Attempting to start a Corvette Stingray after 10 years abandoned in a field
Published on Mar 19, 2023 at 11:00 AM (UTC+4)
by Adam Gray
Last updated on Mar 20, 2023 at 1:54 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Anyone in their right mind would want to try and save an iconic Corvette Stingray.
But after 10 years sitting in a field, one guy thought he might have bitten off more than he could chew.
That man is Derek Bieri, aka Maverick Mechanic, who’s no stranger to resurrecting abandoned muscle cars.
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Remember the 1967 Ford Mustang that got pulled from a swamp after 28 years?
Well, it was the Maverick Mechanic who managed to transform that car into a new creation.
He’s at it again, this time with a Corvette Stingray that he traveled from Minnesota to Southern Tennessee to buy unseen.
The YouTube video, posted to the Vice Grip Garage channel, doesn’t reveal a whole lot about the muscle car.
All we know is Bieri had a lead on it from a subscriber to his channel.
It’s also a one-owner, four-speed L82 T-Top, with 84,000 miles on the clock that previously had some work done to it.
After it was left abandoned in a field for about 10 years, Bieri certainly had his work cut out for him.
The Corvette Stingray’s paint was flaking, its plastic panels had warped, and the car’s emblems were shot.
To make things worse, not only was it a non runner, it didn’t even come with any keys.
Glutton for punishment, Bieri set to work trying to get the old girl to purr again.
After replacing the battery, hammering at the starter motor and throwing some fire maker into her, the Corvette was up and running again.
Next Bieri stripped down the steering wheel in order to fit a new key barrel.
After taking her for a quick spin, he soon realized she was gutless and only the rear brakes were working.
Back at the shop, Bieri continued to tinker with the Corvette Stingray until she was running smoothly again.
He then started on the paint work, washing and polishing it to bring back its shine.
After another test drive, Bieri was much happier with how the Corvette Stingray was performing.
All in all, it wasn’t as bad as the Mustang he transformed, but it still needed a fair bit of work to get it back on the road.
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Adam Gray is an experienced freelance motoring journalist and content creator based in the United Kingdom. Using his media accreditation with manufacturers’ press offices, Adam test drives the latest cars and attends new vehicle press launches, producing written reviews and news pieces for a variety of lifestyle and business publications. Here at Supercar Blondie, Adam applies his journalistic skills penning social-first content around current news and trends. When he’s not behind the wheel of the latest car or writing up another viral story, Adam can be found at his local rink playing ice hockey or at the Riverside Stadium supporting his beloved Middlesbrough FC.
