First, we need to give credit to Pat L for finding this gem. The car is located near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in a small town called Conway. It is a 1971 Chevrolet Corvette equipped with an LS5 454 cubic inch V8 engine and 4 speed transmission. The car is listed for sale here on Craigslist and was posted 2 days ago. The seller is asking $42,000. The Corvette appears to be an example of a nicely done frame off restoration.
In 1971, a Corvette could be optioned with one of two 454 cubic inch V8 engines. The LS5 designated version was a streetable hydraulic lift cam 454 cubic inch big block V8 that was rated at 365 horsepower. The LS6 454 cubic inch big block V8 was a solid lifter cam motor that was rated at 425 horsepower. The original buyer of this car opted for the LS5 engine in a coupe with a Brans Hatch Green exterior and dark green interior. The engine is backed by a M20 Muncie 4 speed transmission and selected a highway friendly 3.08 rear gear for the differential. The seller states that the drivetrain is numbers matching from the engine to the rear end.
This car appears immaculate and the interior is no exception. This car was ordered with air conditioning which was optioned on 53% of 1971 Corvettes. The car has power steering and power brakes which should make this car lots of fun to drive. My brother had a 1969 Corvette with a 427 cubic inch V8 engine without power steering and it was a beast to park. This Corvette was built on February 19, 1971 so it just recently celebrated its 50th birthday.
The ad states that the body was painted after the frame off restoration and the frame was painted during the nut and bolt restoration process. The AO factory numbers are stenciled on the passenger side of the frame. The car sites on its factory rally wheels and aftermarket tires. The seller kept some of the original parts to the car that go with the sale.
@Bruce Johnson
You wrote: “The car is located near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in a small town called Conway.”
Conway may be a small town BUT US Highway 501 runs smack right thru the middle of it. Thus, it connects Myrtle Beach to all points west and as such, it is one of the most busily traveled towns in SC.
This is a beautiful Corvette by the way. I love the Brands Hatch Green. It has the slightest tint of blue in it. It may not be noticeable just looking at this car but it does. I dated a girl at one time who had a Brands Hatch ’71. At the same time, I had a Fathom Green ’69 427/435 convertible. We parked our cars side-by-side one day and the difference was amazing. Her car looked blue next to mine.
Drove through Conway on 501 for vacation for years. Talked about getting a job at the Dolphus M. Grainger power station. Conway is a major traffic jam during vacation season just like the intersection of I77 north and I81 west.
@Dave
Yes it is especially at peak arrival and departure times. We have started going on Hwy 22 to bypass Conway. It’s out of our way but at least we move at a good clip.
Thanks to advancing age and cheap airfare, my wife and I fly down. She can’t take a 12 hour drive but a 90 minute flight is just fine. Never did pull the trigger on the power station job, just as well.
very nice
If the seller has documentation of the frame off restoration, and the stories to go along with it, then I think 42K for a numbers matching, well documented 454 Vette is reasonable.
The color (mostly the interior) could be holding it back a bit, although I love the green exterior color – I had a ’70 in green for almost 30 years.
The only negative for me is – no luggage rack! And that is NOT an April Fool’s Day joke.
nice ride!!!!!! i’d buy that for a dollar!!!!!!! lol
nice ride!!!!! i’d buy that for a dollar!!!!!!! lol
Do all the mechanicals, especially the a/c function properly.
Before you buy, check the cv joints on the rear axis. I had one of these and had to replace the cv’s twice when it was 3 years old.
These do not have CV at the rear axles. They are universal joints.
I guarantee the owner spent more that 42G’s on the restoration. Fair price, for what it is. Wish I could enjoy one more ‘vette, but I’d need a much bigger Covid-19 relief check.
Boy do I want to know this car’s VIN. I owned a green/green 71 454 LS5 coupe with 4 speed and air in 1976. My car had VIN 4064, an early car. I sold it in 1978 to pay for college. Miss that car. Bought it because of the color for $5,000.
The VIN is listed in the ad. If you Google it you will find it mentioned in a thread from a Corvette forum in 2017 and that it’s also listed in a C3 registry.
Steve R
I like Vettes, but if you just want 365 bhp, take the DOVE – C cast iron heads off a junkyard Lincoln Mk – III 69,70,71 and go buy a Weiand dual plane intake and a Holly 850 double pumper and slap that onto a stock 70’s Ford 460. Drop it into a Mach I and you’re ready to go. A LONG way from $ 42 grand…
Either that or you could just add a mild cam, tweak the carb and ignition. There is a lot of potential left in these engines that is easy and inexpensive to access.
Have you priced 69-70 Mach 1’s lately, even rusty projects are selling for $15,000, someone would be hard pressed to make one of those as nice as this for this ones asking price.
Steve R
454 LS 6 had 450 horse in 1970. Only year you could buy one. LS 5 had 425 horse in 1970 and 71. LS 4 had 365 horse 1970, 71, 72. LS 3 had 345 horse in 1970, 71, 72 model years. And the 1970 special order LS 7 had 465 horse You ordered it. The dealer installed it. Plus the LS 6 had a special high lift HYD cam with rough idle. Only the LS7 had a solid with an very rough idle.
Never heard of an LS 7 Chris,could they be ordered from the factory in the car? Always thought the LS 6 was the highest hp.Thanks for the education
The LS-6 had a solid lifter cam and was not available in the Corvette for 1970. In 1971 it was only available in the Corvette, not the Chevelle, with lower compression but with aluminum heads. The LS-5 had 390hp in 1970 and 365hp in 1971. It takes less than a minute to look this information up on Google.
Steve R
Nice car; we own a ’72 coupe, 4 speed, air, leather,47,000 miles. Stop & think about it: C3, front & rear chrome bumpers, 4 speed, Big block with decent power, air only the interior color drags it down. The price is reasonable for sure. Our’s is Elkhart Green with Tan leather & it definitely has put a smile on our faces & relieved our stress levels! It’s what you feel when you slide into the seats & slip it into gear & Ride!