Famed Corvette Built for Visalia Car Buff Can Be Yours for Just $20K

A “one of a kind” Corvette station wagon custom built for a Visalia enthusiast in the 1970s is on the market at a discount price.

But will need a bit of TLC before it gets back on the road.

The unique sports car, with a rear window hatch and a strip of six headlights across the front has been featured in numerous books and magazines over the decades.

“With the proper restoration,” the seller says in online listings, “this car will be the museum piece it deserves to be” and “it could be easily worth six figures.”

It was damaged in an accident in 1997 and has not been roadworthy since.

The current asking price is $20,000. It was offered on eBay in 2019 for $18,000.

The car was damaged in an accident in 1997 but the current owner says it is in restorable condition. (Photo via Craigslist)

Noted Hot Wheels Designer Brought Vision to Life

In 1973, Mike Betterton of Visalia got the wheels turning on his dream car. He said he wanted a Corvette that would be unique, but also street drivable, “unlike a lot of customs you see where you can’t even turn the front wheels,” according to a 1982 article in car magazine Keepin’ Track of Corvettes.

Cost $25,000 to Build in 1973

Betterton hired noted auto designer Harry Bradley to create the Corvette’s intriguing look, Road and Track said in a 2019 retrospective.  Bradley worked for General Motors in the 1960s before becoming a designer of Hot Wheels for Mattel. He was known for his creativity and taught at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, for 35 years, Corvette Blogger notes.

The build took three years to complete and cost Betterton a total of about $25,000, including custom glass and the car’s original pearl blue finish.

“Harry Bradley cars have won many awards and his cars are displayed in museums and car shows throughout the country,” the unidentified seller says on Craigslist.

Serious potential buyers can see the car at the Bay Area home of the current owner.