1969 Chevrolet Corvette

LMC is very proud to offer for sale this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 

  All it took was ticking the right option boxes to transform a 1969 Corvette Stingray from a boulevardier into a ferocious performer. It would be a disservice to say that the handful of 1969 Chevrolet Corvettes ordered from the factory with the race-derived L88 427-cubic-inch V-8 were accidental, of course. Those future Corvette owners who specified the ultra-high compression big-block engine with its aluminum heads, high-capacity four-barrel carburetor, bespoke induction, and domed hood knew exactly what they were getting into.

  What they may not have known was that 1969 would be the final year for the engine that had proven itself on the track. Officially, the engineers, lawyers, and product planners at General Motors specified that the L88 engine was for track use, but it was street legal and ran on standard pump fuel. Chevy rated the engine at 430 horsepower, a very conservative figure for an engine that really put out closer to 600 horsepower and didn’t bother to advertise its existence in its contemporary marketing material. The L88 debuted for the 1967 model year and required those dealers willing to order one to jump through a few hoops. Dealers first had to select the performance suspension, positraction rear differential, and the biggest brakes available to handle an engine capable of vaulting the Corvette from a standstill to a quarter of a mile in less than 12 seconds. A radio and an air conditioner were not available. The engine was meant for track use, after all.

  The unusual beginnings of this highly decorated 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Coupe are detailed in a letter from Tony Franchi, who enjoyed a long career at Wigder Chevrolet in Livingston, New Jersey, the car’s original selling dealer. Written in 1995 to the car’s then-owner Bob Rush of Clewiston, Florida, the letter describes how the original purchaser left the car stored at the dealership “for the longest time.” When the customer finally arrived to collect his new car, he showed up with a flatbed trailer and winched the L88 onto the trailer deck without it even having been put through a pre-delivery inspection. When asked by a dealer employee what he would do with the car, the customer’s reply was straightforward: “Put it away.” Indeed, that is exactly what happened, because it never appeared at Wigder Chevrolet again.

  Flash forward to today, as the car shows only 2,050 original miles. One of just 116 L88s produced in 1969, the final year of production and factory ordered in ultra rare Tuxedo Black with a black interior, Rally wheels and Firestone blackwall tires. It still carries its CCAS/Al Grenning certified original numbers matching engine, comprising the storied L88 427/430 HP engine with late-production open-chamber aluminum heads, a Muncie M22 “Rock Crusher” 4-speed and 4.56:1 Positraction rear end. In addition to the L88-specific F41 special suspension, K66 transistorized ignition and J50-J56 special power disc brakes, the car features bright front-fender louver trim and Soft Ray-tinted glass. 

  The car was awarded both Bloomington Gold and NCRS Top Flight honors as a result of the careful restoration by the Naber Brothers of Houston, Texas. It was then invited to be a part of the Bloomington Gold L88 Invasion and L88 Explosion Special Collections, further adding to its accolades. Complete with the aforementioned letter from Wigder Chevrolet, this top-tier collector Corvette L88 comes complete with judging sheets and certificates, restoration receipts and owner's manual. Furthermore, the numbers matching L88 engine has been affirmed by Al Grenning and the Classic Car Affirmation Service. Truly a remarkable example that would be the pinnacle of any Corvette or Muscle car collection.