Corvette with big-block drive always generates huge sums of money on auctions for classic cars. The famous auction house, Mecum, will offer a pair of C3 Corvette with L88 units at the upcoming Kissimmee auction in Florida on January 11th.
Corvette Coupe from 1969, as well as the Corvette Convertible from 1969, with the original L88 big-block drive, will be sold as a pair on the auction.
The fact is that the L88 Corvette is a very rare “beast”, especially when considering that only 216 samples were made between 1967 and 1969.
These cars were racing machines in “clothes” for public transport. The creator of Corvette, Zora-Arkus Duntov, created the L88 package to circumvent, then, General Motors’ ban on car sports. The designation “L88” meant the V8 aggregate with a volume of 427 cubic inches, i.e. 7.0 liters, 430 hp, with later measurements with a dynamometer showing that the aggregate produces significantly more than 500 hp.
Both cars feature the Muncie M22 four-speed manual gearboxes and the front axles with the Positraction differential (limited slip differential). Expectedly, the radio, air conditioning, and electrically operated windows, which would be found in other versions of Corvette, are missing. It is interesting that the L88 Corvette did not have any formwork around the fan of the aggregate cooler, which guaranteed overheating during the “sitting” in the city crowd. When added that this package cost an additional $1,000 to the base price of a car of $4,420, but also demanded a gasoline of 103 octanes, it comes to the conclusion why these L88 models were not popular in their time.
Corvette L88 Coupe crossed only 2,000 miles, after which it spent decades in the warehouse. The car was restored in 2000, and won several “Bloomington Gold” awards. The first owner of the Corvette convertible was Tony DeLorenzo, the influential SCCA Corvette racer from that time.
Convertible was also restored at the same time as Coupe by the same company, and it also “picked up” several “Bloomington Gold” awards. Corvette fans already know they will have to splash out a huge sum for this L88 pair. Mecum predicts that two cars will bring over $1.1 million, and maybe even $1.35 million.
