Gasser-style C1 Corvette Unearthed In Barn Find

This is the first time in the history of the automobile that it might actually ‘buff right out.’

Barn finds come in many shapes and sizes, but typically, it’s a car that was bought, stored, and forgotten for many, many years. But usually not 40 years. And usually not a car like this.

Gassers came into prominence in the late 50’s, so this 1961 Corvette Gasser is an early example of the bunch. It obviously has been through a lot since the initial build into a drag car, but a barn find is a barn find, and this one oozes cool.

Despite four decades of neglect, all body panels are still in the shape of a Corvette. More importantly, the frame and additional work done to the suspension (raised on blocks) and undercarriage are mostly without rot.

Open the door though and things are a bit different. The interior is a bit of a wreck, with missing panels (likely from the days of racing) but otherwise it’s a mess of parts and seat foam. Open up the hood and it’s even worse than the interior. There’s no engine to speak of at all.

This leaves a unique situation for this barn find. Do you leave the patina and just spruce up the interior and drive line to period correct items while leaving the aged patina on the outside? Or, do you go all the way to a frame-off restoration and bring it back to its former glory with thorough research on the car’s racing history to make it as accurate as possible? Or, do you go the resto-mod route, with an early gasser style, but thoroughly modern engine and transmission? Having options is definitely a good thing, and we like a barn find that’s a bit more special than the rest. But what would you do with it?

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