver that is Super Solid, Straight and Very Well Documented since new of a Beautiful 1971 Chevrolet Corvette T-Top Coupe sometimes called a C-3 Corvette! Yes it is the "Good One" ordered originally with the Famous Chevrolet LS-5 MK-IV 454 Big-Block H/P Engine Option! This is a Need Nothing Car That I just jumped in last month after the snow all melted and during a glorious 55 degree sunny day an proceeded to put over sixty wonderful miles on and take a few extra dry sunny photos!

Positives:

-Always a Midwest Car with a very clear documented ownership history! Also included is the Original Delivery Items such as Protective Plate, Warranty Booklet/Policy and Owner Service, Wheel Jack and Cover instruction Sheet, Factory 1971 Owner's Manual with Important Operating, Safety and Maintenance Instructions, Factory Original Sales Brochure and a believed to be "Reproduce" Window Sticker.

-Mostly an all Original Corvette with Number Matching Engine, Transmission, and most other main components except those exchanged during it's past service and repairs during it's life such as brake calipers, brake master cylinder, radiator, water pump, carburetor etc. so the NCRS minded guy will have a bit of a challenge Finding just a few Date coded Original Replacements.

-The Car Starts and Drives Great, Handles Super and is Very Tight and Dependable. Changes have been tastefully made to the Cooling System with a New High Dollar DeWitts#1139069M 69-72 BB Direct Fit Radiator and Some MSD Ignition Module upgrade (the old OE Transistorized unit comes with), to make this car run super cool even in last summers 90+ degree heat during a few Cruise-In's and Tours. The Whole Steering and Suspension Systems have been Replaced, Updated and/or Upgraded where needed. Even the Rear Control Arms and Drive Shafts were sent out for Rebuilding, Machining, Balancing, and Dial Indicating when the New SKF Rear Wheel Bearing Assemblies and USA Brake Rotors were installed. This was done at the same time as the Front Bearings Replaced by all new SKF Bearings and seals, 4 x Newly Re-manufactured Stainless Steel Calipers, a New US made Brake Master Cylinder and New H/P Stainless Steel Covered Brake Hoses with fresh state-of-the-art Dot 5 Fluid through-out the whole New Braking System.

-The Original Muncie Shifter was replaced with the popular and better shifting HURST Shift and all the taken off parts are included in the sale as shown in photos. A brand New (Not Rebuilt) Clutch Pressure Plate/Cover, Driven Disc, Pilot Bushing and Throw-Out Bearing were replaced proactively at that time!

-The exhaust system was replaced with a new rather expensive stainless steel "Chambered System" with higher performance better breathing characteristics and was at one time even a factory offered option on earlier year models. This was a whole system front to rear while retaining it's Factory Exhaust Manifolds and all of it's 49-state factory installed emission system!

Negatives:

-Believed to have 70-80% of it's Original Factory White Paint still in place, it is in poor condition in most places if looked at close-up and carefully, but although it's cracked, crazed, peeling and chipped in many places but it has survived it's almost 46 years better that most as the quality and paint technology back them was still very early in it's development and it is well known that fiberglass/plastic bodied cars flex, expand and contract more that steel panels and creates paint issues. I have tried to show these negative details in many of my photos. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is a 15 to 20 footer that needs a paint job for the perfectionist future owner, but neither the previous owner nor I could bring ourselves to wrecking it's neat old patin, originality and survivorness. Repainting the Hood and Some careful Spotting in paint, Leveling, a good Wet Sand and then a careful hand rubbing may Make All the Difference in the world! Personally I LOVE IT Just The Way It Is! Most of you reading this know that there is a stronger and more popular interest in the "Survivor Class" at many NCRS events! There was a minor accident, "parking lot job" on the L/H Rear Fender Well in 1971 or 1972 that did cause the lip and bonding strip on that panel to be altered (partially missing) when repaired and painted. It was tastefully repaired by Gates Chevrolet Gates Chevy World) of South Bend/Mishawaka Indiana.

- The Original Factory Radio was changed for a nicely working more modern Kenwood AM and FM upgrade with cassette player, but the old one was not retained . Anyway you get the modern working seek and search features and pretty clear "Crackle Free" Tunes with the possibility of adding MP3 capabilities!

-Body Very Good and Straight with a slight crack under the LH rear bumper. Although and early in it's life minor accident LH rear wheel lip, was reported to me, the is no other repairs, bondo or glass work evident.

-Chrome Excellent and will polish up nicely, I never even detailed this car prior to photos, Too Many Cars!

-Paint is the worst detail on the car, but very Livable with Great Patina. At the Cruise-Ins it is a Magnet!

-Mechanicals are the best that I have ever experienced on a used classic, I have done Literally Nothing but enjoy it's aesthetics in my driveway and garage and it Delivers Flawless Performance and Dependability. This car is Fairly Fast (Lower Reving With High Torque you can take off in third), Handles like a Dream, Shifts Smoothly, Makes Great Sounds and has Ice Cold Air-Conditioning (at lease as of last fall).

-The Deluxe Interior is Original and shows its age only through some mild Patina on the Leather Seats.

-A few other noted flaws/Issues are a small minor windshield crack in the R/H Upper Passengers corner of the glass (please see photo). There is some minor rust starting in both of the windshield side pillars that a glass shop quoted my mechanic approx $1500-2000 to fix while replacing the new windshield and seals. The Clock is not working so I have spent the $150.00 to get a proper replacement clock and will include it for the next owner to install while "Bonding" with his new classic! There is a heel wear hole in the original black carpet that covers up well. It has been treated to more "Modern" newer radial tires that are a bit wider and a bit lower profile but still mounted to it's original dated coded steel rally wheels. The really cool RPO# P02 Optional Deluxe Wire Wheel Covers were only ordered on 3,007 cars in 1971, but I just rembered that the LH rear one has a rattle or loose cap that needs to be tightened with a special tool taht I do not have! The 2-3 year old Delco battery does not hold a charge longer than a few weeks so I will be replacing that for you prior to your deliver/pick-up!

All in All I Think that Somebody Is Going To Get A Great Car and Be Very Happy With Their Historically Important Classic Sports Car. My Reserve Price Represents a Great Opportunity for A New Investor or Car Guy to Get Into The Hobby with a Turn-Key "Blue Chip" Classic Muscle car and Sportscar Together! Thanks For Listening and Investing You Time Reviewing my long winded listing and Please make sure that you View all 124 Photos (24 in the top and 100 underneath)! Cheers and Blessing- George S