The latter part of the 1960s was a difficult period for General Motors because of a parts strike, but the biggest of the Big Three in Detroit pulled through to deliver an updated Corvette for 1970. The C3 got fender flares to reduce stone chips, egg-crate grills, redesigned seats, and a nicer interior, but the most interesting newity came in the guise of the LT-1.
From 5.7 liters of displacement, Chevy squeezed out 370 horsepower thanks to a high-lift camshaft, forged steel crankshaft, four-barrel carburetor, and a few other goodies. One of the rarest versions of the Corvette from that era, the LT-1 is a collectible to this day although the C3 mostly isn’t.
Garrett Randall is the proud owner of an LT-1 unlike any other, the “Rambo” as he likes to call it because “it’s American, wide, mean, and green.” Bought from the owner of the shop who helped build it to pro-touring spec, the road-legal autocross warrior also features one-of-a-kind fender flares.
Raced by the shop’s owners since the 1980s, the LT-1 turned into the Rambo starting with the molded and made-to-fit-the-wheels flares. What comes as a bit of a surprise – or sacrilege to Corvette enthusiasts – is that the engine compartment now features a modern LS instead of the original motor.
To whom it may concern, Garrett still owns the LT-1 engine. Upgraded cooling, Wilwood six-piston brake calipers up front, a no-nonsense roll cage painted in black, four-point harnesses, very uncomfortable racing buckets, Forgeline wheels, and a complete aero kit are highlights in their own right.
A six-speed manual in the form of a T56 sends the goodies to the rear axle, but for some reason or another, Randall uses a four-speed shift knob. Vansteel coilovers help the car perform “really well at autcross.”
Coming courtesy of Four Speed Films, the following video is best enjoyed with the volume cranked up to eleven to hear that all-motor LS small-block V8 sing the song of its people through the center-exit exhaust system.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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