From the Barn Find site
I don’t know how much you get into a vehicle’s fame and connections to Hollywood, but I’ve always liked the idea of owning a car immortalized in film. That’s the story with this engine-less Corvette here on eBay, a former drag-racing funny car that appeared in the 1970s flick Hot Rod. While not exactly a box office smash, it does add to the vehicle’s history and could be a fantastic prop in a restoration or race shop.
I don’t know how much you get into a vehicle’s fame and connections to Hollywood, but I’ve always liked the idea of owning a car immortalized in film. That’s the story with this engine-less Corvette here on eBay, a former drag-racing funny car that appeared in the 1970s flick Hot Rod. While not exactly a box office smash, it does add to the vehicle’s history and could be a fantastic prop in a restoration or race shop.
I’d imagine this car at one time had an actual history on the drag strip, not just one that was made-for-TV. As this vintage photo shows, the Corvette was trailered to and from events and wore massive drag slicks in the rear. The seller makes no mention of the original engine and transmission configuration, but I suspect the secret lies with the company name on the fender. The owner of PDG Auto Parts, Paul Del Grande, passed away two years ago. My guess is Herb Del Grande is a sibling who did the driving.
The seller includes this photo of the chassis sporting one mother of a motor. That is not included in the sale – you’re getting the rolling chassis and body but not much else. The chassis was last certified in 2009 but the helmet bars are currently not, so you’ll also have some safety improvements to make if you wish to convert this Corvette back to a full-time drag car.
No matter what happens with this drag-ready Corvette, there is a ton of history that will come along for the ride. If anyone knows whether this car was campaigned as a successful drag racer, let us know. And if you watched the original Hot Rod movie and can recall the scene when this Corvette screamed down the quarter mile – well, if nostalgia takes over and you bring this one home, I hope you’ve got space for a paperweight.