By Dean Larson

Photos: Seller, Craigslist

I will never understand my own affinity for the Fiberfab Avenger. To start, the car only has a fleeting resemblance to the Ford GT, and you can spot its rear-engine format pretty quickly from the rear. Also, the commonly-seen Avenger GT-12 (and often the GT-15) is based on a VW Beetle chassis, which is not necessarily a high-performance platform. Even with all that in mind though, I always stop for a second look when I see some decrepit Avenger sitting in someone’s barn or garage —must be the strong ’70s vibes.

While a bit better than decrepit, this Fiberfab Avenger GT-12 on Fayetteville, Arkansas, Craigslist leaves a bit to be desired in terms of mechanicals and cosmetics. Even so, the mix of old-school Corvair power, off-white paint, and vintage wheels and tires has me hooked. But the Avenger has a long way to go before it’s road ready, could it be worth the seller’s $6,000 ask?

This GT-12 is based on a VW Beetle chassis as per usual, but the builder upped the ante with Corvair parts. It’s usually the Avenger GT-15 that makes use of the Corvair donor, which had its own tubular chassis, making this car a bit of a mutt. From the few photos we can see of the chassis work, it seems adequate, but not necessarily professional grade.

One of this car’s assets, however, is the driveline, which has been professionally overhauled and mounted in the chassis. The engine was gone through back in 2006, and was upgraded to the Corvair’s top naturally aspirated output of 140 hp. The transmission is rebuilt Powerglide automatic, which is a two-speed unit, and we’d rather see the Corvair’s Borg-Warner four-speed. A front disc-brake conversion is also included in the sale, a smart upgrade for the extra power on tap.

The seller has a ton of extra parts as well, including two Cobra seats, a B&M shifter, fuel tank, and front and rear glass. He suspects that the side glass and a carburetor are not included in the extra boxes though.

While I’m drawn to the Corvair-powered Avenger, I have a couple concerns. For one, I question the use of the Corvair suspension systems on the VW chassis, as I’ve never heard of this being done. Do the systems work well together, and how is everything joined together? That would be the first thing I’d inspect as a potential buyer. Second, it’s pretty clear that there’s a lot of work left to do to get the car on the road. It looks like there’s some fitment work to do on the body, and door handles and locks have yet to be installed. There’s also the brakes and likely all the electrical and interior as well. The seller’s mechanic states it would take him roughly 40 hours to get the car roadworthy.

That being said, I think there’s some potential in this project. I dig the small Corvair-powered GT replica, and this Kellison GT40K we looked at a while back proved how nice these cars can be. But I think you’d have to do the work yourself and get the car for a bit less than the seller’s $6,000 asking price. For reference, this cool little GT-12 was listed on Craigslist in the past for just $5,000, in running condition.

But snatch this Avenger up for $3,500 and upgrade the Corvair engine to turbocharged Corsa-spec, and I think you’d really have something. I've also wondered if you could make a convincing facsimile of the Ford MkIII GT with one of these Fiberfabs and some wire wheels, but that project might be better suited to the V8 Valkyrie.

Check it out here on Fayetteville, Arkansas, Craigslist.