1968 Chevrolet Corvette L71 427/435hp Convertible

427ci OHV Mechanical Lifter V8 engine
Single Holley Triple Two-Barrel Carburetor
435bhp at 5,800rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Fully independent Front and Rear Suspension
4-wheel disc brakes

*Bloomington 'Gold Certified'
*Numbers matching example
*Beautifully restored
*Complete with books, brochures, tank sticker, and more

THE STINGRAY COUPE

When the C3 Corvette made its debut for the 1968 model year, it was the wildest car to hit the street since the Lamborghini Miura. Patterned after Bill Mitchell's and Larry Shinoda's 1965 Mako Shark II, the new Corvette was the culmination of 1960s Coke-bottle excess but underneath it was the same Corvette as before. One notable mechanical improvement was the introduction of the three-speed Turbo Hydramatic replacing the two-speed Powerglide automatic. While the press wasn't too kind to the new Corvette (with particular criticism on the car's fit and finish) the public set a sales record.

The C3 was the brainchild of the talented engineering and design prowess of Zora Arkus-Duntov and Billy Mitchell, the same designers of the wildly successful C2 Corvette. To try to improve on their latest Sting Ray creation was quite the undertaking, yet they proceeded to do just that. The C3 Corvette was quite the appropriate successor to its predecessor, and Chevrolet made sure to have an offering for every type of customer looking for driving satisfaction. There was an abundance of engine choices including 327 cubic inch small block with choices of 300 horsepower or with the L79 option 350 horsepower. In addition, there were also larger 427 cubic inch big block variants including the 390 horsepower L36 option, the 400 horsepower L68 option, the 430 horsepower L88 option and finally the L71 optioned big block featuring 435 horsepower. The crown jewel of them all was the ultra-rare L88 optioned big block which on paper was said to make 435 horsepower when in reality it was believed that these race engines delivered more to the tune of around 560 horses.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

There are Corvettes and then there are Corvettes—this is one of the latter. According to the National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS), this 'Vette rolled off the line in St. Louis, Missouri on May 27, 1968. A copy of the original Corvette Order Copy (tank sticker) indicates the car was destined for Barnes Chevrolet in Summit, New Jersey. Finished in LeMans Blue with a matching medium blue vinyl interior, the Order Copy documents that the car was originally acquired by someone both intent on going fast and unafraid to tick a few option boxes. First and foremost, they selected the L71 427/435hp V8 engine and paired it to a close ratio 4-speed manual gearbox. All that get-up-and-go wouldn't be very useful if you can't put it down to the pavement, so it goes without saying that the boxes for Positraction and White Stripe F70x15 tires were ticked. While speed is great, there should be no need to suffer at high velocity, hence the boxes for hardtop, AM/FM radio, power brakes, and tinted windows. And just to remind you that it didn't take long to get to hyper-legal speeds, an optional speed warning indicator was selected.

The Corvette was clearly well loved as it kept its original engine throughout its life. Restored to a very high level, it was judged by the NCRS in the summer of 2015 and won the highest honor a Corvette can get from the most prestigious and respected Corvette judges—Bloomington Gold 'Gold Certification'. Judging sheets—six pages in total of small print—show that the fine-toothed comb with which the experts went through the car found it to be remarkably correct and to Original Equipment Manufacturer specification.

Offered today complete with both tops, owner's manual, '68 Corvette sale catalog, radio instruction book, Corvette Order Copy, headlamp washer card, load card, override card, and Bloomington Gold judging sheets, this stunning machine is about as close as one can get to walking into your Barnes Chevrolet in the spring of 1968 and buying the car new yourself.