Say Hello to this Beautiful, Incredibly Dusty but Timeless C3 Barn Find

Fetching 1969 Corvette Stingray survived for years in a barn, and while it’s got some flaws, there’s a lot to like about this survivor. 

The 1960s saw three generations of Corvette. While the first generation was a product of the prior decade, the C2 definitely represented the era in which it was manufactured. The same can be said for the C3. In contrast to the attractive yet relatively buttoned down exterior of the C2, the C3 appeared a bit more muscular and extroverted. That neatly paralleled with the societal changes that were taking place at the time.

Aside from discovering time travel, this 1969 Stingray might be our best chance to experience that transformative decade, at least when it comes to cars. Barn Findsrecently discussed the Corvette in question, which is currently for sale on eBay with no reserve. Overall, it seems like a pretty interesting C3, albeit with a couple of noteworthy caveats.

Fortunately, the auction listing itself is relatively well written and detailed. This C3 is Texas based with a clear title. Its barn has been its home for 13 years. The owner hasn’t taken it out on the road during that time, but the Stingray was started every week in order to prevent the fluids from sitting, and it looks like the tires still hold air. The listing claims the car is equipped with the original 427 L36 paired to the Turbo-Hydramatic four speed. According to Barn Finds, it could be the 390 horsepower 427 under the hood, but that’s debatable. The car has about 33,000 miles on it.

This ‘Vette also appears to be well-equipped. It’s apparently got factory air conditioning, power brakes, and power steering. Aside from some minor rust around the birdcage, there are no exterior dents or dings. The T-Top is original too. As for electrical bits, the seller claims they work, but has not actually tested anything out, so it’s entirely possible the pop-out headlights and other accessories are currently inoperable. There are also aftermarket items on the C3, like the side pipes and L88 hood.

Here’s where things get a bit interesting. The interior looks solid. Nothing broken and no torn seats. However, individuals looking to spend any amount of time remotely near this cabin should probably purchase a HAZMAT suit before going in. The center console, seats, and dashboard appear to be suffering from a mold issue. Mold is no joke. You really would need a lot of resources to properly tackle something like this interior. The seller claims a “local steaming car wash” should take care of the apparent mold, but we’re a bit skeptical that’s true. At least the pictures don’t hide anything.

Is any of this legit? Hard to say. The comments section over at Barn Finds is filled with people claiming that the engine doesn’t match up with what the listing claims. According to the group the Corvette sports a small block engine. They’re also pretty confident the car was resprayed at some point. Was the car painted green originally? And did it also feature a green interior back in the day? If it did, the ad isn’t as forthcoming as it should be, although it doesn’t necessarily seem like it’s the fault of the person who wrote the ad, because they’re not actually the owner of the Corvette.

Barn finds are always interesting. When a car sits for a long period of time, it’s bound to generate some interest, at least if it’s something like our featured Corvette. The car seems somewhat well preserved, but there are significant issues with the interior and its authenticity. Regardless, we can see why the bidding is currently up to $16,100. Its body is in very good condition and the C3’s flaws don’t seem terminal in the slightest. Head on over to Barn Finds for more information and check out the eBay listing to see how much the car ended up fetching.

Photos: eBay

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