Photo: Mecum Auctions
There are seven generations of the Corvette to choose from, with the eighth expected to add the recipe of a mid-engine supercar in the mix. Of all the Corvettes there have ever been, the C3 is the one who gets the worst rep, chiefly because of the Malaise Era.
From 1973 to 1983, literally all American carmakers have given up on making exciting cars. The Malaise Era also took its toll on very underrated C3 Corvette, making everything worse. But before the inevitable happened, Chevrolet had shoehorned the almighty L88 big-block V8 engine under the hood of the C3 Corvette, thus creating an instant classic.
Very few L88 were made for the 1968 and 1969 model years, as in 80 and 116 units, respectively. The Corvette L88 Convertible in the adjacent photo gallery is one of the latter and, if you’ll look closely, it almost seems as if the car rolled off the assembly line yesterday.
Mecum Auctions believes that this rarefied piece of American car history is worth anything between $600,000 and $750,000, which isn’t unheard of. Earlier this year, Barrett-Jackson had auctioned off a 1969 L88 for $624,800. A year ago, Mecum had parted ways with an L88 Convertible from the same model year for $750,000.
Other than the original tank sticker verified by the NCRS historic document service, Protect-O-Plate, and original owner’s manual, the Fathom Green-painted C3 Corvette also happens to be in pristine condition. That’s because a nut-and-bolt restoration was completed in 1988, a timeframe when the car was at its third owner from new.
But the actual reason why the L88 is the most badass of C3 Corvette variants is the engine. Connected to a period correct Muncie M22 Rock Crushed four-speed transmission and a 4.56 posi rear end, the big-block bruiser can develop as much as 560 horsepower. That's a helluva lot more compared to the official SAE Gross rating of 430 horsepower.
Very few L88 were made for the 1968 and 1969 model years, as in 80 and 116 units, respectively. The Corvette L88 Convertible in the adjacent photo gallery is one of the latter and, if you’ll look closely, it almost seems as if the car rolled off the assembly line yesterday.
Mecum Auctions believes that this rarefied piece of American car history is worth anything between $600,000 and $750,000, which isn’t unheard of. Earlier this year, Barrett-Jackson had auctioned off a 1969 L88 for $624,800. A year ago, Mecum had parted ways with an L88 Convertible from the same model year for $750,000.
Other than the original tank sticker verified by the NCRS historic document service, Protect-O-Plate, and original owner’s manual, the Fathom Green-painted C3 Corvette also happens to be in pristine condition. That’s because a nut-and-bolt restoration was completed in 1988, a timeframe when the car was at its third owner from new.
But the actual reason why the L88 is the most badass of C3 Corvette variants is the engine. Connected to a period correct Muncie M22 Rock Crushed four-speed transmission and a 4.56 posi rear end, the big-block bruiser can develop as much as 560 horsepower. That's a helluva lot more compared to the official SAE Gross rating of 430 horsepower.
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