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January 1, 2006
Seller of Fake L88 Caught by Corvette Community
You got to love Corvette people. They are the backbone of this great hobby and it's great to see them rally around a cause. What's the cause you ask? After spotting an apparently fraudulently represented 1967 L88 Corvette for sale on eBay, the message boards on both the CorvetteForum.com and NCRS.org started lighting up with news and information about this Corvette and its checkered history.
The 67 Corvette in question was listed with a reserve on eBay December 21st. The description lists the car as a real L88 Corvette - one of 20 in existence. The ad also has 17 photos showing different angles of the car, engine pad stamps and documentation including the dealer bill of sale and protect-o-plate.
As word spread of the L88 Corvette's eBay listing, details slowly emerged that put the originality of the car into question. First, many users on the Corvette Forum started sharing photos of the stamped engine pad from the L88 and comparing those with other known L88's and big block Corvette engines. The eBay L88's stamp looked straight and flawless. The etchings were shiny as well and looked nothing like the other examples being shown.
And then came a post from GL Anderson whose father was the dealer that received the Corvette from the St. Louis factory and drove it in parades with the Shriners as one of their Patrol Corvettes. GL says when his dad picked up the car, it was originally a 350 small block and that everything the about the '67 being represented as an L88 is false.
"Well he only got maybe 3 things right in his eBay ad. He did talk to me, it was sold to a William Neeck and it is a 1967 Corvette. Not only was it a 350hp small block car when produced and we picked it up at the factory, but it was also my Fathers Shrine Corvette Patrol parade car. Since my dad was the dealer and also in the patrol he never had to license his Shrine car but rather drove it on a dealer plate. The first true owner would have been Mr. Neeck. There are several photos out there showing the 67 Shrine cars and members standing by their car. I can point out that exact car in the pics. It had a blue interior from the factory. Everything about it being an L88 is a fake. The buyers invoice is fake, I don't know about the repair order so maybe he got 4 things right. He came to me in the early 90s and wanted me to back his story about the supposed L88. I told him no way. By the way I was 21 in 1967 and between my twin brother and I put several thousand miles on that exact car. As to paperwork no I don't have the factory invoice but I do have other documentation on that car. I don't hang out on other Corvette boards but if anybody wants to know the truth, let them know it is a fake. I will be happy to provide the documentation I have and point out a number of errors he has made in his paperwork, but only to someone I trust won't take that info back to him so he can do a better job next time."
Gar Anderson, GL's twin brother also was heard from. Gar had accompanied his father to the St. Louis plant when the cars were picked up in person. He said the documentation pictured in the listing is a fake as well. He said the seller tried to get Gar and his brother to collaborate with him on trying to sell this car as original, but Gar refused.
"The car is a complete fake. It was originally one of the Order of Shriner’s cars. All were white with blue interiors and all were small blocks. The L88 option wasn't even available until January of 1967. This car was built in October of 1966. GL Anderson is my twin brother, and he and I were very involved with Anderson Auto at the time. The Ebay seller tried to minimize that fact. As a matter of fact, in 1967, my brother and I purchased our grandfather's Buick, Pontiac and GMC dealership which was located across the street from Anderson Auto. Although we were in college and owned the Buick store, we continued to work at the Chevy store. If we would have sold a real L-88, you'd think we would be helping the seller, not trying to stop him."
So being Corvette people and not content to just let an apparent fake be sold to an unsuspecting buyer, GL went to eBay and posted an auction that would show up if someone was searching 67 Corvettes and L88's. The item for sale was a photo showing the Shriner cars being picked up at the St. Louis assembly plant. (See Photo) In the photo GL claims that his Dad is shown standing next to the Corvette in question and has other documents that will prove the Corvette is a fake.
So did the Corvette sell? In the closing minutes of the auction, the bid jumped from $185,000 to $450,000. While speculation was that the seller upped the price to save face, the high bid was placed by another Corvette guy to make a point:
"I bid on it knowing it was fake. Mainly I did it just to cost him some more money or at least the hassle of getting a refund through eBay. I figure if he wants to misrepresent the car then he deserves to have to spend some extra money and/or effort on his advertising. If the seller actually expects me to buy the car he will first have to present evidence which proves the car is not one of the Shriner's cars. If he can do that then I'll gladly pay his reserve price."
What can we learn from a story like this? If you are going to clone a '67 L88 Corvette, advertise it as such. Otherwise, seller beware! The Corvette community can and will police itself whenever possible.
Posted At : 11:40 AM. | Posted By : keith | Buying and Selling | Comments (4)
Comments
VERY GOOD JOB. THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF FAKE VETTE'S BEING SOLD. PEOPLE-----DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE BUYING.
Posted By terry noffsinger / Posted At 1/7/06 3:15 PM
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DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU BUY
Posted By terry noffsinger / Posted At 1/7/06 3:15 PM
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GL said that the'67 was "originally a 350 small block". Is this the only '67 350 car ever built, two years before the 350 cube small block was introduced in the 'vette?
Posted By Jason Clark / Posted At 8/25/06 10:21 PM
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I just came upon this and had to reply to Jason Clark about his comment on the original engine in this 1967 Corvette. Jason perhaps you should read my comments a little more closely as I said the car had a 350 HP small block engine not a 350 CI small block engine. Not to beat this dead horse any more but I do the difference. GL Anderson
Posted By G.L. Anderson / Posted At 12/21/06 11:41 AM
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