Forgotten 1974 Chevrolet Corvette Spent 34 Years in a Barn, Gets First Wash

If you haven't, this 1974 Chevrolet Corvette is proof that 34 years' worth of dust and grime will turn any dark color into black. And yes, you're right, it's time for one of those satisfying first-wash videos.

While not as appealing as the C2, the third-generation (C3) Corvette is one of the prettiest cars of its era. And it's hard to imagine that people would lock these sports cars in barns and forget about them. But it's more common than you'd think, especially when it comes to 'Vettes built after the 1972 model year. Yup, that's when the dreaded Malaise Era took over the U.S. car industry and killed the high-performance big-block V8.

This 1974 example is one of those Corvettes that spent more time in a barn than on public roads as of 2023. Purchased by its second owner in 1982, the C3 was driven until 1989, when it was parked inside the barn and neglected for decades. The barn door wasn't opened until 2023, which means the Corvette sat for a whopping 34 years.

Not surprisingly, the coupe emerged into the light with a thick layer of dust covering its curvaceous body. To the point where the dark brown color seemed black at first glance. But that's not the only issue it had after more than three decades in storage. The interior had become home to a pack of rats, while the front and rear bumpers had disintegrated.

Fortunately enough, though, the owner called the perfect people to bring the Corvette back to life. One is Brett of "WD Detailing," who gave it an amazing makeover, and the other one is Robby Layton, who managed to get the V8 running again. Amazingly enough, the V8 wasn't stuck after so many years without a sip of gasoline.

The car's interior was particularly difficult to clean due to the mess left behind by the rodents that lived there for several years. But it turned out great and the tan leather regained its former glory. Of course, the fact that everything was in solid condition and with minimal wear and tear helped too.

As for the exterior, the Corvette ended up looking unexpectedly nice in the end. Sure, the missing bumpers prevent it from being an unrestored survivor, but the dark brown paint shines almost like new. This color is actually called Brown Poly and was introduced in 1974, alongside a gold-tinted hue called Golden Brown Poly. The hue was eliminated in 1975, but it returned in 1976 as Dark Brown.

So what will happen to this Corvette? Is the owner planning on restoring it? Well, Robby Layton purchased the vehicle as soon as the owner said she was planning to sell it and it will get a proper restoration. And hopefully, he will repaint it in its correct factory color because not only are Corvettes in this hue pretty rare, but it's a fresh departure from the black, yellow, blue, and red we usually see on these cars.