Cars

Man who bought an ‘already rebuilt’ Chevy Corvette Z06 for cheap says it became a $16,000 mistake

  • This Corvette was ‘already rebuilt’ by another mechanic
  • But its low price meant the car was worth a punt
  • The inherited problems were topped off by a fatal blow

Published on Apr 14, 2025 at 2:03 PM (UTC+4)
by Jack Marsh

Last updated on Apr 14, 2025 at 9:17 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain

After taking a punt on an extremely cheap ‘already rebuilt’ Chevrolet Corvette Z06, this YouTube personality found the car to be a horror show.

Buying a used car always comes with a bit of risk.

Whether it be bad driving habits creating some internal wear and tear or a funky smell that you just cant shake, there’s always at least one underlying issue.

But when you buy an ‘already rebuilt’ car, that risk is even greater.

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‘Already rebuilt’ Chevrolet Corvette Z06 turns out to be a disaster

Seeing a Chevy Corvette Z06, no matter what its condition, on the market for just $16k is enough to pique the interest of many restoration kings.

Usually, these cars come in around the $40k mark, unless its the brand-new version worth four times as much.

But YouTuber Samcrac found this gem hiding away at auction at ‘a lof of a bit of a discount’, and was immediately drawn in.

Despite ordinarily steering clear of buying someone’s rebuild project, the price was enough to sway him.

He immediately found there was more to the car than what meets the eye.

Man who bought 'already rebuilt' Chevy Corvette Z06 says it's a $16k mistake

Straight off the bat, there was a lot of work needed on the exterior, but he said aesthetic issues can be cheap and easy to fix.

What was more worrying was the way the car died not long after firing up.

The fault appeared to be electrical issues tied to a cam position sensor and power steering fluid leaks, and further inspection found that the previous restorer skipped some steps.

Many steps.

A horror show of an original rebuild – if you can call it that

The cam sensor had been unplugged to hide a range of other faults like jury-rigged power steering lines, missing clamps, and a deleted power steering cooler.

The sensor was also broken and needed removing, which proved to be a gargantuan task in itself.

While wrestling it out, Samcrac found more shoddily put-together pieces of this Corvette Z06.

Shredded rocker panels, mismatched shocks, loose crank bolts, and missing motor mount nuts only piled on his misery.

Soon, after a drain of the oil pan, misery turned to pain, as metal engine shavings came pouring out.

Man who bought 'already rebuilt' Chevy Corvette Z06 says it's a $16k mistake
Samcrac

The Chevrolet is looking like a bleak investment.

“Just a few weeks ago when I bought this car for around $16,000, I thought I had got an incredible deal,” Samcrac said

“I thought I was super lucky.

“But I’m pretty sure luck doesn’t drop engine parts in your drain pan like breadcrumbs to my financial ruin.”

The ‘already rebuilt’ Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will need some serious attention.

The YouTuber just hopes he can recoup some of the cost.

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Jack Marsh is a journalist who started his media career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from the University of Chester. With five years of experience in gaming, and entertainment, he also has a passion for fantasy novels and sports.