Don’t be fooled by its tired appearance, because this 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible could be a worthy restoration candidate. It requires nothing less than a frame-off approach to recapture its former glory, but there is one attribute that makes it worthwhile. Its engine bay houses its original L89 big-block, making this among the rarest and most potent versions of the Corvette offered during that model year. It deserves a closer look to see if you are up to the challenge of bringing this classic back from the brink.
Little is known about this Corvette beyond the fact that it has been off the road and in storage for a very long time. The seller doesn’t elaborate on the duration, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it is measured in decades. Time has not been kind to this classic, but nor has it reduced the Corvette to a basket case. The Lemans Blue paint is well past its best, and the fiberglass has a few minor imperfections. Combine those factors with the surface corrosion on the frame and a nut-and-bolt restoration would be the only approach that would do it justice. One of its redeeming features is that although the frame is heavily corroded, it has avoided penetrating rust that would complicate the build. The seller includes the original hood, and the factory hardtop should respond to the same restoration process used on the panels.
It is disappointing that the seller supplies no engine photos because what hides under the hood is this car’s defining feature. Chevrolet offered 1969 Corvette buyers a choice of six optional V8s to power their new toy, with some offering better performance potential than others. The undoubted king was the L88 version of the 427ci big-block, but its highly-strung nature made it only suitable for track work. The most desirable “street” motor was undoubtedly the L89 version, featuring aluminum cylinder heads and a Tri-Power setup. It added $832.05 to the ‘Vette’s sticker price, explaining why only around 1% of buyers chose that motor. However, this is one of those cars. The L89 sent 435hp and a whopping 460 ft/lbs of torque to the 4.11 rear end via a four-speed manual transmission. Was it fast? I think the ¼-mile ET of 13.5 seconds answers that question pretty clearly. The seller confirms the L89 is numbers-matching, although it is missing its Tri-Power setup. It is unclear whether it turns, but budgeting for a rebuild during this restoration would be wise. The car comes with plenty of original documentation, including the Owner’s Manual and Protect-O-Plate.
The first owner teamed the Leman Blue exterior with an interior trimmed in Blue vinyl. the carpet is a distant memory, but it appears the interior is otherwise complete. The new owner might choose to deep clean everything if a driver-grade build is their focus. However, I think that many readers will agree that a car of this caliber deserves nothing less than a retrim to achieve perfection. It doesn’t score power windows or air conditioning, but the first owner ticked the box for an AM/FM radio.
Chevrolet sold 38,762 examples of the Corvette across both body types in 1969, with 16,633 buyers selecting the Convertible. The L89 engine option offered stunning performance, but it came at a price that few were prepared to pay. Only 390 buyers ticked that box on the Order Form, and this is one of those cars. The seller has listed the Corvette here on eBay in Jackson, New Jersey. Thirty-four bids have pushed the price to $27,600, which is below the reserve. That begs the question of what you would be prepared to pay for this Convertible. If your thoughts rest at a higher figure, monitoring the auction might be worthwhile. It could be your chance to secure a potent classic that will command respect when it returns to its rightful place on our roads.
This is a good buy if remains below 35K. It’s gonna cost 70K or more to restore, but with numbers matching BB and only 390 produced, will be a six figure car when complete. And it looks like you may be able to restore the original interior here. I didn’t see anything about the transmission, but when you zoom in it appears to be a manual shifter. I hope someone restores this back to original condition.
By the ebay photos it appears to have had a engine bay fire at some time in its younger days.
Probably why there aren’t any engine bay photos. Just guessing.
Doesn’t plastic melt at or around campfire temperatures? So does aluminum come to think of it. Especially when gasoline is added to the kindling.
Please explain why you think it’s had an engine fire. Looking at the pictures I don’t see anything to indicate a fire, but maybe I’m missing something? I see an engine block that still appears to have some original Chevy engine orange paint on it and a body with crazed and pealing paint that looks typical of what paint looks like on a Corvette that’s been sitting out in the weather for an extended period of time. The shot of the front wheel well shows a inner fender with remnants of the factory blackout paint treatment still on it. Since this car looks like it was left outside for a long time, I’d be more concerned about the condition of the windshield header and a-pillars, the cowl/hinge pillar area, the door sills/rocker area and other areas of the “birdcage”.
Whatever the condition of it is, the “LP” suffix code identifies it as a 427/435 L89 4 speed, and the “842” heads are the correct aluminum heads for a 69 L89. The engine was assembled on February 21st, the body was made on March 3rd and VIN 17785 was assembled on approximately March 3, 1969, meaning all the numbers we know line up. Having the POP is an added bonus. With any luck the tank sticker’s still in place which would make this one of the better documented L89’s out there.
gb, my mistake. I was thinking about a different car. Sorry.
Too many questions, not enough answers to make an informed decision. Is it a manual or an automatic? Was there an engine bay fire? (This one is a huge question) On one hand, it is a very desirable car. On the other hand, just how much work does it need? I agree with Cooter, if it stays below 35K, it may be a worthwhile investment.
Well, the lack of carburetors and intake manifold, and evidence of an engine fire….I’ll guess they’re tied together as causes of long-term storage.
Vin. # ‘s don’t match. but the stamping on the supplied picture does indicate L89 but with a different Vin. # than the one listed in the text of the ebay ad . So what do we have here ? I’d be very wary, trouble is that it could be a very nice car
What part of “four speed manual transmission” don’t you get?
I don’t think the writer would mention it if this Vette didn’t have it.
The part that I don’t get is how I read the article twice and somehow missed that comment. I stand corrected.
Beautiful color combo. Figure on $4,000 for a tri power set up, intake and carbs. But with those 4.11s, it will be tough keeping up with today’s traffic if you actually drive it. Seems these days hardly anyone drives old Corvettes. A few days ago, a parade of them went by my work enroute to Carlisle. I bet the oldest one was 10 years old. You put all that money and time into restoring something then it sits. Stupid. Last year, I drove my 50 year old Corvette to Carlisle. 423 mile round trip. Not one issue. I hope some one restores this L89. Not gonna be cheap.
How can you have all the original documentation & lose the 6 pack ? With the money these bring all done up someone will get a buy here, “if” all is right.
If you look very closely at all the pictures in the ebay photos you will see a bare head photo that shows weathering and rust on the lifter rod guides.
I don’t know guys..no 2X3 intake and no 3 2bbl carburetors. Personally I think that they melted. Probably down the intakes.
I talked to the guy via text. He sent me a picture of the engine bay with no sign of a fire, so I don’t know where you guys get that. He also sent a picture of the casting number for the block which is a 512. The vin that eBay shows is the wrong one. If you zoom in on the tag registration in the photos you can clearly see it matches the engine. The intake manifold doesn’t even fit, it’s a round port instead of a rectangular port. He says he doesn’t have pictures of the transmission so that’s not good.
High bid of $35,301, did not meet reserve.
Steve R