The C3 Corvette remains my favorite generation of “America’s Sports Car.” Yes, I know that every car before it is more valuable and opinions of the C3 cars are often less than positive, but the C3 is what I picture in my mind when I think of what a Corvette looks like. In fact, the styling of the C3 Corvette is so good that it influenced the C4, C5, and C6 models. If you doubt that, ask GM’s former vice president of Global Design Ed Welburn about it and he will set you straight.
Featured on AutoHunter is this Chevrolet Corvette coupe from 1969, what many consider to be the best year of the C3.
This 1969 Corvette is described as being powered by a 454ci V8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission. It is painted Daytona Yellow over a black vinyl interior and is now offered by the selling dealer with a clear title.
The Daytona Yellow color is original to this car. You can tell by looking at the build plate, which identifies the paint code as 984. Judging by the photos, the finish looks to be in excellent condition.
The exterior features color-matched T-tops, “427” badging on the correct big-block hood, side pipes, chrome bumpers, and pop-up headlights.
The interior is said to be black vinyl, which would also be correct to this specific car because the tag has “ZQ4” for the trim code. Based on the way the interior looks in the photos, it actually appears to be factory-correct leather to me, which I personally prefer. Desirable options on this C3 include a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, a wood-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel, and an upgraded sound system featuring a Custom Autosound radio, which was designed to look like a factory radio. Instrumentation includes a 160-mph speedometer, 7,000-rpm tachometer, and auxiliary gauges for the oil pressure, temperature, battery, and fuel level. Like the exterior, everything looks to be in excellent condition.
Under the hood, this car’s original 390-horsepower L36 Turbo-Jet 427ci V8 has been replaced with a 454 that features a Holley four-barrel carburetor and a Winters aluminum intake manifold. While this might affect the value of this car, it is still a Chevy big-block and one that likely has considerably more than 390 horsepower, making it a swap I could easily live with.
If I were in the market for a C3, this is exactly the car I would want, with its big-block/four-speed combination, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, side pipes, and awesome color combination. No, this 1969 Corvette will not win an NCRS Duntov award due to the engine swap, but who cares? Instead, this is a C3 that I would put tons of miles on, enjoying every minute of it. If you want a true high-power sports car from the 1960s that will leave anything the Europeans had to offer at the time in the dust, this Corvette is just the ticket.
The auction for this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe will end on Halloween, Thursday, October 31, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. (PDT).
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery
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