Dual Quads! 1971 Chevrolet Corvette

In terms of performance, 1971 is often considered the last hurrah of the C3 era of the Chevrolet Corvette, as it was the final year the mighty LS6 remained on the engine roster.  The seller doesn’t indicate which powerplant this 1971 Chevrolet Corvette here on Craigslist was originally equipped with, but under the hood now is something quite special that will provide plenty of bragging rights for the future owner.  This one also retains a few original aspects as well, and it seems like a lot of ‘Vette for the money, with the seller posting an asking price of $22,500, but he also mentions or best offer.  This one’s located in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and we’d like to tip our hat to reader Rocco B. for finding it and sending in the tip!

Aside from the aftermarket hood, the seller notes that this Corvette retains its factory War Bonnet Yellow paint, a color available only in 1971 and 1972.  Some of the finish also features seventies-style air brushing on top, which the owner says has faded over time, but I’d hate to tinker with anything else outside and risk losing the mostly original paint status here.  All of the fiberglass components appear to still be sturdy and in excellent condition, and while the choice of wheels wouldn’t typically be my first pick for most bodies, they actually work quite well for this application.

The seller reports that the previous engine was recently replaced with a 383 stroker, achieved by taking a 350 and boring it 0.030 over, then usually fitting it with a cam from a 400.  The longer stroke is known for its improved torque and lots of low-end power, and this one also features a pair of 4-barrel carburetors, Hooker headers, and side pipes.  The owner says the V8 runs great, and it’s paired with a Turbo 400 automatic transmission.  No dyno results are included, but horsepower is estimated at around 500.

Also described as mostly original is the interior, which appears to be in very good shape.  One obvious upgrade that’s easy to spot is the steering wheel, but hidden in the luggage area is a nitrous bottle, and the seller never mentions it.  There’s also a fire extinguisher back there, but hopefully, that’s one item that’ll never be needed.  This seems like a well-thought-out Corvette overall, and I feel the $22.5k asking price is pretty reasonable.  What are your thoughts on this one?