Although it isn’t original, this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette has garnered some interest since the owner decided to part with the classic. It presents well, and the big-block V8 under the hood should pin the driver in their seat if they choose to floor the gas pedal. It has already received sixteen bids, and while they have pushed the price to $27,600, that figure is short of the reserve. The ‘Vette is listed here on eBay in Merrillville, Indiana. Plenty of time remains on the auction for those wishing to throw their hat into the ring.
The seller is candid about this Corvette’s overall condition, describing it as an 8/10. That may be harsh because it is hard to spot any significant defects in the supplied photos. It rolled off the line wearing LeMans Blue, but it may have undergone a color change as part of a refurbishment performed in 2017. The original shade would have looked nice, but this one is stunning. It shines like glass, guaranteeing this car would turn heads. The fiberglass appears faultless, while the chrome is as impressive as the paint. Climbing under the ‘Vette reveals a frame with no evidence of rust or prior accident repairs. The side exhaust gives the car a menacing appearance and, when combined with the chrome Rally-style wheels, suggests there may be more to this classic than first meets the eye.
For purists, the fact this Corvette isn’t numbers-matching will probably be disappointing. For those less concerned about originality, your mouth will probably water when you find what is under its hood. A 427ci big-block will always provide excellent performance, but the Tri-Power setup on this motor should see it churning out 425hp. However, the aftermarket headers and exhaust should help this monster breathe more effectively, potentially liberating a few additional ponies. There’s no point having bags of power if the vehicle can’t apply it to the tarmac. This ‘Vette does so via a four-speed manual transmission. If I were a betting man, I would wager this classic could better its original ¼-mile ET of 13.5 seconds. The exterior refurbishment completed in 2017 was the tip of the iceberg with this car. The seller took that opportunity to replace the engine, the transmission, the rear end, the clutch, carburetors, springs, shock, and brakes. That suggests all the buyer will need to do is slip behind the wheel for a spot of automotive pleasure.
When it was shiny and new, this Corvette’s interior featured blue vinyl upholstery. The seller indicates a retrim was part of the 2017 refresh. It appears flawless black leather now covers the seats, with no signs of wear or physical damage. The remaining upholstered surfaces look excellent, as does the dash. The carpet is equally impressive, while there are no signs of crumbling plastic. The wheel is an aftermarket addition, as is the retro stereo. It isn’t loaded with optional extras, but the tilt/telescopic wheel is a welcome addition.
Undoubtedly, this 1969 Corvette possesses the “wow” factor, and its drivetrain combination means it should have the muscle to back its looks. It isn’t 100% original, which may dissuade some potential buyers. However, it ticks the right boxes for anyone seeking a stunning driver with power to burn. The bidding history isn’t as frantic as might be expected, but plenty of time remains for that situation to change. Are you tempted to drop a bid on this classic? If you do, I wish you luck because it would be a pretty nice piece of equipment to find parked in your garage.
Bubble tail lights and side pipes, must have additions for 68-73 Corvettes!
LeMans Blue with a matching interior is a great combination! Whoever changed it to boring burgundy and black should be arrested.
Why would anyone in their right mind do a color change from LeMans blue?
The money he would have saved by not buying the burgundy paint job could have been spent on a nice shop vac – to use on the interior before posting these photos.
Lets devalue the vette! Aftermarket side pipes, goofy steering wheel, bubble tail lights and burgundy in color. 69 was the year for side pipes.
If it rolled off the assembly line in LeMans blue paint, it DEFINITELY may have undergone a color change. Could just be the lighting though…..
😱🤪
I like it. No sense complaining about a paint job that’s already done. I wouldn’t have changed the color either but if I was in the market for one I’d certainly buy this car and go have some fun with it.
Right on bobhess nice car, its a nice paint job don’t like the taillights but would be easy to replace
The only things I don’t care for are the chromed Rally wheels,the Corvette logo side pipe covers, although they do serve a purpose if you are not careful getting in and out, and the steering wheel. The rim is just way to fat and the color takes away from the interior. Overall, a pretty cool car, hey, it’s a 427 Tri-Power car, have a blast with it.
“A spot of automotive pleasure”?? Sweet Baby Jesus lying in your manger, I’d arm wrestle my wife for the keys to drive that awesome Vette to the end of the driveway to get the mail, all 40 feet of it!!
@Adam Clarke
Actually, there were two versions of the Tri Power 427 available in 1967-69.
Unfortunately, the seller of this car doesn’t say which his is. The air cleaner denotes it as 435 HP (decals are cheap) but I notice the redline on the tachometer is not for a 435 HP engine. Those had 6500 for their redline.
The first and most civilized version had small, oval port heads, a mild camshaft, hydraulic lifters, 10.25:1 compression ratio and produced 400 HP.
The other version was fairly radical in that it had the large, rectangular port heads to flow more air, a radical camshaft employing solid lifters, 11,0:1 compression ratio and produced 435 HP. I owned a ’69 convertible with the 435 HP engine and it was a beast! It is dubbed L71 as that was the Regular Production Option code to order that engine.
I had the ’68 near twin, with the same mods, low-12’s with street slicks. I would love it, but even new the 435 hp solid lifters with the aluminum heads were fragile. I blew it up twice under warranty before I totalled it. Today, I think the detuned 400 hp or even the 4 barrel 390 (both hydraulic lifters) would suit me better.
As an aside, it was hard to get a street race, and when you did, you had to give a hit or spot car lengths. I got a Nova that was quicker and guys with souped up small blocks were game.
Larry D took the words right out of my mouth.
I was curious how they came up with 425hp.
When the 2 tri power versions were 400 & 435
This is what I define as the perfect chrome bumper C3 to sell on EBay. Looks nice, has had some money spent on it, will attract the turn key buyer who doesn’t care about originality.
The new owner will enjoy being seen in it, all the while not knowing if the frame or birdcage will fall out from underneath them.
Some of the earlier full sized Impalas had 427’s with 425 hp, but all had 4 barrels not 3X2s. But as someone else said, “Decals are cheap”. I will say again, 400 hp had hydrologic lifters, the 435, solid. I could tell which by hearing on the phone. I only ran against one 400 hp, not real close, but his was stock.
SOLD for $38,501.