Rick Treworgy was one of the most astute classic GM collectors who sold off a good bit of his Muscle Car City Museum stock a couple of years ago through an exclusive Mecum Auction. Muscle Car City included a broad assortment of Chevy Corvette coupes and convertibles from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Not all of Mr. Treworgy’s rare and fantastic cars sold in that auction, with some truly incredible stuff held back for his personal enjoyment. Unfortunately, Mr. Treworgy passed in 2023, and now, sixty of his fantastic cars are bound for the Mecum Kissimmee event. Among those being offered are the first and last Corvette L88s built, to be sold together as a single lot.
For the uninitiated, the Chevy Corvette L88 was a competition-oriented, iron block, aluminum head Big Block displacing 427 cubic inches that was produced for the 1967 to 1969 model years. The L88 came with four bolt mains, a forged steel crank, forged internals, 12.5:1 compression, a fairly radical cam, solid lifters, Winters aluminum intake and heads, a Holley 850 CFM carb, and a transistorized ignition. When you specified the $947.90 L88 option, there were a number of other mandatory options that came along with it, including the M22 “Rock Crusher” four-speed manual (the Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic would be available with the L88 beginning in 1968), J56 Special Heavy Duty power brakes, Positraction rear diff, and F41 Special Front and Rear Suspension. Horsepower was grossly underrated at 430, or five fewer horses than the L71 427, but with a set of headers and some tuning, the L88 would easily produce 550 to 600 horsepower. In order to discourage street use of the L88, it was not available with a radio, heater, power steering, electric windows, or air conditioning. Production for the three years totaled 216 units, with 20 L88s built in 1967, 80 in 1968, and 116 in 1969, making this powerhouse option truly rare and valuable.
1967 Chevy Corvette L88 convertible is finished in Tuxedo Black with blue stinger over a black vinyl interior and optioned with a hardtop. It was campaigned by Tony DeLorenzo and Jerry Thompson in 1967 with sponsorship from Owens-Corning and Hanley Dawson Chevrolet. It took second place at the 1967 SCCA Runoffs at Daytona Beach. The L88 has been awarded Bloomington Gold certification, multiple National Corvette Restorers Society Top Flight wins, the 2013 NCRS Heritage Award, and a Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals Triple Diamond award. Included in the sale are the Protect-O-Plate, 1968 title, and letters from Tony DeLorenzo and Al Grenning of Classic Car Affirmation Service.
The 1969 Chevy Corvette coupe is finished in Fathom Green over Saddle leather. It was built on December 4th, 1969. It has been the subject of a body-off restoration by L88 specialist Jim Thorpe. It was awarded a National Corvette Restorers Society Top Flight in 2013. Included in the sale are the original tank sticker, ownership history, NCRS judging sheet and certificate, and complete title search history from new.
These bookends of the Chevy Corvette L88 era will cross the Mecum Auctions block at their Kissimmee, Florida event taking place January 2nd through the 14th.
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My passed away Cool Uncle Wife and their Kids . They Raced Auto Cross and some Drag Racing in Corvettes. He had Re Fiberglassed a split window 1963 . Sure think with Car Auto fans ECT. My Uncle and a Friend both did a Cor Vette of think 1967 origin called JUNK YARD DOG. Produced around 800 Too 798 HP. No See no Super Charger . Crank shaft connecting rods heads valves naturally aspirated Metals Tolerances. In thee Bremerton Western Washington area. Had a 1969 Corvette with a 4 speed and a 4.56 Rear Differential. Yes a Smoker of Tires Ha He..Awesome Cars.as Many From CHEVY FORD AND CHRYSLER IN 1960 S EARLY 1970 s