This Week On Hagerty Marketplace: V-8 Power for Fall’s Final Cruises

Winter is on the horizon, but there are still plenty of good driving days before the roads get too chilly and the inclement weather digs in for good. We spent some time checking the recently completed listings at Hagerty Marketplace and found a trio of V-8–powered American classics that seem ready to stretch their legs a few more times before being put away for the winter.

1937 Ford Convertible

Sale price: $47,080

It can be difficult to find a buyer for some hot rods. By nature, they are highly customized and tailored to one person’s taste. This 1937 Ford convertible, however, stuck to time-honored modifications and a beautiful, single-color paint job that made it appeal to several bidders, including two in particular who battled it out to reach the final sale price.

No longer flathead-powered, this sleek and shaved convertible uses a Tuned Port Injection Chevy 350 small-block that has paint-matched intake runners. It’s mated to a 700R4 automatic transmission for smooth cruising. The chassis was also detailed and painted, and the car was updated with power brakes, a Mustang II–style front suspension, and a Ford 8-inch rear axle equipped with a limited-slip differential. There’s more than enough power for the lightweight drop-top and, thanks to the independent front suspension, a much-improved ride to go with it.

A custom interior wears understated tan leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped billet steering wheel on a tilt column, and VDO gauges. Climate control comes by way of Vintage Air, so this rod is ready for the worst that summer can throw at it, but also whatever the late fall has in store, as it probably kicks out enough heat to keep the cruising going a bit longer each year, as long as that soft top is up. The interior was completed with the rest of the car’s transformation in 2013, and both the leather upholstery and the Firemist Red paintjob seem well maintained.

1969 Pontiac Firebird

Sale price: $35,310

Pontiac’s pony car was launched just a few months after its F-body platform mate, the Chevy Camaro. The two cars shared a body shell but were set apart with unique quarter panels, fenders, hoods, and fascias. They also differed in chassis tuning and, of course, in powertrain. The high-performance Firebirds for 1969 used 400-cid V-8s in different states of tune. Popping the hood of this ’Bird reveals the 400 Pontiac is topped by chrome Edelbrock dress-up parts and an Edelbrock intake manifold.

Originally Goldenrod Yellow, this Firebird was repainted in a red shade befitting a ’60s pony car. The paint and restoration were completed by Bobnan Restorations of Bethany, Connecticut, and it all still looks great. The interior, finished in black vinyl, appears virtually brand new.

A sale price of $35,310 puts it between the #3 (good) and #2 (excellent) values for a 400-powered 1969 Firebird coupe. It seems like a solid driver, and as long as you’re not dead set on a numbers-matching showroom car in its original color, there’s not much to nit-pick.

1995 Chevrolet Corvette

Sale price: $16,050

Chevrolet’s fourth-generation Corvette was revolutionary when it launched in 1984. It brought a new, road-holding chassis with room for wide tires and a stunning interior with a digital dashboard. Continuous upgrades over its long production run updated the interior and the powertrain, making it a solid performer even as Chevy readied the fifth-generation Corvette to replace it. Cross-Fire throttle-body injection and Tuned Port Injection had come and gone from the C4 Corvette by the time this 1995 model was built with its 300-hp LT1 V-8.

This fine example has been in the same family since it was sold by its original owner in 1997, and it has been incredibly well kept, with just 40,869 miles on the odometer. There is plenty to love about this ’Vette, from its barely-broken-in Light Beige leather seats to its salad-shooter wheels and the original Dark Purple Metallic paint. The listing notes it is just one of 1049 built in that color. If you’re going to drive a sports car, you might as well turn some heads, and this color certainly will.

A $16,050 sale price places this car midway between #2 (excellent) and #3 (good) valuations. The legendary Chevy small-block V-8 has plenty of life left in it, so this looks like a good buy for a sports car that is just getting broken in. We hope the new owner has fun as they rack up the miles in this bold Corvette.