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427/4-Speed: 1968 Chevrolet Corvette

Regardless of its age, any car that can storm through the ¼-mile in under 14 seconds is a vehicle that deserves respect. That is what we find with this 1968 Chevrolet Corvette. With a firebreathing big-block under the hood, it should provide performance that is impressive enough to satisfy the most hardened enthusiasts. It is also a project that has stalled early, which means that you could have the chance to see it through to completion. Located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, you will find the Corvette listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has rocketed past the reserve and currently sits at $22,500.

From a distance, the Safari Yellow Corvette looks pretty tidy. When you get closer, you begin to realize that there are plenty of flaws and defects in the panels and paint that the buyer will need to tackle. The paint is peeling in a few spots, so that would require some careful investigation. Evidence suggests that someone might have treated the vehicle to at least a partial repaint at some point, and I suspect that their preparation may not have been that great. Still, that might not be a problem, as a lot of the paint will need to be stripped away to address the numerous small cracks and flaws in the underlying fiberglass. None of these flaws are bad in themselves, but they will need to be attended to before the buyer considers applying a new coat of Yellow. The owner supplies some good shots of the underside, and while some undercoat has peeled away to allow surface corrosion to develop, the frame appears to be structurally sound. Someone has fitted a side exhaust that should make the ‘Vette sound tough, it doesn’t seem to have any heat shielding. If this is right, I would probably remove it before someone managed to burn themselves. The trim and chrome are acceptable for a driver-grade car, while there are no problems with the glass.

Everything appears to be relatively straightforward with this Corvette until the seller reaches the point of describing its drivetrain. We know that it is powered by a numbers-matching 427ci big-block. From here, the waters become slightly muddied. In some parts of the listing, he refers to the transmission as a 4-speed, while in other parts, he talks about a 5-speed. However, that’s just the start of it because he also talks about the engine being an L71 that would produce 435hp. That seems fair, and I can’t see any evidence to contradict this claim. If this is right, that should make the Corvette capable of demolishing the ¼ mile in 13.4 seconds. That brings us to the final piece of the puzzle because the seller also refers to it as an L71/L89. This option saw the 427 wearing aluminum cylinder heads, but I’m not convinced that the claim is accurate with this car. Usually, these components are unpainted, but the ones on this car wear a coat of red. That in itself is not conclusive, so an in-person inspection would be required to verify it. If we could see the engine stamp pad and confirm that it wears the correct “IU” suffix, that should answer the question definitively. A few items like the ignition shield are missing, and the big-block wears aftermarket headers. However, it is said to run and drive well, so addressing those few things should not be difficult.

When we turn our attention to the Corvette’s interior, it all seems pretty positive. The factory radio is missing, but otherwise. it does seem to be complete. The owner has recently installed new carpet and seat covers, and when combined with tidy door trims and a dash with no significant issues, it makes an excellent first impression. It is not factory fresh, but if the buyer is looking to transform the Corvette into a driver-quality classic that presents well, the interior will need very little. It isn’t loaded with creature comforts, but the original owner ordered the ‘Vette with power windows.

The listing for this 1968 Corvette raises many questions in my mind, but it hasn’t prevented people from bidding on it. At the time of writing, twenty-three bids have been submitted. This is not a case of it being a two-person bidding war because the action has involved eleven people to this point. With the reserve now off, this Corvette is destined to head to a new home in a few days. Are you tempted to bid so that the home in question could be yours?

Comments

  1. Avatar flmikey

    Every time I see side exhaust on a ‘Vette, I am reminded that I still have a burn scar on the back of my right calf I got when I was climbing out of my friends 68 427 Corvette after a very scary ride in 1975…worth it? You bet…

    Like 13
  2. Avatar Tony Primo

    The side pipes and headers appear to be manufactured by Hooker Headers by what I can see on my phone. These side pipes have no covers. It is designed as a system. The side pipes slip fit into the headers. The mufflers slip into the side pipes.

    Like 8
    • Avatar James Kalka

      Tony; That is correct. Only the factory side pipes came with shields. The ones on this car never came with covers as they are not needed.

      Like 1
      • Avatar Jay Bree

        They’re only “not needed” after your first burn.

        Like 1
      • Avatar Steve Steinborn

        You would still get burned even if the side pipes did have the heat shields. I know a guy that had a 72 vette with a 383 and side pipes and it had the heat shields. he would still burn his legs once in a while.

        Like 0
  3. Avatar Ross

    The steering wheel is a 1969, not 1968. Any paperwork on this car, since there are so many questions?

    Like 0
  4. Avatar moosie

    The interior doesn’t seem correct to me, I didn’t think that ’68’s had the map pocket on the dash panel and also it doesn’t have the receptacles in the console for the seat belt buckle, steering wheel seems too small and the seat backs too tall. at least the key switch is still on the dashboard. It’s a pretty nice car to have as a weekend top down cruiser, maybe spiff up the paint somehow, not all Corvettes need to be made non drivers with an over the top museum grade restoration. That’s what I’d do, drive it as is, top down smiling and loving the sound of those Hooker side pipes.

    Like 4
  5. Avatar James Bishop

    Nice project car if you have the shop to do the fiberglass work and disassemble work a lot of minor projects all around the car . The aluminum heads would be great if the suffix code is indeed IU . Most owners would never paint the L-89 heads . I would get rid of the crap side pipes and get a factory 4 -speed beings the car is a number matching car . Put the exhaust back how it was from the factory , fix all the fiberglass work (a lot ) factory radio , and new paint . If you do it all yourself might be about 22k-24k , 42k plus if a shop does it . IMO (to bad it’s crap yellow ) Nice black int . The bid is nearly 26k unless you have deep pockets and /or your own shop, not worth much more .

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Jamie

    Wrong steering wheel, and the car DID have pockets as a glove box. I remember my dads 68. What’s the sticker on the valve cover? Looks to me like an NCRS sticker. But I could be wrong.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Jamie

    I found vin on current EBay ad.

    194378S425320

    Like 0
  8. Avatar JC

    Maybe its me but it sits too high with those huge tires stuffed in the wheel wells. Seems like its a potential money pit.

    Like 3
  9. Avatar Bob Suskin

    If you want to see the car in person, can you? I would love to meet the owner and see the car up close. Bob Suskin

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Chaz54

    There are a lot of things wrong with this car. Too many to be worth the $25,600.00 that the bid is at right now.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar RH FACTOR

    Looks like a 400 hp oval port tri-power engine to me.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Chas54

      Why do you think that?

      Like 0

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