If you went out into the market today, you would struggle to find a respectable chrome-bumper C3 Corvette with a big-block under the hood for under $30,000. These cars remain in high demand, making this 1969 Corvette a car that deserves a closer look. It is located in Bonham, Texas, and has been listed for sale here on Facebook. You could become the next owner of this classic for $26,000, and the seller might even entertain the idea of a trade.
The first thing worth noting with this Corvette is that I believe it has received a color change. This doesn’t look like Riverside Gold to me, but I haven’t been able to confirm what shade it is positively. The owner describes the paint’s condition as being a 7½/10 because it does have a few cracks and flaws. It generally holds a good shine, and if this classic is considered purely a driver-quality proposition, it looks very acceptable. The fiberglass shows no significant issues, and while the owner doesn’t broach the subject of rust, the fact that the Corvette has spent its life in Texas means that we can remain optimistic about the state of the frame and birdcage. The trim and chrome seem to be respectable, and I can’t spot any significant defects with the glass.
The Corvette’s interior continues the theme of a driver-quality car. The owner describes its condition as being 6/10, and that is probably a fair assessment. There are no major issues, but I would be getting stuck in to give it a deep clean before I did anything. There appears to be quite a layer of dust across most hard surfaces, making it hard to identify some of the faults. It looks like the carpet should be replaced, but the seats and door trims look okay. What I can see is the sort of edge-wear that can plague hard plastic trim as the years pass, and there are a few items that the buyer might consider replacing in the pursuit of perfection. However, replacing the carpet alone would probably provide enough of a boost to lift the interior enormously. The original radio has made way for an aftermarket radio/cassette player, but one desirable factory option that this car features, which is especially relevant in Texas, is ice-cold air conditioning.
The Corvette isn’t numbers-matching, but it still features a 427ci V8 that is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission. It isn’t clear whether it started life with a big-block under the hood and what the true specification of this one might be. Even in its mildest L36 form, that V8 would have been producing 390hp. That is enough to fire the vehicle through the ¼ mile in 13.8 seconds. From a mechanical perspective, this looks pretty promising. It has recently received an aluminum intake and a Holley 750 carburetor, along with new plugs, plug wires, and a distributor. The owner believes that a hotter camshaft may have been fitted, and when you put this all together, it isn’t surprising that the owner says that the Corvette runs and drives well.
This 1969 Corvette might not be a 100% original classic, but it still appears to be a great driver-quality car. It should offer the sort of performance that would satisfy most enthusiasts, and it would always grab its share of attention wherever it goes. One of its greatest attractions for me is that it is the sort of car that looks good, but if you were on an outing and it picked up a paint chip, it wouldn’t cause as much stress or angst that the same issue might with a pristine vehicle. That makes it a classic that could be driven and enjoyed in a relaxed manner, and given how stressful many aspects of our lives can be, that can’t be a bad thing.
https://mohave.craigslist.org/cto/d/lake-havasu-city-1968-corvette-bb/7264579722.html
MO Betta.
Whoa I love that blue 68!!!
Now we’ll see if the driveline is all original………
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/d/long-beach-1968-corvette/7268392382.html
Whoa I love that red 68!!!
327 in that baby will fly!!!!
Asking only $25,500bo it’s worth a closer look🤔
the rear wheels seem to have too much offset. warrants further inspection
Yeah, I noticed that. Would have to get it on a rack.
Not sure why the writer said this car’s spent it’s whole life in Texas, and thus is rust free. I didn’t see where the seller made any such claims? Old Corvettes seem to move around a lot, with very few still in the same state they started out in.
It appears this car has a Vintage Air system installed in it, it’s not a factory AC car. This is not a bad thing, as the modern aftermarket systems are far superior to the old GM A-6 systems.
The biggest issue I see is the poor quality, ill fitting aftermarket L-88 hood, but I’m guessing it’s needed to clear the high rise intake. I’m not crazy about the black painted side pipe covers either, but at $2500 for a pair of repro covers, I understand why they’re painted.
Overall it doesn’t look like a terrible car, but I think $26K is high for a wrong motor car with paint and fiberglass fit issues.
No such thing as a truly “rust free” car/truck. They start rusting as soon as they leave the factory. LOL
Note to anyone buying a car out of TX; ever heard of a hurricane? When they make landfall they bring a deluge and not just along the coast. Just saying.
Stance doesn’t look right.
I would like to know how much better the Vintage air system is than the factory air conditioner. There is an entire book written about methods to improve the cooling of the AC Delco system in these cars. I had a 71 big block with factory air, and redid everything possible with it converted to A134, and it was terrible in anything over about 80 degrees outside temperature. On a hot summer day, it was useless. It was better to just remove the rear window and t- tops and roll with it.
Frank, did the same thing to the AC on my 70 Super Sport Monte 454. Never cooled right after upgrading to R134. Was told later that the compressor has to be fitted with new seals or the freon just leaks out past the seals. There’s a place in Texas that supposedly will rebuild your original compressor to handle R134 pressure without the freon leaking out.
From my experience, the A-6 systems never worked very well in Corvettes, and I don’t think it has anything to do with the Freon.
I think too much heat comes into the interior from the trans, engine and exhaust, through the thin fiberglass floors for the AC system to overcome. Starting in 76, Chevrolet put steel floors in Corvettes to reduce heat transfer, and in 77 they went to the R-4 radial compressor. The difference in the AC cooling between the A-6 cars with fiberglass floors, and steel floor R-4 cars, is like night and day.
I’ve sold a number of Vintage Air systems and every customer has been happy with them. Besides cooling better, their modern Sanden compressor creates far less engine drag, then the old GM A-6 axial compressors.
I have been restoring corvettes for years you can see the car has been repaired in the front and hood replaced the wheels in the back just have a different offset
no big e. 18k is about what this car is worth
I agree with the comment about the air conditioner in GM 70s cars. I have owned two C3s with Frigidaire/Harrison AC. Blows cold only with R12. 134A is garbage. The comment that the original systems didn’t cool is partially true. The heat in a C3 is unbearable. I take out the t tops and roll down windows. My 73 has factory air and needs thousands in ac repair. Forget it. Not fixing it.
Other than the dust in the interior, it doesn’t look like a barn fine to me. Where’s the car in barn pictures? Nice car!