This is from the show where classic car expert Dennis Collins attempted to restore a 1962 Chevy Corvette that was left to rot in a Florida backyard. As expected, after 14 years of being left to rot, the car’s fate was less glorious than he had imagined.
When Collins opened the trunk of the Corvette, he realized the extent of its damage and immediately wished he had not looked at it.
A Forgotten Gem in a Wooden Enclosure: What Happened to This Corvette?
The idea for this story started with a phone call about a 1962 Chevy Corvette that had been stored for more than 10 years in a Florida backyard. The car had been left to rust, nestled in a wooden shell erected by the owner between 2009 and 2013.
As if to create a sense of security, the enclosure did not protect the vehicle from the environment. There was no roof or concrete base designed, which caused destruction by rain and humidity. Consequently, the Corvette remained open to the natural vagaries of the elements with only a wooden block to shield it.
Notably, when Collins got to the site, he noticed the car was in relatively poor condition. The Corvette was almost unidentifiable as it was; the windshield frame was gone, and other important parts were either stolen or wrecked. The tires were embedded in the ground, and the bottom of the car touched the ground, transforming a proud car into a mere hulk.
The inside was even more ruined: the steering wheel remained the only piece of furniture, and the seats, the dashboard, and the pedals had disappeared. As I surveyed this car, which had once represented the power and vigor of the American automobile industry, it seemed all that was left in the car was the disgraceful sign of time’s ravaging quality.
Searching for Missing Parts: What Collins Discovered in the Barn
That is why, even with the sad condition of the Corvette, Collins realized that there might still be a chance to revive the car. He was lucky as the owner’s family had preserved the car’s parts in the nearby barn, arranging them one on top of the other.
In the barn, Collins identified several parts, including the engine, the radiator, the headlights, gauges, and even the hardtop, which nobody knew was related to this particular car. But the biggest surprise came after Collins looked into the engine.
The original 327 cubic inch V8 was missing and substituted by a generic engine probably belonging to a Chevy Chevelle. This was a bitter fall, for the Corvette’s engine was one of the most valuable elements of the car.
Not only was the state of the Corvette terrible, but Collins decided to pop the trunk, which was not wise. Inside, he found a horrifying sight: it became the habitat of giant cockroaches, who had built their nest in the spare wheel.
The smell was unpleasant, and Collins could almost grasp how long it had been since someone had taken care of the car.
Although it might have opened the trunk to get some hopes of finding more parts, it exposed all the levels of negligence the car has received. Rodents, insects, and decay were not going to inspire anyone who was once planning to restore this magnificent vehicle.
Restoring the Corvette: Is It Worth the Effort and Cost?
However disheartened as the events may seem, Collins did not back down at all. Admittedly, the car would require considerable work, but he still thought it could be resurrected. The car in the movie is a 1962 Chevy Corvette, which, despite being a classic, still had some of its components stripped off.
Collins thought that with a new engine and lots of work, the Corvette would be able to see the road again, although, most probably, it would be bought by a collector who would polish it and bring it back to its former state.
The average value of a 1962 Corvette is approximately $100,000, so to anyone willing to restore the car, the effort is worth it. This story of the 1962 Chevy Corvette brings up the larger point about necessary and regular caring for the classics’ health.
Despite a disappointing drive, which saw the car in a pathetic state, it helps in better understanding the climatic decline between conservation and abandonments. Collins’ experience, however, should also teach that even the most overlooked of car models can still have its place in the annals of automobile history.
