1963 "Barn Find" Fuelie Roadster
03-11-2013, 02:39 AM
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1963 "Barn Find" Fuelie Roadster
This is one of the best Corvette stories I have ever been a part of. Its worth the read.
We have all heard of "barn finds", they are a great piece of history and usually have a killer story behind them. As does this one, though I do not refer to is a "barn find", I call it a "hood find"
The backstory:
I heard through the grapevine in about 1998 that there was an old red corvette sitting in an old abandoned garage, in East St. Louis, Il. one of the most dangerous cities in the USA. Every Sunday when I had my "me time" (bangin gears and doin burnouts), I would drive down to East St Louis ( in day light of course) and peak in at this corvette.
For years, I never knew who owned this old, run down, abandoned, gas station/garage.
I met a gentlemen at a social gathering who said he was from East St. Louis, so I began telling him the story about this red Corvette I had known of for years. Turns out, the man I was speaking to was the son of the man who owned the garage.
After some stiff negotiations and a few more Sunday drives to East. St. Louis, the car was mine. The tires were locked, the original motor was outside of the car, and the transmission wouldnt budge. It took me and my team quite some time to get this car out of its habitat where it had been sitting for some 25 or so years.
This car has wonderful history, made in St. Louis at the plant, and titled to East St. Louis, Il. This car never left a 30 mile radius of where it was originally born at the plant. It was such an honor to restore this car and be a part of some serious history, and one hell of a story!
The car is now in Texas, and is driven all the time. Glad to see this beauty back to life and in use!
This is one of the rooms in the garage I pulled it out of. This building was not well kept, and as you can see had holes in the ceiling. This building could have crashed down at any moment, or been vandalized, especially being in the location that it was in.
Starting to come to life now...
After a lot of hard work, my team and I got her all cleaned up, and took her back to the garage where she was yanked out of for a few pics. About a month after we bought the car, the government had taken over the garage and condemned it. I grabbed it just in time, or else this car would have been lost forever in Corvette history.
We have all heard of "barn finds", they are a great piece of history and usually have a killer story behind them. As does this one, though I do not refer to is a "barn find", I call it a "hood find"
The backstory:
I heard through the grapevine in about 1998 that there was an old red corvette sitting in an old abandoned garage, in East St. Louis, Il. one of the most dangerous cities in the USA. Every Sunday when I had my "me time" (bangin gears and doin burnouts), I would drive down to East St Louis ( in day light of course) and peak in at this corvette.
For years, I never knew who owned this old, run down, abandoned, gas station/garage.
I met a gentlemen at a social gathering who said he was from East St. Louis, so I began telling him the story about this red Corvette I had known of for years. Turns out, the man I was speaking to was the son of the man who owned the garage.
After some stiff negotiations and a few more Sunday drives to East. St. Louis, the car was mine. The tires were locked, the original motor was outside of the car, and the transmission wouldnt budge. It took me and my team quite some time to get this car out of its habitat where it had been sitting for some 25 or so years.
This car has wonderful history, made in St. Louis at the plant, and titled to East St. Louis, Il. This car never left a 30 mile radius of where it was originally born at the plant. It was such an honor to restore this car and be a part of some serious history, and one hell of a story!
The car is now in Texas, and is driven all the time. Glad to see this beauty back to life and in use!
This is one of the rooms in the garage I pulled it out of. This building was not well kept, and as you can see had holes in the ceiling. This building could have crashed down at any moment, or been vandalized, especially being in the location that it was in.
Starting to come to life now...
After a lot of hard work, my team and I got her all cleaned up, and took her back to the garage where she was yanked out of for a few pics. About a month after we bought the car, the government had taken over the garage and condemned it. I grabbed it just in time, or else this car would have been lost forever in Corvette history.
Last edited by ThorpesCorvettes; 03-11-2013 at 05:28 AM.
03-11-2013, 07:05 AM
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03-11-2013, 07:38 AM
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Very inspiring stuff 
What is that round metal thing on the drivers side front fender above the crossed flags emblem?
What is that round metal thing on the drivers side front fender above the crossed flags emblem?
Last edited by groovyjay; 03-11-2013 at 03:25 PM.
03-11-2013, 08:16 AM
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That's the classic place we all used to put the alarm key....Nice Huh?....And not that it would have done much good in East St Louis!
03-11-2013, 06:25 PM
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03-11-2013, 06:34 PM
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He__ of a reincarnation! Dennis
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03-11-2013, 07:34 PM
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Thanks gents! I thought about taking it to the Corvette Plant to take some pics, like I did with my 69 L88. Havent been there in a while, I think its an industrial park now.
03-11-2013, 08:46 PM
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2022 Corvette of the Year Finalist -- Modified
2021 C2 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
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C2 of Year Winner (stock) 2019
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Tim, you've brought a lot to the forum in the short time you've been on here. NEAT cars and stories too. Keep up the good work. We all enjoy your posts.
Rex
Rex
03-11-2013, 10:56 PM
#20
Now that is truly a barn find, excellent job, well done!!