1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 4-Speed Is Super-Rare, Selling With Replacement 7.0-Liter V8

The C3 Stingray is already Corvette royalty, but a tall hood is a dead giveaway that this isn’t your average classic sports car. One of just 116 examples of the Corvette L88 built for 1969, this silver arrow is otherwise perfect… except for the legendary engine being a replacement.

L88 Vettes are consistently big news when they come up for sale. They’re always six-figure cars, and auctions have begun pushing them past the $500,000 mark. This example just came up on Bring A Trailer and may have set records were it not for the replacement block. Regardless, bidding is already up to $125,000.

The replacement 427 cubic-inch V8 is period-correct and had its block stamped to match the VIN of the car. It’s nice that they’re not passing it off as 100% original, even if it affects the value a little. Also, it’s worth pointing out that the car has 69,000 miles on the clock.

Why the L88 4-speed is valuable

When the C3 is concerned, the L88 was only available for three years, making it one of the rarest Corvettes. It was supposed to be a competition car, created by Zora Arkus-Duntov, director of GM’s performance division. GM wanted it in the hands of privateer race car drivers so it deterred regular customers from ordering it with a suspiciously low power rating of 430 horsepower when in reality this engine probably made closer to 550 hp.

That wasn’t the only obstacle. Before spending $1,032 on the L88 engine option, you had to equip the Corvette with upgraded heavy-duty discs, stronger suspension, and a Positraction rear. You also couldn’t order it with power steering, radio, or air conditioning. So it was like buying today’s C8.R race car and driving it to the stores.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via an M22 four-speed manual transmission and a 3.70:1 Positraction rear end. Dubbed the “Rock Crusher”, this trans was standard in 1967 but offered alongside the Muncie or a Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic in 68 and 69.

Painted wheels wear correct chrome hubcaps and trim rings and are mounted with F70-15 Firestone Wide Oval redline tires. She’s fitted with side-exit exhausts and a Gunmetal-trimmed cabin with Comfortweave seat inserts. The Cortez Silver paint was refurbished in the 1990s when the car also got official recognition from the Corvette community. Either way, this is one of those cars where every number, every stamp, every piece of paper matters.

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