Intended to be a maximum performance offering, the Chevy Corvette L88 was first introduced for the 1967 model year. The L88 was the brainchild of Zora Arkus-Duntov, the “Father of the Corvette,” as a way of skirting GM’s corporate racing ban with a factory-built competition car. The L88 package included a cast-iron 427 cubic-inch block with four-bolt mains, forged internals, performance solid lifter cam, 12.5-to-one compression, transistorized ignition, and a Holley 850 CFM carburetor atop an aluminum intake. The whole enchilada was grossly underrated at 430 horsepower. With a bit of tuning and a set of headers, 550-600 horses were easily achievable.
Ordering the L88 option on a Chevy Corvette wasn’t as easy as just checking a box; other considerations had to be made. The $947.90 (in 1967) option required the addition of J56 Special Heavy Duty Power Disc Brakes, F41 Special Front and Rear Suspension, the Muncie M22 “Rock Crusher” transmission (although the Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed auto would be available beginning in 1968), and a Positraction rear differential. The L88 could not be had with electric windows, power steering, radio, or air conditioning, further discouraging use as a street car. The L88 option was only available for 1967, 1967, and 1969, with production of 20, 80, and 116 copies respectively, making it one of the rarest production Corvettes.
Our feature 1969 Chevy Corvette L88 convertible is finished in its factory shade of Tuxedo Black over a black vinyl interior and black vinyl soft top. It is powered by its numbers-matching L88 427 backed by a Muncie M22 four-speed manual. It was delivered to Tony DeLorenzo, Corvette racer and National Corvette Hall of Fame member. DeLorenzo modified the body, then sold it to a European buyer. The car would return to the US in 2004. It was restored to factory trim in 2005 by the famed Nabers Brothers of Houston. The Corvette has since been awarded a Bloomington Gold certification, an NCRS Top Flight award, a Gold Spinner award, and a Chevy/Vettefest Nationals Triple Crown.
With the list of awards captured, it is no surprise the exterior, interior, and engine bay of the Chevy Corvette all present as new. The Tuxedo Black finish is as glossy as showroom, if not more so. Chrome bumpers and trim have all been either re-plated or replaced, stainless is highly polished, and panel gaps are consistent with factory specs. Bias-ply redline tires wrap around silver painted steel Rally wheels trimmed with polished beauty rings and center caps.
Inside the Chevy Corvette convertible is black vinyl interior that shows no signs of wear or use. The carpets and seats are colorfast. The dash is as new, with nothing to indicate exposure to the sun or elements. Below the center instrument stack is a radio delete panel, consistent with the L88 option. In case you have forgotten what stripe of beast you are piloting, there is a decal just beneath the parking brake that reads: WARNING: VEHICLE MUST OPERATE ON A FUEL HAVING A MINIMUM 103 RESEARCH OCTANE AND 95 MOTOR OCTANE OR ENGINE DAMAGE MAY RESULT.
The engine bay on the Chevy Corvette features the center “cage” that is the hallmark of an L88 instead of a more traditional air filter. There is no ignition shielding as would be found in a standard Corvette, as the lack of radio negates it. Massive chrome valve covers add a bit of jewelry to the engine bay. The AIR pump is still in place.
This particular Chevy Corvette L88 convertible was previously sold in 2014 at the Mecum Auctions Dallas event for $680,000. It is also listed on the Corvette C3 Registry. It is offered with the window sticker, an NCRS Shipping Data Report, and historical photographs.
This rare Chevy Corvette L88 convertible is currently being auctioned on Bring a Trailer with two days to go at the time of writing, and bidding at $430,000.
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Comments
Great looking car!!! My cousin has a 1972 Corvette that was bought brand new. The car still has original everything. Beautiful car.
That is bada$$ dude I want that so bad lol!
Very nice car. I really like them with the hard top.
I want the IMSA car in the garage.
It states the car needs 95 octane gas. Where can you get 95 octane nowadays or do you have to purchase octane booster on top of buying 93 octane gas which is all they sell where I live?
I wonder if buying aviation fuel is still a thing ? In the 70’s we could go to a local airport and fill up.
At Ron Fellows Spring Mountain Corvette School they have 95 and 100 stored there.
And none of my answers help at all… where can you get 95 anymore ?
A station near me used to sell 108, and an extremely high price.
Pump octane is the average between motor octane and research octane. Or, R+M divided by 2.
This car is asking for race gas, available at some tracks or by the 55 gallon drum from some speed equipment suppliers.
I am Jealous.
Sweet ride, well….actually you wouldn’t want to drive this beast, that ultra high compression doesn’t mix well with todays “dish water” excuse for gasoline and no, no, no even 93 octane isn’t going to do it as you’ll need some octane booster and even then, possibly to back off on the factory timing mark a degree or two. However for those lucky enough to actually own one of these rare Corvette’s and also lucky enough to properly add the right “petrol” and meet the tune up specs, you’re in for a real treat, if you can find road nice enough to actually hit the engine’s redline in at least the first three gears!
So if you are “well healed” to actually make the asking price bid, remember to “bring two trailers”, one for the car and one for the exuberant amount of cash you’ll need to procure one of these amazing Corvette’s! I’m jealous for sure, but as a one time big block early 427 C3 Corvette owner (435 HP) I can tell you, ain’t nothing like these cars anywhere, the cool sound and fun never stops…well, it will stop at a gas station, and more frequently than you could ever imagine, oh well, enjoy.
Very true about the entire experience of one of these. The sound, the vibration, the smell of the high octane fuel, it’s all very similar to a race car…….which is what the L88 was for. Offer a “race” engine to those “in the know” right off the production line.
Bring a Trillion. Where elites with way too much money boldly flaunt their insane spending power as the rest of the world is being conditioned by them to accept the demise of the middle class and civil society, eat bugs, own nothing and be happy. Nothing twisted and sick about it at all.
Positraction was not an option it came standard on all 1969 Corvettes. That body style is still the most beautiful of all Corvettes that were ever built.
I have an early model cv/ht.loaded 4speed.with l79 327…ha ve owned sense 1974..a. the 2nd owner…I will be buried in it…….dr.
An amazing car. Wow. Hell back in the day our high school parking lot was full of muscle cars. Makes me smile 😎
THAT is my dream car…only thing missing are the big fat Hooker Headers!! I fear the closest I’ll ever get is the 1980 T-top w/ the 383 Stroker I got in the yard, oh and the BigTime Muscle version of that exact car I got at Barrett-Jackson a coupla years ago!!
I just bought my first Corvette 2 year’s ago, we were raised in Alaska and my brother had one and I begged him to drive it and he never let me, but I told him I would have one someday and now I do 45 yrs. later. She’s an “86” she needs a little work but she’s a beauty, almost as pretty as this sexy ass car.
You would have to buy racing fuel from Sunoco or VP Fuels. I can buy VP 110 racing fuel near me. Costs $8.00 a gallon.